I was reading an article in CCL’s Family Foundations magazine about a couple who learned Natural Family Planning as the wife regained after fertility during a postpartum period and struggled through that period . I think it was definitely divine providence that I read that article today! Last night I was just complaining about how difficult NFP can be. I told my husband that I was just ready to give up on it. (Not that I would actually do that; I was really just complaining and speaking from frustration.) Even though we had successfully used NFP for almost five years now to both postpone and achieve pregnancy, I still have a lot of anxiety about getting pregnant so soon after having a baby. In fact, my doctor and psychologist suggest that I not have any more children. The thought of using NFP to avoid pregnancy for the rest of my many fertile years seems daunting. Anyways, as I was saying, I was just having some serious thoughts of resorting to contraception but I lack faith in the NFP rules to avoid pregnancy even though I have no reason to doubt them. My husband and I have been abstaining quite a bit lately as we watch carefully for the return of my fertility. (Our baby is 6 months old.) Sometimes it feels like we’re back to single life, and it’s so frustrating. We are committed to living a Catholic life including the absence of contraception in our marriage, but I have to say lately it feels to me like this is an impossible task. My husband on the other hand is much holier than I and is 100% patient with the ambiguous fertility signs. My temperates are all over the place and I seem to have varying degrees of mucus all the time. I’m scared to be intimate as I don’t want (nor should I) to get pregnant. I felt good to me to have some reassurance that other couples struggle with strange fertility signs after pregnancy and others have doubts that NFP is significant for family planning. After reading the article, it occurred to me that the abstinence is only temporary, and it provides my spouse and I time to focus on our communication and relationship. God alone is enough even in my family, even in my marriage! Praise be to God. I’m sure I’ll have more to share on our journey with NFP as it continues….

God love you.

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