RE: Natural Family Planning ---- Questions, Answers, and Support (read OP for poll question)

RE: Natural Family Planning ---- Questions, Answers, and Support (read OP for poll question) (Full Version)

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[Poll]

Natural Family Planning ---- Questions, Answers, and Support (read OP for poll question)

Yes I did and currently use NFP

26% (33)

No I did not and currently use NFP

3% (5)

I do currently and am considering NFP

10% (13)

I do not currently and am considering NFP

31% (40)

I do currently and am NOT considering NFP

3% (4)

I do not currently and am NOT considering NFP

24% (31)

Total Votes : 126

(last vote on : 5/21/2008 11:24:48 PM)
(Poll will run till: -- )

Message

christsstar -> RE: Natural Family Planning ---- Questions, Answers, and Support (read OP for poll question) (5/8/2005 11:25:29 AM)
so you ladies who have been wanting to start temping again, or for the first time, hows' it going??? I think my external mucus problem has been solved.[&:]

3toraiseup -> RE: Natural Family Planning ---- Questions, Answers, and Support (read OP for poll question) (5/8/2005 11:54:22 AM)
Christine, How has your external mucous changed? I have missed alot here, so I had to read back to see that you were having a lot of internal mucous, but the external mucous didn't show up until after your temp spiked. Was it the Vitamin A? Do you think you were checking internal too frequently? Internal mucous is supposed to be evident a day or so sooner than external mucous. For myself, I had a hard time detecting external mucous for the first several months but once I saw the pattern, I was able to use external mucous as my primary sign (IOW I dont' really need to check internal mucous). I still use internal observation for checking the cervical position and openness. Blessings, Kati

christsstar -> RE: Natural Family Planning ---- Questions, Answers, and Support (read OP for poll question) (5/8/2005 6:17:00 PM)
I start checking for internal mucus after I'm done spotting. That didn't change this month. I think it was teh Vitamin A. I'm gonna cut back on teh Vit A to every other day. It was really really extreme this month. I cant' detect a difference in my cervix, I don't think. hmmm ... unless I don't know what I'm checking. I do feel a difference in my vaginal opening though, so that helps me when my mucus signs don't change but my temp still spikes.

uponeagleswings -> RE: Natural Family Planning ---- Questions, Answers, and Support (read OP for poll question) (5/9/2005 12:11:11 AM)
I've noticed that my external mucus doesn't correspond with when my temp goes back up. Usually I get the mucus first, see the fertile stuff, and its well dried up and gone before my temp even starts to go up. Any ideas ladies?

anne-girl -> RE: Natural Family Planning ---- Questions, Answers, and Support (read OP for poll question) (5/9/2005 10:12:42 AM)
I'm just starting my first month. I think I've messed up the temps since I went to the west coast (3-hr time difference) and my hours changed. Then when I got back I slept in on the weekends. But I figure that since I am not married, getting the temps at the same time every day isn't crucial yet. Not really checking the other symptoms yet. Just starting to read "taking charge of your fertility" and will probably start checking it when I read how to do it properly. You do notice the mucus when you're looking for it though. It comes earlier in the cycle than I would have expected it. It's funny because my roommate and I, who are not quite on the same menstrual schedule, have just learned that we ovulate on the same day! I must say, though, that it feels kinda weird to hang out with my bf on a day when I think I'm fertile. I wonder how he'd react if I told him. [sm=icon_smile_evil.gif]

Tea-Tea -> RE: Natural Family Planning ---- Questions, Answers, and Support (read OP for poll question) (5/9/2005 10:32:49 AM)
LOL @ Jen! Honestly, I feel kind of weird charting when I'm not married. Silly, I know. [sm=icon_smile_roll.gif] I felt so weird when I had to ask the pharmacist where the basal thermometers were. She said, "In the baby section. I think they're used for trying to get pregnant." I was like, "Well, that's not what I'm using it for. I just want to chart my cycles." [sm=icon_smile_roll.gif] All feeling weirdness aside, I'm glad I'm doing this now and not during my first few months of marriage! I'm still trying to get the hang of it all and I'm finding my temps are kind of wacky. I should get my own copy of one of the books and actually read it cover-to-cover.

