November 2010 Weddings
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Our tech team has launched updates to The Nest today. As a result of these updates, members of the Nest Community will need to change their password in order to continue participating in the community. In addition, The Nest community member's avatars will be replaced with generic default avatars. If you wish to revert to your original avatar, you will need to re-upload it via The Nest.
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Note: This only affects The Nest's community members and will not affect members on The Bump or The Knot.
Our tech team has launched updates to The Nest today. As a result of these updates, members of the Nest Community will need to change their password in order to continue participating in the community. In addition, The Nest community member's avatars will be replaced with generic default avatars. If you wish to revert to your original avatar, you will need to re-upload it via The Nest.
If you have questions about this, please email help@theknot.com.
Thank you.
Note: This only affects The Nest's community members and will not affect members on The Bump or The Knot.
Back from training
Hi Ladies - I am back from my Creighton (FAM) training. It was a fantastic week! I have to say, becoming a Creighton practitioner is rather intense haha. The tests were quite difficult (even the RN's in the class were sweating), but I passed both exams. 
This course was just Part I... Part II is in Oct after our practicum. So the fun has just begun! I am officially an intern though.
I didn't have internet access all week, so now I have major catching up to do. I hope you've all had a great end of April, beginning of May! :-D
Re: Back from training
Not that the board has been super active
Glad you had a good time! That's so neat that you can coach people now!
Married 11/6/10
Aha - I'm from Omaha so I was going to ask how your time there was and make some recommendations. But alas you weren't stuck there. But good for you nonetheless!
I'm in Boston at the moment.
Congrats! I've been wondering if I should switch to Creighton because of things I'm seeing in my charts. Maybe I'd benefit from NaPro Technology. When I get back to CO, I'm going to call my general practitioner for a recommendation on a OB/GYN to call who can read my NFP charts. I think it's inevitable that I need to go the shot route to fix my LPD. I think that's beyond my GP's specialty.
I need to research how different Creighton is from STM. It can't be *that* different, I don't think. But I've heard it's hard to switch.
Catarntina -
I don't think the methods are terribly different (both are definitely based in the same science) but I think what people mean by "hard to switch" is that it's relearning the same info in a different way. So it's like... I know this, but I don't know this at the same time, which may frustrate in the beginning, if that makes sense. I truly don't think that someone as smart and scientifically-minded as you will have too much trouble, though.
I know of several ladies who have switched successfully - some find it easier even (no waking up for temps anymore, etc).I am curious to see how my twin sister learns - I am going to teach her Creighton, and she has always used STM.
Just one word of caution... I was reading an online article written by a very smart MD (friend of ours) the other day comparing the different FAM methods. He claimed Creighton requires abstaining "every other day, end of day" pre-peak if they are avoiding pregnancy which may be "hard on couples." Uh. No. Lol. That is not how it works. After any brief learning curve is over, a couple's pre-peak phase should not be that stressful. Geez Louis!
ETA: And when I say "should not be that stressful", I mean there is no need to abstain like that. It just made me wonder if it was just this doctor who didn't understand or if there was some misconceptions out there!
Bella - ah! Thank you.
Maybe one day I'll make my way out there.
That's interesting to me, because STM teaches that you do need to abstain every other day in pre-peak phase if you're avoiding. Just in case you can't distinguish cervical fluid from seminal residue. The CCL teachers teach it that way, and TCOYF mentioned it, too. It's not a hard fast rule. If you're experienced and can without a doubt determine the difference, then no need to abstain. It's mostly for new, inexperienced people. But I think the rule should always be, "When in doubt, abstain."
Really! I didn't realize that was a long-term guideline with STM. This doctor perceived it as hard on the couple too (given that we've had to abstain for other medical reasons, I can't really say either way how hard this would be for us lol). With Creighton, beginners are advised similarly but we have what is called a "seminal fluid instruction" where you learn to eliminate the seminal fluid so that it doesn't confuse your observations. Most women have no trouble with learning this, and can move on to "every day, end of day" pre-peak rather quickly (unless they are hoping to achieve which of course, there is no need to worry about avoiding).
Edited: Oh and with Creighton, the rule is that "when in doubt, consider yourself fertile." But again, we're talking about a matter of weeks in regards to learning to distinguish between the two and users should not regularly be in doubt (I mean it happens from time to time, but couples really should be able to progress beyond the every other day instructions with the Creighton method).
Btw, just for clarity: Please, don't take anything I say here as "teaching" Creighton.
I don't think anyone is reading it that way, but just in case. 
If anyone wants to learn that method, by all means, find a practitioner and get the full instructions. I don't want to confuse anyone with side comments because as with any method, there's more to it than just a casual conversation can offer.
Well, the CCL certainly made it seem like you need to use it long term. And I don't remember them going over how to distinctly tell the difference. TCOYF mentions it briefly. And definitely the "end of day" rule, too. Nothing before 5 or you're taking a chance
So fascinating. Thanks for sharing! I am guessing the different instructions are due to a slight difference in the methods of mucus observation, the way the methods were developed (and the reasons - fertility problems would be harder to diagnose if the user has trouble differentiating seminal fluid with mucus), as well as the varying ways they are taught (private case management vs. classroom instruction vs. book, etc).