Great comments on my recent CCL post!
Just to answer a few questions:
1. The new book and materials were released in February/March of 2008. All new CCL courses are now using the new materials. They are still working on the training programs for the "specialized" courses in return of fertility after childbirth and pre-menopause. The student guide book is complete, but the teacher training in these areas is still a little rough. It will be complete in the coming months. The doctor in question was probably referring to the teacher training materials.
2. There is very little difference between Creighton, Billings, and CCL in the actual "rules" of NFP. All 3 methods are 99% effective. CCL teaches the sympto-thermal method of NFP, using all 3 signs (temp, cervix, and mucus). Billings and Creighton focus on mucus only. I personally use a mucus/cervix only method of NFP (CCL gives mucus only rules in their materials, with very clear pictures of more fertile/less fertile mucus), but I teach all 3 signs in my courses, as certain signs work better for certain women. Some women have really regular temp patterns and that enables them to better interpret a confusing mucus pattern (and vice versa). Creighton and Billings are mucus only, but the "rules" are essentially the same (especially after CCL's updates to their materials). You can take a CCL course, and then do a mucus only method of NFP. CCL's charts and materials are standardized, and they have many doctors that develop their materials and are trained on CCL charts. That being said, ANY doctor worth anything should be able to read ANY NFP chart. It's the same thing, just different symbols.
I want to emphasize again that I think all 3 teaching organizations are really great and they are all working together to make NFP more practical for couples.
3. Finally, if you are interested in taking an NFP course you can either contact your local diocese and ask about courses OR you can contact one of the following organizations directly to learn about courses/teachers in your area:
The Couple to Couple League
Creighton Model Fertility Care
The Billings Ovulation Method
4. The new manual does offer advice on charting with breastfeeding, no matter what feeding method you choose. If this is your situation, I would HIGHLY recommend the supplemental NFP course on return of fertility after childbirth.
5. Finally, if you are looking for an NFP physician, check out the One More Soul Directory for NFP only physicians and if you can't find a local Obgyn from that directory, try a midwife, they are usually much more knowledgeable about NFP.
God Bless all you women and thanks for all the comments and support!
4 comments:
One more question: is the supplemental course on return of fertility after childbirth available yet? Is it (or will it be) a home study course or do I have to actually attend a class to get this info?
I'd like to add that the Marquette model of NFP has a new website out and are inviting volunteer couples to try it out. They are developing a protocol for return of fertility while breastfeeding that includes the use of a fertility monitor. They also have a moral theologian to help answer questions at the website:
T]he Marquette University Institute for NFP has a new web site for NFP users. We are currently developing and piloting the Marquette NFP web site. The purpose of the pilot project is to obtain feedback on its usefulness, ease of use, and satisfaction. There are two parts to the web site. The first part http://nfp.marquette.edu is free and open to all users. The free access site has information on the Marquette Model of NFP, special circumstances protocols, observing and monitoring signs of fertility, charting fertility, and benefits of NFP. At this site you can download our user manual and paper charting system. Of interest is the "Quick Instruction Section" that was designed to help couples quickly understand and use NFP with some simple instructions. The web site has English and Spanish language versions.
The second part of the web site is currently free for couples willing to volunteer to test the new online charting system and discussion rooms. The second part, in the near future will not be open to free access. This part of the web site http://nfp.marquette.edu/portal has a new online charting system for the Marquette Model, discussion rooms for users, and online access to health care professionals with expertise in NFP. We are currently piloting this part of the web site with 50-100 volunteer couple users, i.e., couples willing to use the web site for charting for 6 months and to provide us with feedback. If you or if you know couples who are interested in piloting the charting system and discussion rooms have them register at the portal site. After we have piloted the web site for 6 months with volunteer couples we will be modifying the web site based on the feedback we receive. Funding for the web site development was generously provided by Our Sunday Visitor Foundation.
The supplemental course is not yet finished. I apologize if I misled anyone on this. The course will be complete soon--this fall?--and both the postpartum course and the premenopause course will have student guide books (small in size costing around $15 each). Check in with CCL to find out when these courses are complete. You can just order the book, without attending the course.
It should be noted for that those who did appreciate the information on ecological breastfeeding taught by the Kippleys, that this info - as well as comprehensive information on the Sympto-Thermal method of NFP and the marital chastity teaching that was always a part of their program - is still available as a USCCB-approved free homestudy course online.
http://www.nfpandmore.org/nfphowto.shtml
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