TCOYF vs fertily friend and basal body questions

[luv]

I have a lot of random questions I hope you guys can help me with.

I bought the book TCOYF. I saw that the software came with it but only now do I realize it’s only a 15 day trial. For those that used one or the other is the software worth it? Or perhaps the free FertilityFriend.com? Or the VIP FertilityFriend? I like that I can easily share my chart with FF but I like the way TCOYF software is laid out and that it’s a one time charge instead of a ‘membership’. If I’m going to be recording all this data I don’t want to feel locked into a membership or risk loosing it all! (Pen and paper is not really an option for me as I KNOW I wouldn’t keep up with it. I also like all the ‘prediction’ and pretty colors of the software/website)

Also I have a thermometer that records to the 1/10 degree. It doesn’t have a memory but I can just write down the number on a pad of paper by the bed. Is this ok or do I need a specific basal body thermometer?

Last one. As a nursing mom I rarely get 3 hours of uninterrupted sleep before I wake for the day. Most often it’s just rolling over to nurse but sometimes it’s getting up and walking to another room. How big of a deal is this?

Thanks in advance!

-luv

[nova22]

Originally Posted by luv

I bought the book TCOYF. I saw that the software came with it but only now do I realize it’s only a 15 day trial. For those that used one or the other is the software worth it? Or perhaps the free FertilityFriend.com? Or the VIP FertilityFriend? I like that I can easily share my chart with FF but I like the way TCOYF software is laid out and that it’s a one time charge instead of a ‘membership’. If I’m going to be recording all this data I don’t want to feel locked into a membership or risk loosing it all! (Pen and paper is not really an option for me as I KNOW I wouldn’t keep up with it. I also like all the ‘prediction’ and pretty colors of the software/website)

I've never used TCOYF - we use NFP. I love the NFP charts and they would probably work with what you've learned in TCOYF. If you want to order them from CCLI you have to call 800-745-8252. I've used FertilityFriend.com and I'm not crazy about it...I prefer MyMonthlyCycles.com, which seems to be very well-organized and easy to use.

Originally Posted by luv

Also I have a thermometer that records to the 1/10 degree. It doesn’t have a memory but I can just write down the number on a pad of paper by the bed. Is this ok or do I need a specific basal body thermometer?

As far as I know you need a basal body thermometer. You can get them at most drug stores for the same price as a regular thermometer (i.e. under $10).

Originally Posted by luv

Last one. As a nursing mom I rarely get 3 hours of uninterrupted sleep before I wake for the day. Most often it’s just rolling over to nurse but sometimes it’s getting up and walking to another room. How big of a deal is this?

Again, I'm not familiar with TCOYF specifically. With NFP, you take your temperature at the same waking time every morning, and you also track mucous signs (externally and/or internally). There is a place on the chart to mark a disturbance, which could be sickness, no recorded temperature, etc. Anyway, if TCOYF tracks mucous signs as well as temperatures, you're definitely fine. I had a conversation with our NFP instructors about it and they said that as long as that is normal for you, your temperatures will be valid. If you usually got eight hours of uninterrupted sleep and suddenly woke up several times in one night to nurse your baby, it would count as a disturbance. But since you usually wake up during the night, it's fine.

[nighten]

I never bothered with software. I just jotted down the time and temp, then recorded it on a paper chart. It was easier for me to get a handle on the pattern than looking at a computer screen. So if it's easier for you to deal with on screen, then using a program wouldn't hurt. But I don't think it's necessary.

Also I have a thermometer that records to the 1/10 degree. It doesn’t have a memory but I can just write down the number on a pad of paper by the bed. Is this ok or do I need a specific basal body thermometer?

Get a basal thermometer. They aren't terribly expensive. I got mine cheap at CVS.

Last one. As a nursing mom I rarely get 3 hours of uninterrupted sleep before I wake for the day. Most often it’s just rolling over to nurse but sometimes it’s getting up and walking to another room. How big of a deal is this?

Yes, it is a big deal, unfortunately. While you can adjust the degrees based on waking a little earlier or later, your basal body temp is not going to be accurate if it's not taken after at least 3 hours consecutive sleep. Even if the norm for you is less than 3 hours sleep, assuming that it's not consistent every night, then the temperatures will not be an accurate reflection of what's going on hormonally.

It's one reason why I've waited to start temping again, honestly. Even though my toddler is finally sleeping through the night, there are still some nights when she wakes early or in the middle of the night. So for me, it's better to wait until there are consistently 3 hours of sleep being had every morning before I temp.

