Natural Family Planning

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**New Natural Family Planning Class Series in 2008! See below for further information **

NATURAL FAMILY PLANNING

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What is Natural Family Planning (NFP)?

NFP is understanding the natural signs of a woman's fertility which are readily recognizable by any woman. It is fertility awareness. The knowledge gained from NFP instruction allows couples to space, postpone, avoid or enhance the possibility of conception, without any chemical or physiological alterations of the reproductive system (female or male). Contemporary methods of NFP are sometimes referred to as 'Fertility Awareness' since they are ultimately based on awareness of natural symptoms of fertility that are readily recognizable by any woman. As such they are distinct from older 'calendar' methods such as Ogino-Knaus (the so-called 'rhythm').

Where can I learn more about Natural Family Planning (NFP)?

NFP classes are regularly taught in the Northern Virginia area by the Couple to Couple League (CCL). You can access them via their website at http://www.nova.ccli.org. Their international website is www.ccli.org.

*** The next NFP series at Tepeyac Family Center will be starting in March 2008. The course includes new materials recently introduced by the Couple to Couple League and will be taught by Bob and Gerri Laird (editor of the new student guide) at St. Raymond of Penafort Catholic Church in the parish hall.

2008 Course Dates

(all classes are on Sundays from 2:00 - 4:30pm)

Series 1: Mar 30            Series 2: June 29
             Apr 27                         July 20
             May 18                        Aug 24

The cost is $135 and includes a newly published student guide and other class materials. For more information and to register, please email Gerri Laird at GMLaird(at)catholicculture(dot)org or call: (703) 339-7261.

Does Tepeyac offer NFP consultation?

Tepeyac offers NFP consultations for our patients. Patients desiring such a consultation should contact the appointment desk to make an appointment. Be sure to bring your current charts to the appointment. Non-patients should email us at info@tepeyacfamilycenter.com and be placed on our waiting list for new patients. On a similar note, if you have a routine question about a chart, it is often best to contact your NFP provider as the first means of obtaining an answer to your question. We find that many of the questions asked during such consultations could have been answered by a qualified NFP teaching couple. While not directly part of our practice, we do have access to qualified NFP teaching couples from the CCL. You are more than welcome to contact them via our email at info@tepeyacfamilycenter.com.

"Making NFP Relevant" - New Materials from the Couple to Couple League (CCL)

[Press release Dec. 2007] "The Couple to Couple League, a leading provider of training in Natural Family Planning, was facing a problem: stale materials and a skeptical audience. Its leaders responded boldly, deciding to overhaul all of their outreach materials and methods. After three years of work, CCL is now unveiling brand-new materials animated by modern technology and a more personal approach based on the timeless theology of Pope John Paul II..." [read more]

For more information about the CCL's Natural Family Planning program, please view the CCL Fact Sheet (.pdf) and the Sample Pages (.pdf) from the new student guide .