NFP Experts... help us get started!

[Online_Knight]

Hi all…

My wife and I welcomed our first child 2 weeks ago. For the first 3years of our marriage, we were using BCP’s to prevent pregnancy. Through God’s grace, we are now studying the CCL home-study on NFP and we are very excited to use the program. The problem is that we are having trouble with knowing when to start charting since my wife is breastfeeding and not having a cycle. Can we start taking readings now? Are we going to be unable to learn at this point without cycles, ovulation, etc?

Any of you been where we are?

Thanks!

 

[Jennifer_J]

Ecological breastfeeding (no suppliments, feeding on demand, no pacifiers, napping with baby, etc) will give you a chance of pregnancy next to nil for about 3 months, the rate goes up slightly each month and by 6 months you should start charting if you want to space babies. ccli.org/nfp/ebf/summary.php
However, your wife may want to start charting mucous so that when it changes she’ll have a base of knowledge to know what her body is doing, esp since you have no charting experience.

You might want to find a postpartem class to take, if any are available or call CCLI to get more info about what you should be doing specifically.

Hope that helps!

Jennifer
mom to 1 ds and 4 dd’s–blessing #6 due in July

 

[Em_in_FL]

Congratulations on your new little one!.. and on finding your way towards NFP!

Well you happen to be jumping in right at the most difficult time, so if you can figure it out now, then you’ll do GREAT once her cycles return.

Now there is a lot of information on how breastfeeding can naturally delay fertility, which is totally true… but it doesn’t work perfectly for everyone, so I do suggest you start checking her signs on a regular basis.
Before she has a definite cycle to chart (ie, 3 distinct phases), you need to assume you’re always in phase 1… which requires checking the mucous and cervical position signs. Concentrate your studies on those areas.

Another wonderful resource on the science and biology of the Sympto-thermal method is Taking Charge of Your Fertility. It doesn’t cover the moral aspects of using NFP, and actually suggests using barrier methods during the fertile time (so IGNORE that part!), but overall it’s a very good book and it may help as a second reference to your ccli course…

Good luck… it’s definitely possible! I was able to detect my returning cycles after both my pregnancies (while breastfeeding)… then once the cycle returns it’s EASY!

You can do it!

 

[1ke]

I think because of the special circumstances of trying to chart Post Partum you should invest in local classes and sit down with an instructor one-on-one. At a minimum talk to an instructor virtually-- I think the home study course gives you access to an instructor.

I think post partum would be the hardest time to learn NFP! I admire you guys for you change of heart and desire to live according to Church teaching.

 

[Nicole]

forums.delphiforums.com/nfptalk/start

I would highly recommend the above forum. There are several NFP teachers that post there, from various methods, and the start page, linked above, has a thorough post on guidelines for breastfeeding and NFP.

We are due in Sept and will most like want to postpone for a while, so we will be in your shoes soon. For some it can be difficult to chart while nursing, but some seem to clearly see when their fertility is returning with no major, dragged out ambiguity.

Congrats on your baby and good luck!

 

[StratusRose]

I think because of the special circumstances of trying to chart Post Partum you should invest in local classes and sit down with an instructor one-on-one. At a minimum talk to an instructor virtually-- I think the home study course gives you access to an instructor.

I think post partum would be the hardest time to learn NFP! I admire you guys for you change of heart and desire to live according to Church teaching.

I agree with this advice. My fiance and I took an NFP class and I can’t imagine doing the home study course on our own, let alone with a baby in the mix. You will have lots of questions and it’s nice to have the instructor right there to help you. Also, they give you their home numbers incase you have an “emergency.”

 

[LittleRose]

1ke is right. You can start charting right away, but the data will probably be more useful with a class under your belt, and your “teaching couple” should be able to help you understand your charts too.