Father's Day Special: Getting Your Husband To Agree To NFP (from the archives)

 

If you're interested in natural family planning, or have been dreaming about going off hormones   but the thought having that conversation with your partner send you into a mild panic attack This is the blog post for you. 

Because you are not alone. In fact, fear of your partners reaction this is one of the top reasons women claim they can never go off hormones.

Unfortunately, we can’t say that there is a quick fix solution or offer you magic fairy dust to sprinkle on your husband to make him open to the possibility. Actually though, the first step towards a NFP boils to a simple factor: joint knowledge and communication. We all know communication is the foundation of every lasting relationship and communicating effectively about sex is extra important. And extra difficult. But because communication is the foundation of NFP, just look at this conversation as the first step in your journey towards a deeper connection as a couple. The show starts right now.

From middle school sex ed, all the way through marriage, most men view contraception as primarily a women’s problem. She ovulates and gets her period, she takes the pill, she represses her fertility, and she takes care of business to insure “worry free” sex.

But where is the honesty and communication in that equation? The relationship, the ‘WE’ of the intense bond of a sexual relationship, is mitigated by eliminating the need to discuss the aspect of fertility and sex. 

Sex is a powerful and intimate experience, one that is constantly changing and evolving, and should be a central discussion in any committed relationship. But in all honesty, it’s just not that easy to communicate lovingly and sensitively about the topic of sex. And the longer we can go without mentioning it, the more we tend to fall into repetitive, perhaps negative, habits.

Many women think that their husband or partner will push aside the idea of NFP as a contraceptive method, but in fact, once men gain the knowledge and are explained the logic of an alternative method, they can see the appeal and agree that it might be time for a shift.

Your partner wants the best for you. He wants you to be healthy, happy, and secure. He wants to be involved and invested, willing to look at fertility as a ‘OUR issue’ instead of ‘YOUR issue. Remember — you are in a loving, mutually respectful relationship. No husband wants his wife to be exposed to harmful chemicals that have short term side effects and potential long term health hazards.

 And above all, both you and your partner want to develop the art and language of positive communication. A discussion about NFP and birth control is only the first step in a wondrous journey of communicating effectively. Because after all, if you can make communicating lovingly about sex a habit in your marriage, you’ll be able to communicate lovingly about just about anything else. 

 

With Special Thanks To Ira Winter RN MSc BSc CFCP at Life FertlityCare

To learn more about the benefits of NFP visit http://lifefertilitycare.co.uk/ .