February 18, 2007 8:17 AM
Creighton Model Fertility System
Received this from a reader and wanted to pass it on for anyone who might be interested or who has tried this method and can share her results:
Hi Barbara: I've been chewing through the Mommy Survival Guide and like it very much. I especially appreciate that you made the chapters fairly short- doable sections for any busy mother.I was really struck by the chapter in which you quote a mother saying that she wondered how to raise good kids if she's not that great herself in the patience, self-control, etc. departments. I wonder if you still have any contact with this woman so you could maybe pass a message on to her for me.
Her description of herself sounded very familiar, but I felt some specific hope when she described her PMS/anxiety/depression. My husband and I practice a kind of natural family planning called the Creighton Model fertility care system, which you may or may not have heard of. It was developed by Dr. Thomas Hilgers out of Creighton University.
They help many women with many issues including infertility, menopause, PMS and post-partum depression, among others. The goal is to work with a woman's system uncover the factors that are underlying in a particular problem, rather than to override her system and force a particular outcome.
I have received much help with post-partum depression from progesterone therapy- not synthetic hormone replacement, but the regulating of levels with bio-identical progesterone. When I became pregnant this last time (I'm due in March), my Creighton model counselor/coach was able to warn me to get my progesterone levels checked, since I had a history of progesterone deficiency- the resulting supplementation not only helped me maintain this pregnancy, but has done wonders for my emotional equilibrium.
The Creighton Model also using progesterone therapy to treat PMS, in a similar way. I don't have all the answers as to why it works, but it's based on sound medical practice and over thirty years of research.
Mostly, I wanted to pass on to you (to pass on to this woman) that I waited six months of feeling terrible after the birth of my second son to seek any help because I simply thought I had a bad character and that I just needed to try harder. Well, we always can try harder, but the realization that I had a biological deficiency that could be corrected to help was nothing
short of a revelation.Correcting my hormonal imbalance has made a huge difference in my ability to cope and be a better mother and wife. The Creighton-certified doctor who treated me for PPD warned that it might take longer for the progesterone to have its effect than if I sought help early on. For me, though, I felt an immediate relief and difference the next day after my first shot (the kind I
got was through injection). Suddenly, life seemed possible- I don't mean that I was suicidal- I just mean that every single minute of every single day had felt impossibly hard and filled with obstacles and hardship and after that first day, it was like waking up to a new world where things were still hard, but much more possible- I could cope and could handle what was before me.I am not a person who would have avoided anti-depressants if I felt they were my only option, but that would have interfered with breast-feeding my baby and there are other possible side effects. I like that this is a way to help that works with my system.
One last thing: There was a book published that describes different problems for different women who were helped through the Creighton Model Fertility Care System- their stories say it better than I have. It's called, In Their Own Words: Women Healed. It has a section on PMS (20 pages).
This is a little rambling (I'm blaming "placenta-head" for this), but I hope it's enough to get the point across. Thanks for listening.
Melissa
Comments
Not a Creighton user, but I began using the Sympto-Thermal method of NFP about 5 years ago. I discovered my baaad PMS was due to progesterone deficiency. By charting my cycles, I could see that the last half, after ovulation, was way too short. Not only would this make it nearly impossible to successfully have a baby, it made me all sorts of crabby, tired and I'm convinced it led to me overeating and gaining 30 lbs after I went off the pill.
I read the book "Fertility, Cycles and Nutrition" put out by the couple to couple league (www.ccl.org), and implemented many ideas. I lost weight, got rid of PMS completely, and saw the last half of my cycle lengthen a lot. I still had to use progesterone supplementation to get and stay pregnant (2 kids so far) but it was no big deal. Just some vaginal medication during the 1st trimester. How many miscarriages would I have suffered without knowing? How many healthy babies lost due to my hormone problem? Thank God He convicted my husband and I to stop using the pill and to start NFP. I've never felt better.
Posted by: Jill (colicmommy) | February 18, 2007 11:22 AM
Just a quick comment that many antidepressants are breast feeding friendly or at least okay. I have nursed both of mine into toddlerhood with antidepressants.
Posted by: Marsha | February 18, 2007 3:12 PM
Boy, it sure would be nice to realize "I had a biological deficiency" and not just "bad character." I've been a monster to my (poor, sweet) kiddos since I had baby #4 in November...maybe I'll look into this...Thanks for posting this Barbara. I guess you never know what's going to help your readers!
Posted by: Bonnie | February 19, 2007 12:25 AM
