Honey, I think I swallowed the thermometer!
Written: Jun 20 '00 (Updated Jul 19 '00)
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Product Rating:
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Pros: Very accurate. Perfect memory - -keeps the last reading until you shake it.
Cons: Fragile. Potential environmental hazard.
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| jgibson2's Full Review: Basal Thermometer Glass |
CRUNCH!! Oh NO! Honey, wake up! I just bit the thermometer.
Nope. I didn't say that - I was running for the bathroom to wash the mercury out of my mouth. I don't think I really swallowed any glass or mercury, but it sure was a wake-up call.
Why was I crunching the thermometer?
There are two purposes for a basal body temperature thermometer. You're either trying to get pregnant, or trying to avoid that state. I've done both. Either way, you want to pinpoint when you're ovulating. In order to do that, you take your temperature first thing every morning -- before you do anything else. It's not the most fun I've ever had in the morning.
Why a glass thermometer?
Glass is the gold standard for thermometers. You just don't get any more accurate than a glass thermometer. You may match it's accuracy. You may closely approximate it. You may not even get close - depending on the technology you're using.
If you want to know if the kid has a fever, you can use pretty much any thermometer, except this one. Trust me, it really doesn't matter if the baby's fever is 101.5 or 102 -- really. If you're within a degree, that will do for fever.
If you want to know if you're ovulating by the basal body temperature method, you need to know within a tenth of a degree or so what your temperature is -- every morning. You need accuracy. Glass provides that. BD has a reputation for quality -- besides, it's one of the few on the market.
This thermometer only gives readings within a very narrow range -- It's been a while since I bit mine, but I think it was 96-100. Glass fever thermometers are the same size, but with a scale that ranges from 94 or 95 to at least 105. Needless to say, the fever thermometer is harder to read, and often marked in .2 degree increments, instead of the .1 degree increments you want for recording a basal body temperature. Fever thermometers are nearly useless for recording basal body temperatures.
Digital thermometers give a reading in .1 degree increments -- but often are less accurate than glass thermometers.
The Glass Basal thermometer will give highly accurate readings. You need those to learn what is happening with your cycle if you are trying to achieve or avoid pregnancy. There are other methods, but it's very helpful to keep a temperature chart while you're learning those methods. Even if you decide that a thermometer is not for you, this makes a very good double-check while you're learning. Just be very careful that you don't doze off with the thermometer in your mouth!
A few alternatives:
1. The thermometer doesn't have to be used orally -- just be consistent. I've heard it can be used vaginally, rather than rectally. I doubt the company recommends that, though.
2. If you tend to doze off with that fragile glass stick in your mouth, consider just how much accuracy you need. After crunching mine, I decided that slightly less accuracy would have to do. After all, I work 2 nights/week, so my charts looked pretty bad anyway. I switched to a digital oral thermometer for a while.
3. In the process of charting temperatures, I did manage to learn a lot about my body. I also found a web site that offers a non-temperature method for charting ovulation. They promise 99% accuracy for avoiding pregnancy. I can't speak for the masses, they've done the research, but it's been accurate for me - but I did use a thermometer as a double-check while I was learning this method. I haven't had even one scare in nearly 5 years. This was also the method I was using when I conceived my last child -- on purpose. The web site is at http://www.billings-centre.ab.ca/
I really should add that any method of systematic natural family planning requires the full cooperation of both partners.
Recommended:
Yes
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jgibson2
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Location: Maryland
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Give blood! Someone else needs it more than you do. 1-800-Give-life
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