9 Must Haves for the NFP User's Postpartum Care Kit!

If you or someone you know is preparing for the birth of a baby, you may have heard something or other about postpartum care. Childbirth is laborious for both woman and child, and the time after the fact is crucial for mother/baby bonding. Not only is this time important for mental health, but a mother also heals physically from the birth: her uterus will expel lochia tissue and blood for 6-8 weeks, and her body will shift back slowly to its pre-pregnancy state. Rest, recovery, and more rest are all crucial for the mother to stay healthy.

It is no wonder then that the mother will want a “kit” of sorts to help her focus on self-care! Not only will she look after a newborn, but for herself as well: it can feel very overwhelming. You can find many ideas online for a postpartum kit, sharing all kinds of options for pads, herbal baths, spritz baths, support for breastfeeding, binders to help her organs shift back into place, etc. Just like the need for a plan for birth preferences, a woman will need to plan and prepare for her postpartum period.

For the woman who uses NFP, postpartum is more than just a time to heal from birth. It is also a time to start charting again! As your main method of preventing pregnancy - and also a handy tool to monitor your reproductive health after childbirth - you will need as much help as you can get in order to prepare for charting. In this post, I plan to share my own tips for a postpartum NFP kit, both as an instructor and mother of two.

1) Pregnancy tests.

No, really, buy in bulk! Especially if you are breastfeeding, charting with NFP after birth can be an anxious time; it doesn't matter how confident you feel about your method's effectiveness. You are carefully awaiting your body to ovulate, whether it happens in the next few weeks, months, or years! While charting will let you know if pregnancy was even possible, having a box of cheap tests to show you a “negative” will do your frantic mind a favor. Even formula feeding mothers who are expected to cycle 4-12 weeks after birth could benefit from a negative test. You can buy cheap brands online through Amazon (such as Wondfo), and you can also find cheap store brands at places like Walmart or the Dollar Store.

2) LH and Progesterone tests.

Testing for ovulation-related hormones are very objective and give a clear indication of where your hormones are at. They can confirm if your body is trying to ovulate (LH), and whether you HAVE ovulated (progesterone). In fact, some women use the Marquette Method of NFP to test their hormones, using the Clear Blue Easy fertility monitor (which tests for estrogen and LH, with their own special line of test sticks). Others may also use these tests as supplements to their other fertile signs, rather than using them as a separate method. To decide which is right for you, speak with a Marquette instructor and women who use the method. You can buy LH strips for cheap in bulk from Amazon, and also find MFB Fertility's progesterone test strips there as well.

3) Update phone numbers and email addresses of your instructor, and be sure to schedule a follow-up with them before and after the birth.

And if you do not have one, now is the time to shop around for one! You may be rusty with charting after going 9 months without it, and you will definitely need to go over special rules for charting postpartum to ensure your method effectiveness. While this holds true for those who never charted postpartum before, even seasoned NFP users will want to at least refresh with an instructor or with their book. Think of it this way: an instructor is cheaper than another 9 months of prenatal medical care! I myself not only offer classes online, but I do consultations as well.

4) Restock on charts and needed materials.

If you use paper charts, either buy more or print more yourself. There are numerous charts you can download for free online, but be sure to use the one that best fits your method. If you use a charting app or online chart, make sure you recall the needed password to log in, and how to use their features. And remember: if you ever want to switch from online charting to paper charting during your postpartum time, or vice versa, make sure you transfer all the data you have charted thus far so as to avoid confusion!

5) Use cute and practical tools to make NFP easier to handle.

Find a cute alarm clock for taking your temperature. Buy that silly pen for your paper chart. Store your charts in a pretty binder or folder and store it somewhere safe. If you use a charting app, find an app that lets you customize it to your needs and is appealing to you. Some women also like to compare their cycles or moods to the lunar cycle, so getting a weather app or moon calendar could make tracking fertility more lighthearted.

Also be sure that your spouse is involved. If you use paper charts, keep the chart posted where they can find and look at it. Or, you could set up a system to let him know whether you are fertile: leave a special symbol on the family calendar, as an example. Be creative, and talk about it with your spouse to figure out what makes it easier to share information.

6) Collect resources to keep your relationship strong during this transition.

