Marleny and Emmanuel’s journey through NFP

 

My name is Marleny. I am 35 years old, a wife and a mom of two boys with a third one on his way in April 2025. I started NFP back in February 2024. After experiencing a deep conversion in my faith and overcoming my misconceptions about NFP. This is my story.

​

I was 18 years old when I decided to search on Google a few symptoms I was experiencing every month during my cycle. I came up with a blog that talked about PCOS (polycystic ovarian syndrome) and I found that almost all of the symptoms were related to me. So, I scheduled a visit to the doctor and was diagnosed with PCOS. The doctor prescribed me birth control pills as the treatment for this condition. I was told that in order to see my cycle I had to take contraceptive pills. No more options were given for me, that was it. 

​

On April 2016, my fiancé and I went to a 3-day retreat for future married catholic couples as part of our preparation for marriage. It was there when I heard for the first time the term NFP.  The talked was very brief as they had to touch many other topics in just three days. The methods they went over were more suited for women with regular cycles and I automatically “disqualified” myself from NFP. I remembered I said to myself. “I wish I could use NFP but if I don’t take the pills, I don’t see my cycle.” I did not give myself the opportunity to thoroughly investigate if there was a way for me to try natural family planning.  

​

My husband and I got married on May 2017 and moved to Georgia. Two years later, my doctor found a fibroid stuck in my uterus and had to go through surgery. After the surgery, I asked the doctor if there was a possibility for me to stop the pills and maybe plan for a more natural way to postpone a pregnancy. He said let me know when you get your first cycle and how long after the second period comes in. As soon as you have that information we can start from there. My cycles went on and off lasting from 35 days to 50 days. Again, I was told you have to take contraceptives to regulate your cycle unfortunately. I felt discouraged and with no hope of having a natural family planning method available for me. 

​

In 2023, I became a member of St. Catherine of Siena Catholic Church. One Sunday after Mass the priest announced that a virtual class was approaching for couples interested in learning about NFP. I decided to give it a try and got on the call. Lydia and Amanda were very knowledgeable and helpful to explain the reasons of approaching NFP as your first choice for family planning and why the Church supports NFP and how this aligns with its teachings. I felt interested in trying NFP for the first time but I needed to do more research so I just saved this info in the back of my head. 

​

At the time, I was living in the midst of the chaos of caring for two baby boys under 2. It was very overwhelming, exhausting and depleting. The thought of getting pregnant at any moment had me frightened to the point that I just did not want to spend too much time researching and finding out how I could postpone a pregnancy naturally. Out of fear I went to the doctor to get the Nexplanon implant. This reliance on contraceptives was something I wrestled with a lot. I knew it was not meant to be like this but it was the only thing a knew. I thought the implant would give me the peace of mind I needed. How wrong I was. It not only made me feel uncomfortable having a device that is not supposed to be part of me, but it also made me feel sick physically, emotionally and spiritually. 

​

My periods would either come or not, and if they did, they were longer than usual and my mood swings were terrible. I felt bad about myself and how I was treating my babies and husband. I was not being me. In addition, the more I learned about my faith, the Church and its teaching the more repentant I became for not believing I could rely on NFP for my family. It was during this time that I took a class on The Theology of Body from Pope St. John Paul II. As soon as I finished the three-day workshop, it became necessary for me to make a change. I spoke with my husband and expressed how deeply troubled I was with using contraception, how this was not what I wanted for me, for us as a Catholic couple and as a family. He was very supportive and understanding and agreed we could give a try to NFP. God uses our mistakes and turn them into opportunities of grace. 

​

I met with Amanda a second time, now in a more personal setting, discussed my feelings and concerns and the things I went through before considering NFP. Amanda was very kind, caring and supportive.  I felt God was giving me the mercy and peace I was always yearning for. I felt so blessed and grateful with God, with the Church and with St. Catherine that words could not explain my gratitude. I learned a lot about my cycle, my body and most importantly the relationship and connection that must exist between spouses to either achieve or postpone a pregnancy. In both ways spouses must work together. It was graceful how connected we felt with each other and with God. Nothing I had ever experienced in my marriage before. Six months into the program, I had my last call with Amanda. I remember I told her, “My husband and I feel very confident with NFP, is truly working for us in all ways but I know that God’s will is always better than ours and if he wants us to receive another baby prior to what we plan to, we are open for it” I was already pregnant when that conversation happened and did not know. The odds of life. 

​

NFP helped to switch my mind from being frightened of having another baby to embracing God’s plan for me and my family and be open and welcoming to what He has in place for us. Surrendering ourselves to Him in every aspect of our lives. God never fail us as we are His beloved children. I was no longer closing the door to His blessings. I will be forever grateful to St. Catherine of Siena Catholic Church and their NFP ministry; for their community so open to life with so many babies and large families. It is beautiful, meaningful and inspiring. 

I end this story by encouraging all women, engaged couples and married couples to learn about how NFP can help, guide and connect you with God and His plans for you. God created us out of love, to love and commune with Him. NFP is rooted in God’s original plan for men and women and accompanies you in every step by respecting your bodies nature and embracing it. 

​

​