The rhythm method

I've discussed this before and have taken a lot of flack for it. But my preferred birth control method is the old rhythm method. I have a very predicable cycle and my birth control has never failed me yet.

 

I've always thought this should work. Like, once you start your period, that means you aren't getting another egg down there for like 3 weeks or so, right? So that's maybe 2 weeks of free love!

 

There is a reason that the rhythm method is called "Vatican roulette".

people lose playing it. Not everyone, and not always. But enough people to make it risky.

However, that's your call. Good luck with it!

 

There are a lot of people that this doesn't work for. But a lot of women don't REALLY know their bodies and have diet related issues that keep them all out of whack. Extra hormones in their bodies from junk meat products they eat, there's a lot that can make this not work.

If you live on fast food my advise is to go ahead and stay on the pill. You're already a walking chemical factory so adding one more to the mix shouldn't do any more harm.

 

Periodic abstinence methods that depend on observation of your body are more reliable than those that depend on the calendar.

 

Yep... My wife and I used it..

Basically it's 8 days before and 8 days after the period.

We had no problems with it. Thing is you need to be careful and always remember those days lol..

The reason this method fails is human error 95% of the time...

 

Glad to see this one got resurrected! I'm a huge hippie and don't believe in a lot of unnecessary stuff being in my body. And I follow a pretty strict and healthy diet which goes a long ways towards keeping my cycle right on schedule. Those that can't make it work usually just don't want it to.

I thought my generation was supposed to be more enlightened and in tune with their bodies. And we're supposed to be anti-big corporation. Against all the big drug companies. Yet, most of my friends are on the pill or their boyfriends use condoms (condoms are still big corporation, guys)

 

Do you know what they call a couple that uses the Rhythm method?
Parents.
*rim shot*

 

Using a basal thermometer every morning makes it much, much more accurate.

 

There are also those "ovulation" meters as well supposedly.. But to me the rhythm method worked well, you just gotta know to count right, and hope that she has fairly consistent periods.

If she is off by 4 or 5 days each time, she can get "regular" by using different meds, but that isn't really advisable. And unfortunately, if she isn't that consistent then rhythm method may not work.

Of course stress is a factor as well, if you can keep yourself really stressed out it can lower sperm count and "hospitality" of the uterus LOL...

That last part is only half meant as tongue in cheek.

Anyway, this is the calendar I used and it worked pretty good:

(One time Wikipedia actually got it right lol)

(used this method successfully for about 8 months, occasionally used condoms, but mostly the waiting between times you could "go to town" made it more fun)

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Calendar-based_contraceptive_methods

Just learn to count:

So we know we got time to play while she's on her period, and then again just before she goes again.. Anything a day or so on either side is risky, and if you're in the middle watch out!

:afro:

 

The rhythm method is not reliable for everyone, and it has about a 25% failure rate. Of course there's nothing wrong with using it, but be prepared to deal with an accidental pregnancy in whatever way is best for you and your partner.

 

'When fertility awareness is used correctly and consistently, it may reach effective rates around 90%.'

using a thermometer to track your bodies temperature is much more effective than just using a calendar and hoping that your period is consistent.

 

Plus it's the only reliable method. Just taking the temperature or just observing the body isn't safe at all. NFP is as reliable as the pill (if you do it carefully/strictly).

 

Any time that a peen meets a vagina there is a risk of a baby. Call it anything you want, rhythm, unprotected sex, got drunk at a party and the lights were out, whatever. The result is usually the same. Anything else is sheer luck.

 

There is a risk, but there are steps you can take to significantly reduce that risk. And the result from most unprotected sex is still not pregnancy.

 

You come across as pretty fucking arrogant. You never buy anything from a corporation? Really? You grow all your own food and mill your own flour and sew your own clothes and make your own shoes? And how fucking dare you diss condoms. Do you know how many more STDs everyone would have if we didn't have condoms??? WTF is wrong with you??? And if people get STDs, they'd have to go on antibiotics, and those are made from--ooooooh noooo--evil BIG PHARMA!!!

You're actually very LUCKY to not have any health problems. Diet and exercise are great, but they can't solve everything. You seem to take this for granted. I'm on teratogenic (birth-defect causing) medication for the rest of my life for a condition I had/have no control over and I have no alternative other than death. I have to ask permission from my doctors to switch my meds when I decide I want to get pregnant. So yes, you're DAMN RIGHT I'm not using the rhythm method! A 1 in 20 failure rate is unacceptable to me; I could never live with myself knowing I caused my child to be born with deformities.

So quit acting like you're superior to everyone because you happen to have good health and use a few less "chemicals". It's not like you don't breathe in the same polluted air we all do. And if that's the way you judge your friends I'm glad I'm not a friend of yours. Yes, how dare they want a more effective birth control method than a 1 in 20 failure rate. Sorry not everyone is as superiorly enlightened as you. Please, share your wisdom with us unenlightened ones, oh buddha.

 

Wait, what medical condition do you have that caused life to be this hard for you?

 

Sorry, I wasn't trying to imply that my life was "hard," I'd say it's far from it compared to most people.

But to answer your question, I had liver failure for unknown reasons when I was 19 and had to have a transplant, thus I'm on immunosuppressive meds the rest of my life. The meds suck, but generally I would agree it beats being dead. I just get frustrated when young people take their health for granted, since any delusions of invincibility that I may have had were robbed from me 7 years ago. It's commendable to want to be healthy, but people should never forget that being sick isn't necessarily someone's fault. Too many people who are really into nutrition/healthy lifestyle stuff often forget this fact and assume those who are unhealthy had it coming.

No matter how hard you work to be healthy, at the end of the day, it's still a gift, because there's still a certain amount of luck involved, so there's no room for self-righteousness.

 

I know my body very well. But I'm still too scared to try it