Upcoming Fertility Awareness Classes

Many couples desire to become pregnant, want to prevent pregnancy without the use of invasive birth control methods, or just want to track their reproductive health.

Fertility Awareness Method (FAM) is a natural method that helps women and couples understand fertility based on four main fertility signs. This Fertility Awareness Method is 98% effective in preventing pregnancy when used properly and can also help women understand if and when they need to seek a health care provider regarding any health issues they may find while charting their cycles.

This class is designed to teach you the basics of FAM. Once you gain an understanding of the basics, you may find you need one on one consulting to discern your specific signs and your charts. One on one sessions are available for you and your partner upon appointment.

* This class is open to individuals and couples.
* Nursing babies are welcome

UPCOMING CLASSES:
Saturday, May 8th, 2010 - 10am - noon
Saturday, June 5th, 2010 - 10am - noon

Registration and Cost: Space is limited, so please RSVP to hannah.reasonerLMT@gmail.com or call 214-783-3668 to reserve your spot. Classes are $20 per person or $35 per couple.

What you will learn:

- How to chart your fertility signs
- How to tell when you are fertile and infertile during your cycle
- How NFP can help you get pregnant or avoid pregnancy
- How to chart for general reproductive health
- How to determine if you need to seek a physician based on your body's signals
- Fertility Awareness while breastfeeding
...and more!

Please feel free to share this information with anyone you believe may benefit from attending this class.

Fertility Awareness Classes

Many women desire to become pregnant, want to prevent pregnancy without the use of invasive birth control methods, or just want to track their reproductive health.

I am now teaching the Fertility Awareness Method (FAM) of Natural Family Planning (NFP). It is a natural method that helps women and couples understand fertility based on four main fertility signs. This Fertility Awareness Method is 98% effective in preventing pregnancy when used properly and can also help women understand if and when they need to seek a health care provider regarding any health issues they may find while charting their cycles.

Due to limited space at this time, classes are designed for women. If couples desire, I do one on one consultations after the initial class.

Upcoming Classes:
Saturday, March 27th 10am - Noon (Fort Worth, TX)
Monday, April 12th 6:30 - 8:30pm (Northwest Arkansas -Location TBA)
Saturday, May 8th 10am - Noon (Fort Worth, TX)

Registration and Cost: Space is limited, so please RSVP to hannah.reasonerLMT@gmail.com or call 214-783-3668 to reserve your spot. Classes are $20.

* Nursing babies are welcome.

What you will learn:

• How to chart your fertility signs
• How to tell when you are fertile and infertile during your cycle
• How NFP can help you get pregnant or avoid pregnancy
• How to chart for general reproductive health
• How to determine if you need to seek a physician based on your body's signals
• Fertility Awareness while breastfeeding
• ...and more!

My husband and I have been using FAM for almost four years now. I have achieved two planned pregnancies and avoided pregnancy during the first part of our marriage by only using these Natural Family Planning Methods. I have also been able to chart irregularities in my cycle when trying to achieve pregnancy and consult with a physician for these issues. (More on that if you come to a class).

Please feel free to share this information with anyone you believe may benefit from attending this class.

Why I am a FAM girl

FAM - Fertility Awareness Method and NFP - Natural Family Planning Methods

I often use the description of birth control like this. Men are fertile every single day of their lives from the age they hit puberty until the day they die. Women are fertile 12-24 hours of each month. So, to me, the idea that birth control methods that fall completely on the responsibility of the woman seems a bit unrealistic.

Although I do not use all of the ideas in FAM, such as feeling my cervix for softness or hardness, I am aware of my fertile cervical fluid, which is the most important aspect of using FAM as birth control and for pregnancy achievement. What makes this method so great is that you and your spouse can become very aware and knowledgeable of her body and the changes it goes through during her cycle. He can be an active part of helping chart and staying informed on fertile days for pregnancy and "safe" days for prevention. Fertile days, when trying to avoid pregnancy, can be spent SPICE-ing it up. Spiritual - Physical - Iintellectual - Communicative - Emotional

The basics of FAM and NFP are charting your cervical mucous. As I described in my previous post, your "peak day" is the day you are most fertile. This means that you will best be able to conceive on this day. All of us use the restroom several times a day. Each time you use the restroom, you check for cervical mucous. With a tissue, you wipe the area (front to back) before and after using the restroom. Cervical mucous is described as sticky, creamy, or eggwhite. In the book Taking Charge of Your Fertility by Toni Weschler, cervical mucous is described in great detail, so I won't go too much into it in this post. The most important cervical mucous you need to be aware of is the eggwhite mucous that looks very similar to the eggwhites of an egg. It is very stretchy and slippery. Estrogen peaks the day before ovulation and creates the most fertile fluid. Sperm can live in this very fertile cervical mucous for 3-5 days. With the absence of eggwhite mucous, sperm will die within hours.

