How and Why to do a BBT Chart:
FAM or Fertility Awareness Method can help you identify if you aren’t ovulating( anovulation, delayed ovulation, short luteal phases, unsuitable cervical fluid, hormonal imbalances, insufficient progesterone levels) as well as miscalculated date of conception, occurrence of miscarriges, irregular or abnormal bleeding, vaginal infections, UTI’s, cervical anomilies, breast lumps, PMS according to the book Taking Charge of your Fertility by Toni Weschler, MPH. I have taken much from her book for this blog as she is an expert in fertility awareness.
For our reasons, it will help you identify when you are fertile and if there are any issues standing in your way of getting pregnant naturally. This is something I teach to my clients as they begin treatments with me within the first 30 days of working together. My program is a 90 Day fertility program designed to get to the root of hormonal imbalances and fertility challenges. Why bother with doing a chart for 2-3 months? From my years of experience, I have found it to be a useful, cost effective, simple diagnostic tool that can show you SO much about your fertility. It also guides me as a practitioner in giving you the best herbal formulas specifically tailored to you based on what your chart is showing. It can show us if your progesterone is low without a blood test, more clearly when your 5 + fertile days are, and if there is an issue with other hormones such as thyroid, etc. All of this is detected without invasive tests. It also puts you in touch with your own body and fertility. I have used it myself as well.
3 Fertile Signs:
Basal body temperature shifts, cervical fluid, cervical position
Basal body temperature shifts, cervical fluid, cervical position
Basal body temperature shift: How to DO A BBT CHART for Fertility
- Get a BBT thermometer ( amazon has the one shown in pic above specifically designed for BBT)
- Download Kindara app or other fertility tracking app
- Take your temperature as close to the same time everyday—note the time your temp was taken and put in app
- Take your temp after a solid block of good sleep, atleast after 3 hours of sleep
- Take temperature orally. Take it the same way everyday. This is your resting temperature or basal body temperature ( BBT)
- The first half of your cycle is the Follicular phase: your resting temps should be in the mid 97.5 range generally
- Mid cycle around day 14 or so, you should start to see your temperatures dipping a little. This is because estrogen is peaking and sending messages to your brain and Luteinizing hormone is released in prep for ovulation.
- Ovulation: temps rise 0.4-0.6 or even 1 degree. When your temperature has risen, ovulation has already occured. So don’t wait to have sex until after your temperature rises. Your temperatures should stay elevated above your temps in the first half of your cycle—meaning they might dip a little, but not back to follicular temp ranges of 97.5.
- Your temperature will drop before your period starts if you are not pregnant.
- A Pregnancy curve will show a rise of about .2 in temperature increase.
Reasons to Consult a Fertility Acupuncturist:
- Follicular phase too short( first half of your cycle less than 10 days): cycle needs to be lengthened so that eggs have a chance to be nourished and mature before released
- Long follicular phase( over 21 days or so): more difficult to get pregnant, more difficult for implantation to take place—uterine lining not ideal
- Luteal phase: too short also issue, less than 10 days, not enough time for implantation, etc.
- Big dips in basal temps in Luteal phase: shows progesterone is deficient —saw toothed
- TOO low temps in follicular phase( first half of cycle): 96 or lower–indicative of hypothyroid-too cold
- Too high Temps in f phase: hyperhthyroid —above 98
If you don’t see a biphasic pattern of low in first half, dip, and then higher in second half, ovulation didn’t occur. Time to see your fertility acupuncturist for an asian medicine work up, and/or OB/GYN work up to identify source of not ovulating.
Irregular cycles: PCOS, or stress. Get a work up, start acupuncture and herbs
Long Infertile cycles : often due to hypothyroidism: you might have 3 signs: long periods of fertile quality cervical fluid( feeling wet most of your cycle), low basal body temp, long cycle. For hypo, use kelp flakes, some iodized salt, lots of clean ocean fish, which all contain iodine needed by the thyroid gland to make thyroid hormones. Add A,B,C, and E as well as zinc and selenium. See your acupuncturist or nutritionist to help with dosage.
Repeat miscarriages: 1 in 3 pregnancies …if you are noticing early pregnancy with your BBT chart, with a drop in temperature , this can indicate early miscarriage. You can eliminate alcohol, any drugs and caffeine. After 1 miscarriage, I would consult a doc. Add more protein, more frequent meals, decrease bad fats( bad fat foods such as fried, and simple carbs, and chocolate intake.)
Cervical Fluid
Tips on Cervical fluid: should be egg white, not sticky, tacky or dry. Some women have more fertile days than others. If there is no cervical mucous, you are not on a fertile day. You are Fertile during wet days as long as you have not seen your temperature rise. The egg only survives for 24 hours after this shift.
Avoid drugs that dry up your cervical fluid: antihistamines, atropine, belladonna, cough mixtures containing antihistamines, dicyclomine, preogesterone, propantheline, or tamoxifen. Climid also dries up cervical mucous.
Herbal formulas increase your cervical fluid along with proper nutrition
5000-8000 IU of vitamin a daily can help you become wetter, but be aware of dosage as it can be toxic in high doses, especially for a prolonged time. See your health practitioner.
Cervical Position
When you are fertile your cervix will feel:
- Soft
- High
- Open
- Wet
Other ovulation signs may include:
- midcycle spotting
- pain or achiness near ovaries
- increased sex drive
- fuller vaginal lips
- abdominal bloating
- water retention
- increased energy level
- heightened sense of vision, smell, and taste
- increased sensitivity in breasts and skin
- breast tenderness
Thanks for listening! Hope this helps you on your journey to having a healthy baby.
Peace, love, and babies,
Joy Lechner, MSOM, L.Ac.
nourishedrootsacu.com
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