Before the baby is born, sit down with your spouse and discuss how to bond together during this rough time. Babies can be rough on marriages, but only if you let them! See if family can help watch the baby for an hour so the two of you can relax and bond, or even enjoy a rare moment for lovemaking. Start-up a subscription to Amazon Prime or Netflix if you haven't, or stock up on DVDs of your favorite movies and shows; there will be nights where baby keeps you up, so make it fun for yourselves at least and share movie nights. Perhaps you could ask for restaurant and take out gift cards for those nights where you want to try something new and fun. And don't be afraid to reach out to counseling if things get too much; find out what low-cost options are in your community through churches or other organizations. Whatever you do to share time together, be intentional about it and ask for help when needed!

7) Join a postpartum forum!

It’s important to be able to find a safe space to discuss postpartum needs where other members can help or understand. A neat NFP-focused group for Postpartum support can be found here. Also feel free to explore non-NFP postpartum and mothering groups that fit your lifestyle! Simply be sure that the group is positive, supportive, and a place where frustrations can be shared without judgement. You have enough drama with healing after birth, raising a new baby, and also maintaining your relationship; the last thing you want are mommy wars.

8) If you are breastfeeding, keep a copy of Sheila Kippley’s book The Seven Standards of Ecological Breastfeeding.

While this method of breastfeeding is taught as a child spacer, you don’t have to practice it in order to find use in the book. Kippley shares invaluable information on what is and isn’t normal for breastfeeding infertility to look like, and also what can encourage an earlier return of fertility. By knowing the ins and outs of how nursing affects your menstrual cycles (or lack thereof!) you will have empowering knowledge to better equip your charting.

9) Plan out your "punching bag".

Ask any experienced NFP user or instructor what they feel is the hardest time in life to chart: most will likely say "postpartum charting". The fluctuation of hormones after birth and during breastfeeding can give all kinds of crazy fertile signs, and some women find that they can not trust their bodies as they did before. Other times, they perfectly understand their charts but hate how long they must abstain! To safely relieve stress, plan ahead about how you want to destress. Are they relaxing baths? Reading a favorite book? Perhaps you want to arrange for an on-call babysitter to watch the little ones so you can enjoy a walk alone? Or, better yet, you want an actual punching bag to punch and kick the frustration away! Whatever you do, acknowledge that stress is normal and can be handled in safe ways.

Postpartum charting is challenging, but you do not have to walk into it totally blind.

Prepare for your postpartum time, and hopefully adjustment to post-birth life will go smoother. By handling the "hard stuff" before it even happens, your family and especially yourself will reap the benefits!

Did you find these suggestions helpful? Is there anything you would add? Comment below!

"But what if I have a serious reason to avoid pregnancy?"

Let's cut to the chase: it sucks to have to be anxious and fearful about your sex life when pregnancy is something that absolutely can not happen.  Perhaps the mother has had multiple previous c-sections, and for the health of her uterus or even her life: pregnancy is not an option.  Or maybe the family is currently unemployed, out of a home, and generally unable to provide for another. Other things such as the state of one's marriage or even mental health can also play a role.

While there are always the option to try for a child in such hard places in life, some may discern through careful discussion and prayer that it is best to avoid another pregnancy.  And once that decision is made, you have your NFP charts staring right at you and your spouse.

NFP is effective, very effective: but only when you chart consistently, seek support from an instructor, and work together with your spouse to make it a team effort. While this should be the norm for any couple, the anxiety of a pregnancy may put more pressure on said couple than desired, causing the anxiety about charting to be even worse, and thus creating a cycle of needless worry.

To get the most from your charting and also reliably avoid pregnancy, there are four options to choose from with NFP. I list them in order from "most abstinence" to "least abstinence".

NOTE: I give this advice to inform people of their options. To know which choice is the fit best with your situation, always go over your options with an instructor. This is especially true when implementing rules is involved.

Option 1: Total Abstinence

I don't blame you if you skip through this option! No one wants to abstain completely within their marriage, and many know that it can strain the relationship. Yet, it is an option: and one I will discuss, so that whoever reads this knows all the options that they have.

You have probably heard from just about everyone when growing up: abstinence is the only 100% perfect way to completely prevent pregnancy. No sex = no baby. If a couple decides that this is right for them, they will refrain from sexual intercourse and genital contact until the woman is clinically shown to have reached menopause. Testing the levels of a woman's Follicle Stimulating Hormone (FSH) by a doctor will show whether or not this is the case.

