Billings users...

Resa77 · May 2012

Is Billings CM only? Would Billings work for someone who CCL NFP doesn't work for? I know Creighton is what most would recommend for me, but the instructor in my area (well, an hour away, but doable) was really rude on the phone, had no idea when the next intro class would be, and overall seemed like he was REALLY inconvenienced by me wanting to learn the method. I corresponded with him a few times over the span of maybe 2 weeks, and HE called ME (I had emailed), so I know it's not just that I caught him on the phone at a bad time. This was 6 months ago, so I might just try to contact him again and see if he's still a jerk, but i was thinking I'd look into another method.

Also, can you give me a basic idea of the class structure for Billings? Like, for CCL NFP, you attend 3 classes that are a couple hours long each. What is it like with Billings?

professorscience · May 2012

Yes, Billings is CM-only. My class was one intro session (that I found pointless and was given as a requirement for couples choosing to marry at the church where it was offered (we were getting married at a different church but happened to find out they were giving classes) and then three more in-depth sessions. I think each one was about an hour long.

At the first session, she gave me the stickers and the charts and some info and told me to just start charting right then, not to wait for a period. Then at the next session we went over the charts I'd done and she critiqued. The last session she looked over my charts again and then gave us (H and me) some "sample" charts and we had to figure out how to interpret certain "anomalies" (one had an anovulatory cycle, another had about three days where the person forgot to chart, stuff like that).

Resa77 · May 2012

Was it one-on-one? At my NFP classes, they didn't even look at my chart because there were so many people. I've reached out to the teacher (and talked to her) several times, but she can't figure out my cycles lol. I am thinking CCL NFP just isn't compatible with my body, so I need to find something else sooner rather than later! Do you think it's worthwhile for me to do? I have CM every day, so does Billings have ways to work around that? CCL NFP doesn't, as far as I can figure.

professorscience · May 2012

Ours was one-on-one, but in that intro session there were about 6 other couples who just left after the intro because that's all that was required of them to get married (another reason I thought the intro was pointless -- either require them to learn it or don't, just don't waste their time).

I think that will depend on where you go, though. Ours did give me her email address, and you can register at nfpcharting.org to record your stuff electronically and send it to your teacher (membership is free for instructors, so if you find someone who isn't on there, tell them to sign up!) so she can help you if the classes are super full. I know the one-on-one was the most helpful thing for me, so hopefully you can find a less-overwhelmed instructor!

As for CM every day, you basically do these stickers. Green stickers mean a dry day (if your BIP is dry), white stickers (with a cute little baby on them) mean fertile days, and yellow stickers can mean one of two things:
Pre-ovulation, yellow stickers are used to describe wet sensations if your BIP is anything but dry (like you, I would assume -- you'd probably use yellow where I use green, to indicate non-fertile wet sensations).
Post-ovulation, you can use green and yellow stickers interchangeably to indicate wet or dry.

That's a really basic rundown, and I'm sure it sounds confusing and complicated (I know I was like, "Uh... stickers? Am I in kindergarten?") but it really makes a lot more sense in the class.

lalaith50 · May 2012

Resa- sorry if I've already recommended this, but have you tried deliberate supplements of vitamins B6 and folic acid? I found last month (the first full that I tried it,) that for the first time ever I was TOTALLY dry after ovulation! yay! After I discovered that, a Creighton teacher told me that those two vitamins are known for "mucus enhancement." It makes things more as they should be! yay!

Nickie431 · May 2012

I was planning to use Creighton as most of my friends have, even though there's not a teacher in our area and we would've had to have long-distance sessions over Skype. Then I chatted with the nearest Creighton teacher (she wasn't accepting new clients) who is also a physician's assistant, and after a (free!) 45-minute discussion, she recommended the Billings method, because it's simpler than Creighton but still effective for people (like me) who have irregularities, because the developers of Creighton were trained in Billings originally.

We found a teaching couple in our area, and they work one-on-one, which is definitely more comfortable for H and I. We met in their home for a couple introductory sessions (maybe 1.5 hours each, though we just visited part of the time, too), and return every 2 weeks-1 month for follow-up. I'm requiring more follow-up than some since I have PCOS and have yet to ovulate since I began charting. Our teachers charged a flat $200 fee and then are available to consult for life, though I'm sure fees and policies will vary.

I like charting with the iPhone app, and then our teachers and NFP OB/GYN can always access the chart if I contact them with a question.

professorscience · May 2012

Oh, I loved the nfpcharting iPhone app. It is pretty much the ONLY reason I would have stuck with an iPhone. I am dying for them to release the same one for Androids.

agapecarrie · May 2012

RESA

Creighton is designed for people with "problems" such as yours. What you have could be a symptom of something, such as cervical eversion...which is treated with a cryo. Pretty much got rid of most of the non-fertile stuff, but that happened after I learned to distinguish between non-fertile and fertile type.

It could also be a reaction to dryer sheets, detergent, or other allergins.

TeaForMe · May 2012

Resa,

My apologies becaue I didn't 100% read through all the replies so this could be some repeat and/or not address your questions at all. I think I have an attention deficit today... Anyway, as I've probably said an unreasonable number of times (sorry!), I'm working on becoming a Billings teacher. I've only been using Billings since January, but was using STM (the CCL method) for over a year before that.

