How to talk to your partner about family planning?
Starting a conversation can be the hardest part. We promise, it gets easier over time. Here are some tips to help you out
Try using an anecdotal story, news, or article to start talking about family planning more generally. Then you can work your way up to the stuff that’s more personal to you.
Break the ice with something like, “This is not easy for me to talk about, and it may not be easy for you either, but I want to talk about family planning. We are in this marriage together and we must decide on family planning together”
Think of questions you want to ask, and points you want to make beforehand, and maybe even write them down first.
Give your partner a heads-up that you want to talk. Say something like, “Can we have a private talk tonight?” That way you can be sure to have their full attention, and they know how to take it seriously.
If you feel more comfortable communicating through a phone call or text, go for it. It doesn’t matter how you start— just talk.
Defend family planning by saying “Do we want our children to be doctors and engineers or laborers? Do we want our children to be healthy? If we have fewer children, we can educate them and give them the best education and the best nutrition.”