3toraiseup -> RE: Natural Family Planning ---- Questions, Answers, and Support (read OP for poll question) (5/9/2005 10:42:20 AM)
It is a different hormone (Progesterone) that spikes the temp. I don't know why your Progesterone is delayed, but I do relate somewhat in that my temps are always behind my mucous sign. I usually have 2-3 days of drying up prior to temp rise. Also, my temps don't spike up, I usually have one day of slight elevation before they spike to 4/10'ths above the LTL. Are you using the phase III rules to decrease the waiting time? There are a couple that apply in that situation. Also, for everyone: There is an excellent NFP forums group on Yahoo. It is comprised of NFP instructors, physicians and very knowledgeable NFPers. While the group is Catholic, it is open to everyone who NFP's or who is interested in NFP. Here is the link: CINNFP Natural Family Planning

Cherish4235 -> RE: Natural Family Planning ---- Questions, Answers, and Support (read OP for poll question) (5/9/2005 3:55:45 PM)
quote: ORIGINAL: stacypro I've noticed that my external mucus doesn't correspond with when my temp goes back up. Usually I get the mucus first, see the fertile stuff, and its well dried up and gone before my temp even starts to go up. Any ideas ladies? I am just curious....I am interested in NFP but I don't know a whole lot about it....I gotta question....What is the "fertile stuff" and how do you know when you are fertile? Are you talking about the whitish looking stuff that comes out down there?

christsstar -> RE: Natural Family Planning ---- Questions, Answers, and Support (read OP for poll question) (5/9/2005 4:12:26 PM)
yeah. mucus has various forms throughout the month. It is both inside and outside. Part of NFP is tracking the mucus appearance and texture. The really fertile mucus is egg-white consistency and stretches.

Cherish4235 -> RE: Natural Family Planning ---- Questions, Answers, and Support (read OP for poll question) (5/10/2005 11:27:50 AM)
quote: ORIGINAL: christsstar yeah. mucus has various forms throughout the month. It is both inside and outside. Part of NFP is tracking the mucus appearance and texture. The really fertile mucus is egg-white consistency and stretches. Well, Ewww. I've seen that stuff "down there" before just before starting my period, but I didn't know that meant I was fertile![:D] Hmmm. Interesting.

christsstar -> RE: Natural Family Planning ---- Questions, Answers, and Support (read OP for poll question) (5/10/2005 11:41:45 AM)
check out www.ccli.org they have some good stuff there. They're the organization who wrote the book used most here by the NFPers.

anne-girl -> RE: Natural Family Planning ---- Questions, Answers, and Support (read OP for poll question) (5/10/2005 12:25:10 PM)
I must say, it is a very odd sensation, to know when you are fertile but to be unable to... well... do anything about it (whether trying to have a baby or trying not to [;)]). Let's just call it the power of suggestion! When I was hoping it would shed a light on certain moods, I wasn't expecting it to accentuate them! [&:]

christsstar -> RE: Natural Family Planning ---- Questions, Answers, and Support (read OP for poll question) (5/10/2005 12:52:13 PM)
:) I understand that. I'm most in the mood during phase 2. Drives me nuts. I now know how my husband feels.[&:]

JoyfulWife -> RE: Natural Family Planning ---- Questions, Answers, and Support (read OP for poll question) (5/11/2005 8:33:24 AM)
Hello NFP Ladies - I have a question for you. I am a semi-NFPer, meaning, I do chart my cycle, but not on my own. I have a little computer (called the LadyComp) that takes my temperature, keeps track of my cycle and lets me know when it is the fertile period. I keep track of mucus changes on my own. Anway, my question is, over the last four cycles (that's how long I've been tracking) my fertile day has always occured on the eighteenth day of my cycle. Usually my temperature spikes from around 96.36 to like 97.71 or somewhere around that area. This month, my computer is registering that my fertile day is today. It is the nineteenth day though. And the part that concerns me is that there wasn't a big temp spike at all. Yesterday it was like 96.36 and today it was 96.81. What does this mean? Why wasn't there a spike? If anyone has any insight or advice about this, please write. I haven't been keeping track very long (I just got married 6 weeks ago, and started keeping track two months beforehand) so I'm a little confused about some things.

anne-girl -> RE: Natural Family Planning ---- Questions, Answers, and Support (read OP for poll question) (5/11/2005 9:39:18 AM)
I am only partway through a book on this. But from what I understand, the temp spike comes after your fertile day, not at the same time. That's why the mucus check is essential... the temp spike basically confirms that yes, you did ovulate when you think you did. But what do I know, I've been charting for less than a month. Can anybody confirm whether I've got this right? If I do, it seems odd that a computer device could calculate fertility based solely on temps.

christsstar -> RE: Natural Family Planning ---- Questions, Answers, and Support (read OP for poll question) (5/11/2005 12:20:15 PM)
right ... the temp spike happens the day or two after your peak day.

