To couples who practice NFP

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emill311

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I’m curious to hear the experiences of couples who use NFP, especially those who have prayerfully applied it to the avoidance of pregnancy.

From what I’ve read it is every bit as effective at artificial means if learned and applied properly, but this is coming from organizations or authors that (usually) ultimately profit from teaching their particular method and may be biased (although I don’t think they are). I have also read of the benefits of improved bonding within the marriage.

So if you don’t mind I’d like some (name removed by moderator)ut-
  1. What method of NFP do you use?
  2. How long have you been using it?
  3. How effective has it been for you when used to avoid pregnancy?
  4. What problems/issues have you had with it?
  5. Have you switched to NFP from previously using artificial contraception? Was the decision mutual or did the switch cause tension in your relationship?
  6. Is your spouse on the same page as you regarding NFP, so to speak? If they initially were not, how did they come around? If they initially were and now are not, why?
  7. How has using NFP positively or negatively impacted your marriage?
Thank you for sharing your experience.
 
  1. What method of NFP do you use?
    Sympto-Thermal Method
  2. How long have you been using it?
    On and off depending on when we were trying to avoid or trying to conceive throughout our marriage (over 8 years now) - and yes, NFP can help in trying to conceive as well.
  3. How effective has it been for you when used to avoid pregnancy?
    Perfect.
  4. What problems/issues have you had with it?
    None.
  5. Have you switched to NFP from previously using artificial contraception? Was the decision mutual or did the switch cause tension in your relationship?
    Nope, we started using NFP when we were first married - no artificial BC used.
  6. Is your spouse on the same page as you regarding NFP, so to speak? If they initially were not, how did they come around? If they initially were and now are not, why?
    Yes, same page.
  7. How has using NFP positively or negatively impacted your marriage?
    NFP has been wonderful for us! It’s allowed us to *prayerfully *use our gift of Free Will in planning our family and opening ourselves up to new life when we felt we were ready.
HTH! 🙂
 
emill311 said:
I’m curious to hear the experiences of couples who use NFP, especially those who have prayerfully applied it to the avoidance of pregnancy.

From what I’ve read it is every bit as effective at artificial means if learned and applied properly, but this is coming from organizations or authors that (usually) ultimately profit from teaching their particular method and may be biased (although I don’t think they are). I have also read of the benefits of improved bonding within the marriage.

So if you don’t mind I’d like some (name removed by moderator)ut-
  1. What method of NFP do you use?
    sympto-thermal
  2. How long have you been using it?
    almost 5 years
  3. How effective has it been for you when used to avoid pregnancy?
    100%
  4. What problems/issues have you had with it?
    none, really
  5. Have you switched to NFP from previously using artificial contraception?
    no
  6. Is your spouse on the same page as you regarding NFP, so to speak?
    yes
  7. How has using NFP positively or negatively impacted your marriage?
    I definitely don’t feel like I’m being used by my spouse and don’t have to pump myself full of hormones
Thank you for sharing your experience.
Click to expand...
 
  1. What method of NFP do you use?
I use a Ladycomp
  1. How long have you been using it?
Used it for 1.5 years, was tracking by other means for about 1 yr before that.
  1. How effective has it been for you when used to avoid pregnancy?
The Ladycomp said we would get pregnant if we “fooled around.” Well, we were a few months away from trying to have a baby, so we let our guard down and fooled around and viola–the next baby is on its way!! We weren’t surprised–the device was right.
  1. What problems/issues have you had with it?
My DH is the most handsome/brilliant/attractive when I’m on a “red” day (when I’m ovulating). 😊 So, that’s a bummer when you are trying to avoid, but we kind of laugh about it. It doesn’t cause terrible angst or resentment like some people claim. My DH is super cute & charming, if that’s a cross I must bear, that’s certainly one I can handle. Did that make sense?
  1. Have you switched to NFP from previously using artificial contraception? Was the decision mutual or did the switch cause tension in your relationship?
Yes. I’m the Catholic one, so the decision was completely up to me. I learned about it, I track my temps, I take responsibility. But, there is zero tension. My husband loves me like there is no tomorrow. Why would he want to express his love for me in a way that would trouble my conscience? I don’t think he has a single complaint. I treat him like royalty on days we can’t “be together” (because he’s super attractive those days–see ques #4), and we are “together” on the days we can be. It’s a win-win for him either way.
  1. Is your spouse on the same page as you regarding NFP, so to speak? If they initially were not, how did they come around? If they initially were and now are not, why?
He doesn’t see anything wrong with non-hormonal artificial birth control. (Although I think he may be beginning to understand the arguments against it). However, he doesn’t see anything wrong with practicing NFP either. He respects me, & respects my opinions and beliefs. That’s where it stands right now.
  1. How has using NFP positively or negatively impacted your marriage?
I don’t know. I guess positively because I understand my body better. It’s too hard to tell if our marriage is getting better and better because of NFP, because we make more money, because we are out of grad school, because we have children, because we are just plain in love with each other, or any of the other 100s of factors and changes we have gone through.
 