I know that some people believe that you can get pregnant at any time during the month. This is simply not true. If you diligently chart your cervical fluid, you will know what days you are most fertile and what days you are not fertile for pregnancy. These methods, FAM and NFP, when used properly are very effective (99%) in preventing and achieving pregnancy. I strongly suggest you look into it. This method is totally free. With the exception of buying the book of your choice to read up on the method, you will only be using pencil and paper for charting. Birth control pills, condoms, and other contraceptive methods have an initial or ongoing cost. This can be difficult to manage if you do not have health insurance or the means to keep replenishing your methods.

Charting your cycles can also be effective in determining if you have specific reproductive issues such as endometrieosis, low progesterone, or even cancer. If you are having spotting between periods, spotting during pregnancy, history of miscarriage, missed periods with no pregnancy or more, then charting could be very essential to knowing what to tell your caregivers.

Some more facts:
* Spotting or miscarriage during the 1st trimester of pregnancy could mean an issue with low progesterone.
* When checking for cervical mucous, you use the 3 C's, color, consistency, change, and sensation.
* After birth you are fertile for 56 days if you are breastfeeding.
* "The Pill" does not prevent pregnancy. It keeps the uterine lining so thin to you will miscarry and abort the baby if you do indeed become pregnant while using the pill. You will most likely never know you were even pregnant when you miscarry.
* From fertilization to implantation it takes nine days. Pregnancy tests are designed to detect HCG levels. HCG is produced by implantation. It is recommended to not take a pregnancy test until 16 days following your peak day.

Contest Winner and Birth Control Poll

Congratulations to Nancy who won the drawing for commenting on my "Give Away For Moms" post! I put all the names in a cup and my husband drew a name so it would be fair. Your gift will be coming in the mail soon!

I have been thinking a lot lately about birth control and the methods that are available to us. I recently heard in the news that adoption rates are going up due to the economic times. People are finding it more difficult to care for children and are turning to alternative methods. I had a discussion with a girl who is placing her child for adoption. She was commenting on how expensive birth control can be, especially the pill and condoms which have to be refilled and replaced. This can lead to people not using these methods and ultimately leads to pregnancy.

As many of you know, my husband and I use the Fertility Awareness Method (or Natural Family Planning). The book cost me about $20 and I have read it a couple of times and used it as a resource often. That is $20 I have spent on birth control in the past three years. It has worked for us, and if used correctly, can work for any couple that desires natural birth control methods.

I am interested to find out what form of birth control you currently use. I have put a poll together on the right for you to share your answers. Thanks for contributing!

Track Your Cycle

Pregnancy achievement can be a touchy subject for some women who long to have a baby and expand their family. Some women have difficulty becoming pregnant while others seem very fertile. I have been using the "Fertility Awareness Method" to track my fertility for a few years. If you are having difficulty becoming pregnant, I believe this is the first step in understanding your cycle. You will learn how to track exactly what days you are ovulating. In addition, you will be able to track your most fertile days. This is why this is also an effective form of birth control.

When you become pregnant, your care giver will most likely give you a "due date" based in your LMP (last menstrual period). They will determine a "due date" based on a 28 day cycle.That is assuming you ovulated on day 14. Some women may ovulate as early as day 10 or as late as day 26 or later. Essentially, you can get pregnant while on your period if it lasts for 5-6 days, although it is rare.

A "normal" cycle starts on day 1 with your period. On day 14 you will ovulate and on day 28 you will start your period again. But, this isn't the case for all women. If you start your period on day 1 and ovulate on day 21, then you will not have your period on day 28. Your period will most likely come 12-16 days after you ovulate. So, you will have your period on day 33 or 37.

Sperm can live up to five days on fertile cervical mucous (eggwhites...explained below). If you have intercourse on day 14 assuming that is the day you ovulate but then you acutally ovulate on day 21, then you will not get pregnant. Charting your cycle will significantly help you in understanding your body and when you ovulate. You will also understand all the "fluids" that are coming out down there.

One sign of pregnancy is missing your period. You are considered pregnant from the first day of your last period. That means that if you have a normal 28 day cycle and you take a pregnancy test the day after your miss period, you are already just over two weeks pregnant.

