Reasons for NFP

A few days ago Faithful Catholic suggested that I stop NFP not only because I’m frustrated right now, but also because it’s based on bad theology. He says that condemning birth control is the same as condemning same-sex relationships…it’s all condemning any type of sex that won’t result in a conception.

Now, I don’t know much about theology so I’m not about to debate it. And I know I’ve never gotten much of anywhere trying to convince someone of my moral beliefs. The people who say they’ve learned from me are the ones who saw what I did, not what I said. If someone wants to be encouraged or inspired by how I act or what I do, fine. But I don’t preach and I don’t really listen when other people preach or debate me either. Instead, I’m going to provide a list of reasons why NFP is good aside from the Catholic mandate that we should do it.

1. It’s equal responsibility birth control. If we slip up, then both of us slip up. I taught Mike how to read my chart and I keep it posted inside the door of our medicine cabinet in the bathroom. We both know when we should have sex and when we shouldn’t, so if an accident does happen we’ll deal with it together instead of placing blame.

2. It’s cheaper and easier than pills. I’m lazy. Like, seriously lazy. When I would run out of birth control pills I’d often put off going to the pharmacy until I’d missed an active pill or two. That’s not good. And although my current insurance only requires a ten dollar co-pay for every pack of pills, my old insurance used to charge me thirty bucks a pack. My basal body temperature thermometer cost seven bucks, and I can photocopy a year’s worth of charts at Kinko’s for $1.50. You do the math.

3. I can get pregnant sooner when I want to. I have two friends who came off the pill and tried to conceive. One friend conceived after a year of trying, and another has been trying for five or six months now and still isn’t having any luck. I know they say that your body bounces back after three months, but sometimes it takes a lot longer. It’s been sad watching their frustration and discouragement, and I’d rather not go through that.

4. I can participate more in my medical care. Charting teaches you all sorts of stuff about your body that oral contraception covers up. In the short time I’ve been charting I’ve learned a bunch of things about my body. I also have a baseline I can show the doctor when things go wrong. This is much better than when I used to just go to the doctor and say, “I guess things are fine. Just renew my prescription and I’ll get out of here.”

5. It’s healthier. No artificial hormones, no increased risk of blood clots or cancer, no destruction of the mucus glands. It’s nice.

6. It teaches you about your body. When I finished the book I was outraged that I’d spent 27 years being so ignorant and fearful of my own body. The whole reproductive cycle is amazing when you learn about it.

Oddly enough, the book I learned NFP from (Taking Charge of your Fertility by Toni Weschler) is not a Catholic book. It’s utterly secular and pretty liberal and feminist.

Even if the Pope called a press conference tomorrow and told everyone that birth control was cool, I still wouldn’t give up NFP. I just wish there were better resources available.