  1. What method of NFP do you use?
    Sympto-thermal
  2. How long have you been using it?
    2 yrs
  3. How effective has it been for you when used to avoid pregnancy?
    It worked 100% but then we changed our minds and decided to use it to try to conceive
  4. What problems/issues have you had with it?
    none, it actually has helped me figure out health issues/concerns that I wouldn’t have noticed if I had not charted
  5. Have you switched to NFP from previously using artificial contraception? Was the decision mutual or did the switch cause tension in your relationship?
    I was on birth control pills. I was not a practicing Catholic then. It was my idea but the decision ended up being mutual, and no, it hasn’t caused tension in our relationship, it has actually helped tremendously.
  6. Is your spouse on the same page as you regarding NFP, so to speak? If they initially were not, how did they come around? If they initially were and now are not, why?
    yes he is. First he didn’t want to because it was a “Catholic” thing, but after we talked about it, it made total sense to him. He came around even more when he heard the “Contraception: Why Not” cd. He wasn’t on the same page at the beginning because he’s not Catholic.
  7. How has using NFP positively or negatively impacted your marriage?It has impacted us in great ways. I was able to find out I had health problems that needed to be corrected, sadly it was after 2 miscarriages (found one problem after first miscarriage, and another problem before second miscarriage). It also has brought the 2 of us closer together and closer to God and it made us realize our reasons for avoiding were lame so we decided to try to conceive and be open to God’s will.
 
emill311 said:
  1. What method of NFP do you use?
Billings
2. How long have you been using it?
That’s a toughie:o I’ve known and used it off and on for about 7 years. Just this year we’ve gotten serious about avoiding.
  1. How effective has it been for you when used to avoid pregnancy?
It’s effective when you want it to be. With my husband’s military career, there are times when the only time he’s home is during my fertile time. Up to now we’ve not been willing to postpone relations for ANOTHER x amount of months…so we have five kids.
4. What problems/issues have you had with it?
At first it was an adjustment for my husband because while learning we got pregnant with our second child. It was really a mis-communication between us.
  1. Have you switched to NFP from previously using artificial contraception? Was the decision mutual or did the switch cause tension in your relationship?
    I was on the pill for about 8 months after our first baby. I wouldn’t have but was pressured by everyone including doc’s and my mother. But I knew better and felt guilty the ENTIRE time. I am lucky that my husband was supportive when I said I couldn’t do it anymore. I was really down and did not feel good about myself at all during the time I was on the pill.
  2. Is your spouse on the same page as you regarding NFP, so to speak? If they initially were not, how did they come around? If they initially were and now are not, why?
DH knew where I stood and would not go on the pill again. He was accepting but it didn’t cause any real problems. I think at times he feels stressed at providing for all of us, especially when we found out about number five. This is why we’ve decided to take NFP more seriously.
  1. How has using NFP positively or negatively impacted your marriage?
It’s definitely not all roses all the time. But I wouldn’t say it’s been negative at all.

Thank you for sharing your experience.
Click to expand...
 
