How has NFP worked for you?

[sparassidae]

Just thought I would add something else, as it is currently affecting me.

NFP is great when you are breastfeeding, I knew a couple of months ago that my cycle was starting up again (before my period). I also know that these two cycles I have not ovulated, so if we were trying to avoid I wouldn't be panicking about a surprise baby.

And if TTC I'm not disappointed about the arrival of my period, because I know there was no chance of a baby anyway.

I just love the empowerment that comes with knowledge of my own body.

 

[Scottish Joy]

I haven't used NFP exclusively to try to prevent pregnancy, always used something else as backup anytime when I thought I might be fertile. I'm not brave enough to use NFP alone- and I don't think I have it in me to abstain from sex for a week at a time! My SIL used it (I don't know how careful she was) and ergo her second baby... I love to know what's going on with my body though. I should read up on it!

Has anybody used LadyComp (I think that's what it's called) to help keep track? I thought that sounded really cool cuz I hate the bookkeeping I have to do to keep track. I can't remember without notes.

 

[sparassidae]

I don't do charting. We need to do 6 X a day BGL checks and log that in a book for DD, DH does BP checks about 6 x a day at the moment and logs that on paper. There's no way I'm doing any more record keeping!

I just keep a general eye on mucous when using the toilet, and let DH know where we are up to if he needs to know

 

[April Angel]

A few weeks ago, my husband I decided to use NFP as a natural contraceptive. I've read that it's really effective, but I was just wanting to hear some feedback from actual people. So did NFP work for you, did it keep you from having children til you were ready for another?

No. NFP is only really effective if you combine it with condoms or some other barrier method. Personally, I use condoms during the fertile part of the cycle and femcap during the supposedly non-fertile part of the cycle.

I became pregnant "by accident" when I was just using NFP on its own.

Also, did it help you to concieve easily once you decided you were ready for a child, or another child?

I did not need any help but, presumably, it would help someone who was having difficulty conceiving. Knowing when you are most fertile (i.e. towards the end of the fertile mucus days) would help someone to conceive.

 

[lovesdolphins]

NFP is a good way for acheiving or avoiding pregnancy. I cannot take the pill any longer for moral reasons.

I have been unable to acheive pregnancy for who knows why - but I can easily chart my fertile days, and I know when I ovulate, just haven't caught that eggie with the sperm yet.

 

[ChristianMama84]

Hubby and I are going to use the Fertility Awareness Method, I just ordered Taking Charge Of Your Fertility.

 

[HDoggie19]

Well, we were successfully avoiding pregnancy for a year and half, using this method. The month of September, something was out of whack, and now I'm due June 4, 2008.

 

[Assisi]

NFP is only really effective if you combine it with condoms or some other barrier method.

All the stats I've ever read on NFP have shown high efficacy rates without barrier methods. The method we use actually says 'The Billings Ovulation Method is incompatible with any barrier methods of contraception, withdrawal, or any genital contact.'

 

[CrystalBrooke]

No. NFP is only really effective if you combine it with condoms or some other barrier method. Personally, I use condoms during the fertile part of the cycle and femcap during the supposedly non-fertile part of the cycle.

I became pregnant "by accident" when I was just using NFP on its own.



I did not need any help but, presumably, it would help someone who was having difficulty conceiving. Knowing when you are most fertile (i.e. towards the end of the fertile mucus days) would help someone to conceive.

NFP is just as effective without barrier methods and other stuff...but we don't believe in using artificial BC at all. We've been doing NFP alone since March (roughly) and no suprises yet...it's highly effective if you do it correctly.

 

[April Angel]

All the stats I've ever read on NFP have shown high efficacy rates without barrier methods. The method we use actually says 'The Billings Ovulation Method is incompatible with any barrier methods of contraception, withdrawal, or any genital contact.'

NFP is just as effective without barrier methods and other stuff...but we don't believe in using artificial BC at all. We've been doing NFP alone since March (roughly) and no suprises yet...it's highly effective if you do it correctly.

During the first part of the cycle people can get caught out. There are some people over in OBOB who will confirm that they got caught out (pregnant). One of them got pregnant from intercourse on day 7 of the cycle. From my experience (15 years), I've found that the only truly safe time is about one week before the period is due, when:
1. You've had all the ovulation signs and symptoms more than three days ago and they are now finished.
2. You have PMT plus uterine cramps.

If you risk doing anything earlier in the cycle i.e. before the ovulation symptoms, you are risking getting pregnant.

P.S. I used to be a Catholic but I left over the condom issue.

 

[OrangeHope]

I agree with Crystal on this oneAprilAngel

My DH and I have bee using the NFP for a few months and it works great (well I maybe should save the word great for another year just in case lol), we don't need to use condoms after I O, plus we got so used to having sex with out a condom we can't even use those yucky rubbers any more so we just wait till after I O...

I agree you can get pregnant if you have sex on cd7 but you would have to ovulate within a few days...so it really depends in every one...

 

[faerieevaH]

I haven't used NFP exclusively to try to prevent pregnancy, always used something else as backup anytime when I thought I might be fertile. I'm not brave enough to use NFP alone- and I don't think I have it in me to abstain from sex for a week at a time! My SIL used it (I don't know how careful she was) and ergo her second baby... I love to know what's going on with my body though. I should read up on it!

Has anybody used LadyComp (I think that's what it's called) to help keep track? I thought that sounded really cool cuz I hate the bookkeeping I have to do to keep track. I can't remember without notes.

We have used Ladycomp and are very happy with it. Only don't get lazy the way we did and just rely on it, because the months after giving birth are hard to use the ladycomp, since you should take your temperature first thing in the morning. I wish the thermometer was a bit quicker. Waiting a full minut can seem incredibly long when there is a screaming baby waiting. Plus you should know an aproximate wake up time, so until baby is at least slightly scheduled, you can forget about scheduling ladycomp.

 

[BlessingsROnMe]

With all of my pregnancies I knew pretty much when I got pregnant based on natural birth control methods. The reason why I got pregnant was because we did not abstain when we should have. But when we did it seemed to work just fine.
So to me it can work for both planning and avoiding, providing you have "chartable" cycles that are the same monthly and not unpredictable.

 

[Angelika29]

NFP is a good way for acheiving or avoiding pregnancy. I cannot take the pill any longer for health reasons. We used NFP - FAM with a Dia for 3 years,
but I´m pregnant now with mi first