Since becoming "sexually active" (awkward) I have been in search of the perfect birth control. (Especially since I already had one unplanned pregnancy!) But the standards might be a little difficult to come by....
-100% efficacy
-User failure-proof
-Free
-Does not require remembering anything
-Does not interfere with spontanaity
-No side effects
-No weight gain
-Does not decrease fertility
-Does not lead to increased cancer risk
I have finally found it...abstinence! Ok, just kidding. I've not found the perfect birth control. But, what I have found is empowering, natural, and more reliable than I expected. I know that most people are skeptical of the Fertility Awareness Method (or Natural Planning Method). I'm not going to lie, I thought that only Catholics used it...and I know a lot of Catholics with really big families.
My sister-in-law let me borrow "Taking Charge of Your Fertility." Even if you aren't in the market for a new birth control plan, I think every woman should read it! I finally know "why" my body works the way it does! My body is not just some random hormonal beast that is crazy and impossible to understand. It's empowering, encouraging, and a break-through in understanding the awe-striking female body. I look at myself completely differently now.
I've started charting, so we will see how it goes! Hopefully next month I won't be posting a picture of a little pink plus sign!
16 comments:
I know people who have gotten pregnant using charting as a method (there's an iPhone app for that...big surprise), so it makes sense that it would work the other way too, I think.
Well, I AM Catholic, so of course I know of this book (though I read a different one). It IS empowering! I think every girl should know how awesome her body is too. What a gift that would be! The only hard part is the abstaining. (read: I have 4 kids!) LOL
YES! I've never read this particular book, but I read CUNT when I was eighteen and, even though I gave up halfway through, it definitely changed my life.
I HATE birth control--I've tried hormonal birth control twice (two different pills) and both messed my body up so badly.. I can't even being to list all the horrible things that crap does to your body. It's just NOT natural to pump your body full of fake hormones.
Yay for Natural Family Planning! You really are going to like not being dependent on BC pills.
This is a great book, Caroline. I used NFP to get pregnant with Abram. I need to start charting again too (to avoid!) If you do not have a predictable cycle, I can see how easily you could conceive since you don't really know you are ovulating until the day before and then it's too late...from what I understand anyway.
I would love to understand that side of me a little better (funny that you posted this today)!
That would be exciting!!
We use that "birth control" too! Not whole heartedly but somewhat. I don't want to buy anything or take anything or have anything implanted in me. But I don't want a bazillion kids either. Although, I was like clock work until we started trying so I didn't really look for signs of ovulation. Then we start trying and I started ovulating 4 days early! I may have to pay more attention!
I hope you get a pink plus sign next month!
I'll keep my fingers crossed for you! x
Didnt know about this book.. Will ck it out.. thank you!! sound like a great book.
Okay, well, I'm Catholic but so far actually *using* NFP has been a little tricky for me (mostly because I don't want to have to DO anything). But really, I just haven't felt like I understood the process well enough to consider it reliable. Still, everyone I know who uses NFP raves about how liberating it is...I'm going to have to get this book!
I have this book on my amazon wishlist! I can't wait to read it because...I'm using NFP, but totally in a fly-by-the-seat-of-my-pants way. Not conducive to postponing pregnancy :) But I already agree that not being a slave to the pill has been wonderful for us, now I just need to get better at understanding my body.
Sounds like an interesting book worth checking out!
So interested in this book. Getting off of hormonal bc is one of the best things I've done for my body, I hope you have a great (effective) experience with this! Good luck :)
I am older than you (by quite a bit), but when I got married, I was on birth control pills, had some female issues, and went off them forever two months after we got married (with my husband's blessings). We have three children, aren't Catholic, and discovered the so-called Rhythm Method worked really well for us. Our first two are five years apart (on purpose) and our last two are three years apart (again, on purpose). I loved learning my body and its rhythm and miss the days of predictability (yes, sliding into menopause...sigh...). Glad to know you discovered how awesome it can be.
I am going to a Catholic university (I'm Lutheran, however) where we are required to take three theology classes. For my last theology course, I took a Christian Marriage class where we read Pope John Paul II's letter all about natural family planning. I have to say, I think it sounds like a great form of preventing pregnancy for married couples and I may try it when that time comes. I really like it, too, because it allows a woman to really know her body and her husband to as well. I think it's good when a couple can talk openly about things that many times are hush-hush.
Thanks for bringing up this topic!
Caroline, I know I am like MONTHS late in commenting on this particular post, but I have a question...
Would the book be helpful for someone who IS looking to get pregnant? I have SO many issues with my cycle so I am not sure if it would work, but I am trying to conceive and feel like I don't know ANYTHING about my body and have been looking for a book to tell me it all.
I would really like to ask you a few questions, so I might just email you, but if you actually see this comment sometime and feel like responding, could you drop me a quick email?
sheenersb@hotmail.com
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