  1. What method of NFP do you use?
    Sympto-thermal method
  2. How long have you been using it?
    I started charting about a year before we got married, so in total, about 4 years
  3. How effective has it been for you when used to avoid pregnancy?
    We were TTC when we first got married and got pregnant on the 3rd month of using NFP. Once we starting trying to avoid, it’s been 100% effective. This means 18 months of TTA and no pregnancy has resulted. We’re very conservative with the method, anyway.
  4. What problems/issues have you had with it?
    Really, none. I try to watch out for temperature spikes if I’m sick or other types of “false” readings. I don’t like abstaining during the fertile period sometimes, but it’s helped me understand that humans don’t have to have sex like animals–we can learn to prayerfully control our desires.
  5. Have you switched to NFP from previously using artificial contraception? Was the decision mutual or did the switch cause tension in your relationship?
    We started off using NFP, and the decision was mutual.
  6. Is your spouse on the same page as you regarding NFP, so to speak? If they initially were not, how did they come around? If they initially were and now are not, why?
    Sometimes. DH doesn’t always want to abstain during the fertile period and has a hard time understanding sometimes why it’s wrong to use contraception so he can still be intimate with his wife.
  7. How has using NFP positively or negatively impacted your marriage?
    I have no problem with abstaining when we need to, but sometimes I feel that DH does sometimes. See #7. But what’s really neat about it is that I was able to predict the date I’d have my son. NFP told me 4/27; my doctors stressed it would be 4/25. I went into labor on the 26th and had him the 27th. Go NFP!
 
We’re not using yet, but we’re studying, so here goes nothing!
  1. What method of NFP do you use?
  • Creighton
  1. How long have you been using it?
  • Studying since October of 2008
  1. How effective has it been for you when used to avoid pregnancy?
  • 100% abstinence so far is working great! (We get married in May). My fiancee went a long time without having a period, and the quacks told her to take ABC. She took ABC in high school for the doctors, but then stopped in college. When she stopped, so did her periods. They kicked in again a month after we met… no joke! Anyhow, she complains about her cycles being off, and despite her inconsistencies, Creighton finds it every month. We’re both incredibly impressed by the accuracy. My fiancee also has some really weird sleeping habits, but they don’t affect her charting with Creighton, which is another plus!
  1. What problems/issues have you had with it?
  • My fiance complains that her cycles are different every month, but the funny thing, which I always point out to her is that, she’s still able to detect when she’s ovulating. I say, who cares if they’re not the same length, so long as we can p(name removed by moderator)oint when you’re fertile!
  1. Have you switched to NFP from previously using artificial contraception? Was the decision mutual or did the switch cause tension in your relationship?
  • No
  1. Is your spouse on the same page as you regarding NFP, so to speak? If they initially were not, how did they come around? If they initially were and now are not, why?
  • Yes
  1. How has using NFP positively or negatively impacted your marriage?
  • We’re not married, but it got us talking about our plans. I think it causes couples to communicate more openly about family planning, which is a good thing IMHO.
 
  1. What method of NFP do you use?
    ~Billings Method, used conservatively due to a rare heart condition.
  2. How long have you been using it?
    ~Since January, 1997, with 2 regresses during that time :o
  3. How effective has it been for you when used to avoid pregnancy?
    ~The 2 times dh & I were intimate during our fertile phase, we became pregnant; we weren’t actively trying to conceive, but we were open to having more children. We’ve never conceived while we were actively trying to avoid.
  4. What problems/issues have you had with it?
    ~I have a regular cycle and it’s been easy to implement.
  5. Have you switched to NFP from previously using artificial contraception?
    ~Yes. After my first ds was born, I used the Pill, but after 15 months, the side effects became unbearable: headaches, bloating, weight gain, lowered libido :eek, etc.: After I stopped taking the Pill, it took 6 months to conceive my next child :mad: .
After ds #2 was born, I switched to a barrier method. My choices were limited because I have a latex allergy, so I used various forms of foams, jellies, etc. Ewww! Ick! Yuck! After a few months, I became so disgusted with the mess (and the sensitivity to Nonoxynol 9…sp?), that I was sooooo ready to try something else. NFP was a Godsend (it coincided with my reversion).

Was the decision mutual or did the switch cause tension in your relationship?
~Dh reluctantly agreed. After years of following the culture, he had bought into the contraceptive mentality; he wanted to be intimate whenever he wanted, but didn’t want any more children. But, I told him that I wasn’t going to commit mortal sin anymore and he accepted that.
  1. Is your spouse on the same page as you regarding NFP, so to speak? If they initially were not, how did they come around? If they initially were and now are not, why?
    ~I am happy to report that as dh’s faith has grown, his support of NFP has grown (although, he still wishes that we didn’t have to abstain as much).
  2. How has using NFP positively or negatively impacted your marriage?
    ~For me, there are no cons. I am a bit of a control freak, so I love that I am in charge of my fertility; I love knowing where I am in my cycle and I love not having to rely on a Pill or a piece of latex to avoid conception. But the best part of using NFP is that I never feel used. You see, I was raped in college and know what it’s like to be used sexually. The only time I haven’t felt used sexually, was when dh & I started to use NFP 👍 .
MB
 
We have used NFP both to avoid and achieve. I can’t say enough good things about it–my husband and I are both very satisfied with it and with the effects it has had on our relationship, especially our openness and communication with each other.

