A Belated Intro

Lolly13 · #1 October 30th, 2009, 11:27 AM

Hi Ladies,

I have lurked here for a while and have posted a couple of questions here and there so I thought it was time to introduce myself.

My name is Lariena and I am 36. My DH is 54. We have 2 girls who are 7 (8 next week!) and 9. We also have a new little boy who is 12 weeks old. We have used NFP for a couple of years. However, this is my first experience with it postpartum. We are also a teaching couple for the couple to couple league. Just wanted to say "Hi!" I look forward to getting to know each of you.

-Lariena

LJD3Tdance · #2 October 30th, 2009, 11:32 AM

Welcome Lariena, that's exciting that you have a couple to couple league you get to teach in. Glad to have you here

ShawnaCAN · #3 October 30th, 2009, 01:54 PM

Welcome! It's great to have another NFP teacher around. I teach the Billings Ovulation Method. Do you guys teach the new CCL revisions now?

Lolly13 · #4 October 30th, 2009, 09:54 PM

We did all our training last year and taught a class of 4 couples. It went really well but we live in a very small town. In fact, when we finished our training we ended up being our own chapter and are the only teaching couple in it. We only teach couples who are going through marriage prep at the Church but we are listed on CCL's website. I expect to have another session of classes in the next couple of months.

I learned on the "rainbow" edition of their book and the new one is MUCH easier. Basically, it cuts the number of rules down regarding how to determine the start of phase III.

Are you familiar with STM at all? I am curious about Billings but I don't know anything about it.

ShawnaCAN · #5 October 30th, 2009, 10:18 PM

Yes, I'm familiar with STM. We learned/used a type of STM called Serena awhile back and I've also read the rainbow edition of The Art of NFP (it's in my resource library, but I want the new ones now!) Then we switched to the Creighton Model and did that for a year. And then we finally settled on Billings because it was the simplest to use with my complicated cycles (PCOS). So that's our personal history with NFP methods, but we also act as NFP resources for our parish/marriage prep. That's not Billings specific, we present on NFP *in general* and have information available about all the methods taught in our area so couples can go with the option they think will suit them best. I don't teach the actual Billings class as part of marriage prep, they just get the 1 hour "NFP commercial." LOL I run clinics separately and those are open to the public.

So how do you enjoy teaching the classes? How do you set up the follow up consults - are there separate evenings for that or you make arrangements with each couple based on their schedule?

#6 October 31st, 2009, 07:13 AM

Welcome to the board! You'll fit right in here.

geogeek · #7 October 31st, 2009, 08:40 AM

Welcome to the board!

Lolly13 · #8 October 31st, 2009, 10:47 AM

Shawna,

I really thought my first group went great. I had 2 ladies who were just off the pill, one who was on nothing and 1 who was only there b/c it was a marriage requirment. But by the 2nd class she had made an appt and had her IUD removed. She was already married for 14 years and has 4 children but wanted to get married in the Church. She started out VERY skeptical of the method so I was thrilled that she was able to "see it for herself".

As far as my follow ups, I had NO success with one couple. They did not return calls and seemed uninterested in the method. With the other 3 I did individual follow ups based on their schedules. None of them have had more than one post class follow up. (Although I do see the IUD lady regularly and inquire as to how things are going.) All the couples have my phone and email and know they are free to contact me as needed.

You can order the new book online (I'm sure you know that!) Since you learned on the rainbow edition, you would be amazed at the relative simplicity of the new edition. There is also a great book called Nutrition and Fertility that is part of our teaching materials. It is full of great info.

Thank all of you for the warm welcome! : )

ShawnaCAN · #9 October 31st, 2009, 11:08 AM

Yeah, we didn't actually use CCL's STM from the rainbow book - I just read it because I'm a geek that way. We used a different STM method for awhile, it was similar...but different. LOL I've heard a lot of good things about CCL's simplified revisions from users and a few friends who are also teacher couples. I used to be hesitant to refer people to CCL because it required a lot of unnecessary abstinence because of a variety of things (especially for PCOS, post partum, and peri-menopause situations!). But the revisions seem to have improved those areas and that's so great! Now I have no problem endorsing it. It's going to be great to have you around here!

I do own Fertility, Cycles, and Nutrition by Marilyn Shannon and have found it very helpful.

Lolly13 · #10 October 31st, 2009, 02:26 PM

Thanks for correcting the title of Marilyn Shannon's book. I was feeding my little one and relied on my memory instead of getting up to look at the title. BIG MiStake!

Lingering pregnancy brain or perhaps newborn sleep deprivation?! LOL

I do hear a lot of complaints about extended abstinence with NFP in general, but in my opinion that generally occurs when people don't really learn the method well. We generally only have about 9 days of abstinence a month. Of course, I realize I am fortunate to have a "normal" cycle and a very obvious mucus pattern. (Knocking on wood!)

Happy All Hallows Eve!