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12stars
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| Posted: June 10 2008 at 11:43pm | IP Logged
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I am in the process of trying to chart once again. Last time we were not able to because I ended up pregnant right away.
This has been the most hardest thing for me to learn for some reason I have a mental block. I cannot understand the shifts and the shaving of degrees. We went to all the ccl classes. I have kept in touch with our teacher and I am still  not understanding. i have told them and they are great but I still dont get it. I know how to take my temp and chart it down but I dont know how to understand it.
Do any of you use a device like Lady Comp or a online chart?
Any thoughts would be most helpful. I want to have 1 more child in a few years, God willing of course and we have talked about this over and over, so waiting right now is ideal. My ds is 6 1/2 months and my AF came back. He is exclusivley breastfed, so I am not sure why it cam back so early this time. It was not to normal either. It was just all brown, whatever that means. I did ovulate prior too. SIGH I know there are a few methods. I might look into the creighton method because the sympto thermal is driving me nuts just thinking about it. 
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Claudia in Southern California
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Mom to DD 14, DD 10, DD 7, DS 4, DS 2, 1 in heaven, and now due 5/11.
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JodieLyn
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| Posted: June 11 2008 at 12:38am | IP Logged
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Have you only read "The Art of NFP" book? It looked terribly confusing to me at first and I was glad to have read a different book before it.
"Taking Charge of Your Fertility" by Toni Weschler It's not Catholic and the method is marginally different than NFP but I find that they're complementary and it might help you understand better. I think of it as being less overwhelming and easier to understand.
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mathmama
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| Posted: June 11 2008 at 7:02am | IP Logged
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I have never used it personally, but it is my understanding that feritlity friend would interpret your fertility signs for you. You just need to plug in the data, I think. It is free. Taking Charge of Your Fertility also has online charting, but it is not free.
Beth
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Rachel May
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| Posted: June 11 2008 at 7:24am | IP Logged
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My sister had a device from England like the Lady Comp which worked very well when they felt they needed to postpone a pregnancy. She bought me one too, but since you couldn't use it while breastfeeding, I had to wait. By the time the little guys were weaned, I was pregnant again.  Still, I'm glad you mentioned it. I'm going to look into it again if we discern that we need to postpone pregnancy again. I have the same difficulty you do. NFP classes always result in a new baby for me. 
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Rachel May
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| Posted: June 11 2008 at 7:26am | IP Logged
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mathmama wrote:
| I have never used it personally, but it is my understanding that feritlity friend would interpret your fertility signs for you. You just need to plug in the data, I think. |
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A quick peek at this showed that it is for conception. If you are looking to space babies, will it also chart for that? For baby spacing you abstain for more days than you would use for actively trying to conceive, I believe, so you couldn't just use it backwards if that makes sense.
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Rachel
Thomas and Anthony (10), Maria (8), Charles (6), Cecilia (5), James (3), and Joseph (1)
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cathochick
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| Posted: June 11 2008 at 7:57am | IP Logged
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The new CCL book is much simpler to use and understand. I'd recommend getting the new book and considering a refresher course.
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Jessica
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CrunchyMom
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| Posted: June 11 2008 at 8:10am | IP Logged
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I agree that Taking Charge of Your Fertility was much clearer in explaining the science of it all, imo. She is not against birth control, and so her method would assume a "barrier method" during fertile times, but the instruction on charting, etc... it much easier to understand.
Also, I have a friend who is a Creighton Model instructor, and I have some friends who have found the Creighton method less confusing and easier to follow--some of them with very serious reasons for delaying pregnancy (so, I mean, they find it reliable and can follow stricter rules, etc... just to let you know their experience with the method). So, you might consider that as an option as well.
I only charted for a couple of months at the beginning of our marriage--(the EBF chapter of the Kippley book seems to have done it for me  without further need for charting), but I did use the TCOYF online chart for the free month (if they still offer that, you could try it), and it was easier than trying to interpret things all on my own.
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SusanMc
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| Posted: June 11 2008 at 8:48am | IP Logged
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Just seconding the suggestion to consider retaking a refresher NFP course from CCLI. As I understand it, if you already taken the course AND you are a current CCLI member you can retake the course for free...you just need to buy the new book.
The updated method (just out this year) is MUCH, MUCH simpler. Instead of five different rules, shaving, and whatnot, it has one basic rule.
My cycle returned at 5 months PP despite exclusive, unrestricted breastfeeding and I found STM to be easier to apply once it returned.