As for my answers to your questions…

1. What method of NFP do you use?
The Creighton Model.

**2. How long have you been using it?
**We started learning it in December of 2007 and were married in August 2008. So we have been using it to avoid/achieve for going on 6 months.

3. How effective has it been for you when used to avoid pregnancy?
If you’re looking for a percentage, for us it has been 100%. After three months of marriage we decided to try to conceive.

**4. What problems/issues have you had with it?
**I don’t have any complaints about Creighton or NFP in general. The ‘problem’ most people have is with discerning what God is calling them to in their marriage (either avoiding or achieving pregnancy) and using the method accordingly. I will say that because we were trying to avoid pregnancy when we were first married, we did abstain (for the most part 😊) on our honeymoon. That brought on a lot of deep discernment as to God’s will for our family, and let’s just say that we’re making up for that “lost time” on our honeymoon without any trouble!

6. Have you switched to NFP from previously using artificial contraception? Was the decision mutual or did the switch cause tension in your relationship?
n/a

7. Is your spouse on the same page as you regarding NFP, so to speak? If they initially were not, how did they come around? If they initially were and now are not, why?
DH is 100% on the same page as I am with NFP. He has come to classes and follow-ups with my fertility care practitioner, reminds me to chart and to make my observations, and is definitely on the same page when it comes to our usage of NFP.

8. How has using NFP positively or negatively impacted your marriage?
Like I said above, NFP has definitely increased our openness with one another and our general ability to talk about our sexual relationship. We both love how NFP allows us to see a much more detailed picture of my health as a woman. And of course being completely open to God’s will for our life as a family has taught us so much about His awesome, self-sacrificial love. Don’t think twice about taking that NFP class with your fiance!
 
  1. What method of NFP do you use?
    Sympto-Thermal from CCL
  2. How long have you been using it?
    20 years. We have been a CCL teaching couple for 14 years.
  3. How effective has it been for you when used to avoid pregnancy?
    100%. We have 4 children, all of whom were conceived when we intentionally stopped charting. A note on this: All studies quoted in our teaching materials about effectiveness were published by peer-reviewed journals or the US government. Most of the information you get in mainstream media tend to group all natural methods together, i.e., combining observation-based NFP with calender-based rhythm. That’s cooking the books, just as much as if I were to combine the effectiveness of vasectomy and condoms to come up with one number.
  4. What problems/issues have you had with it?
    None. It helped DW notice some irregularities that led to her diagnosis with endometriosis, allowing her to get surgery before it spread enough to make her infertile before we had any children.
  5. Have you switched to NFP from previously using artificial contraception? Was the decision mutual or did the switch cause tension in your relationship?
    Used it from the very beginning. Both of us had been committed to following Church teaching throughout our courtship. DWs older sister & BIL are also a teachers who gave us a lot of encouragement.
  6. Is your spouse on the same page as you regarding NFP, so to speak? If they initially were not, how did they come around? If they initially were and now are not, why?
    On the same page from the beginning.
  7. How has using NFP positively or negatively impacted your marriage?
    It has been a total positive. It has kept me from being someone who took my wife’s sexuality for granted. It has helped both of us understand the need to show each other love in ways other than sex. It helped us deal with times of forced abstinence, like around the kid birth, around the endo surgery and around my current deployment. And it is a whole lot cheaper over the long haul than any other method.
Thank you for sharing your experience.
Your welcome.

Peace
 
  1. What method of NFP do you use?
The Billings Ovulation Method.
  1. How long have you been using it?
I’ve been charting for 11 months, and we’ve been married for 6.
  1. How effective has it been for you when used to avoid pregnancy?
100% so far…it’s only 6 months but so far, so good.
  1. What problems/issues have you had with it?
I’ve had a few months where my CM was very confusing due to delayed ovulation. Looking back this was usually caused by stress, whether wedding-induced or brought on by a hectic week at school. It made the time of abstinence longer than usual, but we were able to deal with it.
  1. Have you switched to NFP from previously using artificial contraception? Was the decision mutual or did the switch cause tension in your relationship?
No, we have never used artificial BC in our marriage.
  1. Is your spouse on the same page as you regarding NFP, so to speak? If they initially were not, how did they come around? If they initially were and now are not, why?
If by “on the same page” you mean “cooperates and knows the rules,” then yes. My DH isn’t Catholic…so when I told him I wasn’t going to be going on the Pill when we got married, it was a pretty interesting discussion to say the least. He actually was convinced that I shouldn’t use the Pill when I explained that it’s an early abortifacient. He doesn’t see anything wrong with condoms but knows I would not be happy if he tried to pull that.

