Marquette method of NFP?

[Rachel126]

Anyone use this method and have any advice to share? Good method, not so good?
I’ve been using STM, but considering switching to Marquette. I don’t sleep well lately and am concerned my temps are off because of that.

 

[Lorelei12]

It’s worked well for us for almost two years. I have a hard time with temps too, and found Marquette to be pretty easy to learn.

As far as tips, I’d say the most important thing is not to rely on the monitor more than your own CM observations. It can be tempting to get a little lazy- as in, “well, the monitor says low”, and then not pay close enough attention to your own signs. (This has happened to me once or twice- I did something incorrectly, and sort of knew that it shouldn’t be reading “low”- but it was user error on my part, not the monitor.) Using both together makes me feel more comfortable in its accuracy.

One thing I don’t like is that once the monitor reads “high”, it will continue to read high until you ovulate. So if you ever occasionally have cycles that are off, where your body is trying to ovulate but not quite getting there for awhile, it won’t go back down to “low”, even if technically it is low. Not a big deal since it doesn’t change the “rules” anyway, but it means that you can use a lot of test sticks in one month, so if you have longer cycles it could get expensive.

 

[annb]

I like using the monitor, but haven’t been trained in Marquette. If you can find someone to teach it to you though, I would definitely go for it. Creighton also doesn’t rely on temperature, and you can use the monitor with it just to help you get a better idea on ovulation.

 

[Rachel126]

It’s worked well for us for almost two years. I have a hard time with temps too, and found Marquette to be pretty easy to learn.

As far as tips, I’d say the most important thing is not to rely on the monitor more than your own CM observations. It can be tempting to get a little lazy- as in, “well, the monitor says low”, and then not pay close enough attention to your own signs. (This has happened to me once or twice- I did something incorrectly, and sort of knew that it shouldn’t be reading “low”- but it was user error on my part, not the monitor.) Using both together makes me feel more comfortable in its accuracy.

One thing I don’t like is that once the monitor reads “high”, it will continue to read high until you ovulate. So if you ever occasionally have cycles that are off, where your body is trying to ovulate but not quite getting there for awhile, it won’t go back down to “low”, even if technically it is low. Not a big deal since it doesn’t change the “rules” anyway, but it means that you can use a lot of test sticks in one month, so if you have longer cycles it could get expensive.

Thanks, I appreciate the help. The cost of Marquette is a downside, but i do think it would be both easier and more accurate for me, due to my issues lately with taking an accurate temp.

 

[Kelfa28]

I’m seriously interested in the Marquette method myself.
But…based on how effective STM has been for us…I’m not sure I’m comfortable learning another method again…after a pregnancy.

I had to do that with STM…learn it for the first time after my pregnancy. It was a little rough but once I got it…it was easy.

I learned to not rely totally on the temp readings. I paid far more attention to my CM. That was how I knew I was getting ready to ovulate.

How dramatic is your temp shift? I guess one of the reasons why STM worked so well for us was because my temps were usually obvious when it came to the post ovulation spike. Even if I missed a temp…or temped late…it was still really obvious.

 

[Rachel126]

I’m seriously interested in the Marquette method myself.
But…based on how effective STM has been for us…I’m not sure I’m comfortable learning another method again…after a pregnancy.

I had to do that with STM…learn it for the first time after my pregnancy. It was a little rough but once I got it…it was easy.

I learned to not rely totally on the temp readings. I paid far more attention to my CM. That was how I knew I was getting ready to ovulate.

How dramatic is your temp shift? I guess one of the reasons why STM worked so well for us was because my temps were usually obvious when it came to the post ovulation spike. Even if I missed a temp…or temped late…it was still really obvious.

I agree with you that the CM is the most important sign.
My temps technically show that I ovulated on day 8 this cycle…which i have NEVER done before…it’s always day 14-17…but my CM was correlated with my normal ovulation time. That’s why i’m investigating Marquette. It’s possible i’m just having an anovulatory cycle (which i understand can happen more frequently now that i am older), but since my signals aren’t matching up, I might want to change methods. My temps were a bit funky last month too. I used STM fine for a long time (and it helped me achieve two pregnancies).

 

[Cathmomof6]

I started using the Marquette method after the birth of our last baby in May 2012. I was breastfeeding until June 2013 and used the breastfeeding protocol from 6 month postpartum until I had an identified peak day near the end of June. Then using the guidelines on the website we abstained until the last peak reading plus 3 full days. We have been trained in Creighton so I kind of cross checked. The cm definitely indicated that I had ovulated but I am really inconsistent with 100% cm observations so we mainly went by the monitor.

Long story short I am now 6 weeks pregnant and working with someone on the website to determine what we did wrong. I am 36 and already have 6 kids. I am scared now because during my last pregnancy I developed left hip pain which I now know is going to require a total hip replacement likely before I turn 40. I don’t know how this pregnancy is going to affect all that or impair my ability to care for the kids I already have. And furthermore I worry about what to do after this pregnancy. Creighton is really hard for me to make 100% observations and then I also have a hard time determining how to classify cm, temps are hard because I always have babies who get up all night, so I thought Marquette would be a nice objective approach. I still would like to continue with that after baby but I guess will need better instruction. I was previously self taught and I guess there is a steep learner curve:shrug:. Sometimes a vasectomy seems sooooooo much easier now that my body seems to be breaking down, and we really should not have more kids. I am holding off on announcing this pregnancy as long as I possibly can because I dread all the gossip this will stir up since most know about my hip issues. I try to reassure myself that this is Gods plan not mine and that gives me inner peace; but the outside world just doesn’t see it that way!!!

 

[agapewolf]

I started using the Marquette method after the birth of our last baby in May 2012. I was breastfeeding until June 2013 and used the breastfeeding protocol from 6 month postpartum until I had an identified peak day near the end of June. Then using the guidelines on the website we abstained until the last peak reading plus 3 full days. We have been trained in Creighton so I kind of cross checked. The cm definitely indicated that I had ovulated but I am really inconsistent with 100% cm observations so we mainly went by the monitor.

Long story short I am now 6 weeks pregnant and working with someone on the website to determine what we did wrong. I am 36 and already have 6 kids. I am scared now because during my last pregnancy I developed left hip pain which I now know is going to require a total hip replacement likely before I turn 40. I don’t know how this pregnancy is going to affect all that or impair my ability to care for the kids I already have. And furthermore I worry about what to do after this pregnancy. Creighton is really hard for me to make 100% observations and then I also have a hard time determining how to classify cm, temps are hard because I always have babies who get up all night, so I thought Marquette would be a nice objective approach. I still would like to continue with that after baby but I guess will need better instruction. I was previously self taught and I guess there is a steep learner curve:shrug:. Sometimes a vasectomy seems sooooooo much easier now that my body seems to be breaking down, and we really should not have more kids. I am holding off on announcing this pregnancy as long as I possibly can because I dread all the gossip this will stir up since most know about my hip issues. I try to reassure myself that this is Gods plan not mine and that gives me inner peace; but the outside world just doesn’t see it that way!!!

2 problems: – 1-- relying in monitor as main sign. Should only be used as a cross check. And not checking 100% observation.

2-- the rule is end of the 4th day.

 

[Cathmomof6]

My understanding according to the website was monitor only or monitor and mucus. They even have 2 different forms for recording depending on method used. We decided to use monitor only. We abstained until end of fourth day so we did follow that part and I still became pregnant. My only thought is that it must have to be used in conjunction with mucous to be more effective and maybe I could be more consistent with cm observations once I get a p reading on monitor. Food for thought I guess since I don’t have to worry about that for awhile now.