NFP (The Creighton Model) - Respecting The Human Person
Fecundity is not a curse, nor is fertility a disease; yet in today’s society both seem to be regarded as conditions which need to be treated. Doctors regularly prescribe birth control pills to young women as if there were something wrong with being fertile. While it may be understood that there are times in a woman’s life where she may not want to get pregnant, the cost of such endeavors can be quite high upon the body.
My intention in writing this post is not to address the multitude of condition which may arise from use of contraceptive pills; rather, I wish to make known the point that there are methods by which a woman can understand her body, respect its dignity, be open to the gift of life and not open herself the toxic concoction of contraceptive pills.
Natural Family Planning (NFP) is a way for a couple to work with the natural fertility cycles of the body, while respecting the natural procreative aspect of sexuality. While it is true that one must learn how to monitor fertility, in the long run, a couple who practice such methods will find that they grow closer together and more intimately understand each other. This is something that I can attest to via my own experiences.
Now, some people upon reading about NFP may think: “Oh? So you just look out for the menses and plan from there,” but no, this is not how this works at all. A woman has many biological markers within her body to help her know when she is fertile and when she is not, and one of the signs that is used in the method my wife and I practice (The Creighton Model) is cervical crypts mucus discharge.
Most everyday there is cervical discharge and this discharge can be classified into fertile and non-fertile type mucus; in fact, by viewing the type of mucus one can even ascertain when ovulation is taking place. A technique is used to discern the mucus type known as SOFT (Sensation, Observation, Finger, Test) which I will not go into now, but one can be taught to understand the mucus signs.
Additionally, if one uses this method with a medical professional who understands the system, it can be used to detect hormonal abnormalities, infections, and improve the likelihood of pregnancy or the avoidance thereof. Ultimately, by using a method such as this one, it gives the participants a more intricate understanding of the body, especially for the husband as it concerns the wife, as it requires the spouses to communicate about fertility matters, have a respect for one another, share the responsibility of charting, and practice self-control and self-mastery.
Couples who practice this method are encouraged to improve their communicative skills and even understand the differences in touching their spouses, discerning between arousal touch and affirming touch. In the words of the program: “Arousal touch has its place in the physical sexual encounter, but ultimately, affirming touch is deeper and more meaningful because it expresses tenderness and affection and is at the very heart of the inner soul of human sexuality”. Couples are taught the sexual intercourse is much more than a mundane action, but it is about love and authentic freedom by which couples are able to give themselves freely and completely to one another and to avoid the dimension by which one is used or is an mere object for gratification.
I know that in this world we are often tied up with our everyday affairs and it would seem that it leaves little time for authentic development of relationships, but if we want our marriages to succeed, we must make time for our spouses and respect all that is them in their sexuality. Therefore, we must care enough to understand their splendor in the glory of God and respect the natural purpose of sex. When we begin to use artificial methods, we begin to disconnect from our spouse and not completely giving of ourselves in the experience. The Creighton Model is much more than this though. It is also about building that relationship with your spouse by which you understand their feelings, wants and desire and attempt to reciprocate that love which exists in a marriage. Also, The Creighton Model is empowering to women, as you don’t attempt to conform your body to the world and alter its natural function, but you respect its special gifts and strive to understand it in a way that its fertility is not a disease but blessing and part of the uniqueness that makes a woman so special, as she is the bearer of life. Now, I am not saying that a woman is only unique because of her ability to give life, but it must be noted that a man cannot carry a child in his body, so that makes the woman's gift even more special and unique to her. Therefore, The Creighton Model strives against “a falsification of the inner truth of the physical aspects of human sexuality” and leads to the “inner soul of our human sexuality”.
I should add that the Creighton Model Fertility Care System used with a NaPro Practitioner has a higher success rate in helping infertile couples than In-Vitro Fertilization and is phenomenally cheaper. Also, I should note that using NaPro technology has been very successful in maintaining difficult pregnancies.
http://www.popepaulvi.com/
Home of the Pope Paul VI Institute
http://www.creightonmodel.com/
Education programs of the Institute
http://www.fertilitycare.org/
The home page for the FertilityCare™ Centers of America (FCCA) with directory of FertilityCare affiliates.
http://www.aafcp.org/
The home page for the American Academy of FertilityCare Professionals
http://www.fertilitycare.net/
The home page of Dr. Phil Boyle, FertilityCare™ for Europe and Ireland.