Basically, he is respectful of my views and cooperates with NFP use. It’s not been a big bone of contention so far, thank goodness.
  1. How has using NFP positively or negatively impacted your marriage?
    I don’t really have anything to compare it to because we’ve been using NFP the whole time we’ve been married. But we are doing great over here. 👍
 
emill311 said:
So if you don’t mind I’d like some (name removed by moderator)ut-
  1. What method of NFP do you use?
    Creighton
  2. How long have you been using it?
    About a year- 4 months before wedding I started
  3. How effective has it been for you when used to avoid pregnancy?
    100%- didn’t get pregnant till we started ignoring rules 😉
  4. What problems/issues have you had with it?
    Maybe the only “problem” was the cost of lessons- for us it was a lot to spend but worth it. We switched to this method from STM because it gave more allowances for my long cycles and continuous mucus issues.
  5. Have you switched to NFP from previously using artificial contraception? Was the decision mutual or did the switch cause tension in your relationship?
    Nope. In fact I was the one hesitant about NFP initially (during engagement) because I was worried about effectivess/abstinence, and he was still Protestant at the time and he was very convinced of the benefits.
  6. Is your spouse on the same page as you regarding NFP, so to speak? If they initially were not, how did they come around? If they initially were and now are not, why?
    Pretty much same page
  7. How has using NFP positively or negatively impacted your marriage?
    Very positive. If we were contracepting we would easily put off kids for a couple years but we were very happy with our surprise (definitely not a method error BTW, I thought I wouldn’t get pregnant b/c of my PCOS).
Click to expand...
 
**1. What method of NFP do you use?
Billings Ovulation Method.

2. How long have you been using it?
I’ve been charting for about a year, but only married about 9-10 months

3. How effective has it been for you when used to avoid pregnancy?
100% - we’ve been having to avoid and I’m still not pregnant.

4. What problems/issues have you had with it?
On occasion, it can be frustrating for me (as well as my husband!) to not be able to make love whenever we feel like it (which is quite often!), especially since we’ve noticed my libido is higher during the fertile time. However, we were mentally prepared for the need to abstain, and we often comment to each other at such times how much we’d like to… and laugh/share the disappointment as a couple. It certainly hasn’t caused any resentment.

On a more practical level, during the first few months of being married, I was still getting used to reading my cycle when it actually mattered, and so we tended to wait a couple of extra days after I thought I was infertile, for safety. Over time I’ve become more confident in my assessments, but we still wait an extra day if I’m not sure.

6. Have you switched to NFP from previously using artificial contraception? Was the decision mutual or did the switch cause tension in your relationship?
No - NFP from the start.

7. Is your spouse on the same page as you regarding NFP, so to speak? If they initially were not, how did they come around? If they initially were and now are not, why?
Yes, thankfully - if anything he was the one to make me really commit to it, being a wonderful Catholic man! Before we got together I hadn’t really thought about contraception very much, although I had never liked the idea of putting unnecessary drugs/hormones into my body, but it took a while for me to get rid of the insidious secular idea that I would (obviously!) have full control over when we had a baby.😉

That said, as a science teacher I was well aware of the pregnancy rate of various forms of contraception, so the discovery that you can track fertility and just avoid when necessary made perfect sense to me! If you really don’t feel you can cope with a baby right now then surely the best way is to not participate in the activity that produces babies? 🤷

Added to that, I now have a better idea of the side-effects of chemical contraception like the pill and the difficulties of returning fertility, and also, I’m glad to say, I largely grasp the Church’s teaching on why any contraception is wrong.

But for me it was the practicality of it that just made sense before anything else. The periodic abstinence part of it never bothered me.

