This morning, while in the shower, it’s inevitable that my best thinking happens here. It’s really the place where most of my writings are birthed as there are no distractions found there sans the soothing calm of the falling water.
It’s there, that I felt I wasn’t done with this post. I felt God leading me to write more. So here I am. Part two of yesterday’s, unavoidably controversial post.
I really wanted to expound on “the better way” I was referring to in that post (in regards to the use of birth control to prevent pregnancy). Because there are simply better ways to prevent pregnancy than to use toxic drugs that our bodies weren’t made to handle.
This isn’t a plug to God-led fertility, although, I’ve personally found that to be the most freeing and wonderful reproductive choice. This is to encourage you to seriously consider the better ways to prevent pregnancy.
It’s been almost 7 years now since I had our first and only miscarriage so far that I am aware. I know exactly what happened to that baby too. I was on the pill, it had been 9 months since having Hunter, when I “felt” pregnant. I felt it enough to run to the store and buy that 3 pack of tests to make extra sure I wasn’t just losing my mind.
All three came up positive on the day I was supposed to get my period. Since the beginning of my motherhood experience was filled with depression and anxiety with my Hunter just months prior, I wasn’t exactly over the moon with the results. I was scared. I was scared of round 2 with this little person and I was super scared to tell my husband. Back then, he was content with having just one child and would’ve been happy if we stopped there. I can’t say that my attitude was far off, because I really couldn’t imagine having another experience with another baby like I initially had with Hunter.
But something didn’t feel right this time…I told Mike we were expecting, but I felt like something was wrong a few days later. Sure enough, about four days after the first times I took the tests, I retested. Negative. I went to the doctor for a blood test. Negative. They sent me for an ultrasound at a local hospital to confirm. Miscarriage. And it wasn’t but a few days afterwards that I began to cramp and bleed heavily.
You see, after barely making it thru week 5 if the pregnancy, I knew it was my fault. I did some research and confirmed that the pill I was taking had aided in aborting that precious life. Life was created, so ovulation had occurred as had fertilization so prevention 1 and 2 of my oral contraceptive had failed. Prevention number 3, worked. Obviously that little life couldn’t find a place to burrow and grow because that little pill had made a big mess of my endometrium.
This baby has a name: Grace. And I will meet this child someday. But with regret, I think of this child daily. There was a better way to prevent pregnancy. A better way that I had never been exposed to.
Natural Family Planning
Most of us want a mindless way to prevent pregnancy. And to that I say that anything worth doing should be done according to Gods Word and it won’t always be the “quick fix”. Natural Family Planning, when used properly, can be a very effective way to prevent pregnancy.
http://americanpregnancy.org/preventingpregnancy/fertilityawarenessnfp.html
It takes some practice and diligence at first, but it can be as effective as much as 90% in preventing pregnancy. It’s also free from any side effects and costs nothing. It aides in marital communication and is in line with Gods Word. He says that when we are mutually agreed to avoid sex during a time, we should bathe that time in prayer and come back together quickly to avoid separation.
5 Do not refuse and deprive and defraud each other [of your due marital rights], except perhaps by mutual consent for a time, so that you may devote yourselves unhindered to prayer. But afterwards resume marital relations, lest Satan tempt you [to sin] through your lack of restraint of sexual desire.
I Corinthians 7:5
Condoms and non-hormonal barrier methods
I know condoms aren’t convenient and may sometimes spoil the mood, but it’s a much better option than any method that requires little to no thought. I encourage you to seek these methods when you are strongly considering preventing pregnancy. While these methods are non fool-proof, consider that neither is any method of birth control. The only 100% way to prevent pregnancy is abstinence.
With these methods, women won’t have to struggle with a lack of desire for their husbands. Women won’t have to wonder if they will cause themselves to acquire cancer or any other ailments with the birth control they’ve chosen. With these methods, communication with the spouse is encourage, life isn’t getting expelled unknowingly, and Gods Word isn’t being disobeyed.
Please don’t remain ignorant of this subject just to avoid another child. Your health isn’t worth it. Your unborn child’s life isn’t worth it. Nothing is worth the risk that birth control so sneakily promotes.
Bibbidibobbidiblogidiboo 