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Scotswife,

My wife and I do teach NFP. And there are differences between the NFP styles out there. There are also differences in how well each teaching couple teaches and how each learning couple learns.

I support all methods of NFP but we teach the Sympto-Thermal method of CCL. This method crosschecks the temperature sign with the mucus sign. We also teach the cervix sign which backs up the mucus sign. Some methods may teach both mucus and temp but they do not teach internal checking of mucus. Depending upon what rules they use, this can be all important. I feel that CCL's method is the best NFP method going. And as far as all methods, except for tubal or vasectomy, it is the best method of birth control known to mankind. Also, regardless of your level of fertility or your irregularity of cycles, I know CCL's Sympto-Thermal method obtains the effectiveness of the pill. It adjusts to the woman's body. It allows for split peaks in cycles, breakthrough bleeding, an extremely short cycle followed by an extremely long cycle ...

Nearly every couple/woman we have taught believes her cycle will not work with NFP. There are things that NFP just can't handle in her case. They come into the class thinking, that it wont work for them. By the second or at the latest by third of four classes, they are each amazed that it is working in their unique circumstance. I can't blame them. Every woman is so different and unique! Plus, there is so much doubt and misinformation out there. And, when looking at NFP from the outside, with no true or measured knowledge of the cycle, it seems so complex. But, in the end all one needs to know fits easily on the two sides of a 3" x 5" index card.

It works!!! I'd stake my marriage and my ability to control the birth of my own children on it! I already have. But, like all things that deal with the human body, it can be taught/learned/done wrong. I highly recommend CCL.

Thanks for the recommendation and the pep talk.
I was monitoring it all baby!!
And really - my own problem seems to be with a medical condition that could skew the mucous readings...but I was monitoring temp and cervix too.

It appears to me that the alleged 3-5 day life of sperm is not accurate.
This puts the brakes one everything for 90-95% if the time if I'm going to wait the recommended 3 days after the temperature shift.

And with all this talk about temps, mucous, charts, and saying "no - not today AGAIN"...well....I'm burned out on it all, especially when I just pregnant anyway.

When I read posts about how lovely it is and brings couples closer - well, that hasn't been my experience at all.