Hmm… just realised this wasn’t actually an answer to the question asked above, but hope it helps anyway!
  1. How has using NFP positively or negatively impacted your marriage?
    I like knowing that he loves me enough to abstain when we need to, so I don’t feel taken for granted, and I appreciate knowing that my body’s working properly so when we can be open to a baby I won’t need to worry about anything. It also means we talk about babies much more often than I think we would otherwise have done. (Although, necessarily, there’s no way of testing that!)
 
emill311 said:
  1. What method of NFP do you use?
    sympto-thermal
  2. How long have you been using it?
    5 months
  3. How effective has it been for you when used to avoid pregnancy?
    100%
  4. What problems/issues have you had with it?
    buy-in from husband at first
  5. Have you switched to NFP from previously using artificial contraception? Was the decision mutual or did the switch cause tension in your relationship?
    I used a diaphram and decided that I didn’t want to inject myself with pills, chemicals or devices anymore. It caused a bit of tension in the very beginning.
  6. Is your spouse on the same page as you regarding NFP, so to speak? If they initially were not, how did they come around? If they initially were and now are not, why?
My husband understands my desire not to use ABC and he respects me and supports me, but he’s not overly religious. He does it out of love for me.
8. How has using NFP positively or negatively impacted your marriage?

Love making is WAY more passionate than before. It is more intense also.
Click to expand...
 
emill311 said:
I’m curious to hear the experiences of couples who use NFP, especially those who have prayerfully applied it to the avoidance of pregnancy.

From what I’ve read it is every bit as effective at artificial means if learned and applied properly, but this is coming from organizations or authors that (usually) ultimately profit from teaching their particular method and may be biased (although I don’t think they are). I have also read of the benefits of improved bonding within the marriage.

So if you don’t mind I’d like some (name removed by moderator)ut-
  1. What method of NFP do you use?sympto-thermal
  2. How long have you been using it?6 months
  3. How effective has it been for you when used to avoid pregnancy?👍
  4. What problems/issues have you had with it?I have a condition where I am not regular. So it gets frustrating sometimes
  5. Have you switched to NFP from previously using artificial contraception?Yes. I was taking BC Pill for PCOS. Was the decision mutual or did the switch cause tension in your relationship?There was plenty of tensions. I was advised by my athiest spouse that NFP was a Catholic superstition:rolleyes:
  6. Is your spouse on the same page as you regarding NFP, so to speak?He doesn’t help me with it, but after speaking to the OB-GYN he accepts as my method. If they initially were not, how did they come around? Speaking with the OB-GYN. However he said that when enough children were had, that he would get a vasectomy and not tell me. so yes and no. If they initially were and now are not, why?Same answer as above
  7. How has using NFP positively or negatively impacted your marriage?It is the same.
Thank you for sharing your experience.
Click to expand...
 
  1. What method of NFP do you use?
Sympto-Thermal (STM)
  1. How long have you been using it?
Well, not counting the 9 months I was pregnant, one year. However, before we married I used it for a year to learn my cycles.
  1. How effective has it been for you when used to avoid pregnancy?
If you work with it, it’ll work with you. Just gotta study your manual and ask your instructor(s) questions when you have them. It’s been effective for us.
  1. What problems/issues have you had with it?
No issues that the method had anything to do with. My personal issues have been long cycles since I’ve had my son. The manual deals with just about every situation that comes up so we haven’t had an excuse to complain about it!
  1. Have you switched to NFP from previously using artificial contraception? Was the decision mutual or did the switch cause tension in your relationship?
We’ve never used or considered artificial contraception.
  1. Is your spouse on the same page as you regarding NFP, so to speak? If they initially were not, how did they come around? If they initially were and now are not, why?
Yes he is. But when we were dating he didn’t trust it because he didn’t know anything about it. A lot of people have the mindset that you need a device or medicine to prevent pregnancy and that’s simply not true. He came around after I started telling him how the female cycle works and how sperm play into it (i.e. sperm life and how long they live.) He was definitely sold after we took the class.
  1. How has using NFP positively or negatively impacted your marriage?
Positively, but I’m not going to sugar coat it and say its been easy. The long periods of abstinence since childbirth have been trying but one day my husband said that he still likes NFP because it makes him appreciate me more when he can “have” me.
 
emill311 said:
I’m curious to hear the experiences of couples who use NFP, especially those who have prayerfully applied it to the avoidance of pregnancy.

