The Amazing Body of a Woman

Have you ever stopped to really ponder and appreciate what amazing beings we are as women?

At birth we have all the eggs we will have for the rest of our lifetime. These give us the ability to conceive.

When puberty begins, we start our cycle. At that time we are given physical signs by our body as clues to our fertility and reproductive health.

The womb was created to grow and nourish a little life.

Our body's unique design has the ability to birth life into the world and our instincts tell us we can do it.

That little life we give birth to is sustained by food from our breasts.

Eventually that baby with grow up and the cycle of life will start all over again.

And, that is just the beginning.

I believe so strongly that a woman should know and understand her own body even before she begins puberty. It opens up an whole new understanding, appreciation, and responsibility for our cycle and our reproductive health. Talking with your daughters about their cycles is an important dialogue. It is so much more information than "the birds and the bees" talk. Girls can gain an understanding on a new level. Moms, it is important to know these things for yourself as well so that you can relay them in a way that is mature and understandable to your adolescents as they grow into young women themselves.

Fertility Awareness is much more than knowing when you are fertile in order to achieve pregnancy. It empowers girls and woman to understand their bodies by observing many things that are happening and changing during her cycle. Knowing and maintaining optimal gynecological health from puberty to menopause, appreciating your womanhood, and nurturing your marriage relationship are all beautiful experiences you can have when you are aware of your body and what it is doing.

Upcoming Fertility Awareness classes will be March 27, 2010 and May 8, 2010. Please contact me at hannah.reasonerLMT@gmail.com for more information.

Tea For Two

I love Organic Traditional Medicinal teas!


They have a wonderful line of teas that support health and wellness. I would like to share a few that I recommend for women's health, pregnancy, and breastfeeding.



Organic Raspberry Leaf tea supports the female system. It aids in healthy menstruation as well as tones the uterus. Many traditional healers will recommend raspberry leaf to women with irregular menstruation, menstrual cramps, and for pregnancy.



Organic Pregnancy Tea also supports the female system by toning the uterus and preparing the womb for childbirth. It has a pleasant blend of herbs as well as raspberry leaf as its primary ingredient.


Organic Mother's Milk Tea supports healthy lactation and can be used to increase milk production. Lactation consultants and medicinal healers recommend this tea for its traditional combination of anise, fennel, and coriander promote lactation.


All of these teas are caffeine free and perfect for any time of day!


Visit the Traditional Medicinals website for more information about their products.

Ignorance is 'Not' Bliss

Remember the 1991 movie, Fried Green Tomatoes? Evelyn Couch, played by Kathy Bates, goes to a class where at one point the women are given mirrors and asked to take down their panties and explore their vaginas. Evelyn gets so uncomfortable that she has a break down and leaves class in tears.

Ladies.....ignorance is not bliss.

When I was in 8th grade, two years after starting my menstrual cycle, I was convinced I had a yeast infection and asked my mother to get me an OTC medication for it. Oh. Oh. Oh. Little did I know. It wasn't a yeast infection, it had been normal vaginal cervical fluid! But, it wasn't until 12 years later that I would know what cervical fluid would be all about. I know a lot of young girls and even women see "stuff" coming out down there and probably freak out like I did. This is normal ladies! Most likely you do not have an infection unless it has a bad odor or is discolored. (By the way, I treat my yeast infections with apple cider vinegar, pau d' arco tea, and plain yogurt these days...but that is for another post.)

By now, you know that I chart my cycles. I chart because I want to to know my body. Sure, it may seem overwhelming to get the hang of it at first, but it gets easy and hassle free eventually. I started charting in 2006. I began charting because I did not want to introduce anything "unnatural", such as "the pill", into my body. I wish I had started charting much earlier, but I didn't think to do it for maintenance and detection of infections or abnormal issues during the cycle because I was always normal and regular. I thought fertility charting was just a method of birth control so I studied up on it just before we got married. In actuality, fertility charting can help you understand if there are things going on that just aren't quite right.

I say all of this because I believe it is important to know what is going on "down there". If you are pregnant, plan to get pregnant, or if you are a women from puberty and beyond, I think it is important to look at your anatomy. Terms like vaginal opening, perineum and labia will come up during pregnancy and birth. Do you know where they are? In addition, after birth, you will want to take a look again. If you had a episiotomy or tearing, you may want observe the healing and the ongoing changes that will take place as you body repairs. Ladies, take a mirror and look. Don't be an Evelyn Couch!

What's going on "down there"?

If you chart your cycle or know your body well, you may have questions when you see bleeding besides your period, have painful cramping, or are trying to become pregnant. What does it all mean?

Ovulation spotting is defined as a very light bleeding that may accompany ovulation - though it is rather uncommon fertility indicator and can be easily missed (even if it occurs). Unless you are fertility charting and observing daily changes in cervical mucus, you may not even be aware of this secondary fertility sign.

