Irritable Bowel Syndrome Message Boards | RachelT are you testing today? NT

Hello dear ladies �

Rachel � Let me start by saying how sorry I am to hear of the loss of your baby. I have also lost a baby to miscarriage and it is devastating, no matter how tiny they were.

I am posting this message because I have read that some of you are trying to conceive or are having trouble conceiving. I hope you find this information useful.

I posted some of this message on another board because they were discussing oral contraceptives and how awful they made them feel. That is why the pill is referenced in this post. I am leaving some of that discussion in so that it will make sense and be in context.

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6. What do I do without the pill? - After my surgery my husband and I were looking for some other method of birth control. After what I had learned, I was completely unwilling to accept any chemical or hormonal solution. A dear friend told me about NFP (Natural Family Planning). I had learned a little bit about it in nursing school, but I must admit that I was completely misinformed by my instructor about it. She presented a very biased view and basically told us all that it was a bunch of hooey. I knew that she must be wrong but didn't have the time to pursue it further. So when my friend re-introduced it to my mind - it seemed worth learning more about. I am so glad I did!

For those of you who don't know, NFP teaches fertility sign awareness. You chart your observations daily and then base your sexual activity or abstinence on these signs. There are four different methods you can learn, but you only need to know one.

My husband and I took a class at our local hospital. I had many misgivings at the beginning - will it work for my irregular cycles, how effective is it, how will it effect my marriage, is it difficult, how much does it cost, is it only for Catholics? In short, I learned that it works perfectly for my irregular cycles, it is 98-99% effective when used after proper instruction and implementation, it has enhanced understanding and communication in our marriage, it is not hard at all, it is free after the costs of the class (about $60), and anyone can use this method - you don't have to belong to any particular religion. I have to tell you that it has been a huge blessing in our lives.

First of all, I felt like myself again. No more depression, bitterness, grumpiness, etc. My libido came back, no more pain and the yeast infections dwindled away.

Second, our marriage was better. Husbands attend the classes with their wives and learn about female biology, fertility and communication.

Third, I knew that when we wanted to conceive we would already have the knowledge to make that easier.

Fourth, your fertility is a normal process, not a disease. Birth control chemicals are at best unnecessary drugs. I knew that I was not putting dangerous chemicals into my body any longer. These unnecessary hormones from an unnatural source surely cannot help your IBS!

Fifth, I was healthier. NFP uses the information contained in your charting to pinpoint potential health problems. Good nutrition is so important for so many aspects of your menstrual-fertility cycle. Sometimes a cycle irregularity is due to something quite a bit more serious - a certified NFP instructor can note potential problems in your charting and direct you to proper medical care.

Most doctors pooh-pooh NFP and call it the rhythm method. IT IS NOT THE RHYTHM METHOD!!! I cannot stress that enough. Most medical schools today do an incredibly poor job of teaching awareness of alternative methods of doing things. Most conventional fertility doctors aren't educated in the information that can be gleaned from NFP charting and instead immediately jump into pumping you full of fertility drugs.

I have read several ladies' posts about trying to conceive, miscarriages, etc. I would highly recommend that you take a class in NFP. The instructors might have some amazingly simple suggestions for you that will help you conceive or carry a baby to term. (We lost a precious baby to miscarriage and I can empathize with your losses.

) Approximately 20% of couples today have problems achieving pregnancy when they want to. If there is a true, permanent physical reason that makes either of you infertile, then NFP will not help. But if you are suffering from reduced or marginal fertility, then the fertility awareness that NFP provides of your fertile signs of NFP can help you greatly. Many couples of low fertility achieve pregnancy within six months of learning NFP simply by using the cost-free, low-tech approach of fertility awareness provided by NFP. Sometimes spouses have to make minor changes in nutrition and exercise, but nothing extraordinary is required.

There is an institute that specializes in more natural methods of obtaining pregnancy - Dr. Thomas Hilgers at the Pope Paul VI Institute of Human Reproduction http://www.popepaulvi.com A great chapter on infertility in the book Life Giving Love by Kimberly Hahn has many good natural suggestions for couples who are trying to conceive.

If any of you have questions about NFP, please feel free to contact me. I can put you in touch with sources who can connect you with a local NFP instructor or NFP friendly physician!

I love these forums - I have learned a lot of tips/tricks from other IBS sufferers and they are so helpful. I only hope that some of my suggestions will help some of you too. I am going to post this also in the threads where fertility problems were discussed � perhaps they will be of help.

Blessings -

LittleLamb

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