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Fuzzy
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| Posted: June 11 2008 at 11:55am | IP Logged
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I used to use Fertility Friend online. Yes, it is helpful for conception, but it helps you interpret your chart pretty well to space the children. I needed some help with all the phases and ovulation day, and though it might be a little backwards, it is nice to figure out somethings that might help.
My cycles do come back pretty early, about 6 months, and I used the FF charting to help before this baby.
Rachel, do you know how many woman are looking for a Lady Comp like you have?!?! I have heard nothing but good things about it, and since you can't get it here, it is like gold! Where is the green with envy face?
I also was just reading about the new CCL book. I hope it is more practical to use. The old book was so overwhelming!
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 Fuzzy
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LisaD
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| Posted: June 11 2008 at 11:59am | IP Logged
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Fertility Web might be helpful for you. It is similar to Creigton, you can chart online, there are forums to ask questions, and you can give the administrator (a Catholic nurse-practitioner) permission to view your chart and give you advice. I hope this helps!
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| Posted: June 11 2008 at 12:44pm | IP Logged
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Thank you all for your help...
I am reading a book about charting right now and it seems I finally am getting the idea now. I have prayed about this for a long time.
I do have a account with Fertility Web and started charting there, but I guess I also wanted to know what it was that I was doing so I could see and understand the bigger picture.
I will try my fertility friend although I need to give my body and mental stability a break so we can keep on having kids.
My Dh is very on the fence, he wants to do the right thing and we follow church teaching, which has been such a peace of mind knowing we are doing God's will, not ours. But like I always say there is a contracepting mind and a NFP mind. I choose the the latter as does he (sometimes), but sometimes especially when the boys are being difficult at the same time, he reverts to "we can't have anymore you are crazy what are we doing" speech. So I pray that he changes his mind totally towards what is best for our family and accept what might come.
I have been having issues with cysts on my ovaries and I can feel it, so like I tell him you never know I might not be as fertile later as he thinks, lets be thankful that we can have as many right now, if God pleases.
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Claudia in Southern California
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monique
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| Posted: June 11 2008 at 8:18pm | IP Logged
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Hi Claudia,
I use the Creighton model. I find it very easy. I have used it much success also. With the Creighton model you only chart mucous observations. It can be a little difficult in the beginning if you have continuous mucous. But if you don't it's fairly straight forward. Here is a link to the web site. Maybe you can find an instructor near by.
Creighton Model
Monique
Raising Saints
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Philothea
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| Posted: June 11 2008 at 8:45pm | IP Logged
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I ordered the Lady Comp a few days ago ... I'll let you know how it works for us.
Oh, and count me among those who found TCOYF much easier to understand than the NFP books. It works for us, we just abstain during fertile periods instead of using a barrier method like she recommends.
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Barbara C.
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| Posted: June 11 2008 at 10:33pm | IP Logged
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I thought TCOYF was better, too. And in fairness to the author, she is clear that the best way from a scientific viewpoint to prevent pregnancy is to abstain during the fertile period. She only recommends a barrier method if you feel you must have s*x during that time. She's very clear about failure rates, though, especially due to user error. I thought the author was very respectful about those who used NFP/FAM for moral reasons and due to religious beliefs.
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Roma
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| Posted: June 12 2008 at 9:41am | IP Logged
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i chart at fertilityfriend.com
i only do temps, no recording of fluids or cervix
it has gotten to the point now where i don't need to plug the temps into the computer though. i t is easy to tell where i am. i also was able to tell that for two months in a row i did not ovulate, which was very helpful since i am still not back to normal after a miscarriage. now if i could just get my toddler to stop stealing my thermometer.........
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Rachel May
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| Posted: June 12 2008 at 12:19pm | IP Logged
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Philothea wrote:
| I ordered the Lady Comp a few days ago ... I'll let you know how it works for us. |
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Can you use it while breastfeeding?
Fuzzy, I gave mine away! It was much less expensive (about $60) and had strips that would have expired before I could use them. I console myself that maybe it helped my friend get pregnant...a more joyful way to use it. 
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Rachel
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juststartn
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| Posted: June 12 2008 at 12:55pm | IP Logged
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I use Fertility Friend, too. I record everything. I learned how to chart using the TCOYF book, not the CCLI info. Never even taken a course from them.
I think that the TCOYF has made it easier for me to understand the way things work, etc, and would make it easier for me to tta, than any of the others I have looked at.
Rachel
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| Posted: June 12 2008 at 1:25pm | IP Logged
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I have the 4th edition from ccli book and it is so boring and technical I just could not understand at all.
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Claudia in Southern California
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Topic: Charting your fertility thoughts
