Today is the last day of your fertile phase. Learn to spot your body’s fertility signs by charting your basal body temperature (BBT) and monitoring your cervical mucus. BBT is an easy, fast, inexpensive and accurate way to help you confirm ovulation.
BBT is your temperature when you first wake up in the morning or after at least three hours of uninterrupted sleep. To record your BBT, you need to use a basal thermometer. This has a finer scale than a normal thermometer and lets you record tiny changes in your body temperature. Take your temperature BEFORE you get out of bed and chart it on LoveCycles. When you ovulate, hormonal changes trigger a slight rise in your BBT, which lasts at least until your next period. You are most fertile on the day of the temperature spike and on the few days before. So, the first month or two of charting your temperature will only tell you when you’ve already ovulated. But soon you’ll be able to see whether there is a pattern. If there is a pattern you’ll be able to predict your most fertile days the next time around. If you do become pregnant, your temperature will stay elevated throughout your pregnancy.
Dola says: You’ll probably notice your temperature spiking on other days, but unless it stays that way for at least three days in a row you’re probably not ovulating. Remember that if you are ill, or forget to take your temperature immediately on waking, any pattern you find may be inaccurate.