Nfp

[Brother Adam]

Teresa let me in on the secret today that she has decided she doesn't want to use contraception and wants to use NFP instead. Where can I get the materials I need?

According to a Catholic seminarian though, since we are both open to life (don't have any desire or intent to use contraception) and are both baptized Christians we very well could be having a sacramental marriage.

I just found that interesting.

[Brother Adam]

Ok, I know your looking at this thread- i can tell from the "views". Anyone? Hello?

[Brother Adam]

Nevermind. Found the info I need. Oh- the person isn't a seminarian. He is in a graduate program at a Catholic college in Ohio.

[Anna]

http://www.ccli.org/

http://www.bygpub.com/natural/natural-fami...ly-planning.htm

Way to go, Adam and Teresa!

[Brother Adam]

I told my mom today and she seemed less than thrilled (of course I don't think she's agreed with a decision I've made yet in the past 3 or 4 years). Apparently though my Aunt and grandma both used NFP and one had 10 children and one had 9 while using it...that scares me a bit

[marielapin]

Adam, you will need a basal thermometer (you can get at the drug store) and The Art of Natural Family Planning by Kippley. You can buy in on Amazon for under 15 dollars. Then all you need to do is read. Tell Theresa to start reading, cause it takes about a month to really figure out how it works by reading your signs.

Oh, and a lot of new research has been done with NFP, mostly since the 70s, so the NFP that your grandma and aunt were using may not have been the most up-to-date. Therefore their "NFP" may not have been anything like what you will be doing. The Sympto-thermal method is something that is relatively new. Before they were only using other signs that were not as reliable.

[marielapin]

Oh, by the way Adam, when I told my mom that I was going to be using NFP, she told me that I was a fool and that I would barefoot and pregnant. Well, even though I don't see anything particularly wrong with being pregnant, or barefoot for that matter, we have proven to her that it works. I think she is re-thinking her whole stance on the pill and other unnatural forms of birth control.

[Carrie]

I read on the EWTN site that it is also ok to use those new ovulation devices that are out to see when you are fertile in addition to the thermometer and reading.

[Jake Huether]

Bro.! You da man! You are gunna be sooooo blessed (both you and Teresa) for using NFP. Erika and I have been using it, and it's worked thus far! Hahahaha. Well, for now we doo indeed have a "grave" reason not to have kids! The grave reason is, well, for now, we don't even know if we can afford food for ourselves. But God's in control. And that is what is soooo cool. You see, God knows us better than we know ourselves. And even when we think we aren't "ready" to be parents, God certainly knows for sure whether we are or not. On the topic of your aunt and grandma: Although they have 10 children, that says nothing of the effectivness of NFP. NFP, accroding to statistics is 99% effective (topping most common methods of birth control). However, when they told you they were "using" NFP, you might have missinterpreted that. You see, some people "use" NFP to actually achieve pregnancy. While using NFP you not only know when your wife is infertile, but you also know the exact day that she's most fertile. So it is reversable. You can either avoid or pinpoint the fertile days. My moms friend could not get pregnant for years and years. She used NFP to pinpoint the most fertile day and wham-bam-thank-you-ma'am, she got pregnant finally!

I'll tell you though Bro. NFP is sooo rewarding. I have such a respect for Erika that I know I wouldn't have if we were contracepting. I see her in such a different light. She isn't a sex machine! She's a human being, with some very odd (odd to us guys) biological functions. It was just amazing to me to note (don't tell anyone I'm sharing this) that when her temperature finally dropped after her "infertile" stage three, she began her period. You will just be mezmorized (spl?) by how the human female body works! Frankly, NFP is lifegiving on several fronts. It's given Erika and I such a wonderful life together so far. I mean look at it this way, if you work together with Teresa, EVEN when you are arguing you still have something to do together. It's really bonding.

I'll share with you how Erika and I have worked this out. Erika observes her mucus (sp) signs whener she uses the b-room. And everymorning I wake myself up at 5:30am (when I usually get up for work - although to keep it regular I wake up even on the weekends) and shove the thermometer in her mouth (note: she doesn't really even have to wake up). I turn the thermometer off when it's done (I don't need to even read the numbers because the thermometer I have stores the last reading). When I get home from work I fill in her chart with the temp and mucus sign from the previous night.

In short, Erika does the leg work (she makes her observations and lets me know), and I do the recording. So we have made it a team effort.

I'm so happy for you Bro. You are an inspiration to me (and to God for sure). You will indeed be blessed.

You are in my prayers!

[IcePrincessKRS]

I think everyone else summed it up really well. I'm glad you guys decided to practice NFP rather that use artificial contraception.

[Jonle]

LOL...that was very, very informative Jake Huether.

[Brother Adam]

Thank you for the information. We are going to have a month or so when we could very well get pregnant probably, before we get the hang of NFP, and if we do, we're trusting God with that. I know he will take us through.

[ironmonk]

I told my mom today and she seemed less than thrilled (of course I don't think she's agreed with a decision I've made yet in the past 3 or 4 years). Apparently though my Aunt and grandma both used NFP and one had 10 children and one had 9 while using it...that scares me a bit

Then they weren't doing something right. It's more reliable than the abortion pill.

Here's another site with lots of info on NFP

http://www.priestsforlife.org/articles/con...ptionmaster.htm

GBLCM,

ironmonk

Edited July 13, 2003 by ironmonk

[Brother Adam]

Actual statistics are 93-97 percent. I haven't seen an official statistic for 99 percent. There are other methods out there that are more effective, but just plain scary! I think its still a prefered method though.

[Katholikos]

Teresa let me in on the secret today that she has decided she doesn't want to use contraception and wants to use NFP instead.     Where can I get the materials I need?

Do you still have the NFP booklet I sent you? It only tells half the story, because it's based on the Billings Method (mucus sign only). True NFP uses the Sympto-Thermal method, which is where both the temperature and mucus signs are read together.

I would advise you to get in touch with the Couple-to-Couple league. They give personal instruction, as their name implies, couple to couple. Up close and personal. You'll find them on line.

Teresa and you have made a wise decision that will enhance your marriage. Contracepting couples have a high divorce rate. NFP practitioners have an extremely low rate of divorce. NFP builds strong bonds, mutual appreciation, and rock solid marriages.

The older natural method was known as "Rythm" and was based solely on the calendar, and sometimes temperature. Comparing NFP to Rhythm is like comparing a Cadillac to a Model T. NFP is the Church's gift to the world; the research into fertility was done at the request of the Church to find a morally acceptable natural method of family planning. The animal world gives forth signs of fertility, and the animal called man does also. You just learn to read the signs.

JMJ Jay (Likos)