https://boards.hellobee.com/ Pregnancy, Baby and Parenting blog, by Hellobee en Sat, 11 Apr 2026 01:34:42 +0000 https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/natural-family-planning-nfpfam-method-how-do-you-like-it#post-100327 Fri, 23 Mar 2012 13:38:59 +0000 daniellemybelle 100327@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>We're using it to prevent, and only have been for a couple cycles, but so far so good - no oopsies! Other than more painful periods than when I was on the pill, I feel soooo much better. I also have really appreciated learning my cycle. I don't temp or chart - I just track my periods. So far they have been super regular, 28 days on the spot, so I feel comfortable avoiding / using condoms during the "typical" fertility window and using the withdrawal method as a safeguard the rest of the month. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/natural-family-planning-nfpfam-method-how-do-you-like-it#post-100026 Fri, 23 Mar 2012 10:43:37 +0000 Adira 100026@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@hunni: You'll need to get a basal thermometer, but you can get them at Walmart (or wherever). Just make sure it says basal. A regular thermometer won't be accurate enough. And then yes, just take your temp every morning (preferably at the same time every morning and before you get up). I'm not great at taking mine at the same time (on weekends, I tend to take it 2-3 hours later than during the week), but I still get a pretty good sense of what my temps are looking like and when I ovulate. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/natural-family-planning-nfpfam-method-how-do-you-like-it#post-100022 Fri, 23 Mar 2012 10:36:19 +0000 dc yoga bee 100022@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@beka: Thanks!! I'm looking at these now :) </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/natural-family-planning-nfpfam-method-how-do-you-like-it#post-100014 Fri, 23 Mar 2012 10:30:38 +0000 shinystraps 100014@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@hunni: I understand :) Here are a few links that may help explain without reading the entire book - </p> <p><a href="http://www.tcoyf.com/content/FertFAQ-ovulation.aspx" rel="nofollow">http://www.tcoyf.com/content/FertFAQ-ovulation.aspx</a><br /> <a href="http://www.tcoyf.com/content/FertFAQ-FAM.aspx" rel="nofollow">http://www.tcoyf.com/content/FertFAQ-FAM.aspx</a><br /> <a href="http://www.tcoyf.com/content/FertMyths.aspx" rel="nofollow">http://www.tcoyf.com/content/FertMyths.aspx</a> </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/natural-family-planning-nfpfam-method-how-do-you-like-it#post-100005 Fri, 23 Mar 2012 10:24:49 +0000 dc yoga bee 100005@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@Adira: Oh wow! So, would I just get a regular old thermometer from walgreens and start taking my temp at the same time each morning?</p> <p>@beka: That's a good point. I'll start temping in addition to charting today! I tried to read that book. I actually bought it and everything. But, it was like a textbook and I'm so checked out from law that I was like meh lol! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/natural-family-planning-nfpfam-method-how-do-you-like-it#post-100004 Fri, 23 Mar 2012 10:23:09 +0000 Mrs. Pickle 100004@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>My husband and I used it to prevent for the first year. I didn't follow it strictly (I wasn't religious about temping). We used condoms during my fertile period and never had any accidental pregnancies. </p> <p>When we started trying we stopped using codoms and after a few months I started temping consistently. I really believe if we hadn't had any fertility issues it would have helped us conceive. It turns out my husband had varicoceles though. Once he is all healed up and we are able to TTC again I am going back to charting.</p> <p>The reason I started using NFP in the first place is hormonal bc made me really sick. I was really happy to find a method that didn't require me to put anything in my body and not have to use condoms most of the month. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/natural-family-planning-nfpfam-method-how-do-you-like-it#post-100003 Fri, 23 Mar 2012 10:22:12 +0000 Adira 100003@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@hunni: If you are not temping, then FF will have no way to tell how long your luteal phase is. A luteal phase of 14 days is what is average, so it's probably just taking your cycle length (16 days) and assuming your luteal phase is 16, which puts ovulation day at CD12. That may, or may not, be accurate. Until you temp, you won't know. That's just FF's guess at what is happening. Your luteal phase may be longer or shorter and your ovulation day sooner or later. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/natural-family-planning-nfpfam-method-how-do-you-like-it#post-100000 Fri, 23 Mar 2012 10:16:32 +0000 shinystraps 100000@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@hunni: Yep! One thing I really recommend, which the book I mentioned teaches, is not relying too much on knowing your fertile window based on dates or past cycles. For me, my cycle length (and hence, day of ovulation) really varies depending on stress and travel. So if I'm not charting, it would be really easy for us to get pregnant because it does change a little month-to-month. That may not be the case for you, it's just different people's bodies work differently. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/natural-family-planning-nfpfam-method-how-do-you-like-it#post-99996 Fri, 23 Mar 2012 10:13:21 +0000 dc yoga bee 99996@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@Adira: I can def give a month of temping a shot. I'm looking at my chart now and I'm in the fertile window and it has predicted ovulation day tomorrow which is CD12 and then next period March 8 which is the 15th day. So does that mean my luetal phase is exactly 14days?</p> <p>@beka: Wow! July 2009!?! That is awesome!!!! This makes me want to try it even more! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/natural-family-planning-nfpfam-method-how-do-you-like-it#post-99984 Fri, 23 Mar 2012 10:05:20 +0000 shinystraps 99984@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I also had a really difficult time with hormonal birth control. I definitely recommend reading "Taking Charge of Your Fertility" - it is so awesome! It'll teach you how to chart to prevent and how to chart to try, as well as charting will coming off the pill, nursing, etc.</p> <p>We've been birth-control-free with this method since July of 2009 and I would NEVER go back! It's so easy once you get the hang of it, and it's also just really good to have such a better understanding of your body. We're like @mediagirl, husband isn't super involved. I monitor things and let him know when we are/are not safe. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/natural-family-planning-nfpfam-method-how-do-you-like-it#post-99983 Fri, 23 Mar 2012 10:05:13 +0000 Adira 99983@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@hunni: 26 is kind of short, but it all depends on when you ovulate and what your luteal phase is. I'd try temping one month so you can get a feel for that. If your luteal phase is 14 days, then that would mean you ovulate around CD 12. You'll want to get a feel for when you ovulate so that you can avoid unprotected sex during that timeframe. Usually you're fairly fertile 4-5 days before you ovulate and 1 day after (roughly). So if you ovulate CD 12, you'd want to not have unprotected sex for CD 7 through CD 13 (this is just an estimate). Finding out when you ovulate will be your first step to know when you need to avoid unprotected sex.</p> <p>Note: if you have a short luteal phase (less than 10 days), your chances of becoming pregnant are pretty slim as there wouldn't be enough time for a fetus to implant. Just something to be aware of for the future. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/natural-family-planning-nfpfam-method-how-do-you-like-it#post-99981 Fri, 23 Mar 2012 10:01:12 +0000 dc yoga bee 99981@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@Adira: I hear ya about becoming more in tune to your body because now when my boobs get sore, I know my period is about to start. It's like your body tells you all this stuff! I've been charting for 7 cycles (whoa time flies), and the cool thing is fertilityfriend has only been off twice in 7 cycles of my expected period start date (which is probably do to stress because it was right around finals). I have an avg 26 day cycle with the min 25 days and max 28 days. Is that shorter than normal because I thought 28 was average? I've skimmed TCOYF and the CM section kind of weirded me out lol. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/natural-family-planning-nfpfam-method-how-do-you-like-it#post-99971 Fri, 23 Mar 2012 09:54:39 +0000 mediagirl 99971@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@hunni: we didn't use condoms but we definitely abstained for longer than we had to in the months before we started trying. We also used the SUPER EFFECTIVE pull-out method. :) I don't do well with condoms, so those were out. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/natural-family-planning-nfpfam-method-how-do-you-like-it#post-99968 Fri, 23 Mar 2012 09:54:10 +0000 Adira 99968@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>We're currently using it to conceive and HOPEFULLY it works out for us, haha. It definitely is helping me get more in tune with my body and helping me know when to expect my fertile window, etc.</p> <p>I would say if you do it, you should definitely do both temps and checking CM. Especially in the beginning to figure out when you're going to ovulate. Maybe continue using the condom until you figure out your cycle. The great thing is once you ovulate, you'll know after three days (three days of consistent high temps) and then you'll know you're safe to get busy without risk of getting pregnant.</p> <p>Once you've done it for a few months (if your cycle is pretty stable), you'll get a good feel for when you ovulate and then you can either just not have sex during your fertile window or use another method of protection. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/natural-family-planning-nfpfam-method-how-do-you-like-it#post-99959 Fri, 23 Mar 2012 09:49:57 +0000 dc yoga bee 99959@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@mediagirl: Thanks for the response! If you don't mind me asking, when you first started did you still use condoms, and if so did you just gradually wean off using them once you became more familiar with temping and charting? </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/natural-family-planning-nfpfam-method-how-do-you-like-it#post-99948 Fri, 23 Mar 2012 09:43:01 +0000 mediagirl 99948@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>We used it to conceive and it worked out great. I think it would work the same for not getting pregnant. The one thing I don't like about it is when we were learning about it at church, people made such a big deal about the man being involved with everything, getting in tune with the woman's cycles. Sorry, that's not our style. I keep track of everything and make sure I'm temping at the right time and keeping track of ovulation. He just needs to know when we can or can't have play time. ;-) </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/natural-family-planning-nfpfam-method-how-do-you-like-it#post-99932 Fri, 23 Mar 2012 09:34:33 +0000 dc yoga bee 99932@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Hi bees! DH and I just got married 3.10, and beforehand we've researched NFP/FAM, and are very interested in it. I've been on the pill and the ring and both gave me terrible side effects, and I hated putting those chemicals into my body. We also want to start ttc next year probably (might buy a condo/townhouse first). So, now we use condoms, I use fertilityfriend just to put in my periods (no temping or anything else), and we try to abstain during the fertile window even though we're using condoms because I'm still in law school so we can't afford any oopsies quite yet. The thing is we're married and I don't want to use condoms pouty face lol. </p> <p>If you use nfp/fam how do you like it? Do you also temp? How long has it worked for you? Or didn't work for you? Why won't you use it? Will you/do you use it and you already have kids? Any and all advice welcome as we're still trying to figure out what will work best for us! </p>