Types of Cervical Mucous

Cervical mucous can be dry, sticky, creamy, or egg white consistency. You will want to record the type of cervical mucous you have on your fertility chart. If you do not want to use the fertility awareness method of charting, you can simply watch for fertile signs. What you are looking for is an increase in cervical mucous. Cervical mucous during ovulation has the appearance of eggwhite. If you are charting it is a good idea to write down what kind of cervical mucous you have during your cycle. This will help you to establish the most fertile days of your cycle. You can also watch for the day that your temperature shifts on the bbt (basal body temperature) chart. Your temperature will rise when you complete ovulation and go back down when you start your period again. You can also and detect what kind of cervical mucous you are having. If you are having a hard time deciding what your most fertile cervical fluid looks and feels like, having your chart to look at can be a guide. This is explained more in depth in the book "Taking Charge of Your Fertility" by Toni Weschler.

These are the types of mucous you will see during your menstrual cycle.

Dry: At the beginning of your cycle, prior to ovulation you will likely produce little to no cervical mucous. Also right before your period should start your cervical mucous may become dry again. If you do not notice cervical mucous you will want to record this on your chart as dry.
Sticky: You may notice sticky cervical mucous prior to ovulation. It feels sticky to your fingers when you touch it.
Creamy: As you get closer to ovulation you will notice thicker, creamy-looking cervical mucous. This mucous looks and feels similar to lotion.
Eggwhite: Eggwhite cervical mucous is the term used to describe the mucous you have during ovulation. It looks like eggwhites and is slippery, clear, and stretchy.
Watery: Watery cervical mucous is wet and may be stretchy. You may notice this type of cervical mucous during ovulation or before having eggwhite cervical mucous.

Cervical Position and Ovulation

You may want to check the position of your cervix to help you tell when you are ovulating. Not all women are comfortable with this and some women have a difficult time feeling their cervix. To find your cervix you may want to be in a squatting position or have one foot on a stool. Insert one or two fingers into your vagina and push them towards the back of your vagina. You will reach a spot that feels firmer than the rest of your vagina. Your cervix may feel soft like your lips or firm like the tip of your nose. You may notice your cervix feeling more open or closed. Find a comfortable position to check your cervix and use the same position each time you check. If you use a different position, you won't be able to compare the position of your cervix accurately. It may take you a cycle or two to determine when your cervix is softest, firmest, highest or lowest. Right after menstruation, your cervix will be low and easier for you to reach. It will feel firmer and closed. During ovulation your cervix will be higher and more difficult to reach. It will also feel soft, wet and you may notice it feeling more open. If you have given birth before your cervix may feel more open than someone who has not. After ovulation, your cervix normally returns to a more firm, lower position.

Pregnancy and Birth Advocacy

Yesterday I received an email from a woman in Virginia who works at Birth Matters in Richmond. She is advocating mother-and baby-friendly pregnancy and birth care so that more mainstream audiences are educated about their options.

Birth Matters Virginia (an organization that works to promote an evidence-based model of maternity care) is inviting mothers, fathers, filmmakers, film students, birth advocates, and others to create a 4-7 minute educational/documentary video about birth. The first-place winner will receive a cash prize of $1000. Second place $500 and an "honorable mention" prize of $100 will also be awarded. The deadline for entering the contest is Mother's Day, May 10, 2009.

Ricki Lake and Abby Epstein (makers of the Business of Being Born) have agreed to be guest judges of the contest along with Sarah Buckley. The more people know about it, the better! For rules and to see how to enter, please visit http://www.birthmattersva.org/videocontest.html

You can also join our Facebook group (whether or not you intend to make a video) to get updates about the contest and exchange ideas with other participants athttp://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=73753459808#/group.php?sid=e146cf29ff029d1148a6a465af742146&gid=73753459808

And if you have questions, email Sarah at Richmond@birthmattersva.org Thanks in advance for any help you can give!!

Birth Control and Pregnancy Achievement

We have made the personal choice to use the Fertility Awareness Method form of birth control. In the summer of 2006, just before getting married in August, I read the book "Taking Charge of Your Fertility" by Toni Weschler to prepare for natural birth control. We have never used any other form of birth control and find FAM to work well for us as birth control, as well as for pregnancy achievement. Using no drugs or hormones, a woman can determine whether she is fertile or infertile by observing body signs and following simple rules.

This past July, as we were using FAM to achieve pregnancy, I took an ovulation test to ensure I was on track with recording my ovulation. Sure enough, I was and got pregnant on our first try. Unfortunately, it resulted in an ectopic pregnancy, but it confirmed that it is a good method for us as we will use it again in the future for pregnancy achievement.

I recommend using this method because it enables couples to both feel responsible for birth control and allows the couple to connect on a deeper level. No one person has the responsibility all on their own. Plus, it is natural and allows you to abstain from putting anything unnatural or synthetic into your body.

Visit http://www.ovusoft.com/ for more information and read the book too!