Temperature charting as birth control (FAM)

[LotisBlue]

has anyone done this?

i've recently restarted my periods after having DC2 and I want to chart my cycles, partly so I know when to expect my period as my cycles are all over the place.

Eventually I'd like to use it for birth control as I don't want to go back on the pill.

I've used FAM - the whole thing, not just temping - for birth control and to get pregnant. When I used it as birth control we used the pull out method too. Done right, it's supposed to be pretty effective but I think I read it was best for people with regular cycles.

I only did it when it wouldn't have been a full on disaster to get pregnant (I'm currently intentionally pregnant!). I'm not sure if I'll go back to it after this DC. It's #3 and we shouldn't really have a fourth although I would like 4.

There's a book called Taking Charge of Your Fertility which is brilliant.

Thanks for replying, I have read that book and I am doing the checking of cervical fluids as well as the temperature charting.

There's a few things I'm finding confusing, I am still breastfeeding and my cycles are pretty erratic which doesn't help. I wouldn't be confident enough to use it for birth control at the moment but I would like to know when to expect my period.

The book gives temperatures in Fahrenheit whereas my thermometer uses Celsius, and my temperatures on seem to rise by 1 decimal point after I think I have ovulated. The book says that you are supposed to wait until your temperature is. 2 degrees higher than it has been for the last six days, which never happens to me. Is there a different rule for Celsius I wonder?

My periods were erratic for a couple of years while/post bf. You could couple it with cheap ovulation sticks but probable have to do 2 or 3 a day to catch it properly - sometimes I get a positive in the morning, sometimes in the afternoon.