JoyfulWife -> RE: Natural Family Planning ---- Questions, Answers, and Support (read OP for poll question) (5/11/2005 12:32:39 PM)
So then, at the temp spike, the fertile time is over? If the temp spike is two days after the peak day, does this mean you can resume intercourse without any kind of barrier method once you see the spike? Thanks so much for help in this :)

christsstar -> RE: Natural Family Planning ---- Questions, Answers, and Support (read OP for poll question) (5/11/2005 1:02:38 PM)
the book(s) recommend 4 days steady at the raised temp to ensure that it's a real spike and that the fertility is truly gone. The temp spikes because teh body is getting ready for the fertilized egg to implant.

anne-girl -> RE: Natural Family Planning ---- Questions, Answers, and Support (read OP for poll question) (5/11/2005 1:59:57 PM)
For those ladies who started NFP after getting married, do you find it harder to abstain and/or use birth control at your fertile time now that you know what your fertile time is? I mean, I would imagine that knowing that you could get pregnant, and actually taking steps not to, would be harder when you know you're fertile (assuming you want children). I'm just basing this on my less-than-a-month of tracking. I know that if I get married I want to wait a year or so before having kids, but at the same time my heart's desire is to have babies. So even now, knowing I'm fertile but not being able to have a child is a bit saddening. And I have a feeling I'll find it even harder to use birth control at the times when I know I could get pregnant. Anybody find that a challenge? Or am I just looking for trouble?[8\|]

christsstar -> RE: Natural Family Planning ---- Questions, Answers, and Support (read OP for poll question) (5/11/2005 2:59:04 PM)
yes and no. BC really decreased my drive, so having any drive at all is awesome for me. It's not really knowing it's my fertile time that makes it hard for me to abstain, but rather the fact that I actually WANT to have sex. But I'm so tired when we're both ready to have sex anyway abstaining isn't that hard. And we use condoms at the beginning and end of phase III/I.

PrincessDonna -> RE: Natural Family Planning ---- Questions, Answers, and Support (read OP for poll question) (5/11/2005 3:26:50 PM)
It is difficult for us. If I tell my husband we can't have sex OR he has to use a condom, it seems like it's a game for him to beat "the rules". [8\|] And I'm not much better. We are both really bad at abstaining and we both hate condoms. We know we would like at least one more child, and while I'd rather wait a year or so, since the baby is only 11 weeks old, it wouldn't be awful if it happened sooner. So yes, it is difficult for us. Sometimes I think I'd rather just let it all go and "become" truly quiverful. I think we're almost there anyway.

christsstar -> RE: Natural Family Planning ---- Questions, Answers, and Support (read OP for poll question) (5/11/2005 3:30:56 PM)
when we're ready to start having kids, I'd like to do away with any form of BC. But I don't think DH will agree with me.

bzirk -> RE: Natural Family Planning ---- Questions, Answers, and Support (read OP for poll question) (5/11/2005 4:51:00 PM)
Great thread, Christine. I used NFP for about 11 or 12 years and really liked it a lot. I wished I had done this from the beginning of my marriage. The only thing I'll add to this thread is that the intimacy that comes with this method was astounding to me. So much better than other forms of birth control and being on the pill made me feel like a pile of you know what. I hated it. I never was in the mood. I only did that for a little over two years and then I couldn't take it any longer and we went to other methods and used those for about 6 more years. Never got comfortable with any of them. NFP on the other hand is a few days of abstinence and whole lot of freedom the rest of the time. The grand irony is that people think the reverse is true.

christsstar -> RE: Natural Family Planning ---- Questions, Answers, and Support (read OP for poll question) (5/11/2005 5:07:53 PM)
I really love doing NFP. My husband had his doubts early on, but has realized it's not as bad as he thought. And I'm a much more willing wife now. [;)]

uponeagleswings -> RE: Natural Family Planning ---- Questions, Answers, and Support (read OP for poll question) (5/11/2005 9:52:34 PM)
Anne, I think knowing when I'm fertile goes in with the "knowledge is power" idea. DH and I together make the choice to do what is in our power to avoid getting pregnant (although of course God has the final say). Yes, it does get tough to use BC (condoms for us) sometimes during those times, particularly since neither DH or I particularly likes them. Its especially difficult since I REALLY want kids, but I also know that I'm not ready for them yet. Its even rubbed off on DH to the point where he oohs and aahs at babies in church or at the store. I think it helps that we're in agreement that we want him to finish school before we start a family. Right now the only thing stopping us is that we're not financially to a point where I could be a SAHM, or even work part time. When we are ready to start having kids, I think we'll do away with any bc, and possibly use NFP to try TO conceive. I love NFP(+barrier) and don't ever want to go back. Even if we had to abstain during the fertile time, it would still be worth it. The 3 months that I was on the pill made me feel like garbage. I think NFP saved my sanity, and it definitely improved my marriage. My DH wasn't sold at first, but the pill was so bad he was willing to try anything. Now he's convinced- we even talked about years down the road when we decide we're finished having kids. He talked about going back to NFP as an alternative to him getting a vasectomy. I guess I forgot about the little detail of the temperature spike marking the END of the fertile time. [sm=icon_smile_idea.gif] That answers my question about why it happens after my mucus has come and gone. Christine- I'm curious as to why Eric would want to use BC if you were trying to have kids.

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