Even if you go this route, continue to chart diligently. As tempting as it is to throw out your charts and never bother with them again, that could be a huge mistake in the long run. Why? Five reasons:

1) If there comes a time when the couple can not stand it anymore and both of them are willing to have sex just this once, then their chart will be able to show if and when the woman is infertile.  This prevents "taking chances" and causing needless fear and anxiety over a possible pregnancy.

2) It's handy to have filled-out charts if the couple ever changes their mind about being completely abstinent!  By having that information on hand, they can jump right in and not have to worry about re-learning all the rules, contacting their instructor for a refresher, etc. And of course, as with point one, they can already know when the woman will be or already is infertile.

3) Even if the couple never has sex, charting has other benefits, mainly for the woman's health. Especially when menopause approaches, a woman can know what when something is off, or if something she is doing or taking is effecting her cycles.  The chart then can be used to accurately test for hormonal imbalance, show whether diet or exercise is helping her, and more.

4) If charting while avoiding pregnancy ever made couples unfocused and anxious before, charting purely for health reasons, without sex, can help them better understand the woman's cycle. They may even discover issues with charting as a couple they didn't before, such as whether the woman did all the work, or if they allowed themselves to be bitter over this or that part of charting, making it more a dreaded chore rather than an everyday habit. All this could slowly give them the confidence needed to chart again for pregnancy prevention and resume sexual relations: if they is what they decide on.

5) Last but not least, you should chart because it encourages communication between man and woman. Abstaining from sex will be straining enough, and losing that communicative aspect that charting provides could make it worse. They chart every cycle together, and discuss together whether or not it is worth it to continue complete abstinence whenever they are in infertile blocks of time.

Option 2: Refrain from Sex until AFTER ovulation

There are three phases to the menstrual cycle. They include:

Phase 1, (or Relatively Infertile Time) which varies in length each cycle, and begins at the onset of menstruation. It continues until the body begins preparing for the release of an egg sometime after menstruation;

Phase 2, (Potentially Fertile Time) which is when the body begins preparations for ovulation, and sex during this time could lead to pregnancy because of the availability of an egg; a woman can know Phase 2 has started when she begins producing fertile signs through her mucus and cervical changes;

and finally, Phase 3, (Completely Infertile Time) which occurs after ovulation has been confirmed, the egg is dead and gone, and menstruation is set to begin again within two weeks or so.

Phase 3 of a menstrual cycle is the most infertile time any woman will have up until she reaches menopause. Because ovulation has already occurred, and the egg dissolves if not fertilized, it is literally impossible for intercourse to lead to a pregnancy.  Another ovulation will NOT occur during this time, making Phase 3 so infertile. The only way a woman can become pregnant this way is if she misjudged when Phase 3 began, and caught the tail-end of Phase 2 instead. In fact, following a Phase 3 only rule has a 99% failure rate, it is that objective!

Phase 1, though reliable, is still more prone to "surprise pregnancies". This is due to the fact that a woman may start Phase 2 at the end of menstruation, and -- thinking she is in Phase 1 still -- will have intercourse not knowing she is fertile.  Even in women who regularly have a longer Phase 1, the next cycle still might possibly have an extremely early event of ovulation. Also, most user errors occur in determining when Phase 2 begins: and when that mistake is made, the couple may end up having intercourse during a fertile part of her cycle.  In short, if a woman has yet to ovulate, and an egg is still able to come out in the future: pregnancy is possible, if extremely slim.

With these points in mind, it makes sense that reserving sex for Phase 3 has both good points (the couple still has sex) but with a drawback (still a lengthy time to abstain and only two weeks or so available days for intercourse). If they feel the drawback is worth it, a couple could be very happy and confident in this option.

Option 3: Limited Intercourse Before Ovulation

Although most user errors occur during Phase 1 of the menstrual cycle, there are some rules developed that are more objective to use, and are less prone to mistakes. They involve calculating available infertile days through past cycle lengths and past temperature patterns; though it may sound something from the Rhythm Method, this is actually quite accurate as they are based on YOUR cyclical patterns, and they require certain amounts of charting data to be implemented accurately. 

