Shift work and BBT's...

[Rooey5]

Hello lovely ladies!

I am a night shift worker (3-4 consecutive night shifts per week), so my sleeping patterns are fairly diverse!

My question is, can I rely upon BBT's if my waking times differ every day? I know that you need to have at least 3 hours of uninterrupted sleep, which I achieve, and I also try to monitor my CM to help with charting. I'm just concerned that my wacky sleep patterns will alter my charts enough to make pinpointing ovulation difficult...

As a note, not actively TTC at the moment, but I wouldn't mind a surprise BFP

[Aussiegirl777]

Good Luck with getting your 'accidental' BFP.

FF has information about charting and shift work so maybe read up in there. One thing I remember reading is that some peoples temps are affected by taking temps at different times and others not so much. I myself try to stick to the same time each morning which is 5.30am. But recently we were on holidays and my temps were taken at all different times of the morning because I could sleep in. My pattern was still the same. It hardly made any difference to me. But thats just me.

Since you are not actively TTC I would start taking your temps each day now and putting charts together. Remember its not the daily temps that matter so much as you are looking for a pattern to form. Its the entire chart that you are reading each cycle not each individual day. If that makes sense.

HTH.

[Mildez]

Good Advise Aussiegirl777. I too like you Rooey5 am a shift worker working mornings, evenings and night shift and I find my temperature is the same or very similar no matter when I take it during the day even if I have being awake all day. Obviously I record the reading that I do first thing when waking but I have noticed my temperature is the same even hours later when I have being up and about so if you are like me then hopefully there will not be a big varient in your temperature at different hours in which you might wake up.

[Rooey5]

Thanks for the advice girls!

I've started actually charting my waking temps instead of just taking them for curiosity sake. I'm pretty sure I'm near the end of this cycle, so will probably not see much. Next cycle I'll start keeping my eyes open for all of those patterns.

Thanks again!

[feeb]

I would often wake overnight especially if doing a late early so I would take my temp anytime from 0430 till 0930 depending on when I wake up.

Early shift i would be up at 0530 anyway, I charted for about 9 months (1 year TTC)


Good luck with it

[redlady]

I was doing shift work but at the moment Im doing 8:30am - 5pm mon - fri and I have noticed that my cycles are becoming a little more regular than they used to. So I would say shift work mucks around with cycles.

bye for now
Redlady