Happy Fourth of July!

Happy Independence Day! Today we celebrate the birth of our country and the abiding importance of our inherent freedom as people with inalienable rights.

As our own special CCL way of celebrating independence, we thought we’d share a few reactions of women who’ve enjoyed breaking free from the hormonal birth control pill and other forms of contraception. Enjoy!

“I was so unhappy with being on the Pill. I experienced weight gain, headaches and cramping so I was quite relieved to be able to distinguish my fertile and infertile phases through NFP. After switching, I was able to drop over 50 pounds, and I’ve never been healthier.” —Lindsay, Louisiana

“I feel so silly now that I know what I know about hormonal contraception. I’m glad I left it all behind in general.” —Natalie, Texas

“I was put on birth control for ‘hormone related issues’. I’ve found NFP to be easy and also safer. Now my body heals and diet changes are done before popping a hormone-filled and possibly-fatal pill. So now I am not afraid to take antibiotics, or that I will have a stroke, or develop cancer.” —Melanie, Kansas

“I have a long history of adverse effects from the Mirena IUD. Sadly, my Ob/Gyn constantly told me that it was the only treatment option I had other than a full hysterectomy. I suffered a uterine infection with an insertion that went untreated for 11 months, suffered from ovarian cysts and endometriosis. While the physicians constantly told me that Mirena was the best option for me (with the idea that I was going to avoid surgical interventions) they were very wrong. I never want to experience any of that again.” —Elizabeth, Virginia

“I started reading about my fertility and how birth control affected it and learned about the possible ways if you do conceive a baby it could harm or cause miscarriage. Also [NFP] felt like it was much easier than coping with the side effects from hormonal birth control, such as depression, mood swings and lack of sex drive.” —Ciara*, Washington

“We haven’t had a single ‘could I be pregnant?!?!’ moment, which happened A LOT when we were on hormonal birth control. It’s nice to actually be in control of what’s happening with my body instead of relying on something else.” —Skylar*, Ohio

“The classes were eye opening and, as a woman, empowering. I had never learned that I could determine ovulation and that fertility wasn’t just this amorphous mystery. I’m glad I’ve left behind the mentality that I was completely helpless against my negatively-perceived fertility.”—Gabby*, Texas

Hopefully these have made you nod in agreement, or rethink the contraception trap you may now want to declare independence from. Either way, we hope you have a blessed holiday and enjoy all the fireworks and barbecues you can get!

*Name changed for privacy reasons

— Megan Imwalle
Communications Intern