Anyone use NFP or FAM before 1st PPAF?

[Ligmom]

Can anyone here give me any advise about how to begin charting for the purpose of trying NOT to concieve before the 1st PPAF? My son is now 11months old, still bfing (not exclusively--he eats about 3oz. of food/day) and co-sleeping. This is the longest I have ever gone before getting AF after baby, and the timing really isn't good for another little one. I have started taking my temperature, and have been observing CM and CP for a while now, I just don't really know how to make sense of all this information in light of the fact that I don't have a period. Also, can you recommend a place to chart online--isn't FF for people TTC.:confused: Thanks, y'all...

[Mrs. Edwards]

Hi There! :wave

My husband have used NFP since we got married, and I was a little aprehensive about the method during the post partum period after my first child. I completely understand what you are going through!

We had taken our classes through the Couple to Couple league, so when I started having some strange symptoms, I called up the Couple to Couple organizer for my state to have her answer some questions for me.

I was breastfeeding/pumping and my daughter had started on some solids by 5 months. Since my daughter had been only waking up at 4:00 am after going to bed around 9 or 10, my husband and I decided that in order for me to get my 3 hours of undisturbed sleep, that he would get up with her and give her a bottle of breastmilk at 4:00 am. This allowed me to keep up with my temps as best we could. If she happened to get up before 3:00 am, I'd get up with her. (we weren't co-sleeping).

By about 5.5 months I started to notice EWCM for about 3 weeks straight. So, my husband and I abstained through that period. When I finally called someone from CCL, she told me that my body was kind of in a battle with itself since I was seeing all this EWCM. I wasn't pumping or feeding enough for my body to keep fertility completely away, but enough to where AF hadn't showed up. She said, I should treat this as a fertile time. She told me that she expected me to begin AF within a couple of weeks, and if I didn't, to call her back. I started AF within the next couple of weeks. It was kind of a relief to finally begin to start over charting.

Did you take classes from anyone? If so, I'd suggest calling one of your teachers. I know that both books The Art of Natural Family Planning and Taking Charge of Your Fertility both had sections on post partum charting/temping. You could also go to the www.ccli.org website and find a teaching couple on NFP in your area that you could contact to ask questions, but they only promote NFP NOT FAM.

I hope this helps some!

[Ligmom]

Hi Kaylee,
Thanks for the reply...I checked out the link you posted and found several couples within driving distance who teach NFP, so I will be calling them soon to find out if/when classes are being offered.
Oh...just an update...AF came for her first PP visit on 1/8. I have been charting, and hubby and I have been very good about abstaining right now...(fertile, I think).
Thanks again for the link!
Take care:hippie