These rules are universal among sympto-thermal methods, though each organization will vary on details and overall implementation.  However they are used, they give a clear cut day for NFP users on when to start abstaining.

With SymptoPro, an NFP user can:

• calculate their first five or six infertile days by basing it on the length of their shortest cycle
• calculate their first fertile day by finding the earliest sixth last low (ESLL) temperature before a temperature rise from their past 12 cycles
• do the same as above, but crosscheck with mucus observations; if mucus appears first before the ESLL, then you are fertile; if the ESLL comes first, then you are fertile even if your mucus pattern has not changed
• subtract 20 from the length of your shortest cycle, and the answer left over is the number of days you have in the beginning of your cycle that is safe (only recommended for shorter cycles)

Other methods and organizations will have variants of these rules. You must also contact your instructor (or find one if you don't) so that they can recommend a rule for you that fits your charting preferences and lifestyle. Not to mention, they can teach you how to properly implement it!

If you are serious about avoiding pregnancy but would like more "wiggle room" than Phase 3-only sex allows, following a cut-off date approach with your instructor could be a choice that fits!

Bonus Tips: Keeping Healthy, Both Physically and Mentally

So now you know your options! But with those points given, I feel that it it prudent to discuss two things in relation to strict TTA charting: the physical and mental well-being of the couple.

Physically, it makes sense for the woman to keep healthy. The healthier she is, the healthier her menstrual health will be: and the healthier her menstrual health, the easier it is to chart her fertile signs! Confusing or tricky mucus, cervical, and temperature patterns are surefire ways to lower the charting couple's confidence in their method and cause more abstinence; fight against this by investing time, energy, and money to the health of the woman. Also, husbands who help with this charting and showing concern for the woman's health can help keep the marital bond strong!

Mentally, the couple as individuals and as a partnership must be mentally healthy to manage their relationship and sex life in non-toxic ways. When avoiding pregnancy for very serious reasons, this is important to remember and make a priority! A woman having abnormal anxiety about pregnancy because of past medical issues needs space and time to accept what she experienced; an overworked father already overwhelmed with other children needs to have his stresses expressed in safe ways; a couple going through relationship strains from previous issues need counseling to work through the issues together.

Strictly following NFP to avoid pregnancy can be stressful enough: so make your physical and mental health a priority!

Yes, you CAN do this!

If you have a very serious reason to avoid pregnancy, be rest assured that your NFP method has your back.

Related Posts:

How to Normalize and Regulate Your Menstrual Cycle: Naturally!

Is NFP Hard to Use?: Part 1 and Part 2

When Charting Becomes a Drag: Making NFP Easier to Chart

Cervical Mucus: What the heck is it?

In celebration of Cervical Health Awareness Month, what better topic to write about than cervical mucus! Learning to chart this body fluid throughout the menstrual cycle can open the doorway to good health practices, body literacy, and also confidence in family planning.

For those that struggle with charting mucus, I hope these pointers can help clear things up! For those who are new to charting in general, hopefully this can encourage you to give it a try. :)

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When discussing NFP and how it works, I sometimes find myself having to talk a lot on the signs of fertility. And the one most tricky to discuss, in my opinion, is cervical mucus!

Yet, it is also the most important. A woman can start charting her mucus signs at any time, and it is something she will always have throughout her reproductive life. It opens and closes the fertile window of her cycle, and can give an insight to her state of health.

Still, few people seem to understand not just what cervical mucus is, but what it can look like. There are also NFP users who feel unsure in their ability to chart what they see, or they have confusing mucus patterns and find it hard to interpret it.

So it's Biology 101! Lets dive into what cervical mucus is, what it can do, and what it can look like!

What is it?

Cervical mucus (sometimes referred to as cervical fluid) is an important marker and sign of fertility in a woman’s cycle.  Produced by the cervix (located at the end of a woman’s vagina), varying types of mucus are produced depending on how close or far ovulation will occur.

Cervical mucus's role in fertility is to aid sperm transportation and survival in the hopes that it will fertilize an egg. As we will go over later, some traits of mucus can be more conductive to sperm survival than others.

