Natural family planning???

[BimboBear]

I'm currentl having a bad experience with the mini pill, (desperate to come off), and am considering the natural option. I want to avoid hormones after being on Micronor(never again!!!!), and not keen on the coil. Just wondered if anyone currently uses natural contraception, and how effective it is?

Yes, I used it very successfully for a year (until we planned to have children) after coming off combined pill. If you have a regular cycle and use several indicators it can be quite easy, but you do have to be regimental about taking your temp every morning before you move or get up. I used paper charts (which you can download and print off the Internet) and a fertility thermometer from my local chemist for about a quid. (Boots is a total rip off!!) I also paid attention to my mucous and obviously recorded when my actual period was. I didn't bother with the hight of my cervix. To be honest, without any hormones in my system it was fairly obvious when I was fertile - I was sooo randy! We used condoms as back up while we were learning and then went condom free (apart from the times when we were totally gagging for it and knew I was fertile - then we used a condom and prayed it didn't break!). When we decided to try having a baby we knew my fertile days and got pregnant on the first go! Then i used breastfeeding as a contraceptive but fell pregnant within about 8 weeks of stopping breast feeding after only one period! So I had two children fairly close together then had the marina coil for two years. Then I tried to go back to natural family planning. But my cycle has totally changed since the coil! I charted for months and had no ovulation and i now have irregular periods. I stopped bothering with the temp readings after a bit as it became obvious that I'm not ovulating! I still pay attention to my mucus and we use condoms all the time at the mo, but I'm not seeing any pattern. It is shocking how big an effect hormonal contraceptions can have! I will never go on the pill or have another coil if I can help it, as it seems to have made me infertile. Good thing my family is complete but it does make me sad..

Anyway, good luck. There is lots of useful info on the Internet and loads of apps you can use to help you chart if you have a smart phone or iPhone. And done properly it is quite reliable and helps you to know your body better.