Natural Family Planning

Joshua and I both highly recommend NFP to all married couples, for both avoiding and trying for pregnancy. We took a class through a Catholic church’s Couple to Couple League before we got married in October 2006, and we’ve been using it since then. So far it’s helped us to not get pregnant when we felt like it wasn’t time to have a baby and to get pregnant when we felt like God was asking us to try that, but it also gave us great openness to God’s will in His involvement in the entire process of adding to our family. I am so thankful for the way God has created each of us, and it is amazing to pay attention to some of the detail that God has made in our bodies. He’s made everything to work perfectly the way He desires.

Rachel’s Basic Explanation of NFP
You can keep track of your morning oral temperature, vaginal mucus, and cervix to help predict and confirm ovulation. The sites listed below have some more details on how to do this, but I especially found the temperature tracking to be very helpful for me. I know other people who mostly pay attention to their mucus because it’s so reliable for them. To track your temperature, get a digital thermometer and take your temperature every morning at the same time before you get up. It helps if you go to bed and get up around the same time each day, but, after you track it awhile, you should know somewhat how your temperature will be affected if you’re up late or get up early. It is amazing to me how God created our bodies to work through cycles of day and night.
For trying to prevent pregnancy, some people choose not to have sex anytime that they could possibly get pregnant (true NFP doesn't use other backup methods). Some couples use a barrier backup (such as a condom or diaphragm) on days when they probably aren’t going to get pregnant but there’s a chance they could ovulate earlier than usual. And some people use a barrier method during their fertile time, but remember that doing this means you have a good chance of getting pregnant since none of the barriers are 100% and you’re using it when you are very fertile. Many people worry about not being able to have sex all month long, but studies I’ve seen show that people using NFP on average have at least as much sex per month as couples using other forms of contraception because the NFP couples are more likely to have sex during their infertile time (like a little honeymoon time each month). Couples have also commented that they enjoy other forms of intimacy during their period of abstinence.

Here’s an interesting radio program on Family Life Today about NFP that I recommend listening to. It has some interesting things to start thinking about, if you haven’t considered using NFP before.
To listen to the five July 2008 broadcasts, you can go to http://www.familylife.com/site/c.dnJHKLNnFoG/b.6467443/k.EAA0/A_Biblical_Approach_to_Family_Planning.htm. The essay mentioned by Randy Alcorn can be found at http://www.epm.org/resources/2010/Feb/17/short-condensation-does-birth-control-pill-cause-a/.

Joshua and I love discussing NFP and would be so happy to help teach you or try to answer any questions. So please just let me know if we can do anything for you!

timing and planning of children

I just have to add one more opinion on this issue (and I'll add some Christian links on this topic soon). Joshua and I lean towards the quiverfull beliefs of children being an amazing blessing from God, and we believe that God is more qualified than we are to decide when to bless a family with a child. Joshua and I would not want to prevent a beautiful life from coming into this world because of our personal comfort or preferences. But, of course, each situation is unique and requires you to pray about it and spend time with God so He can let you know His plans for blessing your family in the way He desires. Overall in our society, people seem to wait for perfect finances and schedules and all that stuff that really shouldn't matter when considering the value of the life of a child. It seems that many couples choose to wait a certain number of years before wanting children, but what if you're fertile now and won't be in five years? If you feel like it's not time to have a baby, make sure you're spending enough time in conversation with God about it so that you know it's not your own worldly desires that are preventing you from possibly experiencing the amazing blessing that children bring.

helpful resources

Taking Charge of Your Fertility book
http://www.amazon.com/Taking-Charge-Your-Fertility-Anniversary/dp/0060881909/ref=pd_bbs_sr_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1226340838&sr=8-1
Recommended by several people I know.

The Couple to Couple League
http://www.ccli.org/
I don’t agree with everything the Catholic church says, but this is a very helpful resource for learning NFP. We took a class with Tom & Regina Brungardt through CCL to learn NFP.

NFP how-to manual - Natural Family Planning International, Inc. (NFPI)
http://www.nfpandmore.org/
All sorts of helpful information including a downloadable manual and charts.