Every woman’s own particular mucus pattern is unique to her, but the coming and going of mucus can give any woman an idea of when she is about to ovulate, and when ovulation has passed, and the egg is dead and gone.  While initially learning to chart, a woman over time usually finds her own pattern; charting this sign becomes easier once she understands it and gets into the habit.

Unfortunately, the way cervical mucus varies in appearance may not always perfectly line up with how it is described in our NFP books and classes. This can lead to confusion if a woman’s mucus pattern appears and changes in a way that is not typical, or "textbook perfect".

Add onto the fact that each NFP method has its own way of describing and categorizing types of mucus, and it can be even more overwhelming for a woman who is already confused.

The goal of this post is to hopefully inform women the universality of cervical mucus, and how to discover who her particular pattern to make charting easier.

Note that I will be describing cervical mucus as taught by SymptoPro.

What does cervical mucus look like?

Mucus will not always be so clear cut for every woman. Perhaps she is confused by mucus that *looks* more fertile, but *feels* less fertile when touched, as an example. We must remember one thing: cervical mucus changes from less fertile to more fertile on a spectrum, not from one clearly defined stage one stage to another. This is why some women find that they

So how can you know when this point of change occurs? By focusing on the specific traits of the mucus, rather than trying to push a specific definition onto it right away.

The more slippery, wet, transparent, and/or stretchy the mucus is, the more supportive of sperm survival and transport it will be in the woman’s body.  Some people describe this mucus as more fertile.  In SymptoPro, we call any mucus with even just one of these traits as eggwhite.  Even if the mucus only has ONE of the following traits -- slipperiness/wetness, transparency/semi-transparency, or stretches an inch or more -- it is considered eggwhite. 

Cervical mucus with drier and less stretchy qualities, and the more opaque colored it is, the less supportive of sperm it will be.  Some people call this less fertile, because it is not as conductive of sperm survival and transportation (though it is still able to aid sperm mobility at least a little).  This kind of mucus is simply called sticky.  Sticky mucus is defined as any mucus that does not have any eggwhite mucus traits.  It can also be described as creamy or lotion-like, or even gummy, rubbery, or tacky.  It is solid colored (white or yellowish) and only stretches to less than an inch.

And of course, when no cervical mucus is present at all, sperm will not survive for more than a few hours in the acidic vaginal environment.  On "dry" days, you may experience vaginal moisture, which is the natural moisture created by the vagina, and does not have the same body or dexterity of mucus.  If it dries up and disappears into the toilet paper when rubbed, or if it dries off quickly when you wave your finger, then it is likely vaginal moisture.  You may also see dampness because of urine or perspiration soaked into the toilet paper; again, it has no body like that of mucus.

So what about tricky mucus patterns?

As you can tell, cervical mucus can come in different forms. Each woman will have her own pattern of mucus that is more fertile or less fertile; in other words, her own "variety" of eggwhite and sticky mucus.  For some women, they may even produce a less fertile kind of mucus during their infertile time instead of being dry, and it is important to know what their infertile pattern is in connection with mucus production (this is known as her Basic Infertile Pattern, or BIP). In some cases, a woman will have a BIP of mucus with eggwhite quality!

To know your own particular mucus pattern, you must chart your cycles for 4-6 cycles to understand not only the type of mucus you produce, but also the mucus production's relation to the opening and closing of your fertile window.  With the help of an instructor and much practice, any woman can come around to understand her own particular mucus.

Do you produce a lot of mucus? Do you begin to produce mucus on or before a safe period before ovulation?  If you produce constant mucus, how can you tell what your Basic Infertile Pattern is?  Having an instructor look over these charts will help you know what is and isn't normal for you.

When Cervical Mucus is weird

Some women have the 'blessing' of having particularly frustrating mucus patterns.  If you feel this is the case, then you should focus on two things:

1. Charting as much detail as you can about your cervical mucus observations, and
2. Finding any changes in cervical mucus from less fertile to more fertile in connection to your waking temperature

Recall my earlier comment of cervical mucus differentiating on a spectrum, not in specific categories. The more detail you chart, the better able you are to know when your BIP of mucus makes a point of change to more fertile (even if you produce day after day of eggwhite).  Remember: no matter your mucus pattern, or any pattern with your fertile signs, you can always know when your body is trying to ovulate.  With charting, you can note down these signs (however subtle they are) and pinpoint when this change from infertile to fertile occurs.