The source of "ovulation spotting" is traced to the rupture of the ovarian follicle when the egg is released. When you ovulate, luteinizing hormone causes the surface of the ovarian follicle to weaken and disintegrate. This leads to the formation of a hole, or stigma, through which the egg will ultimately "escape" into one of the fallopian tubes. At this "midcycle moment", a residual trace of blood may accompany ovulation when the stigma ruptures.

The trace amount of blood that may appear due to the rupture of the follicle will not be red (like menstrual blood), but will rather exhibit a brownish or pinkish color. For example, you may see just a faint streak of pinkish blood intermingled with cervical fluids during your daily CM check.

During this "fertile phase" of your cycle, cervical mucus will likely be transparent and stretchy, like egg white. If you do happen to discover a small amount of blood at this time, note this light bleeding on your fertility chart as a possible indicator of ovulation. If this is indeed O-spotting, you should see your bbt temperature rising shortly thereafter. This bleeding should not last long, and if it persists for more than a few days, contact your doctor.

Implantation bleeding (which will typically take place about a week after you ovulate). Implantation bleeding (also typically characterized by a light brown or pink spotting) is caused by the fertilized egg burrowing into the endometrium. While ovulation spotting may be viewed as a natural fertility indicator, implantation bleeding is considered an early pregnancy sign.

It should be emphasized that ovulation spotting is not one of the more common or reliable indicators of fertility. Like mittelschmerz (or midcycle pains), you should be aware of the possibility that these fertility signs may appear, even though many women will never experience these physiological symptoms.

To pursue a visual metaphor, there are a number of other ways to "spot ovulation" - or at least predict when ovulation will take place. Along with using a basal thermometer, you can observe daily changes in the texture and color of cervical mucus, as well as follow the rise and fall of the position of the cervix iteself. Into your daily fertility charting rituals, you can also selectively integrate effective testing methods like an ovulation microscope, urine ovulation tests, or a digital fertility monitor to anticipate when you will be at peak fertility.

An ectopic pregnancy may seem like a normal pregnancy at first. You'll have a positive pregnancy test. Early signs and symptoms may be the same as those of any pregnancy — a missed period, breast tenderness, nausea and fatigue.

But an ectopic pregnancy can't continue as normal. The first warning signs of an ectopic pregnancy often include:

• Light vaginal bleeding
• Lower abdominal pain
• Cramping on one side of the pelvis

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.

Preparing for a Healthy Pregnancy

There are many things you can and should do to prepare your body to have a healthy pregnancy. This can and should start several months or even years before trying to conceive. Some of these sound like no-brainers, but you would be surprised at what I see pregnant women do because of the lack of knowledge they have about having a healthy pregnancy for both mom and baby.

#1 - Quit Smoking....and never smoke again.
Smoking cigarettes is probably the number one cause of adverse outcomes of babies. These include: low birth weight babies, underdeveloped bodies, and adverse effects to the lungs, brain, and other organs. Even just one cigarette a day can have significant effects on the baby's blood vessels, causing lifelong traumatic effects on him.


# 2 - Stop Drinking Alcohol
Some alcohols that contain yeast can provide an environment on the body that breeds bacterial and fungal infections. As you prepare your body to conceive, understand that these infections can be passed to your baby if not taken care of properly. When you drink alcohol while pregnant, so does your baby. Alcohol has been shown to be harmful to the baby's development. If you drink during pregnancy, you are putting your baby at risk for irreversible Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders.

#3 - Check Out Medications and Supplements
Before becoming pregnant, check with your health care provider about the affects your medications may be having on your ability to conceive and carry a baby safely. In addition, some medications and supplements are not recommended for pregnant or lactating mothers.


#4 - Cut Out The Junk food and Soda
It is important to develop healthy eating habits before your baby is conceived. Being at an ideal weight and eating well will significantly increase you and your baby's health. Eating foods that are empty in calories is not a good habit to have. When pregnant, it is important to choose foods wisely. Having a balanced diet of fats, proteins, carbohydrates, and fiber is important to develop and strong and healthy baby. Reach for the apple instead of the candy bar next time you have a pre-pregnancy craving. The sooner you start, the better off you will be once you are pregnant! Here are just a few ideas of some healthy foods for pregnancy:

• Whole Grains - buckwheat, spelt, rice, millet, quinoa, barley, and rye
• Leafy Greens - spinach, kale, arugula, collard greens, and broccoli
• Protein - wild caught fish, chicken, legumes, tofu, nuts, eggs, and cheese

#5 - Become Active
If you aren't already involved in doing some kind of physical activity, it is going to be important to get your body physically in shape to carry a baby. Try exercises such as yoga or Pilates. This will help minimize the muscle aches and pains that come along with being pregnant when you get there. If the season is right, get outside and walk in the park or around the block each day. Plus, the fresh air is good for you! *I do not recommend starting a rigorous exercise program when pregnant. And, don't start doing anything when you become pregnant that you hadn't preciously done, like jogging or running.