deciding between creighton and sympto-thermal

Re: deciding between creighton and sympto-thermal

• lalaith50 member

  

  December 2011 edited December 2011

  I chose ST b/c I LOVE having the temp to "verify" what I already know from my mucus!

  And also, the temp works really well, since DH gets up at the same time every day.

  

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• agapecarrie member

  

  December 2011 edited December 2011

  In ALL methods, mucous is always the main indicator of fertility. Temp in ST is only secondary. 

  
  

  I chose creighton because it offers napro technology and I had health issues so my doc wanted these charts, and because its standardized teaching with scientific method of observation. 

  
  

  If you don't have regular sleep times, the temp taking will be more difficult. 

  
  

  Another method is Marquette which is creighton with a fertility monitor.

  
  

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• catarntina member

  

  December 2011 edited December 2011

  Ditto Agapecarrie.  Mucus is the PRIMARY sign in STM.  Temperature is merely a secondary sign used to confirm mucus observations.  Temperature can only confirm that ovulation has happened.  Past tense.  Not that ovulation is about to occur, which is really the most important thing!  Mucus is the only thing that can help you predict that ovulation is about to occur.  This is a very important difference because if you have sex a few days before ovulation, you can get pregnant as the sperm can live for 3-5 days in cervical mucus.  By the time your temperature jumps to indicate ovulation, the egg has already come and gone.  So temperature is just used to merely confirm that you have ovulated.  Not that you are about to ovulate.
  
  If you're going to have trouble taking your temperature at a given time each day, than Creighton would be the best method for you.  I have a pretty set schedule.  I work 9-5, so taking my temperature was no big deal for me.  On the weekends, I'd just set my alarm, then go back to sleep after recording it.
  
  Mucus only methods are not 'weakness' since temperature and cervix observations are secondary signs.
  
  I use STM because 1.) It was what I was taught when I was going through marriage prep.  2.) I couldn't find a Creighton teacher within a 100 mile radius. 3.) I really like having the mulitple signs to confirm what I think may have happened.

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• professorscience member

  

  December 2011 edited December 2011

  Totally agree with PPs.  I use the Billings method, which is mucus only.  I like that ST gives the sort of "confirmation" of what your mucus is telling you.

  

  
  

  
  

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• newlyseliski member

  

  December 2011 edited December 2011

  I chose Creighton because...
  
  1) Several of my married friends recommended it...
  
  2) I don't have a regular sleep schedule for taking the basal body temperature... I like sleeping in if I have an opportunity to! 
  
  3) I already knew I had an irregular cycle, most likely due to PCOS that I had already started treating with Metformin.  One of my friends that uses Creighton also deals with PCOS.
  
  4) There are more doctors in my area familiar with the Creighton Method and Napro technology than STM.  I've really appreciated having a doctor that's on the same page as me values-wise and doesn't constantly tell me that I should go on the pill to treat my issues!
  
  
  At this point, I wish we had taken STM or self-taught STM, too, because I've had a few really ridiculous cycles where it would have been a bit more helpful to have temperature as well to verify/determine my peak day!  If you have a pretty consistent cycle, you really can't go wrong with either of them.  As PP's recommended... you may want to take into consideration available physicians in your area who are familiar with the methods in case you encounter issues in the future when TTC.  omsoul (dot) com has a great tool that allows you to search for NFP doctors in your area and it will list what method(s) they've been trained in or are most familiar with.

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• bibliophile2010 member

  

  December 2011 edited December 2011

  I spent a really long time toying with this same question. I finally decided on Creighton.
  
  My reasonings were several: 1) while my sleep schedule is currently pretty consistent, I have a history of having trouble sleeping/asthma/etc., my H will have a wonky schedule in the next few years, and newborns make consistent temping nearly impossible.  2) I had observed my CM enough to know that I have nearly constant mucous (and yes, there are medical reasons for this and I yes, I've had it looked at), so strict ST was not going to be a good choice. 3) My family has a history of fertility issues, so I knew that, if I were to encounter any of those, NaPro would be a good help.
  
  What is really came down to, though, was prayer and consideration of what I needed and what my body needed. I have been happy with my decision, though I admit that there have been a couple of cycles where, like Newly, the temp confirmation of ovulation (or not) would have been nice.

  

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• dpbride2012

  

  December 2011 edited December 2011

  Bibliophile, can I ask what the potential medical concerns with constant CM are?  I experience this too.  I should have had my first ob/gyn appointment a few years ago, but have major anxiety about it.  I tried getting a pap smear from my general practice doctor, but got so upset during the process that she stopped the process.  Since I'm a virgin she said it was ok to wait until after I'm married.

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• agapecarrie member

  

  December 2011 edited December 2011

  Constant CM can be a variety of things. One is using scented or dyed toilet paper or dryer sheets. There can be sensitivites to clothing too.

  
  

  The other is a cervical eversion. I had this... I had to learn to distinguish the details in different types of cm to see the point of change so I knew when I was ovulating. My napro doc figured this all out. I had a very minor and painless (although a little uncomfortable) procedure that pretty much got rid of it.

  
  

  Those are the 2 issues of the top of my head. 

  
  

  I have to tell you, I had a bad experience at my first pap too. (The doc was fine, it was just scary)  Then I started going to my napro docs. The ones here pray with their patients. They have amazing bed side manners, and put down the charts and chat with you. (Mine had adopted a couple kids and knew I was adopted so we talked about how to teach chastity, etc). Besides the ickiness of the actual exam, I look forward to going to my doc because so much gets explained and I feel so in control of my health when I leave.   The reason I'm going on about it is that I trully believe finding the right doc can aleviate a great deal of stress and make things way easier. I don't think its good to avoid this exam, especially if you have abnormal stuff going on.

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