Detailing Your Mucus Traits

When you observe your mucus through out the day, take note of the following:

• What were the most fertile mucus traits you saw that day?  Remember that eggwhite mucus traits are considered most fertile, but try not to get too wound up in figuring out the type of mucus you saw.  Focus only on the traits you observed.  You can figure out the overall type later; it's easier to first focus on only the traits you see.  And whatever most fertile traits you saw, that is what you chart.
• How many times that day did your most fertile mucus occur? Do not count all the times you saw any mucus that day, only occurrences in which eggwhite traits occurred (and if you had no eggwhite traits, the number of times you has sticky mucus traits).  If you had semi-transparent mucus that appeared only twice that day, and that was the most fertile sign you saw all day, then you write down that you had semi-transparent eggwhite two times.
• As you touch and feel your mucus, did it dry up quickly, or was it very wet?  Some women note that their "fertile mucus" is wetter than mucus that is associated with an infertile time. Even if they are both sticky or both eggwhite, mucus occurring around ovulation leaves behind more moisture. You can look out for this pattern.
• Check your undies. While not a totally reliable sign by itself, this little tip can be a handy cross check. More fertile mucus often leaves behind a damp circle in your underwear crotch, while less fertile mucus leaves drier and sticker rectangular lines. You shouldn't chart by underwear alone, but it can be handy when assessing your mucus that day.
• Look out for other fertile signs. Things like midcycle spotting, food cravings, breast tenderness, and more can occur at specific times during your cycle in relation to ovulation or post-ovulation. Again, like with the underwear trick, they are not consistent enough to be charted on their own. Yet by cross checking them when any mucus patterns you catch, you can have an extra boost of confidence in identifying mucus changes.

Keep it Simple: Cross Check!

Perhaps you do all that I recommend here, and follow your instructor's guidance to a "T". However, you may still be confused by your patterns, or you simply don't have the confidence to trust what you see by mucus alone.

Luckily, a woman can give more than just one sign of fertility! Other objective signs include temperature pattern, vaginal sensations, and changes in the cervix's position, feeling, and shape. By checking these signs along with your mucus pattern, you can get that extra "boost" you need to know the beginning and end of your fertile window.

Any woman can depend on her body to give her signs of fertility and infertility.

With the right support and education, a couple can know that the woman's menstrual cycle can be "deciphered". Ovulation is no longer some random event we can not anticipate: science has given us a way to track this event through cervical mucus and other signs.

Good luck! And if you ever need consultation on a chart, you know where to find me. ;)

Fertility Monitors: Whether You Chart or Not

Natural Family Planning got it’s start with paper charts and pens. You note your body's signs for fertility or infertility during the day, and then write down what you saw in the evening. Done!

But as technology progresses and modern women become more interested in natural methods, it is unsurprising that the family planning market start investing in monitors and tests that answers the “Am I fertile today?” question for you. 

They can track ovulation hormones, the ferning of saliva, your temperature while you sleep: perhaps a mix of two or more.  Even for those who are reliable charters, they may feel more secure either double checking with this new innovation, or replace it all together. (Hey, no shame in being lazy ;) ).

Personally, I find that learning natural family planning the old fashioned way is best: you learn to get comfortable with your body, and at the end of the day, you can always return to your own observations should technology fail. It sets the foundation needed to know whether or not you need a fertility monitor; and if you do, said foundation gives you an educated idea of what you should be looking for.

Still, for those who seek an alternative to traditional charting, or want something to back up what they see, I wanted to make a list of what was available.  If you are going to choose this route, it helps to be educated on your choices! 

Hormonal

Works by tracking the hormones that induce ovulation, or the ones after the fact, by testing your urine.  They tell you objectively whether ovulation is coming up or if it has already passed. Although they are a guaranteed cost as you have to replenish your supply, they can be worth it for those who want to minimize interpretation errors as little as possible.

