By Stephanie Hampton
“I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made.”
Psalm 139:14
My husband and I just celebrated our six-year anniversary. We currently have three beautiful daughters (ages 5, 3 & 1). We started learning about Natural Family Planning at our engagement retreat through the Archdiocese of St. Louis. At the retreat, we loved learning how NFP promotes a chemical-free and healthy lifestyle, while enhancing communication in marriage, and bringing us closer to God.
We started learning about the different NFP methods and found a variety of methods, overlapping, that worked for us throughout our marriage. Family planning teaches couples how to track the fertile window of their cycle. It is a great way to be in tune with your body so that you know what is happening and can make decisions to work with God to create a family or postpone it for a time.
Due to severe preeclampsia, I had our middle daughter three months early. Our daughter was tiny, but mighty, tipping the scales at just over 2lbs. She spent her first 58 days in the NICU (Neo-natal Intensive Care Unit) and we were in awe of her fight and will to live. She is now a very healthy 3-year-old and is such a blessing in our lives. In our postpartum phase, our OB-GYN recommended waiting for a longer period of time before trying for our next child to reduce the chances of recurrent preeclampsia. NFP helped us to understand my cycle and helped us to wait until more time passed. NFP helped us both medically and physically. Our 3rd daughter was born the day after her due date with no NICU time needed!
NFP continues to help us with greater communication between husband and wife. We check in about my cycle and our fertility for that day. It also fosters a spirit of selflessness, sacrifice and generosity in marriage, but most importantly, authentic love and joy! This selfless love is one of the greatest blessings in marriage. When we choose to use Natural Family Planning, we are working with God to open ourselves up to a love that is fruitful, faithful, and total.
“God has made everything appropriate to its time.”
Ecclesiastes 3:11
Stephanie Hampton lives with her husband, Mark, and their three daughters in Creve Coeur. She is an elementary school teacher turned stay-at-home mom and teaches 8th Grade PSR at her parish. Steph loves spending time with her family, especially in the beauty of nature while hiking and camping! You can follow along with their family adventures around Missouri on her Instagram blog @explorestlparks.