How to use basal body temperature as NFP

How do you use this method?

First you will need a thermometer, it is recommended to have one specifically for measuring basal body temperature called a basal body thermometer as it is more accurate. I use this one by IProven because it was affordable and recommended to me by Margret Matheney on YouTube when I was looking for one, I have dropped it a few times and have gotten breast milk on it and it still works just fine, I also like that it has a recall option for the last temperature taken so I can input my temperature later in the day if I don't do it first thing that morning (not an ad I just really like it). You then simply tale your temperature every morning first thing when you wake up. You will need to make sure you have slept at least 3 hours, although some recommend 6 hours before taking your temperature to make sure it is accurate and its best if you are able to do it close to the same time every morning, but it isn't necessary. If you have a newborn and are waking frequently during the night to care for them, you will want to make sure you have gone back to sleep for at least 1 hours before taking your temperature (so if you normally wake up at 6:30 you will want to make sure your asleep in bed by midnight and that you sleep from 5:30-6:30 for an accurate reading). There are many different thermometers option out there some of which come with an app like natural cycles which is the only BBT set up that is approved to work independently as a birth control. For more on how I recommend using this method stay tuned for my next Friday post where I'll talk about the Sympto-thermal method.

Charting:

After you have your temperature, you will need to chart it either digitally or on a paper graph. If you choose to use a paper graph you will want to make sure you have numbers ranging from 96.1 to at least 98.9 and you will want to include all decimal points in the tenth degree (0.1) and record to the tenth degree as well. When you use an app, it will automatically put the temperature in how it is appropriate. I will leave the 2 apps I have used for this below, as well as the natural cycles app if you're interested in checking that one out. You then will look for a temperature shift of .5 degrees or more followed by at least 3 more elevated temperatures. That will look like this:

Something you will also often notice in the few days before you have your temperature spike you will see a couple temperatures that dip a little bit. Typically, there are about 3 slightly lower temperatures before you have one that jumps up, the cycle above shows 4 but there may have been 6 depending on the missing data point. This helps give you an idea of when that peak fertility day is coming and that you're in the ovulatory phase of your cycle.

Who is this method best for?

This method works well for this who have a consistent routine and consistent wake times, however since the temperature spike doesn't happen until after you ovulate it's hard to determine your ovulation day before it happens. If you use the natural cycles set up it's able to predict your expected ovulation but requires a paid membership. However, the membership would be cheaper than purchasing a medicinal contraception if you don't have insurance that covers it. using basal body temperature is really great to use in conjunction with tracking your other fertility symptoms. I will share exactly how to do this in my post on February second. Because the increase happens after you have ovulated, this method is best used by those who have time to track and study their charts for a couple of months to get an idea for your average cycle length. Illness, travel, and alcohol or drug use can affect your temperature and make it difficult to establish an accurate reading so if you are someone to engages in these activities regularly.