From what I’ve read it is every bit as effective at artificial means if learned and applied properly, but this is coming from organizations or authors that (usually) ultimately profit from teaching their particular method and may be biased (although I don’t think they are).
Click to expand...
Yes…failure rates quoted/reported on these forums are always super high, on par with some of the most effective abc out there. Even more independed studies indicate it as an effective method of birth control, given “perfect use.” However, with “typical use,” failure rates can be significantly higher…upwards of 20% or more–just do some googling and you will come across those numbers multiple times. I have no idea how one defines perfect use vs typical use.

Also, since we aren’t currently using NFP, and you asked for (name removed by moderator)ut from couples who are currently using NFP, I feel like I am kind of crashing this party…so feel free to ignore me 🙂 …I know I am thread crashing here. We used NFP of and on for 6-7 years in order to space/delay pregnancies. We became pregnant 2.5 times in that span. I say 2.5 times b/c we kind of pushed the envelope on the one…so we weren’t super shocked…the other 2 pregnancies were very much “Wow…you can’t be serious!” kinds of pregnancies.

My wife (with a bit of assistance from me…but in all honesty, mostly my wife) used the Sympto-Thermal method…temp charting, mucus checks etc., etc. She was diligent and thorough.

I know many experience a wonderful closeness by practicing NFP, I cannot say that was the case for us. When we were actively avoiding pregnancy, the was the cloud of anxiety over us, escpecially after the first pregancy while using NFP. I remember sweating it out each month before she got here period…even when there was essentially no way she could become pregnant. We would err so far on the safe side of things that we limited ourselves pretty drastically. Looking back, I don’t have a particularly positive view of how NFP impacted our relationship.

But to be fair, this is my view, and perhpas my wife’s is slightly different. I’ll ask her if her if she agrees with my assessment.

Anyway, I felt that if you were looking for experiences with NFP, it may give you some perspective to read a different view different than the ones you will likely get on this forum.

–Rico
 
1. What method of NFP do you use?
Sympto-Thermal

2. How long have you been using it?
19 years
**
3. How effective has it been for you when used to avoid pregnancy?**
100% effective to conceive and to avoid.

4. What problems/issues have you had with it?
It’s still not natural to not be able to make love when we want to. But, not being able to have sex all the time instills discipline and won’t kill you.

6. Have you switched to NFP from previously using artificial contraception? Was the decision mutual or did the switch cause tension in your relationship?
Used ABC methods. Mostly mutual.

7. Is your spouse on the same page as you regarding NFP, so to speak? If they initially were not, how did they come around? If they initially were and now are not, why?
We’re on the same page. We both hate it.

8. How has using NFP positively or negatively impacted your marriage?
Learning discipline is a positive.
 
emill311 said:
So if you don’t mind I’d like some (name removed by moderator)ut-
  1. What method of NFP do you use?
  2. How long have you been using it?
  3. How effective has it been for you when used to avoid pregnancy?
  4. What problems/issues have you had with it?
  5. Have you switched to NFP from previously using artificial contraception? Was the decision mutual or did the switch cause tension in your relationship?
  6. Is your spouse on the same page as you regarding NFP, so to speak? If they initially were not, how did they come around? If they initially were and now are not, why?
  7. How has using NFP positively or negatively impacted your marriage?
Thank you for sharing your experience.
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  1. Billing’s Method.
  2. 10 years.
  3. 100% effective (in more ways than most would suspect)
  4. This isn’t in the literature we got, but my wife found that cold medicines that function via drying up mucus really interefere with her cervical mucus symptoms, so she doesn’t use any. I contribute by being her gopher whenever she DOES get a cold, which is surprsingly infrequent. It also took her awhile to get over the mucus ‘gross’ factor. As you can see from above, she has the higher chore burden.
  5. What happened to #5? Can’t you count? 😉
  6. We never used ABC and I think it made things a LOT easier for us. Ask any smoker if it is easier to quit smoking or never to start!
  7. Same page and were before marriage. People laugh if you suggest that you should screen potential dates for religious compatibility, but it sure works great in MY experience!
  8. As alluded to in #3 above, NFP makes you fast from sex several days a month. Sometimes those are days you REALLY don’t want to fast. But it has a surprising effect. If we were ABC users I have no doubt we’d have quit after 2 kids. #2 was a HARD infant and pregnancy. The crier who never slept. It was the fasting times that made us reconsider just how bad we’d had it and just how serious that was as a reason for not having another. And I think this has a LOT to do with why ABC is considered sinful. It divorces sex from baby making and turns it into a mere indulgence. It is supposed to be so much more. NFP retains that link and nudges couples back towards being open to more blessings from God.
 
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