Temping & Night/Bite Guards

[judyblume14]

Hi GKU!

I'm into my 3rd cycle charting this time around and for the first time this morning I got cross-hairs! Yay! In more than a dozen cycles charting overall, I have never gotten a positive OPK, and my temps are often super wacky, even though I temp around the same time each morning, following more than a 3-hour chunk of sleep. I digress.

I used to wear a mouth guard at night because I used to clench my jaw. Bad.  I stopped when TTC #1 because I didn't want it to eff up my temps.

At my dentist appt today, the hygienist and dentist both commented on the fact that its very obvious that I'm clenching and that I really need to start wearing the bite guard again.  I don't want to make any changes until I'm through my TWW - it will mess with my head.

If I'm out this cycle though... Is temping vaginally my only option?  I'd rather not.

Tagging rablissful - becuase you're the only post that popped up when I searched "guard"

TL;DR - If I wear a mouth guard at night, do I have to temp vaginally instead of orally?

[pismoduo]

I don't think it would matter. Half the time I'm flailing my arms around trying to find my BBT on the nightstand for a good solid minute before I find the dang thing and put it in my mouth. I can't imagine it would make a big difference to take the guard out before putting in the BBT.

And while it might make your overall temps different from previous cycles, as long as you're wearing it most every night it shouldn't matter.

But, I don't know. You could always try it orally for a month, see if it works. And if not, temp vaginally the next month.

[Rama]

Would the night guard prevent you from creating a seal with your mouth? It would also be pretty easy to just make a space next to your BBT for the night guard, so you can just swap when you go to temp.

Just be consistent.

Also, why do you not want to do vaginal temping?

[kyzo]

Dec 3, 2015 14:01:58 GMT -5 judyblume14 said:

Hi GKU!

I'm into my 3rd cycle charting this time around and for the first time this morning I got cross-hairs! Yay! In more than a dozen cycles charting overall, I have never gotten a positive OPK, and my temps are often super wacky, even though I temp around the same time each morning, following more than a 3-hour chunk of sleep. I digress.

I used to wear a mouth guard at night because I used to clench my jaw. Bad.  I stopped when TTC #1 because I didn't want it to eff up my temps.

At my dentist appt today, the hygienist and dentist both commented on the fact that its very obvious that I'm clenching and that I really need to start wearing the bite guard again.  I don't want to make any changes until I'm through my TWW - it will mess with my head.

If I'm out this cycle though... Is temping vaginally my only option?  I'd rather not.

Tagging rablissful - becuase you're the only post that popped up when I searched "guard"

TL;DR - If I wear a mouth guard at night, do I have to temp vaginally instead of orally?

*dirty lurker*

I wear my mouth splint every night and leave it in when I take my temp. I wear a retainer on my bottom teeth and take that out before temping. When I wear my splint I sleep with my mouth closed. If I forget to put it in (rarely), I sleep with my mouth open. That being said, I know I get a more accurate temp when I wear it. You might just have to trial it a few days.

[jwinct]

I would temp vaginally, which is what I do. The temps may more consistent and you don't have to worry about the mouth guard.

[judyblume14]

Rama, the guard doesn't "prevent" my mouth from sealing shut, but it does take effort. If I'm remembering correctly, it kind of made my jaw end up lazy... and led to mouth breathing. I think. But I think I might be a mouth breather at night anyway, so maybe this is actually no different than the norm?

As to why I don't want to temp vaginally? I don't know. I have a hard enough time keeping the thermometer in my mouth as I drift back to sleep in the 2 minutes it takes me to temp. I'm irrationally worried that I'll inset the thermometer, fall asleep and lose track of the thermometer and accidentally shove it up in side of me. Yes, I realize I am ridiculous.

If this isn't my cycle, I'll test out temping with the mouth gaurd in and report back. If my temps are whackadoodle after that, I'll get over myself and temp vaginally.

