Best form of NFP while breastfeeding/any online NFP programs?

[RCMom]

In 10 years of marriage, I have been pregnant 9 times - 4 miscarriages and 5 children. My oldest is 5 1/2, youngest almost 4 weeks, with one former 25 week preemie (just turned 3yo) with some health issues in the middle. After our oldest was born, we kind of threw caution to the wind and stopped paying too much attention. Three of my miscarriages were before him, so we decided we had had enough of the “planning” and charting, and were simply going to leave it all up to God. After my preemie (our 3rd) we started trying to chart again, but everything was wonky because (a) I was breastfeeding, and (b) I never got a good night’s sleep because she was on monitors and oxygen and would alarm all night long. Frankly, I am STILL surprised that we concevied again…we THOUGHT we were safe, but 9 months later another daughter came along. They are barely 13 months apart, but with my preemie’s delays, they seem almost like twins (at least developmentally). Fast forward a few months, and the same thing happened again. I was SURE I had already ovulated (based upon my cervical mucous observations - I was not temping because I was still nursing at least twice overnight. However, I was off (clearly) and 9 months later we now have 5. This time I really need a break. We will never do anything more than abstain, but I am tired of abstaining ALL THE TIME. We were strongly encouraged NOT to have sex at all during this pregnancy given my hx of preterm issues and frequent episodes of contractions and bleeding with this pregnancy. So we are feeling a bit frustrated. To put it bluntly, we can’t have sex when we aren’t pregnant becasue we seem to get pregnant very easy, and once pregnant we can’t have sex because then we don’t stay pregnant. I don’t have a problem wtih abstaining in general, but we are almost to the point were we feel we need to abstain completely for the next 15 months or so, so we CAN get a break. It doesn’t help matters any that when I tried to talk to my “conservative, by-the-book” priest early in my pregnancy, he suggested I get my tubes tied! Seriously! We know God is not done with us yet, and we know we are being called to have a large(r) family, and honestly we ARE fine with that. BUT, we do (or I guess I should say “I”) need some time to recover, both mentally and physically. Having 5 babies in as many years has taken a lot out of me, and ideally it would be great if we could put some space between the next ones. SO…after my novel, any advice? Just wondering what you use, how you do it, and how happy you are with it. As an OBGYN physician assistant, I am very familiar with how things are SUPPOSED to work, and I have basic knowledge of several of the “methods” for NFP, but have never actually taken a class on any of them. I am wondering if any are better when you are still nursing. I read TCOYF before marriage, and started charting my cycles using BBT, and cervical mucous changes to determine ovulation. I have also used TCOYFs computer program, and another online method that I think was loosely based on the Creighton Method.

Thanks for your suggestions

~J

 

[Jennifer_J]

nfpandmore.org has an online manuel and charts. It’s symptothermal which combines temps, mucous and cervix. Personally, I like all the cross checks so if one sign is wonky, then the others can help me. I temp even when my sleep is interupted with night feedings and mark the disturbance on the chart. My temps are pretty reliable, even with sleep disturbances. It couldn’t hurt to chart them, esp since mucous hasn’t been all that reliable of a sign.

You might also look into the Marquette model which combines all of that with fertility monitors:
marquette.edu/nursing/NFP/

Edited to add more links :
creightonmodel.com
boma-usa.org
ccli.org

Taking a class would also be a good idea. All the NFP methods offer Postpartem classes–it’s the hardest time to learn, though.
God bless you!

 

[Em_in_FL]

I use the sympto-thermal method (same as TCOYF) and chart my mucous, cervical position, and temperature… and I’ve been able to detect the onset of my returning fertility after my 2 previous pregnancies while breastfeeding (at 5 1/2 and 7 1/2 months postpartum) - and I’m currently BF’ing and waiting for my fertility to return after my third.
In my experience, the most important signs to chart are the mucous and cervical position - actually the cervical position was the most useful for me, personally. The temperature sign is secondary to those other signs… it’s only useful as a confirmation of ovulation after it’s already occurred.
I chart on paper, so no fancy computer programs… just make very detailed notes about my cervical position (totally closed, barely open, medium, very open) and mucous (quality, consistency, stretchiness, amount)… and that seems to work out best for me.

I recommend reading the TCOYF again… and reading the free online manual here… the more you read the better.
As for classes… contact your diocese… or try ccli.org/ and look for local classes. Sometimes that’s helpful for some people…

Good luck… and feel free to PM me if you have any questions…