Natural Family Planning?

Hello

I have taken hormonal birth control for over 10 years, I have been wanting to get off of it for the past year. Due to a variety of reasons I went off my pill this month. Well, first off I like it alot, I am way hornier and in general I like not taking that pill every single day. Problem is, I don't want to get pregnant yet, mind you, it would not be the end of the world, I have a wonderful husband and we both have good jobs, but we both prefer to wait 3-5 more years.

I don't want to get an IUD b/c my cooch is kind of picky as it is and I don't feel comfortable having a piece of plastic installed in me, especially in such a delicate area.

So I've been considering doing a combination of natural birth control planning, by tracking my cycle and using an ovulation predictor combined with education on the subject.

I grew up in a Catholic community and was taught the "rhythym method" by a teacher that had like 7 kids, but I think there is a way to do it where you can practically prevent pregnancy.

Any one have any input, stories, experiences?

Thank you

I'd say if you did this, it'd be a good thing you are in the position to raise a kid if you had to.

I don't know much abotu the efficiency of this, but it would seem to me that "planning" when you could and couldn't have sex would really kill the mood.

Hmm, it really depends on your own cycles (are they regular), diligence (you have to check your cervical mucous, temperature, etc almost daily for months until you get it tracked properly), and whether you are ready in case it does NOT work, as it is not foolproof.

There are some devices that reportedly help you to track your cycles, check out link removed for some threads that discuss these natural family planning methods. This will be cheaper than buying ovulation detector kits over and over in the long run.

But be prepared, it is not perfect....cycles can change, sometimes women do ovulate earlier, or later, or even twice...(rare, but it happens)..sperm can live longer than anticipated.....so you really need that regular cycle and to learn your own body very well...including checking mucous for signs of ovulation, etc.

It does also mean there are days you need to avoid sex altogether, or use condoms. The method is really only as good as the knowledge, dedication and awareness of the people using it, so if you think you are prepared, and can handle it if it does NOT work as planned, go for it.

And actually, I just wanted to note, I have an IUD, and it is fantastic. I do not notice it at all, but everyone varies so if it is not for you, it is not. I just like it as I do not have to think about it at all, and it is good for 5-10 years depending on the brand, and your doctor can take it out when you feel ready to have kids.

Well from what I've read, it seems like there would be one week where we would have to use another form of birth control, pull-out, spermicide... problem I am foreseeing though is that during the week you ovulate is also the week you typically are the most sexually excited.

Yes NFP works. You take your temp daily and when it rises is when you've ovulated. Do the temp thing for a few months so you have it down when you ovulate. I know I ovulate 10 days before my period begins. Usually it's 12-14 days. You're fertile period is about 5 days before ovulation to a day or two after (for safety). I used to use ribbed condoms during my fertile time.

It took 3 months of trying to conceive to become pregnant with my daughter. So even when you are ready it won't necessarily happen right away, although it felt like it to me. I really wanted to try longer.

I really have no idea what my natural cycle is because I have been on birth control for so long.

I will look more into the IUD, thanks!

Well from what I've read, it seems like there would be one week where we would have to use another form of birth control, pull-out, spermicide... problem I am foreseeing though is that during the week you ovulate is also the week you typically are the most sexually excited.

I was just going to add that Molly!

Yes, during ovulation you are more excitable due to hormones and subconscious needs....but if you were prepared to use another method of birth control - and I would recommend condoms, or a sponge/diaphragm etc with spermicide, over "pulling out" which is really not so good.....you can still do it...

Great posts, everyone. I would recommend monitoring for at least a few months to see what your cycle is without hormonal modulation. Also, the benefit of increased libido just after you go off the pill is quite common. I was imagining some really crazy interactions with some really freaky dudes when I first went off and fortunately or unfortunately, that only lasted for about a month. My libido has never been something that needed a kickstart (even in my third trimester) but it was really tough focussing on my exams during that month because my sex drive was driving my attentions towards the fantasy realm even when I was in class. So enjoy while you can. For me, it lasted a month.

I did sort of a rhythm method, by the way. I had a very clockwork 28 day cycle and repeatedly only had a 2-4 day period. We felt the "safe zone" was any time within 4 days following bleeding since sperm can stay alive theoretically for 5 days and assuming I ovulated on day 14, then they most likely would be gone by then. And like four days BEFORE the anticipated arrival of my period. But nothing in between. So that gave us essentially 12 days to go condom-free. Any other time, we did condoms.

In case you're wondering, we were not using any form of protection (rhythm method included) when I got pregnant so don't let that be a testament to its high failure rates. Just know that with rhythm, as RayKay said, you have to know when you ovulate and that may seriously vary (even when your cycles are consistent). We used a barrier method 16 days out of the month.

I will say the rhythm method does not work no matter how careful you think you are being and staying away from the fertile periods. Pulling out certainly is also not a method I would recommend unless you want to treat pregnancy a bit like a lottery!

I don't think you mentioned condoms at all (another poster did though). They're relatively good at preventing pregnancy. Also, the IUD once installed is perfectly okay according to most, getting it in (and out I'd assume) can be a little less comfortable. Anyway, condoms worked well for me, never conceived while using them. (And when we didn't use them we got pregnant at the next possible time as far as we can tell).

You're in the furtunate position in some ways that if your birth control technique is not entirely successful you can put it down to "it was meant to be" and adjust accordingly!

You're in the furtunate position in some ways that if your birth control technique is not entirely successful you can put it down to "it was meant to be" and adjust accordingly!

Couldn't agree more. If you are ok with a lottery approach, then by all means, take your chances. Just know that if you do use the rhythm method, it might not be so much a lottery as a matter of time or a long dance with chance.

I grew up in a Catholic community in which Natural Family planning was used and there were a lot of people with a lot of kids....

I think a condom or diaphram is a better approach if you want protection against pregnancy without the hormones of the pill.

When I went off the pill after taking it for over 10 years- I got pregnant right away ( we were trying). But I heard so many people say that it's hard to get pregnant if you've been on the pill for a long time. Not true. For 11 years we tried to prevent pregnancy. And when the time came to finally try... we only tried during 2 cycles and both times it resulted in a pregnancy instantly. So I almost wonder if coming off the pill can make you super-fertile....which would be more reason to REALLY be careful if you don't want to be parents.

BellaDonna

Bella,

For some people, they do become very fertile after the pill. The problem is more in that it takes time for your body to regulate itself again; and there are others whom take a few months to ovulate regularly/normally.

You are also just one VERY fertile chica