• Clear Blue Easy fertility monitors and tests

**There are different kinds of hormonal monitors on the market that track the hormones proceeding ovulation (especially LH); this is why I linked to the general website rather than list out the different options.  The most accurate brand out there is Clear Blue Easy, but you can also find LH strips and other brands at your local drug store or super market.  Amazon also has a lot to offer, and you can buy cheaper in bulk.**

• MFB Fertility Progesterone test sticks

• Progesterone blood draws

**This is something you will have to find a doctor/clinic to handle for you, rather than go out and buy. Aside from infertility treatments, this will become obsolete anyway once MFB Fertility’s test sticks become more mainstream. Still, it is an option and one I will list.**

Temperature

Monitors that track basal body temperature (your body's temperature when at rest) often take your temperature for you as you sleep, some even telling you when a shift from low temps to high have occurred (indicating that ovulation has occurred).  Some send the temperature directly to an app on your tablet or phone so that you do not have to note them down for yourself. Be sure to note the tech's features before buying to find a fit for your lifestyle.

• TempDrop

• Lady Temp Fertility Monitor

• YONO Labs Earbud Thermometer

• iBasal Thermometer

Saliva Ferning

This is less objective, and not a reliable fertile sign by itself. The theory is that your saliva gains fern-like patterns around ovulation, though this has not been consistent among all women. Still, if you show a clear pattern, it can be a useful tool to crosscheck your charting with. Ease of mind is the best state of mind!

• Fertile Focus

• Fertility Tracker

Multiple Symptoms

The following monitors combine one or more fertile signs for tracking your cycle, and come with the use of apps for tablet/phones.  This is more handy for those couples or women who want an "all-in-one" device for maximum coverage, so to speak.

• Ava Fertility Monitor
• OvaCue

When Charting Becomes a Drag: Making NFP Easier to Chart

Charting requires a learning curve to any couple learning to use NFP, no matter the method.  Every day you must not only observe your fertile signs everyday, but also remember to note down what you saw.  However, many find that over time, charting is such a normal and natural part of their lives, they do it without much fuss.  It takes only minutes a day to observe your fertile signs, and then mere seconds to note them down on your chart.

Still, charting every single day can be a bit draining.  It can be especially difficult if only one spouse is charting (whether temporarily or permanently) and feels burdened by the constant work.  Perhaps the woman travels a lot and wants to know an easier way to note her observations as she constantly moves about.  Maybe you have kids at home and find it hard to recall when you should chart.  And lets be honest...some people like me are just lazy. ;)

Luckily there are quite a few "short cuts" and tricks any NFP couple can utilize that can help lessen the load that comes with charting.  (Note that I am going over short cuts and tips for charting with the Sympto-Thermal Method; for short cuts/tips with other NFP methods, speak with a certified instructor who teaches it).

Remembering to Chart

Whether you are forgetful, busy, or just straight up lazy, sometimes we forget to chart our observations for the day.  It's important to note down what you observed as soon as possible, as you may forget if you wait until the next day.  Luckily, there are ways to help us sit down and get it done.

Consider setting an alarm on your phone.  Perhaps at 8pm everyday, your phone will go off, and it can be a reminder to stop what you are doing and jot down your notes onto your chart.  Of course you can set the alarm for whatever time best fits into your schedule, so long as you do it at the same time each day to help facilitate the habit.  If you often forgo bathroom breaks and don't check your mucus observations much as a result, you can use an alarm as well.  Set up scheduled alarms to make yourself use the restroom periodically throughout the day, and utilize those times to check up on your cervical mucus!

Teamwork tends to lighten the work load.  If you are the only person who charts: bring in the spouse!  You may have to have him read your NFP book on how the method works, or simply go over the charting symbols with him: but whatever the case, having the man participate can make charting easier to bear with.  If need be, have him meet your instructor to ask any questions he has, or to guide him in how to use the method with you.

Temperature-taking has its short cuts too.  The husband can hand over the thermometer after the alarm goes off in the morning, sparing you from fumbling around and moving too much.  After the temp taking is done, he may also take out the thermometer and put it back.  ( This teamwork ties in with the last point ;) ) If you tried all the tips you can but can not get a reliable temperature because of getting up in the night to care for young children, I would recommend looking into Temp Drop.  It is a neat little device that is placed under your upper arm at night, and it takes your temperature for you: without the need for waking up or using an alarm!  It is pricey but well worth it if you just hate using your regular thermometer.

