Community› Cultural Wedding Boards› Catholic Weddings
Catholic Weddings
New Discussion
Options

I'm married!! and an NFP question

jfellows82jfellows82
First Comment
in Catholic Weddings
I'm back as a married woman :)  I could not have asked for a more beautiful wedding mass.  I am truly blessed.  

And on a more practical note...I leaned STM prior to the wedding, but I'm just not very pleased with it.  I don't mind taking my temperature, but I feel like my sleep patterns are often erratic and are messing that part up.  Also, I just don't really get the mucus thing with STM.  I have really long cycles and under their terms I'm in phase II for almost half my cycle-not fun!

I know there have been a lot of posts about the various methods, but would those of you who switched from STM to another method mind telling me whether it was worth switching and how you picked the new method?  I'm considering Billings and Creighton, but Creighton classes are about three times the cost in my area.  Is Creighton really worth so much more? Also, does anyone know if one is better than the other for postpartum?

Thanks for any input!    

  
Wedding Countdown Ticker
Report Reply to Post

Re: I'm married!! and an NFP question

  • Options
    Riss91Riss91 member
    First Anniversary 5 Love Its Name Dropper First Comment
    Congratulations and wlcome back!!! How long have you been charting?

    Report Reply
  • Options
    jfellows82jfellows82
    First Comment
    I've been charting for 8-9 months now.  
    Wedding Countdown Ticker
    Report Reply
  • Options
    newlyseliskinewlyseliski member
    First Anniversary Combo Breaker First Comment
    edited June 2012
    Congrats, j!!  

    I've been having the same problem with long cycles and super long/erratic "phase II" (sometimes 1-1.5 weeks of mucus) since getting married.  We did learn Creighton method (I've been charting for almost 2 years now) and I can't say for sure how it compares to other methods.  I do have PCOS, which accounts for the length and weirdness of the cycle, and it's relatively tamed down as long as I take my metformin and vitamins every day.  I'd recommend finding an NFP doctor rather than learning a new method and trying to lean more on your mucus observations than temperature!  If you can get your cycle to normalize through medical and nutritional recommendations from an NFP doctor... learning a new method probably isn't necessary.  


    Report Reply
  • Options
    Resa77Resa77
    First Anniversary Combo Breaker First Comment
    I did several months of charting STM after taking the CCL class.  I am now doing Creighton.  CCL didn't work for me because I have constant CM (or at least moist/damp sensations), so I was literally in phase 2 from the end of my period until my next peiod started.  Not fun!!

    I really like Creighton.  I like that it's one-on-one.  You get lots of follow up appointments, and since it's only you and the teacher, it's only about YOUR cycle, not hypothetical cycles.  I think the class would be worthwhile for you.  Drs usually don't have the time to focus on one patient for as long as your Creighton teacher will.  Also, Drs aren't always quick to respond to calls/emails with questions in between appointments.

    I think it's a reasonable cost.  My CCL class was like $150 I think?  Maybe $200?  There were like 40 people in the class, so my teachers never even saw my chart.  I have tried to get help from them since the class, and haven't gotten it.  My Creighton sessions have been one-on-one.  My instructor has responded same-day to my (one) email question.  IMO, it's totally worth the money.

     

    Report Reply
  • Options
    Resa77Resa77
    First Anniversary Combo Breaker First Comment
    Oh, and CONGRATS!!!!!!

     

    Report Reply
  • Options
    professorscienceprofessorscience member
    First Comment First Anniversary 5 Love Its Name Dropper
    Congratulations!

    I switched to Billings before we got married because my sleep habits are so weird.  If I'm at all stressed I wake up every hour on the hour starting at about 2 am.  Billings has worked really, really well for me, but as far as I can tell, I have really normal cycles.  I think anyone with low or high CM might find Billings confusing or frustrating, but that's why there's classes.  The Billings class I took was only $90 for three sessions.  I always joke that $90 is nothing compared to a pregnancy for which we're not ready.  =)

    I always recommend Creighton for anyone who has anything even slightly irregular, so that's something to consider.
    Anniversary

    image

    image

    Report Reply
  • Options
    jfellows82jfellows82
    First Comment
    Thanks for all the advice.  I'm think I'm just going to go ahead and pay for the Creighton class.  I suppose that's a good way to spend some of those wedding gifts :)  
    Wedding Countdown Ticker
    Report Reply
  • Options
    TeaForMeTeaForMe member
    First Anniversary First Comment
    Billings! Billings! It is the simplest of all the methods, honestly, and still just as accurate as the others. The work that the Drs. Billings have done regarding fertiliy, cervical mucus, etc is amazing and has helped shape really the rest of NFP methods - so go with the original! :)

    You needn't have a "normal" cycle for it to work and it can also - just as Creighton does - help to identify any problems you may be having. I've also heard some say that it allows for more "safe" days than other methods, but I'm not sure if that is true or not. A Billings teacher will be able to work with you through any issues you may have and are highly trained. Obviously, I would recommend the method :)
    Lilypie Second Birthday tickers

    Report Reply
This discussion has been closed.
Choose Another Board
Search Boards