Choosing Your First Basal Body Thermometer
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Below, you’ll find a list of the most favored basal body thermometers used for charting with fertility awareness based methods (FABMs). The following list will lay out the positives and negatives of each brand, along with their unique features, so that you are able to choose the best thermometer for your life.
There is no such thing as a “better” or “worse” basal body thermometer. The decision is a completely personal preference meant to fit your current lifestyle.
Remember:
Before practicing any fertility awareness based method (FABM) for natural birth control, it is highly suggested to receive a reproductive health overview by reaching out to a certified FABM instructor in addition to reading the book Taking Charge of Your Fertility
Basal Body Thermometer features to consider
‘Beeping’
Some BBT's have louder 'beeps' than others.
Backlight
Backlights are helpful for those who read their temperature in the dark.
Speed
Some people prefer a quick-timed thermometer, but keep in mind that a fast read does not always mean higher accuracy.
Decimal Place
Some thermometers solely read in Celsius, some in Fahrenheit, and some carry the dual option.
Memory
Memory may be important for people who choose not to record temperatures immediately after temping, and would prefer to fall back asleep before recording on their chart.
The Most Favored Basal Body Thermometers for fertility charting
Mabis
- 'Beep' - Quiet. Beeps one time while turning on, and 4 times when temperature reading is complete
- Backlight - None
- Speed - 1 minute
- Decimal place - 1/100th of a degree
- Memory - Yes, will show most recent temperature reading within 3-5 seconds after turning 'on'
- Celsius or Fahrenheit - Fahrenheit
Click Image For Mabis
iProven
- 'Beep' - Quiet
- Backlight - Yes
- Speed - 1 minute (or 2 minutes for a more accurate reading)
- Decimal place - 1/100th of a degree
- Memory - Yes, will show the most recent temperature reading
- Celsius or Fahrenheit - Both
Click image for iProven
iSnow
- 'Beep' - Medium. Will beep 3 times when temperature reading is complete. *Has an alarm option*
- Backlight - Yes
- Speed - 3 minutes
- Decimal place - Option of 1/10th or 1/100th of a degree
- Memory - Yes, up to 60 days
- Celsius or Fahrenheit - Both
Click Image For iSnow
Glass (No Mercury) BBT
- 'Beep' - None
- Backlight - None
- Speed - 3-5 minutes
- Decimal place - 1/10th of a degree
- Memory - None
- Celsius or Fahrenheit - Fahrenheit
Click image for Glass BBT
Can I use a fever thermometer?
Yes, as long as your thermometer is not labeled as a 'quick-read'. Also, be sure to only use one thermometer throughout the month to receive the highest effectiveness of charting. Using more than one thermometer will create skewed temperature readings.
Fertility Monitors
A fertility monitor is a computerized basal body thermometer designed with an algorithm that automatically tracks a record of your monthly cycles, while interpreting if you are fertile or not on any given day.
Leave a comment with the BBT that you personally prefer!