Choose a charting method that suits you.  Some people love their paper charts, others swear by their charting apps: it simply depends on the person.  If you decide paper charts are easier to use, be sure to have it somewhere you will remember to write on it.  Some have it on the bathroom mirror, others on their bedroom dresser or on the wall next to the bed.  Apps themselves are handy for those who prefer electronics, as they are visually appealing and are not at the mercy of your handwriting mistakes.  And if the app is on your phone, it will be easy to remember to chart when you see the icon on your phone or computer screen.

Trouble with interpreting your chart?  Ask for help.  Some people feel overwhelmed with charting if their cycles are confusing, or they are still trying to get used to the rules of NFP.  It's not charting down their observations that are the problem, but knowing what to make of what they see! If this is the case, then reach out for all the support and tips you can.  Do not be afraid to call or email your instructor your chart and asking for her input.  If you are part of a social media group or forum for NFP users, you can also post your chart there and receive help from fellow NFP users or instructors.  If your cervical mucus or other signs of fertility are somewhat confusing you, then consider going over the traits in your NFP books, and repeat the previous steps with your NFP instructor and community.

Charting Short-Cuts

Did you know that you don't have to chart every single day in order to use it reliably?  While you MUST chart every single day when first learning how to chart, after a number of months you may decide it's time to cut it back a bit. You understand your usual pattern and no longer need to note down excess information.

The following short cuts for safe charting can offer a lessen on the load.

You do not have to take your waking temperature during menstruation, nor after you have had a confirmed temperature rise.  Unless you tend to have very early ovulation, there is no need to take your temperature while you are bleeding. 

Also, once you have confirmed ovulation has occurred, through a sustained temperature rise, you also do not need to continue temping in the morning.  Whatever temperature rule you use for your chart, after it has been fulfilled, you are free to put the thermometer in the drawer until the next cycle calls for it again.

Another tip for temperature taking is to wait until day 6 or further to start temping.  Depending on how early or late your temperature shifts from low to high, you can put off taking your waking temperature until day 6 or later in your cycle.  Because the temperature rule that confirms ovulation requires 6 low temperatures proceeding three high ones, you can put off temping until the day you've had your earliest 6th last low temperature. 

Look back at your last 12 cycles.  Write down the day when the earliest 6th last low temperature occurred for each cycle.  Which ever cycle had the earliest occurrence of a 6 last low, that would be the day when you would start temping each cycle.  So if you had 12 cycles that showed a range of 6 last lows from day 11 to day 14, you would start temping the morning of day 11 of your cycle.

If you think it is not safe enough to wait to temp until the earliest day a 6th last low occurred, you can simply put off temping until day 6 or 7 of your cycle.

After Peak Day is established with cervical mucus, and it coincides with a temperature shift, you know longer need to observe or chart your mucus sign.  A peak day means your last occurrence of your most fertile mucus sign.  After Peak Day is confirmed, and it coincides with a sustained temperature shift of lows to highs, it means you ovulated.  And not only that: it means you will not ovulate again for the rest of your cycle!  All day every day until your period begins again, you are completely infertile.  There is no need to chart your mucus until you start your next cycle.

The same can be done for your vaginal sensation and cervical observations.  After you have confirmation that you have ovulated and the egg is dead and gone, you no longer have to keep charting anything (though I would recommend you note down if you had intercourse).

If you don't have to chart this or that: then don't!  Let's say you chart all four signs -- waking temperature, cervical mucus, vaginal sensation, AND cervical position.  Perhaps you note down the specific traits of your mucus as well.  And maybe every single exercise you do during the week.  And also when you ate that one cupcake at a birthday party!

You get my point.  Unless you need to chart down details of ALL your fertile signs to accurately establish your fertile window, or require to note down lifestyle habits for your health, you can cut back on the extras. 

Perhaps, after going over it with your instructor, you find that you can use NFP accurately enough with just waking temperature and mucus observations; the other signs can just be used as back up.  Instead of noting down the exact color and stretch of your mucus, or how many times a day you see it, you just note down what kind of mucus it was and leave it at that.  If your exercise or diet routines don't really affect your fertility at all: then why chart down the who what when where and why of it all?

If you are only charting for sake of avoiding a pregnancy, then don't overbear yourself if you don't have to.  You can keep things accurate by charting simply, granted that you double check it with your instructor first.

There you have it

Charting made more simple, and yet still accurate enough to use for family planning.  Do you have any tips or suggestions yourself?  Then let me know. :)