Natural family planning

[mummyto2boysandagirl3]

Anyone used/using natural family planning I do not get on with hormonal contraceptives at all. I have pcos so not got regular cycles but I know my body well and when we have ttc iv normally known ov was imminent before my opk. I don't want to b shelling out a fortune on opks so am I ok to just go with cm and ov pains?

Are you prepared for another child?

I don't want to knock it entirely but it is a very imperfect method of contraception. Even if you know your body well, we go through a lot of variations in hormones and ovulation, you may miss symptoms or not have symptoms or a baby could just happen. This is the least reliable method of contraception. If you're prepared for the possibility of a baby, go for it, if you do not want another child at this time I would recommend condoms.

Only do it if a baby wouldn't be the end of the world.

Honestly you could ovulate at any time, even when you're not expecting it, it only takes 1 sperm and sperm can survive for up to 7 days.

It really isn't worth the risk if you don't want to get pregnant.

"perfect use" NFP comes up with good reliability figures, but the more telling "typical use" gives a fail rate of about 25% (that is, if 100 couples relied on it for a year, 25 would start a pg in that time).

We did however use it successfully for many years, with condoms at riskier times. A further of would not however have been disastrous for us.

You need to research methods thoroughly to make sure you understand them completely and apply them really diligently. You need to combine more than one method to get anything close to an acceptable level of reliability - calendar (harder for you as you note irregular, but at least it gives some indication), plus temperature, plus mucus.

Iv had 3 v close together and I'm just really enjoying dd atm so not that I definitely don't want another just wouldn't b ideal right now as my ds's r poorly and really need their mummy as both will b having little ops this year.

I really don't want to use hormonal contraceptives as they make me feel really depressed and just generally rotten and I have ocd which I'm doing well with right now so I really don't think hormonal contraceptives will help which is y I was thinking nfp and condoms or abstinence during ov but I'm thinking with my pcos this might not b the best idea

I think NFP works for some, but the PCOS will make it much harder for it to be effective for you.

There are long term reversible contraceptive options that aren't hormonal though - like the copper coil. Or even just condoms or a diaphragm, if the failure rate is acceptable to you.

The hormones from the Mirena are very low dose compared to the pill - you might want to think about trying it. I couldn't tolerate the mini pill at all but have been fine with the Mirena.

How about a visit to the family planning clinic to see what they suggest? They are generally much more expert than GPs for contraception.

We used withdrawal method (I know, we were bad) for a few years when we were younger. DH was scrupulous about pulling out and he managed never to knock me up during that time.

If you have completed you family, like we have, vasectomy for husband is great.

Dh has offered to go for the snip but it just feels a bit final atm we r using withdrawral/abstinence right now but I'm not sure how reliable that is really.

I tried a variety of hormonal contraceptives in my teens/early 20s and I didn't get on with any of them and tbh it's took me a while to get my ocd under some level if control and I don't want to risk taking something that might make it worse. gynae advised against copper coil as my periods have always been v heavy and they said this would make it worse?

I really don't like condoms either tbh but I'm thinking it'd b a compromise for now if I used them during ovulation with 3 under 5 opportunity for time together doesn't arise all that often ..... But then it only takes one doesn't it

We started ttc our first in 2006 and we didn't get ds1 until 2009 and iv been incredibly lucky to have 2 more gorgeous dc since so just feels a bit ungrateful/strange to b actively stopping it iyswim which is y I'm not ready for dh to have the snip but at the same time I know now isn't a good time

Withdrawal isn't as risky as people think if, and it's an enormous if, it's done properly.

Get the timing wrong, and you may as well have used nothing.

And it's a fairly stressy form of contraception too, as concern about the need to pull out in time really can alter enjoyment.

Cuntybunty, vasectomy for a husband isn't great when it goes wrong. It's not good for either of you.