To: John and Sheila Kippley at NFP International
I am emailing you because my husband and I may be interested in teaching the “complete approach” NFP method from nfpandmore.org.
Our NFP history: When we were engaged to marry in the Catholic church in 2004 we were told our only choice was the Creighton model introductory class. We took it and also spent $165 on the follow up one-year class. We were open to life right away after our wedding day, but we didn’t conceive until 11 months into our marriage. I feel it took 11 months to achieve pregnancy because of stress issues. My Creighton model charts showed that I was experiencing constant fertile-type mucus, but that was probably seminal residue (SR) making it very hard to learn and follow the Creighton model. Between failing at breastfeeding and failing at using the Creighton method to space my children I gave birth to 3 blessings (children) in 2 ½ years. I asked my Creighton model teacher questions about the sympto-thermal method (STM). She told me misinformation about STM and refused to help me.
So we self-taught ourselves the STM after the birth of my 3rd baby. I feel that the basal body temperature charting and cervix checks illuminate the confusion about SR and are an invaluable tool in the cross-checking method of STM. We feel the NFP STM is a way of life we have, and we use the knowledge to be responsible parents and have a choice each day/month to postpone pregnancy or to be open to conception and life. Therefore we feel we are living God’s plan. We feel breastfeeding is so important especially for those who feel using NFP is immoral, and therefore ecological breastfeeding is a moral and very healthy way to space children for them too. We also feel that by teaching ecological breastfeeding and STM that you teach young engaged/married couples to live on one income and live according to God’s plan.
I thank you both for the knowledge we have learned about breastfeeding and NFP. We live in an area where the Creighton method is dominant, and most of my Catholic mother friends buy pregnancy tests by bulk and take them every two weeks or so because they don’t know where they are in their postpartum cycles. Some have also bought expensive fertility monitors to help. I have been slowly trying to explain to them that with STM you don’t need pregnancy tests or fertility monitors. We would be interesting in teaching the “complete approach.” We think both of you have heroic virtues and encourage others to have trust in God. Thank you for making such a difference in our lives; we love your writings. We have read Natural Family Planning: The Complete Approach and we feel we could teach it.
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NFPI requests a donation of $70 for the NFPI classes or for the Home Study Course. We also have an introductory online NFP course available. For those who can afford it, a donation of $10 is requested for the download of the NFPI manual mentioned above. For the truly poor the downloading of our online manual is free. We believe most couples can teach themselves from the NFPI manual. Our classes are limited to a few states. If anyone is interested in teaching with us and using the NFPI manual, please contact us.
Sheila Kippley
www.NFPandmore.org