natural family planning

if you really don't like the looks of the subject line, if the word "condom" makes you uncomfortable, if other random folks talking about their sex lives makes you squirm..maybe this journal entry is too much info for you..just don't read on :)

ok, so now that I got your attention...i will say that this method of birth control is certainly not for everyone...like say if you and your spouse really really never want to have another baby or if your cycle is crazy unpredictable. but we have been doing this nfp since jackson was born and i have to say there is something to it. for those of you who have no idea what i am speaking of..
according to ask.com "Natural family planning is when a couple tracks menstrual cycles, to determine when not to have sexual relations. They can track the period of ovulation and abstain from sexual intercourse during that time. Look here for more information:


http://familydoctor.org/online/famdocen/home/women/contraceptive/126.html

i will tell you what WE are doing. my cycle is very predictable and I can feel ovulation..it happens on as early as day 10 and lasts about 3 days...and given that sperm can live in the body up to 5 days..we use condoms day 5-day19 (day one being the first day of my period) and we don't use condoms day 20-day 4. so, less technically, we don't use condoms half of the month..

some things i really like about this
-jack is a daily kind of sex guy..and prefers no condom..so i get a little bit of a break on the condom half of the month..
-i like condom sex because it is less messy and less painful..so i get about 15 days of what i prefer
-jack really looks forward to the other 15 days which makes for a little something for him to look forward to/savor..which makes for more sparks in the bedroom that other 15 days
-jack saying "isn't it day 20 yet?"
-The Lord could intervene and give us a surprise pregnancy..whereas with hormone therapy, i felt like it was all up to us to decide when to start trying to get pregnant..which seemed like a lot of pressure.
-i am not on hormone therapy my whole adult life
-i don't have to spend 40 buckeroos a month on the ring (which i loved..if you ever want a form of contraception that you never have to think about, or remember to take)
-don't have to get that feeling in my stomach when i see those commercials on tv about blood clots and hormone therapy
-i enjoy the days leading up to my period..i like the idea and excitement that i may be pregnant..and then i get freaked out thinking that i may be pregnant as my period date gets closer..then i accept that i may be pregnant..then hurray, i am not pregnant and i get so pumped..as i work through this roller coaster of emotions for a couple of days every month, the Lord is slowly getting me used to the idea of maybe being pregnant one day in the far off future...lol