NFP (might be TMI)

chelseamb11 · October 2011

So I just have to say how excited I am right now. I am really starting to get the hang of charting! I had eggwhite mucous on Tuesday so I thought to myself, okay so I'm going to ovulate tomorrow (yesterday/Wednesdsay) and then Thursday my temp should be up to 97.5 or 97.6 (I usually get to 97.0/96.9 pre-ovulatin). Sure enough, ovulation pain happend yesterday (which I only have when it's my right ovary, never my left.. weird but whatevs) and temp was 97.6 this morning.

I love feeling so in control and in the know about my body!

professorscience · October 2011

Dude, I totally get what you are saying. The first cycle I charted with Billings, I was all over the place and so incredibly confused. Then the next time I definitely knew when I ovulated and it was so exciting!

chelseamb11 · October 2011

Right? It's so odd though. I'm pretty consistent with ovulation on left, then right, then left, then right... but MAN the right hurts so much more than the left. And it hurts for like 24 hours. I don't feel so well tody. Lame.

bibliophile2010 · October 2011

It really is incredible. I love knowing what my body is doing, and that it working as God made it. I think that is true empowerment.

professorscience · October 2011

I just got a new phone, and there's no NFPCharting app (for Billings) for Android. I found another Billings app, but I'm having issues getting it to download. =(

shawna127 · October 2011

I love that!! I started back in February and I remember when i finally got it. It is such a good feeling!! I had my annual doctors appt. yesterday and she asked if I was content with it and I told her I was 100% I would NEVER go back to birth control pills.

catarntina · October 2011

I tell you what, having charted before getting pregnant is a life saver. My period was April 4 --> due date of Jan 9. I ovulated April 28 --> Due date of Jan 19th.

I went in for an ultrasound at 5 or so weeks and they told me I miscarried because they THOUGHT I was further along than what I was based on period (they were expecting me to be 10 days further along), but I knew that they just had their dates wrong because they were insisting on basing it off my period. So after I protested and told them I ovulated 10 days late, they finally listened to me. Guess what, I've been measuring on track according to MY date ever since. For any future kids, I plan to take my O date and subtract 14 then tell them it was my period date to avoid further unnecessary ultrasounds, whether that was the date of my period or not.

The other cool thing? I thought I ovulated from one ovary because of O pain. They were able to see on the ultrasound which ovary I ovulated from, and it was totally the one I thought.

lalaith50 · October 2011

In Response to <a href="http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/cultural-wedding-boards_catholic-weddings_nfp-might-tmi?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Cultural%20Wedding%20BoardsForum:615Discussion:a2b81b17-4233-4e6a-8dcc-cd1477d4ddd8Post:ae257ebe-2650-4e6f-9fb3-99e9a0cfd109">Re: NFP (might be TMI)</a>:
[QUOTE] For any future kids, I plan to take my O date and subtract 14 then tell them it was my period date to avoid further unnecessary ultrasounds, whether that was the date of my period or not.
Posted by catarntina[/QUOTE]
lol! awesome advice!

Riss91 · October 2011

NFP = AWESOME. NFT.

Louisa1000 · October 2011

Man, I wish I felt in control. My charting makes no sense right now; my mucous and temps are all over the place. I'm afraid I'll have to live in total abstinence once i'm married because I'll never find a phase 3.

This is only chart number 2, but someone tell me it gets easier!

agapecarrie · October 2011

It took me a long time to figure it out becasue I had issues. But it was awesome because I was figuring out where the issues were, and got those taken care of.

lalaith50 · October 2011

In Response to <a href="http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/cultural-wedding-boards_catholic-weddings_nfp-might-tmi?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Cultural%20Wedding%20BoardsForum:615Discussion:a2b81b17-4233-4e6a-8dcc-cd1477d4ddd8Post:a0d42274-d6db-44f9-8596-f16ee3e6efc6">Re: NFP (might be TMI)</a>:
[QUOTE]Man, I wish I felt in control. My charting makes no sense right now; my mucous and temps are all over the place. I'm afraid I'll have to live in total abstinence once i'm married because I'll never find a phase 3. :( This is only chart number 2, but someone tell me it gets easier!
Posted by Louisa1000[/QUOTE]
It does get easier... (I think! but I'm only on chart 6 so far!) but are you working with someone like through an NFP class who can look at your chart? They should be able to make a lot more sense of it, and even help explain any problems that may be causing wacky temps/CM.

bibliophile2010 · October 2011

It does get easier! I think that, at first, everyone feels like their chart is totally wacky. As my instructor said, if you feel super-confident after the first chart, you're probably actually over-confident. I've had a variety of issues, but still got the hang of things after a couple of cycles. I think the first chart, in particular, is a total learning experience, because we're trained by society to ignore what our body is doing, rather than closely observe and monitor it, so we are learning for the first time what is normal for us and trying to apply it to the rules.

Louisa, I know I've asked before, but would you be willing to tell me/PM me with what part of the Valley/state you're in or where you're getting your NFP instruction? I'm genuinely just curious.

Louisa1000 · October 2011

Sure, my parish is St. Timothy's in Mesa. They're teaching us the sympto-thermal method, and the instructors are great; maybe I just need to bother them with more questions.

agapecarrie · October 2011

I've been to st Tim's many times... Went to lifeteen training conferences there.

bibliophile2010 · October 2011

I had suspected St. Tim's based on some of your other questions/comments, but it seemed like a stalker-ish thing to focus on.

