Any one else use natural family planning?

[tara]

I'm curious if there is anyone else out there who uses NFP? Do you use it just when TTC or also as birth control?
I'd love to hear what does/doesn't work!

[tara]

I started using the NFP method while TTC with my daughter over 2 years ago and found it tiresome and to be a lot of work, but really didn't like what birth control did to my hormones and I loved being in tune with my body and being able to know what was going on. After DD was born I got a smartphone and that changed everything! I found an app that does all the work for me, all I have to do is enter the data and it calculates everything else!
I set my alarm to go off at 6am every morning, take my temp and then go back to bed. My thermometer stores my temp in the memory so I don't even have to turn on a light or put it in my charts until I get up for the day. I also track my cervical mucus and when I feel like it, my cervix. But I have found for me between BBT and CM I am able to figure out right before I ovulate and a day or so before I'll get my period.

[apryllraye87]

I want to try NFP but I'm sooo scared we will end up pregnant. I'm sick of BC and I don't want to have to be on anything anymore but we can NOT afford to get pregnant right now.

What is the app that you use?

[tara]

I use an app called OvuView. Works great!

[apryllraye87]

I'm gonna check it out, thanks!

[megs25]

I'm going to check out that app! I'm in no way ready to rely on NFP, but it sounds great when we are ready to try for a second baby!

BC messed me up terribly 6 years ago when I tried it and my Dr. has recommended that I not use any prescription/hormone forms of BC so we just use condoms. Some people just do not tolerate the hormones!

[love]

I did before DS was born. I never found a peak in my temp and did find a mucus change- so it was kinda not accurate for us based on temp. I threw that out, track my mucus and bought the most expensive (not saying cheap ones wouldnt work) but our insurance covered them and I ovulate the same time every month. Even now I know when I ovulate just by feeling it. 99 % of the time if I feel I did I will go pee on a ovulation test and sure enough it is correct. BUT then again I can feel when my egg is released. I am that in touch with my body I guess. I was put on a ovulation medicine to make me ovulate more and I could feel both eggs drop once. No thanks. I also do not believe in BC for myself as a married women. So it has worked for us thus far as we are not TTC until next fall due to surgery.

[apryllraye87]

What is it that you bought Love? Something to track your mucus? I need info! I would be so interested in trying this if I could actually rely on it..

Although, if I get pregnant I will not be a happy camper.. lol I wonder if it would work to try it out while I'm still on BC? Or would that mess it up?

[tara]

Apryll, I think she meant she used an ovulation kit to confirm she was ovulating when she thought she was. Which are not always accurate and can be expensive. But sometimes they are great to use for a month or two just to confirm ovulation.
But I would talk to your OB if you are thinking about making any changes, even if NFP isn't the right choice for you right now maybe there is something else? I'm pretty sure NFP wouldn't work while on BC because it stops you from ovulating (right?) and so your mucus and temps would be different than w/o BC.

[danikasmom]

I haven't tried it, but I know others who have. One person had 2 kids before she figured it out and hasn't had any more.(it's been about3 years since last child, but had the 2 back to back) One other person tried it to get her baby and it worked and she hasn't had any more yet. It can be a lot of work, but if you don't any kids it's worth it. I had to much to do, so I never tried it.

I too didn't like bc I hated my iud, because I got preggo and then lost it. I have my 3 kids and don't want any more, so my husband got fixed:) that was easy to do because we were done. Good luck!!

[gwensmama9206]

I haven't tried it but I might have to after I have DS. So far my body has rejected every BC I've tried so this may just be my last option if Mirena or the implant don't work out.

[supermommy]

Love- I can feel my egg release too! I am super duper in tune with my body which is why I know something is wrong with me since I haven't had a period in 8 months.

Megs- I can't handle the hormones either, condoms are the way to go for us too. Prob no point to them anymore though if I am not going to get a period anymore apparently.

[dara1012]

Super- I have no "cycle" and rarely ovulate on my own. It has been this way since I was 14. I got my period 2x/year in high school and thought it was great, but had extreme cramps when I got it and went on BC at 19, at 27 went off BC because we wanted to get pregnant and wasn't ever getting my period. After 7 months and a false positive pregnancy test I went to the doctor. They can't figure out what is "wrong", but I don't ovulate in a "cycle' on my own. It really appears to only be a problem when I want to have a baby and I need to undergo fertility treatment to conceive.

So, your pregnancies may just have messed up your cycle and it could be temporary or permanent, but it might not be much of an issue if the doctor's can't find anything.

Tara- to answer the NFP question, obviously not going to work for me!