Yet another BC question

tamarar5 · September 2014

After E, we halfheartedly practiced NFP, but really were more ntnp. Obviously, we just had another baby. I am in no way ready to handle 3u3... So, I want to take a more aggressive, more disciplined practice of NFP and temping.

Does anyone have any recommendations for learning how to temp? I get the basic principles, but I've never actually done it. I want to start as soon, just to practice and get in the habit before my pp period returns.

draeray · September 2014

Best is to temp the same time every morning, no exceptions. I am bad about it on the weekend because I actually get 1 more hour of sleep then normal so it throws my chart off.

tamarar5 · September 2014

Thanks! I was just going to ask about apps!

tamarar5 · September 2014

See I figured it would be a good way to help prevent too. Like I said, we weren't totally careful about NFP last time, but we **should** have been safe the week A was conceived. I'm 100% sure that it was the wedding that screwed everything up, my cycle that month was early by like 8 or 9 days.

But I don't really want another ntnp oops so soon, not with the c/s this time, and also, don't want 3u3.

tamarar5 · September 2014

Sterling13 said:
I think using NFP with all the newborn wake ups is going to be really hard (waking up makes temperatures unreliable). And you can definitely conceive before your PP period returns.

I didn't know that.

Well, at least I can start making it my morning habit, and we can use our bank up plan (condoms). Speaking of which, I should probably toss the ones in our drawer, they're like two and a half years old...

kleigh926 · September 2014

I don't think NFP is a good idea at all while in the newborn stage and breastfeeding. I think BF'ing messes up temps sometimes and obviously your cycle can be very irregular and unpredictable while BF'ing. Temping only confirms ovulation after it happens, it doesn't predict it. By the time you knew you ovulated based on your chart, it would be too late. I think NFP is only a decent BC option when your cycles are very regular. I also agree with the numerous wake ups affecting temps. You need 3 hours of sleep before temping for it to be accurate and preferably at the same time everyday, within a half hour. Definitely learn about it if you want (I used Fertility Friend too), but I would not rely on that as my only BC unless you're ready for another baby right away.

kelly321 · September 2014

byebyebooze said:

tamarar5 said:

I think using NFP with all the newborn wake ups is going to be really hard (waking up makes temperatures unreliable). And you can definitely conceive before your PP period returns.
I didn't know that. Well, at least I can start making it my morning habit, and we can use our bank up plan (condoms). Speaking of which, I should probably toss the ones in our drawer, they're like two and a half years old...

I didn't think of that, but Sterling is totally right. My temps are off if I get up to pee in the MOTN after 2am-ish, so I can image that they would be really whacky if I had to feed a newborn.

I coworker of my husband did a half-assed NFP after her baby was born because she thought BFing was going to be good BC. She got pregnant 6 weeks after birth. 2u1 sounds like hell.

I mentioned this in Tarheel's thread, but I'll say it again here for those who hadn't yet read that one. Some people see a big difference if they wake up MOTN - the most important thing for them and consistent temping is getting a certain amount of sleep in a row (3 hrs minimum, often) before temping. For others, it doesn't matter how often they wake up, temping at the exact same time is essential for a good chart.

I fall into the second group. I temped in the lead-up to my m/c and again after my m/c and TTC DD2. DD1 was still waking up 2-4 times / night, but it made absolutely no difference in my temps. I did discover, however, that I absolutely must temp at the same time if I want to have a chart that makes sense.

It's possible that you fall into the first group (in which case you won't have much luck temping while you're not STTN) or the second group (in which case it won't matter if you're not STTN), or you could actually need both a solid stretch of sleep and very consistent times.

Also, for resources I don't know if anyone has mentioned Taking Charge of Your Fertility. Great book, and she talks about preventing, as well.

tamarar5 · September 2014

Well, last pregnancy, I had pp bleeding for 6 weeks, then got my first pp period at 8 weeks pp. Until close to the wedding, my period was extremely regular, but like I said, we were only half assing NFP. And Elliott started sttn by 8 weeks and consistently every night by 10 weeks. So our NFP would have been much more successful if we'd been much more careful.

