Family Planning?

dfritz27

Hello Ladies!

I'm new to the board but have a question for you.

What, if anything, are you using for birth control?  I went to the doctor today and she told me about cycle beads (www.cyclebead.com) Has anyone heard of these?  I ordered mine, what do you think?

adrinkard

I started birth control two months ago because the Dr. said to give it three months for maximum effectiveness.  I'm on Ortho Tri-cyclen Lo.  I love it.  I tried Yaz first but I had spotting and just felt icky. I haven't had any issues like that with Ortho.

FaithCaitlin

I've been on Loestrin 24 Fe since I was 16 and love it! No weight gain or anything. Welcome to the board!

GJones27

I'm also on Loestrin.  No weight gain.  I changed the time from evening to morning this week, and I've been feeling nauseas though.  I am a chronic migraine sufferer, and the pill made it worse.  I had to double my migraine meds to cope.

You'll see varied Christian opinions on here about whether BC is ethical from a pro-life perspective.  The issue is whether it prevents the implementation of the embryo on the lining.  We've had some long discussions somewhere on this board.  There are many pro-life Christian doctors who say the pill is fine, but some girls will tell you otherwise.  My Orthodox Christian priest told me that the pill is not an abortifacient, so I am morally comfortable with my decision.

fpaemp2011

FI and I have decided to use Natural Family Planning (called Fertility Awareness Method if you use barriers) due to our personal beliefs about life beginning at conception and how that relates to hormonal birth control and IUDs. 

The Christian Family Planning Boards and Taking Charge of Your Fertility (book and website) have been invaluable as we've been learning how to chart and figuring all of this out.

www.chrisitianfamilyplanning.net
www.tcoyf.com

drama1308

I'm on tri-sprintec the generic version of ortho-tricyline. We're not ready for children yet and I need to finish my degree before we start welcoming children into this world!!

I've heard about the "cycle beads" but honestly they don't seem that accurate to me.

DramaGeek

I think that NFP or FAM would be much more effective than the cycle beads.  NFP and FAM use your body's natural cues - cervical mucus, temperature, etc - to tell you when you're fertile and when you're not.  The cycle beads are essentially the rhythm method, or a calendar based model, that isn't necessarily effective because it's not customized to your body and your cycle.

fpaemp2011

In Response to <a href="http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/cultural-wedding-boards_christian-weddings_family-planning?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Cultural%20Wedding%20BoardsForum:464687ae-7bc1-4360-9aea-999e11f1e1adDiscussion:bcc4d4fd-c511-4aeb-ac3e-224bcd1fd207Post:18b314f2-cdf1-4412-8e7d-512af6bca669">Re: Family Planning?</a>:
[QUOTE]I think that NFP or FAM would be much more effective than the cycle beads.  NFP and FAM use your body's natural cues - cervical mucus, temperature, etc - to tell you when you're fertile and when you're not.  The cycle beads are essentially the rhythm method, or a calendar based model, that isn't necessarily effective because it's not customized to your body and your cycle.
Posted by DramaGeek[/QUOTE]
OP- Pretend that I said this, too.

twixinthemix

In Response to <a href="http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/cultural-wedding-boards_christian-weddings_family-planning?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Cultural%20Wedding%20BoardsForum:464687ae-7bc1-4360-9aea-999e11f1e1adDiscussion:bcc4d4fd-c511-4aeb-ac3e-224bcd1fd207Post:18b314f2-cdf1-4412-8e7d-512af6bca669">Re: Family Planning?</a>:
[QUOTE]I think that NFP or FAM would be much more effective than the cycle beads.  NFP and FAM use your body's natural cues - cervical mucus, temperature, etc - to tell you when you're fertile and when you're not.  The cycle beads are essentially the rhythm method, or a calendar based model, that isn't necessarily effective because it's not customized to your body and your cycle.
Posted by DramaGeek[/QUOTE]

<div><strong>THIS.  PLEASE do not try Unless you are extremely regular. Otherwise, you are running a high risk of an unplanned pregnancy.  It is truly the rhythm method which is now pretty much scoffed at for being unreliable.  Some people have irregular cycles, and sometimes people have their peak day early and sometimes later.....there is no way to effectively measure that with the cycle beads.  If I tried that I'd be screwed....I'm currently on day 42 with my cycle (sorry, may be TMI!) but </strong></div><div><strong>
</strong></div><div><strong>I agree with Drama that NFP is much more effective.  It is what I'm doing, and am very comfortable with it.  You know exactly what your body is doing and where you are in your cycle.  Not only can you track the very exact days when you are fertile or not (unless the beads where you are honestly just guessing), it can also help you and your doctor (or mentor if you use the Creighton Model like I am doing) figure out if there are any abnormalities with your reproductive system.  </strong></div><div><strong>
</strong></div><div><strong>Please check out <a href="http://www.creightonmodel.com/">http://www.creightonmodel.com/</a> if you want to learn more information about NFP and the Creighton Model/NaPro Technology.  You can also PM me as well.  I'd love to discuss this more with you!</strong></div>