Basic NFP instructions: http://www.irh.org/resources-SymptothermalMethod.htm

Description of various NFP methods: http://www.americanpregnancy.org/preventingpregnancy/fertilityawarenessNFP.html
Basic anatomy info:
http://www.familyplanning.net/main.php?id_area=29

Taking Charge of Your Fertility fourms: http://forums.ovusoft.com/Default.asp?cookieCheck=666423536

Family Life Today: http://www.familylife.com/site/apps/nlnet/content3.aspx?c=dnJHKLNnFoG&b=3781515&ct=5597295

charts

Here are some downloadable charts. I generally just use Excel.

http://www.irh.org/pdf/t-chart0-1.pdf, instructions on using chart: http://www.irh.org/resouces-NFPcharts.htm

http://www.nfpandmore.org/Chart.pdf

http://www.fertilityuk.org/nfps05.html#downloads

extra supplies

Although NFP can really be done without special supplies, here are some extras that could be helpful:

A cheap thermometer works fine, but this one keeps track of things, so it can be pretty helpful. http://craigmedical.com/Ovulation_comp.htm

The OvaCue is helpful in predicting ovulation about five days ahead of time (the time you need if you’re not wanting to get pregnant) and also confirms ovulation afterward (so that you know your infertile time has started) http://www.zetek.net/

infertility

I don’t know why some people get pregnant and some people don’t. God has good plans, but they are beyond my understanding. I had no trouble getting pregnant, so I haven’t experienced what many many couples go through with trying to conceive.
NFP should help you to know how the woman’s cycle is working. I’ve also read several studies on the importance of about four months of good nutrition in both the man and the woman before getting pregnant. Eating certain healthy foods has allowed some “infertile” couples to get pregnant. I’ll have to look for more specific information on this, but here’s one link for now:
http://www.naturaltransition.com/preconception-pregnancy-diet.htm

Here's a little more:

Women
Eat less than 8 ounces of low-mercury fish each week in order to limit the mercury in your body before you get pregnant.
http://www.babycenter.com/404_should-i-be-concerned-about-mercury-levels-in-fish-now-that_1403568.bc

book written by Christian author about nutrition for fertility
http://www.amazon.com/Fertility-Cycles-Nutrition-Marilyn-Shannon/dp/0926412094

Taking Charge of your Fertility book
http://www.amazon.com/Taking-Charge-Your-Fertility-Anniversary/dp/0060881909/ref=ed_oe_p

eat vitamin C, nitric oxide, lactobacilli, grapeseed extract, evening primrose oil, calcium, vegetables, fruits, protein, whole-grains, and water
http://www.babyhopes.com/articles/healthy-eating.html

Eat non-GMO food
http://www.organicconsumers.org/articles/article_15588.cfm
http://www.naturalnews.com/025001.html

Avoid teflon and stain guard: http://www.ewg.org/newsrelease/U.S.-Women-at-Greater-Risk-from-Teflon-Chemical

Book called Making Babies which combines both Western and Chinese medicine to examine the least-invasive ways to help fertility: http://www.amazon.com/Making-Babies-3-Month-Program-Fertility/dp/0316024503/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1252354660&sr=8-1


Men
Men who use paint regularly are more likely to have sperm motility problems.
http://www.babycenter.com/204_paint-chemical-linked-to-male-fertility-problems_5232825.bc

Certain vitamins and nutrients — such as vitamins C and E, zinc, and folic acid — are important for making healthy sperm
http://www.babycenter.com/0_trying-to-conceive-five-changes-to-make-to-your-diet-now_3558.bc

don’t drink too much alcohol, eat vitamin C, zinc, folic acid, calcium, vitamin D.
http://www.babycenter.com/0_dads-to-be-diet-changes-to-boost-your-fertility_4188.bc

Eat vitamin C, vitamin E, calcium, vitamin D, antioxidants, folate, selenium, soy, and zinc
http://www.sparkpeople.com/resource/nutrition_articles.asp?id=140

Eat fresh fruit, brazil nuts, garlic, oily fish, and chili
http://www.realbuzz.com/en-gb/RSS/index?pageID=18861&sub_page=2

eat fruit and vegetables
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/15389873/

Carnitine, Arginine, Lycopene, Vitamin C, Vitamine E, Selenium, and Zinc
http://www.fertilitynutrition.com/en/en-productinfo-m.html

Psalm 139:13-14

13 For you created my inmost being; you knit me together in my mother's womb. 14 I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful, I know that full well.
New International Version

13-16 Oh yes, you shaped me first inside, then out; you formed me in my mother's womb. I thank you, High God—you're breathtaking! Body and soul, I am marvelously made! I worship in adoration—what a creation! You know me inside and out, you know every bone in my body; You know exactly how I was made, bit by bit, how I was sculpted from nothing into something. Like an open book, you watched me grow from conception to birth; all the stages of my life were spread out before you, The days of my life all prepared before I'd even lived one day.
The Message

13You are the one who put me together inside my mother's body, 14and I praise you because of the wonderful way you created me. Everything you do is marvelous! Of this I have no doubt.
Contemporary English Version