[peaseblossom55]

I wear a mouth guard at night. I've never had trouble being able to catch post and pre ovulation temperatures, in the cycles when I actually ovulated on femara. Let me know if you want a link to my charts.

[pismoduo]

Dec 3, 2015 15:07:59 GMT -5 judyblume14 said:

Rama , the guard doesn't "prevent" my mouth from sealing shut, but it does take effort. If I'm remembering correctly, it kind of made my jaw end up lazy... and led to mouth breathing. I think. But I think I might be a mouth breather at night anyway, so maybe this is actually no different than the norm?

As to why I don't want to temp vaginally? I don't know. I have a hard enough time keeping the thermometer in my mouth as I drift back to sleep in the 2 minutes it takes me to temp. I'm irrationally worried that I'll inset the thermometer, fall asleep and lose track of the thermometer and accidentally shove it up in side of me. Yes, I realize I am ridiculous.

If this isn't my cycle, I'll test out temping with the mouth gaurd in and report back. If my temps are whackadoodle after that, I'll get over myself and temp vaginally.

FFTC confession: You are not alone in this. I acknowledge it is totally irrational, but it's still always there in the back of my mind.

[SheilaTheTank]

*****grad warning*****


I wear a retainer at night and wore it when I was temping. I took it out right before I put the thermometer in. I just made sure to stay as consistent as possible with all other aspects of temping to help eliminate any errors my retainer may have caused.

Also, add me to team terrified of stabbing myself in the vag at 6am.

[Rama]

Dec 3, 2015 15:07:59 GMT -5 judyblume14 said:

Rama, the guard doesn't "prevent" my mouth from sealing shut, but it does take effort. If I'm remembering correctly, it kind of made my jaw end up lazy... and led to mouth breathing. I think. But I think I might be a mouth breather at night anyway, so maybe this is actually no different than the norm?

As to why I don't want to temp vaginally? I don't know. I have a hard enough time keeping the thermometer in my mouth as I drift back to sleep in the 2 minutes it takes me to temp. I'm irrationally worried that I'll inset the thermometer, fall asleep and lose track of the thermometer and accidentally shove it up in side of me. Yes, I realize I am ridiculous.

If this isn't my cycle, I'll test out temping with the mouth gaurd in and report back. If my temps are whackadoodle after that, I'll get over myself and temp vaginally.

I will freely admit I was shy of vag temping, too. But when you get to it, it's really not all that bad. :) I've heard of several people just sticking it in and falling back asleep, then checking it when they wake up. That works!

If you decide to give it a try, I'll share my tips and tricks with you. :)

[teachermomtobe]

I used to take my mouth guard out as I rolled over to reach for my thermometer. I switched to vaginal temping because I had rocky temps but I then learned it was because I wasn't O'ing not because of my mouth guard/oral temping. Now I temp vaginally and it really doesn't bother me. I got used to it quickly.

[judyblume14]

Dec 3, 2015 16:22:43 GMT -5 Rama said:

Dec 3, 2015 15:07:59 GMT -5 judyblume14 said:

I will freely admit I was shy of vag temping, too. But when you get to it, it's really not all that bad. I've heard of several people just sticking it in and falling back asleep, then checking it when they wake up. That works!

If you decide to give it a try, I'll share my tips and tricks with you.

Thanks... I think? LOL.

[gabride2010]

I wear top and bottom mouth guards at night, and I temp orally. I have rocky charts and I temp around the same everyday and after at least 3 hours of sleep. My retainers don't make me mouth breathe.

I'm considering switching to temping vaginally because my charts are so rocky.

Do you have TMJ judyblume14?

[judyblume14]

gabride2010, I don't think it's TMJ? I just clench when I get stressed out. Honestly, it'd probaly be more beneficial for me to wear the guard while
1) Driving
2) Working
3) Breastfeeding

Those are the times I notice then tension. I do notice when I wake up though, I'm often clenched.

[rablissful]

I use a mouth guard and I temp vaginally. It's not that bad.