I'm not planning on relying ONLY on NFP until after my pp period comes back. I'm really only looking to start new habits. I'm terrible at picking up habitual things (like temping), but I CAN do it. I need lots of time to train myself into making things habit, which is the only reason I thought I would start this now.

We both want to be open to more children... I just want more than 18 months in between them, I think.

So I really appreciate all the advice and recommendations. This has been really helpful.

MalRiggs · September 2014

byebyebooze said:

tamarar5 said:

Sterling13 said:
She got pregnant 6 weeks after birth. 2u1 sounds like hell.
********Stuck in box***********
OMG. This is my new fear! I literally think I would go insane

tamarar5 · September 2014

MalRiggs said:

byebyebooze said:

tamarar5 said:

Sterling13 said:
She got pregnant 6 weeks after birth. 2u1 sounds like hell.
********Stuck in box***********
OMG. This is my new fear! I literally think I would go insane

***why is this not showing!!!***
You really want to hear scary? I used to baby sit for a woman who had twins (naturally conceived) and when she went in for her 6 week pp check, she was pregnant... WITH TRIPLETS. Y'all, she has 5u1. :-O

The kids were all 4 when I started caring for them.

tamarar5 · September 2014

Is my last reply showing for anyone? It's not coming up in mobile unless I click on show all quotes...

MalRiggs · September 2014

tamarar5 said:

MalRiggs said:

byebyebooze said:

tamarar5 said:

Sterling13 said:
She got pregnant 6 weeks after birth. 2u1 sounds like hell.
********Stuck in box***********
OMG. This is my new fear! I literally think I would go insane

***why is this not showing!!!***
You really want to hear scary? I used to baby sit for a woman who had twins (naturally conceived) and when she went in for her 6 week pp check, she was pregnant... WITH TRIPLETS. Y'all, she has 5u1. :-O

The kids were all 4 when I started caring for them.
seriously you'd probably find me drunk wearing a dirty bathrobe , no shoes, ugly crying in my front yard

tamarar5 · September 2014

MalRiggs said:

tamarar5 said:

MalRiggs said:

byebyebooze said:

tamarar5 said:

Sterling13 said:
She got pregnant 6 weeks after birth. 2u1 sounds like hell.
********Stuck in box***********
OMG. This is my new fear! I literally think I would go insane

***why is this not showing!!!***
You really want to hear scary? I used to baby sit for a woman who had twins (naturally conceived) and when she went in for her 6 week pp check, she was pregnant... WITH TRIPLETS. Y'all, she has 5u1. :-O

The kids were all 4 when I started caring for them.
seriously you'd probably find me drunk wearing a dirty bathrobe , no shoes, ugly crying in my front yard
Honest to God, the mom was a saint. I do not know how she survived and still managed to remain so normal!

MalRiggs · September 2014

Leaving the box

I think that the amazing part is she was willing to DTD less than 6weeks after having twins!

tamarar5 · September 2014

MalRiggs said:
Leaving the box

I think that the amazing part is she was willing to DTD less than 6weeks after having twins!

Tell me about it. Or that she was such a fertile mertile that she COULD naturally conceive both twins and triplets. Oy very! I feel faint just t thinking about it.

tamarar5 · September 2014

@fishes‌ Thanks for your experience too. This is really my first post baby prevention experience. Like I said previously, after ds, I got my period immediately, so it was easier to predict and prevent. And after DD1, I was single and celibate for almost 5 full years!

Were planning on multiple methods.

. I love NFP and want to do it better this time, lol. That said, we're still open if an oops happens. I just don't want an oops for a couple years, if that makes sense.

Want a personalized experience?

Yet another BC question

Re: Yet another BC question

Choose Another Board

Search Boards