If I were you, I'd focus on cervical position, OS, and mucus for now. Feel free to temp, but be sure to make a note on mornings you didn't get 3 hours' worth of sleep.

Good luck, Mama!

[luv]

Thanks for the info ladies I think I'll continue to temp and just know that I cant place a lot of empasis on that one thing. At the moment I mainly want to try and figure out what's going on with me. That way when we're ready to try to activly TTC I'll have some background. As it stands I've just gotten my first PP AF (at 8.5mo) and while we're not trying we're not preventing. I figure also if we do get preg soon I'll have a better chance at accurate dates rather than the docs 28 day wheel which I'm sure is bound to be wrong with wacky PP cycles.



-luv

[maxwill129]

Originally Posted by nighten

Get a basal thermometer. They aren't terribly expensive. I got mine cheap at CVS.



Yes, it is a big deal, unfortunately. While you can adjust the degrees based on waking a little earlier or later, your basal body temp is not going to be accurate if it's not taken after at least 3 hours consecutive sleep. Even if the norm for you is less than 3 hours sleep, assuming that it's not consistent every night, then the temperatures will not be an accurate reflection of what's going on hormonally.


Good luck, Mama!

In TCYOF she says that if you have a thermometer that records to the 1/10 degree you DON'T need a BBT. Yes, they're under $10, but if you're like me, $10 is a lot of money for a thermometer.

Also, I don't know how long you've been charting, but I don't agree with needing 3 hours of consecutive sleep. Some nights I get that, some I don't, and my temps are always around the same either way (between 97.1 and 97.5). However, I also can take my temp so I know what it is, then get up, go to the bathroom, come back to bed, take my temp and have it be the same- seriously. It takes a lot more movement than that to raise my body temp.

[luv]

Well I've been temping for a grand total of 9 days so far with a regular old digital therm. It seems to be consistent, we'll see if it's 'right'. No thermal shift yet but I'm not even sure if I'm ovulating so we'll see

At this point I'm just trying to get a baseline for when we decide to get 'serious' about TTC. I think this info is accurate enough even if it's not perfect.

Thanks

(note if you click to see my chart ignore the cervix hight/softness - since I've never tracked this b4 im still trying to figure out what is 'high' vs 'low' or 'firm' vs 'soft.)

[nighten]

To help with CP, be sure you're checking it in the same position every time. Don't stand up and check then next time check while squatting. Stick with the same position every time and that will help you determine its height.

Good luck!

[luv]

Thanks

One more question what do you consider 'eggwhite' example today my CF can be streched about an inch and is semi clear/streaked white.

Is that creamy or eggwhite?

-luv

[SoCaliMommy]

Originally Posted by luv

Thanks
One more question what do you consider 'eggwhite' example today my CF can be streched about an inch and is semi clear/streaked white.

Is that creamy or eggwhite?

-luv

I'd mark it as Eggwhite

[luv]

Thanks

Well so far with my regular old digital therm and rarely having 3 consecutive hours of sleep my temps are fairly consistent (I let the software 'correct' when I wake up an hour early/late) and it's showing a distinct thermal shift that coincides well with CP. Now here’s to hoping that it’s actually accurate and the temps will say up for more than 18 days!

-luv

[Hellga]

Related question: can you still buy a glass bbt in stores? I called walmart pharmacy and the woman tried to tell me that glass thermometers of any sort are no longer manufactured! She seriously believed that when they discovered mercury was a bad thing, they stopped making glass thermometers. Jeez.

But, yeah, do they still sell glass bbt's in stores? I would rather not ever have to worry about declining accuracy due to battery failure. That could be a very bad thing for someone charting to avoid pregnancy...

[3babesunder3]

since i had my first baby i haven't slept through the night YET...so I rarely have the 3 hours sleep before i wake up and I also usually get up and go pee first because i got prego so quickly after both times so i would wake up and couldn't hold it for the minute it took to take my temp..so i just made sure that i peed first and then took my temp every day so it was the same. it didn't seem to make a difference for me. i was still able to tell when i ovulated. i also used a regular digital thermo. i have a basal one now but haven't used it yet because i just had a baby and now i'm up with 3 kids all night so...i just smply cant remember to take my temp anymore.

[luv]

Hellga - here is a link to a Non Mecury Glass BT Note I'm not affilated with the store but I have purchased one item from their ebaby store and I was pleased with the exp.

http://www.early-pregnancy-tests.com...ermometer.html