I love love love the mural behind the altar there. I have gone to the occasional daily mass there (including the day before the wedding). My DH really likes it there overall.

We are still going to the Newman Center, but are discerning our long-term plans, because we want to raise kids in a family-friendly parish. St. Tim's enters that conversation on occasion, though I think we've decided for now to stick with Newman until he's done with school. We'll see.

Louisa1000 · October 2011

Cool! St. Tim's is the only parish I've known, but I like it a lot there. Yes, the mural is really cool; it actually makes me feel like saints and angels are celebrating mass with us. It took getting used to, since i grew up in very bare Mormon chapels, but i love it now. And I really like our new priests. I think the one time I visited the Newman center it was under construction, or spring break or something because I remember it feeling kind of sparse, so I don't think I got a good sense of it. Is it a nice community?

professorscience · October 2011

In Response to <a href="http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/cultural-wedding-boards_catholic-weddings_nfp-might-tmi?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Cultural%20Wedding%20BoardsForum:615Discussion:a2b81b17-4233-4e6a-8dcc-cd1477d4ddd8Post:a0d42274-d6db-44f9-8596-f16ee3e6efc6">Re: NFP (might be TMI)</a>:
[QUOTE]Man, I wish I felt in control. My charting makes no sense right now; my mucous and temps are all over the place. I'm afraid I'll have to live in total abstinence once i'm married because I'll never find a phase 3. :( This is only chart number 2, but someone tell me it gets easier!
Posted by Louisa1000[/QUOTE]

<div>It totally gets easier. If your temps are all over the place, there are NFP methods that are mucus only, which is what I do. Between stress at work, irregular sleep times, and all the other factors that can affect your temp, mine was everywhere. I took a Billings class and I'm very, very confident with it.</div>

Calypso1977 · October 2011

louisa, it definitley gets easier. also, if you are coming off the pill that will cause things to be a bit whacky the first few cycles as you flush the hormone.

Louisa1000 · October 2011

Nope, never been on the pill, though I have been losing a lot of weight lately ( through healthy means). Dunno if that could mess things up. I hesitate to get rid of the temps because I have very scant mucus to begin with. I get the sensations, but almost zero characteristics. My teaching couple said that's probably just the way my body works, and I could still use the method, but I don't know about billings. The scientist in me really likes that quantitative data

Any Internet resources I should check out? (sorry I kind of hijacked this thread)

Riss91 · October 2011

Louisa - there are ways to increase the mucus (hydrating, drinking lots of green tea I think). Definitely google for more ideas. I would try that first, and also checking internally for mucous, if youa ren't already. If you still do not have enough mucous to make a determination, you might need to speak to your doctor, as having little or no mucous would inhibit conception. There might be supplements you can take to correct that.

It does get much easier the more you do it. I was totally lost on mucous for prob 4-5 cycles until I realized what MY patterns were. Definitely stick around here and ask questions, we're all glad to help!

catarntina · October 2011

Louisa -- Losing weight does indeed affect your fertility. For instance, if you are extremely skinny, you may not ovulate at all. If you're overweight, you may have longer phase 1's... So weight definitely affects fertility.

Green Tea is supposed to help with mucus. Also taking Mucinex around ovulation can make symptoms more clearer. I've heard great things about green tea though.

You may also check internally for mucus. But if you check internally, remember to check that way the whole cycle otherwise you may screw up your results checking externally and internally.

bibliophile2010 · October 2011

In Response to <a href="http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/cultural-wedding-boards_catholic-weddings_nfp-might-tmi?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Cultural%20Wedding%20BoardsForum:615Discussion:a2b81b17-4233-4e6a-8dcc-cd1477d4ddd8Post:ed4fa6c8-1f62-494a-9ce6-fff338376449">Re: NFP (might be TMI)</a>:
[QUOTE]Cool! St. Tim's is the only parish I've known, but I like it a lot there. Yes, the mural is really cool; it actually makes me feel like saints and angels are celebrating mass with us. It took getting used to, since i grew up in very bare Mormon chapels, but i love it now. And I really like our new priests. I think the one time I visited the Newman center it was under construction, or spring break or something because I remember it feeling kind of sparse, so I don't think I got a good sense of it. Is it a nice community?
Posted by Louisa1000[/QUOTE]

Continuing my hijack within the hijack...

The Newman Center is about to start (hopefully in the next couple of weeks) a big construction project. They have the Old Church (the oldest in Tempe), which is simple but beautiful (H and I were married there). They also had a really terrible worship and office space that was torn down last spring to make way for a new chapel, social hall, offices and rectory.

I love the community there, but it has changed a lot in the last couple of years. I'm really involved in liturgical ministry. I really like our priests and H and I have a lot a friends and know a lot of people, which makes it hard to leave, even though we both know that we eventually will. One of the new priests at St. Tim's went to HS with my H, so we're fans accordingly. ;)

Re: NFP, are you getting a clear temp shift to go along with the scant mucous and sensations? I would say to continue to work closely with your teaching couple and give it some time.

Louisa1000 · October 2011

Thanks, guys! Who knew about green tea? I'll give it a try. thanks for all the support! At biblio: I think it was the really terrible worship and office space I visited that one time.

and btw, I feel like everyone in the valley knows Fr. Parks, with only good things to say. We're lucky to have him.

NFP (might be TMI)

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