Amy’s Story
I’ll be happy to share our own story and a funny one about a student couple. While I didn’t actual end up with infertility issues, that wasn’t how things looked from the beginning for us.
-
In your (your student’s)case, was there a reason diagnosed for the infertility? If yes, what was it?
Yes, prior to marriage I only had 2-3 cycles/year. -
Did practicing NFP help you conceive?
The doctors didn’t know if I was ovulating or not and I was completely ignorant. They gave me a temp chart to start using in order to determine what was going on. It was during the 2nd or 3rd month of charting temps that I actually conceived our son. It was our 5th month of marriage. As I said though, I was completely ignorant and didn’t know what I was looking at. It was only when I began to change physically that I realized I might be pregnant- a full month after conception. Even now, looking back at that chart in hindsight, there wasn’t a real clear cut thermal shift- it was more gradual.
After Kevin, we began Creighton method classes. We were in the midst of trying to differentiate between fertile mucus and non-fertile mucus when, once again, we surprisingly conceived. Although we welcomed the blessing, we were really frustrated trying to learn NFP. We had abstained from relations for over two months prior to conception while I experienced all-the-time mucus. Finally the mucus was gone for four days so we believed I was infertile and finally ended the period of abstaining. However, mucus returned for a day or two. Then we were so excited I was actually dry. We soon came to realize it was because I was pregnant again. They called it a “double-peak” cycle.
- What did charting reveal about your infertility problem?
A week after our 2nd child, Lauren, was born, we began to take CCL classes. We felt a huge relief knowing that there was more information we could gain from our charting and that all the pressure wasn’t just on me to determine fertile/infertile mucus. How could any NFP couple live w/o a temperature sign??? 🙂
I experienced breastfeeding infertility for the first year. It was a difficult time in our marriage as I wasn’t sure if the breastfeeding would really delay my fertility or not since I was working full time and only pumping once or twice a day. Because of our strong desire to postpone pregnancy the morally right way, we experienced long periods of abstinence. After that, CCL counsel led me to improve nutrition through vitamins and oils. For the first time in my life, my cycles became consistent. They were still long (about 35-45 days), but at least consistent. We have cooperated with the Lord in conceiving five more times since our 2nd child was born. We finally know when I am fertile, and when I’m not! Three of these precious lives have gone before us to meet Our Father and Creator. (Another whole story… likely related to blood clotting disorder although not confirmed with the small panel of tests that were run. I now take a baby aspirin and blood thinners when pregnant and I’ve been able to bring to life on earth the last two children.)
- How long did it take to conceive and were you able to do so naturally? (if applicable)
It is usually the first or second cycle making use of fertile days that we conceive. Even if we are only together once or twice during that fertile time.
Now, the funny story. We had a couple come take our classes to help conceive. They had been trying for several months and were beginning the physician route I think, but wanted to give NFP a chance. They were very eager and energetic. They were really confused trying to interpret her temperature sign though. It was all over the place. We asked several questions and couldn’t seem to identify any cause for the situation. Then one day she phoned me and asked about how long she was supposed to be waiting before removing the thermometer. That morning she “had not taken it out right away when it beeped and then noticed it beeped again, and again, until finally there was the tweeting and it stopped!” From then on we always let couples know they need to wait til after several beeps before they mark their temperature. This couple did finally conceive with in a few cycles and have had two other children as well.
-Amy