My intention in writing this post is not to address the multitude of condition which may arise from use of contraceptive pills; rather, I wish to make known the point that there are methods by which a woman can understand her body, respect its dignity, be open to the gift of life and not open herself the toxic concoction of contraceptive pills.
Natural Family Planning (NFP) is a way for a couple to work with the natural fertility cycles of the body, while respecting the natural procreative aspect of sexuality. While it is true that one must learn how to monitor fertility, in the long run, a couple who practice such methods will find that they grow closer together and more intimately understand each other. This is something that I can attest to via my own experiences.
Now, some people upon reading about NFP may think: “Oh? So you just look out for the menses and plan from there,” but no, this is not how this works at all. A woman has many biological markers within her body to help her know when she is fertile and when she is not, and one of the signs that is used in the method my wife and I practice (The Creighton Model) is cervical crypts mucus discharge.
Most everyday there is cervical discharge and this discharge can be classified into fertile and non-fertile type mucus; in fact, by viewing the type of mucus one can even ascertain when ovulation is taking place. A technique is used to discern the mucus type known as SOFT (Sensation, Observation, Finger, Test) which I will not go into now, but one can be taught to understand the mucus signs.
 |
| This is an example of peak type mucus which shows fertility and possible ovulation. It is NOT tested in the Creighton Method like the picture above shows, but you can see one of the mucus types that I am speaking about. |
Additionally, if one uses this method with a medical professional who understands the system, it can be used to detect hormonal abnormalities, infections, and improve the likelihood of pregnancy or the avoidance thereof. Ultimately, by using a method such as this one, it gives the participants a more intricate understanding of the body, especially for the husband as it concerns the wife, as it requires the spouses to communicate about fertility matters, have a respect for one another, share the responsibility of charting, and practice self-control and self-mastery.
Couples who practice this method are encouraged to improve their communicative skills and even understand the differences in touching their spouses, discerning between arousal touch and affirming touch. In the words of the program: “Arousal touch has its place in the physical sexual encounter, but ultimately, affirming touch is deeper and more meaningful because it expresses tenderness and affection and is at the very heart of the inner soul of human sexuality”. Couples are taught the sexual intercourse is much more than a mundane action, but it is about love and authentic freedom by which couples are able to give themselves freely and completely to one another and to avoid the dimension by which one is used or is an mere object for gratification.
I know that in this world we are often tied up with our everyday affairs and it would seem that it leaves little time for authentic development of relationships, but if we want our marriages to succeed, we must make time for our spouses and respect all that is them in their sexuality. Therefore, we must care enough to understand their splendor in the glory of God and respect the natural purpose of sex. When we begin to use artificial methods, we begin to disconnect from our spouse and not completely giving of ourselves in the experience. The Creighton Model is much more than this though. It is also about building that relationship with your spouse by which you understand their feelings, wants and desire and attempt to reciprocate that love which exists in a marriage. Also, The Creighton Model is empowering to women, as you don’t attempt to conform your body to the world and alter its natural function, but you respect its special gifts and strive to understand it in a way that its fertility is not a disease but blessing and part of the uniqueness that makes a woman so special, as she is the bearer of life. Now, I am not saying that a woman is only unique because of her ability to give life, but it must be noted that a man cannot carry a child in his body, so that makes the woman's gift even more special and unique to her. Therefore, The Creighton Model strives against “a falsification of the inner truth of the physical aspects of human sexuality” and leads to the “inner soul of our human sexuality”.
I should add that the Creighton Model Fertility Care System used with a NaPro Practitioner has a higher success rate in helping infertile couples than In-Vitro Fertilization and is phenomenally cheaper. Also, I should note that using NaPro technology has been very successful in maintaining difficult pregnancies.
 |
| http://www.naprotechnology.com/infertility.htm |
The The Creighton Model used in conjunction with NaPro technology also attempts to deal with following problematic issues
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| http://www.naprotechnology.com/ |
Therefore, why not try a system that respects who you are as a person and offers you real solutions; rather than pills and other contraceptive devices which disrespect, alter and distort the body more than they help. Our natural procreative functions are not a curse but a blessing that should be respected.
Helpful Linkshttp://www.popepaulvi.com/
Home of the Pope Paul VI Institute
http://www.creightonmodel.com/
Education programs of the Institute
http://www.fertilitycare.org/
The home page for the FertilityCare™ Centers of America (FCCA) with directory of FertilityCare affiliates.
http://www.aafcp.org/
The home page for the American Academy of FertilityCare Professionals
http://www.fertilitycare.net/
The home page of Dr. Phil Boyle, FertilityCare™ for Europe and Ireland.
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