Billings does take into account the possibility of having mucus all the time - you learn to differentiate between fertile and non-fertile mucus. Prof talked above about the stickers (which, if you see them, the "baby" sticker will crack you up) which help you chart, though there are also symbols you can use if you don't want to buy stickers. But, as she said, you'd probably end up using the yellow stickers for your "basic infertile pattern" once you can establish that. It may take a few cycles to figure it out, but I don't think it should be a problem.

When I took the class, it was all one-on-one because that's the way my instructor preferred to teach. The first session was my husband and I and was about an hour. She went over the Catholic teaching behind NFP and then the 4 rules of Billings and how to chart. Then we had 2 weeks of charting and then I met with her to go over my chart. It turns out I did it totally wrong for the first two weeks and so we did another 2 weeks and I met with her again to go over my chart. Then we did a month later and then an email to kind of catch up another month after that.

If you want to read more about the actual method, I'd recommend the international Billings site www.woomb.org and then click on Billings Method towards the top and it will explain pretty thoroughly how the method works.

Resa77 · May 2012

So much helpful info! Lalaith, I don't recall ever hearing about B6 and Folic Acid. I might just have to stop by Target and pick some up today! I totally grasp the idea of different types of CM (and I never get more fertile CM), but with CCL NFP, the rules mark you as fertile (granted, less fertile) if you have CM. So basically, if I follow the rules I've been taught, and am TTA, I will literally be completely celibate. Clearly I need to learn a different set of rules!

agapecarrie · May 2012

In Response to <a href="http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/cultural-wedding-boards_catholic-weddings_billings-users?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Cultural%20Wedding%20BoardsForum:615Discussion:143aa812-f447-49bf-9584-ed012dd1e771Post:856bf831-15bf-42d1-ad04-611dba1ffffb">Re: Billings users...</a>:
[QUOTE]So much helpful info! Lalaith, I don't recall ever hearing about B6 and Folic Acid. I might just have to stop by Target and pick some up today! I totally grasp the idea of different types of CM (and I never get more fertile CM), but with CCL NFP, the rules mark you as fertile (granted, less fertile) if you have CM. So basically, if I follow the rules I've been taught, and am TTA, I will literally be completely celibate. Clearly I need to learn a different set of rules!
Posted by Resa77[/QUOTE]

<div>After getting the hang of creighton, and a standardized amount of time, you gradually move to "yellow" stickers, which are treated the same as non-fertile. First post-peak, then eventually moving pre-peak. There is a standardized way of doing this though...I think the first three months of charting you still mark them as if they were fertile, then they move you to yellow stickers.</div>

Resa77 · May 2012

Lalaith, for the folic acid and B6 -- I take a multi-vitamin every day that has 100% daily value of each of these (I checked last night). Should I be taking MORE B6 and folic acid, seperate of this multivitamin?

lalaith50 · May 2012

My B-6 has 100mg (5000%), and folic acid has 800 mcg (200%.) So, yeah, that might make a difference. :-)

lalaith50 · May 2012

Oh this reminded me of a question-

Can someone summarize how can you tell in Billings (or Creighton for that matter) that what appeared to be an ovluation was actually a successful ovulation? for example, what if the CM appeared to be leading up to ovulation, then you dried up and assumed you ovulated, but then 2 weeks later your body *actuallly* successfully ovulated, and you got pregnant since you assumed you had already ovulated? I'm just confused how you can *know* that you've ovulated, since as far as I know, the only way I can know is that my temps have risen around the time that CM dries up!! Like, there was a chart in our CCL book that looked like she had ovulated, but the onlly we knew she hadn't was b/c the temps hadnt risen.

TeaForMe · May 2012

Lala, I'm not sure about this yet, but I think that (for Billings), the "slippery" sensation mucus is the indicator of ovulation occuring. And so any other fertile-type mucus that appears but isn't slippery and doesn't then change over to slippery means you have not ovulated.

agapecarrie · May 2012

There are several questions one asks themselves at the time. I dont remember them all, but one has to do with stress.

The observation of CM is extremely detailed that one can tell if ovulation occured or not.

professorscience · May 2012

I know that for me, there is a *significant* difference in peak-CM and pre- or post-CM. It took me a little while to start noticing the differences, but now it's very clear. (TMI alert) I actually get "wet" sensations for a few days even after the "3-Day" rule, but since I know I've ovulated, I know we're good to go, so to speak (or it was when we were TTA).

Resa77 · May 2012

Thanks Lalaith! I will have to pick some up

I never get fertile-type CM (nothing stretchy or slippery or clear), so maybe the vitamins will help with that as well as the constant CM.

TeaForMe · May 2012

Resa, Some women don't really have any visible fertile mucus (And, TMI, I am one of them). Sometimes it is could mean your body doesn't produce the fertile mucus, but I think more often it's just that the body doesn't produce enough to be visible - such was my case as your body *needs* the fertile mucus in order to become pregnant which I was obiously able to achieve. WIth Billings, if the sensation is slippery, even if no mucus is visibly present, it is a peak day. The whole method can/should be done on sensation rather than visual observation. (this is where I got it wrong for my first two weeks.) If there happen to be visual signs, you should certainly record those as well, but it shouldn't be the first or main sign you use.

Resa77 · May 2012

Tea, YGPM!

TeaForMe · May 2012

Back at ya', Resa!

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