[hurricanerek]

I temp orally and wear a mouth guard for severe grinding/clenching. My temps have never been really smooth but I've always attributed that to inconsistencies with time and sleep length. I keep the guard in my mouth while I temp. It's not hard.

I wonder if temping vaginally would make a difference.

[Deleted]

Dec 3, 2015 16:22:43 GMT -5 Rama said:

Dec 3, 2015 15:07:59 GMT -5 judyblume14 said:

Rama, the guard doesn't "prevent" my mouth from sealing shut, but it does take effort. If I'm remembering correctly, it kind of made my jaw end up lazy... and led to mouth breathing. I think. But I think I might be a mouth breather at night anyway, so maybe this is actually no different than the norm?

As to why I don't want to temp vaginally? I don't know. I have a hard enough time keeping the thermometer in my mouth as I drift back to sleep in the 2 minutes it takes me to temp. I'm irrationally worried that I'll inset the thermometer, fall asleep and lose track of the thermometer and accidentally shove it up in side of me. Yes, I realize I am ridiculous.

If this isn't my cycle, I'll test out temping with the mouth gaurd in and report back. If my temps are whackadoodle after that, I'll get over myself and temp vaginally.

I will freely admit I was shy of vag temping, too. But when you get to it, it's really not all that bad. I've heard of several people just sticking it in and falling back asleep, then checking it when they wake up. That works!

If you decide to give it a try, I'll share my tips and tricks with you.

I would go through alot of thermometers. I know I would forget about the thermometer and try to get out bed without taking it out.

[Rama]

Dec 3, 2015 23:38:18 GMT -5 @wallflwr926 said:

Dec 3, 2015 16:22:43 GMT -5 Rama said:

I will freely admit I was shy of vag temping, too. But when you get to it, it's really not all that bad. :) I've heard of several people just sticking it in and falling back asleep, then checking it when they wake up. That works!

If you decide to give it a try, I'll share my tips and tricks with you. :)

I would go through alot of thermometers. I know I would forget about the thermometer and try to get out bed without taking it out.

That wouldn't mess it up, though, depending on how long you fell back asleep for.  The temp will save in the memory and you can check it when you get up, whether or not you forgot about it.  Would you not realize it's still in there after you get up and walk to the bathroom?

[pismoduo]

Dec 3, 2015 23:38:18 GMT -5 @wallflwr926 said:

Dec 3, 2015 16:22:43 GMT -5 Rama said:

I will freely admit I was shy of vag temping, too. But when you get to it, it's really not all that bad. I've heard of several people just sticking it in and falling back asleep, then checking it when they wake up. That works!

If you decide to give it a try, I'll share my tips and tricks with you.

I would go through alot of thermometers. I know I would forget about the thermometer and try to get out bed without taking it out.

I read this and thought "What, is your vag a steel trap when you stand up?"

[Deleted]

Dec 4, 2015 0:56:12 GMT -5 Rama said:

Dec 3, 2015 23:38:18 GMT -5 @wallflwr926 said:

I would go through alot of thermometers. I know I would forget about the thermometer and try to get out bed without taking it out.

That wouldn't mess it up, though, depending on how long you fell back asleep for.  The temp will save in the memory and you can check it when you get up, whether or not you forgot about it.  Would you not realize it's still in there after you get up and walk to the bathroom?

Lol. I meant when it hit the ground repeatedly.

[Rama]

Dec 4, 2015 15:01:05 GMT -5 @wallflwr926 said:

Dec 4, 2015 0:56:12 GMT -5 Rama said:

That wouldn't mess it up, though, depending on how long you fell back asleep for.  The temp will save in the memory and you can check it when you get up, whether or not you forgot about it.  Would you not realize it's still in there after you get up and walk to the bathroom?

Lol. I meant when it hit the ground repeatedly.

I think it'd be fine. Unless your floor is made of spikes,then maybe not. ;)

(I've dropped my BBT a lot, for many reasons, and it so works. We have carpet, though.)