GJones27

Can someone explain what are beads?  I had never heard of them. They weren't discussed in the literature I read.

fpaemp2011

In Response to <a href="http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/cultural-wedding-boards_christian-weddings_family-planning?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Cultural%20Wedding%20BoardsForum:464687ae-7bc1-4360-9aea-999e11f1e1adDiscussion:bcc4d4fd-c511-4aeb-ac3e-224bcd1fd207Post:f9593a44-c92b-4ef8-8366-059e771fc320">Re: Family Planning?</a>:
[QUOTE]Can someone explain what are beads?  I had never heard of them. They weren't discussed in the literature I read.
Posted by GJones27[/QUOTE]

From: <a href="http://www.cyclebeads.com" rel='nofollow'>www.cyclebeads.com</a>
<span style="font-style:italic;">"CycleBeads® is a color-coded string of beads that represent a woman's menstrual cycle and can help her plan or prevent pregnancy by tracking her cycle. Each bead represents a day of the cycle and the color helps a woman determine if she is likely to be fertile that day. </span>
<span style="font-style:italic;"> </span>
<span style="font-style:italic;"> CycleBeads is based on a natural family planning method called the </span><a style="font-style:italic;" href="http://www.cyclebeads.com/page.cfm/n:2_c:12_research/">Standard Days Method®</a><span style="font-style:italic;"> , and is designed to help a woman track her cycle, and monitor the key information required to use this family planning method effectively. CycleBeads is more than 95% effective when used correctly."</span>

The site explains it more, but it's the rhythm/calendar method on a bracelet.

joyfulbride424

TCOYF is a great book that explains a lot about NFP/FAM. Cycle beads are not for everyone, I personally wouldn't use them because they assume your cycle is the same every single time, which is not the case - it can vary by a few days or so. When you ovulate changes month-to-month and that is what alters the date of your period.

Anyways, good luck picking a method - just make sure you're comfortable with whatever you choose!

twixinthemix

Yeah, the catch is that it's supposed to tell you when you're "likely" to be fertile, not when you are.  Every woman's body is different, and your cycles and fertile and peak days can vary from month to month.  How can a bracelet of beads let you know how you cycle is different each time?

dfritz27

You're cycle doesn't have to be the same every month.  The beads take into account that a woman doesn't ovulate at the same time each month.  As long as you're cycle is between 26 and 32 days long you can use the beads.  The website tells you to use something else if you're cycle length doesn't fall in that time frame.  So, even if the length of your cycle varies as long as it's stays btwn 26 - 32 it's all good.  And I'm planning on checking my mucus as a cross check as well.  I'm not all that worried about an unplanned pregnancy, FI and I aren't getting younger!  I was just surprised I hadn't seen them in any of my research and was curious if any of you had heard of them.  Thanks ladies!

twixinthemix

Mind you the whole 95% effective rate for the cycle beads is for perfect use.  The typical failure rate is 12%, or 88% effective.  That's not good enough for me.

And while I understand that cycle beads work for a span of different length cycles, it does not take into account that you may ovulate at different times during your cycle, depending on the month.    The reason why you haven't seen them in your research is because they are no more than the rhythm method in the form of jewelry.  NFP/FAM, especially the Creighton Model, is much more scientific based and you'll learn a LOT more about your cycle than trusting beads.

If you check your mucus, make sure you do it every time before AND after you urinate and have a bowel movement, when you come out the shower, and bear down no more than 15 minutes before bed.  I suggest reading up on the Creighton Model so you learn how to analyze the mucus.

Good luck!

ReebokJ

I'm using ortho-tricycline, after doing a lot of research on the science and talking to a doctor until I was convinced that it isn't an abortifacient. I'm going to go with the girls on here and say I'd trust NFP more than the beads. But then it seems it would take a lot more effort... so if you are regular and you wouldn't mind an unplanned pregnancy so much, the beads might be fine for you.

katiedidthat

We'll be using a diaphragm combined with FAM.  Our wedding is in December, but I've already started charting so I can get comfortable with everything before the stress of being newlyweds kicks in. 

sessionswedding

Due to medical issues, I have been on some form of Yasmin since 3 days after I turned 16.  I was on Yasmin for two years, Yaz for a year, back on Yasmin for a year, then Yasmin went generic to Ocella and I was on Ocella for nearly three years, then Ocella went generic to Zarah and I was only on that for a couple months before I HATED it, now I'm on BeYaz (Yaz with folic acid - which is ironically good for women who want to be/are pregnant).