Buddhist Catholic Contemplative Evangelical General Christian Hindu Jewish Latter-day Saint Muslim New Visions Progressive Christian

Beliefs

Topics

Columnists

Resource Library

Research Tools

Video

Podcasts

Thought Readers

Faith In Media Tracker

Newsletters

Ad-Free & Subscriber Log-In Subscription Support

Follow Patheos

Peace and Pekoe

Home

Home
Catholic
And now, some Natural Family Planning talk.

And now, some Natural Family Planning talk.

Last updated on: January 18, 2017 at 6:13 pm by Kate Cousino

And now, some Natural Family Planning talk. 2017-01-18T18:13:05-04:00 Kate Cousino

LOGO Patheos Explore the world's faith through different perspectives on religion and spirituality! Patheos has the views of the prevalent religions and spiritualities of the world.

A group I am on recently got to discussing different NFP methods, after a newcomer expressed some confusion over how to choose between all of the different methods of fertility awareness.

Someone else posted this helpful and short quiz, but I came up with a few, slightly sillier, questions of my own:

Match Your Method to Your Personality

1) Does the idea of touching mucus squick you out?

2) Are you not only NOT squicked out, but actually really comfortable with your lady bits? (ie, comfortable enough to insert tampons without an applicator, or maybe even use a Diva or Mooncup)

3) Are you/your spouse numbers and formula kind of people? (Programmers sometimes LOVE the more complicated charts and systems)

4) Do you hate seeing your GYN because they aren’t interested in your angst over your irregular/uncomfortable/pad soaking periods, or have no answers and only offer the Pill?

5) Do numbers and graphs give you ‘math anxiety’? How do you feel about pretty stickers?

6) Are you pretty observant and good at building new daily habits?

7) Are you the kind of person who has to look at everything that comes out of your body? (ie, you look at your kleenex when you blow your nose, look at your pad when you change it…)

8)Do you like things standardized and codified? ie, does it drive you crazy that different people have different names for the same color shades?”

9)Do decisions and judgment calls cause you a TON of stress? Are you the kind of person who frets over whether or not you’ve sent your kids to school with the right clothing because you don’t quite trust your weather sense?

10) Are you a cheapskate?

Answers:

1. Billings doesn’t require touching mucus to make observations, only observing sensation.

2. If you’re really comfortable with your ‘bits’, you might find it interesting to learn about the cervix sign used (optionally) in some sympto-thermal (STM) methods like CCL.

3. STM methods have temperatures to chart, which some men appreciate because it is an ‘objective’ symptom that is easy for them to participate with gathering and charting. Creighton/NaPro has a very standardized and medicalized system that scientifically minded couples might appreciate.

4. Any NFP method can be used to identify cycle-related problems, but Creighton is associated with the NaPro method, and there are NaPro trained doctors scattered around North America who can be a Godsend for women with difficult cycle-related health problems like PCOS or endometriosis.

5. If charts and lists of rules make you anxious, you might appreciate the simplicity of a mucus method, particularly Billings, which charts one symptom – mucus sensation – and has a super-simple variant that uses color coded stickers to show the different phases.

6. Billings requires paying close attention to mucus sensation throughout the day. Creighton has a procedure for making observations that is to be used every time you use the bathroom. All of the methods require some amount of mucus observation throughout the day, but if you don’t trust yourself to pay attention, you might like to have the temperature cross check and multiple rule variants of an STM. If you really want added reassurance, you can try a monitor based method like Marquette, so that you can see the hormonal changes reflected in your monitor reading.

7. If you are curious about bodily fluids, you’re good to go with any method, and might appreciate Creighton’s thorough classification scheme for different qualities of mucus.

8. Creighton. Definitely Creighton, if you like things very very defined.

9. This is where the Marquette method shines – it is easier to point to the results on a fertility monitor, especially when talking to a reluctant spouse, than it can be to try to act confident when you doubt your own observations and judgment.

10. Marquette requires a hefty up front investment in the monitor, and then monthly costs for the testing strips. Creighton can be pricey to learn, since the teachers all invest a large chunk to become certified. Everything else varies on the teachers in your area, and many will be willing to be flexible on fees.

Uncategorized

Previous Post

June 4, 2013

When did complimenting kids become so difficult?

Next Post

July 2, 2013 Our Lady Untier of Knots

Browse Our Archives

Select a Category ADHD Blog Business Body and Soul Books Faith Faith in Action Family Feminism Fertility Awareness Friendship Geekiness Guest Post History Hope Just For Fun Love Marriage Memory Mental Exercise Movies Parenting Personalism Poetry Prayer Quotes Scripture Seven Quick Takes Striving for Holiness Television The Stories We Tell The World Uncategorized

Select a Month September 2018 August 2018 July 2018 June 2018 May 2018 April 2018 February 2018 January 2018 December 2017 November 2017 October 2017 September 2017 August 2017 July 2017 June 2017 May 2017 April 2017 March 2017 February 2017 January 2017 December 2016 November 2016 October 2016 August 2016 June 2016 March 2016 January 2016 November 2015 October 2015 August 2015 July 2015 May 2015 April 2015 February 2015 December 2014 November 2014 September 2014 August 2014 July 2014 June 2014 May 2014 April 2014 March 2014 February 2014 December 2013 November 2013 October 2013 September 2013 August 2013 July 2013 June 2013 May 2013 March 2013 February 2013 January 2013 December 2012 November 2012 June 2012 May 2012 April 2012 March 2012 February 2012 January 2012 August 2011 December 2010 November 2010 October 2010 September 2010 August 2010 June 2010 May 2010 April 2010 November 2009 October 2009 August 2009 July 2009 June 2009 May 2009 April 2009

TAKE THE

Religious Wisdom Quiz

Which sea did Moses cross in the Exodus story?

Select your answer to see how you score.

Dead Sea Sea of Galilee Caspian Sea Red Sea

Support this
Column