NFP: The Lazy Way
With all the talk about checking you temperature every morning, checking and charting mucous, and even checking your cervix position, just the mention of using natural family planning to get pregnant can make a girl run the other way. (seriously – you can’t be lazy about it if you’re trying to prevent!) It sounds like a lot of work and really it can be. It can take up time and energy and it can also take the fun out of ….. you know. When being intimate is all scheduled and planned the intimacy tends to be strained or pressured.
So here is a Lazy Persons guide to natural family planning:
- Have sex every other day. Or at least every third day.
Yup, that’s it.
Everyday actually gets to be to often in the aspect that the man’s sperm count isn’t as high as it needs to be. Give him a day off so his little guys can recuperate. You want the sperm to be many in number and strong in swimming. Being intimate every 48-72 hours gives both of your body’s a chance to rest, as well as allowing a short enough period in between bedroom sessions to keep the sperm alive in case you do ovulate.
Checking and charting does have a purpose, and I personally found it helpful when I first started looking for ovulation signs. And it can also be extremely helpful in conceiving, but, if treated correctly, your body has it’s own features in allowing conception even when you aren’t intimate on the exact day you ovulate.
Anyone else notice how I’m de-stressing this week? 
I just noticed my last 2 posts are all about being lazy! Ahhh, the cold weather brings out the couch potato in me.
Take a day off
Yesterday I had the pleasure of heading over to a friends house and spending some time chatting with her. After spending the day with her I also got to see 2 of my sisters on my way home and we spent an hour laughing and joking, and just being sisters. Getting out of the house and away from my own stresses really boosted my mood and I enjoyed myself immensely. At the end of the day I realized it’s what I had needed.
Life tends to be overwhelming at times no matter what season of life you are in. And it reminded me how stressful infertility can be. Very stressful in fact. Days can be filled with checking and charting and worry and overall obsession. Plus the fact that we tend to talk about it with our husbands constantly and maybe some friends that are going through the same thing. Or if we don’t have friends, there is a huge online network of infertility groups and forums where you can also worry about what other people are going through. All of this built up worry and over thinking can really bog down not only your life, but who you really are.
So, before it gets to that point, you need to take a day off. And if you are already to that point, you really need to take a day off! Nothing can refresh you more than taking a day and doing something you love. Go out with a friend to dinner, (just make sure to tell her beforehand there is to be no baby talk!) take your husband bowling, walk along the beach (oh, how I miss summer!) or just head to a friends house for a day of chatting. And just a little tip – talking about the past always brings more fun! Who doesn’t love to laugh at all the things you did when you were a kid? Maybe have a no kids night at the parents house and watch old home movies!
Being absent from infertility for a day can boost your mood and really give you a rejuvenated spirit.
Most importantly of all, if you are really struggling (anger, jealousy, contempt), spend a day with the Lord. Go outside or to a quiet place in your home and spend time reading the bible and praying. Let him know how you feel, cry out your struggles, even tell him how much you hate what you’ve been going through. (believe me, He already knows your heart and any anger inside, so it’s really no surprise to Him) If you allow yourself to really let go of the feelings you harbor, you’ll be amazed at what a new person you really become. Plus, when it all comes down to it, we actually have no control over our fertility. He does. And if you feel like there is a hole in your life, that something is missing, he is the only one that will ever truly fill it.
NFP: The Other Signs
Along with temperature changes and changing cervical fluids, a womans body actually gives off other signals during ovulation as well. Not every woman will experience each one of them, but when you are in tune with what your body is doing, you may actually be able to sense them a bit more often. Charting how your body feels, as well as your emotions, can give a good look to the inside workings of your cycle.
Things you may notice:
- Breast fullness or tenderness starting the week of ovulation
- Light cramping during the fertile phase
- Cramping on one side when you actually ovulate. May last a few minutes when the egg is released or may last the whole day.
- Bowel changes as your hormones surge
- A feeling of heightened sexual desire (did you know the word estrogen stem from Latin roots that mean creating mad desire?)
- Some positions during intercourse may not be as comfortable since your cervix changes position
- All of a sudden being high energy or feeling highly productive.
- Clear, soft skin
- Happiness or all around feeling great, increased confidence
Month by month, you may actually find more ovulation signals as you chart your body changes along with your temps or fluids. Keeping track is a great way to actually pin point the moment of ovulation instead of relying on a guess of when ovulation took place during a whole day. Especially since the egg start to deteriorate after about 12 hours. So if you get to the point where you can feel the exact moment, the clock starts tickin!
Cues from the cervix
Did you know that your cervix actually changes during your cycle? It changes so much so that you can use it in combination with tracking temps to further pin point your peak fertile day, or used as an alternative. It works especially well when combined with tracking mucous changes and would actually be preferable over temp charting for those of you who do not sleep a straight 6-8 hours through or awake at the same time each day.
What it is
The cervix is the opening to the uterus and becomes part of the birth canal (you know, the part that has to open 10 cm before you can push?). While you are not fertile, your cervix stays lower in the vaginal canal. It also remains closed and dry. During ovulation, when you start getting more mucous, it starts to raise up higher into the canal and starts to open and soften. This allows the sperm to travel more freely and effectively.
The Hunt
Finding your cervix is relatively easy, but you must get over your uneasiness in order to do so. It’s easiest if you prop one leg up on a tub side or toilet seat, and of course – wash your hands! You place one or two fingers into the vaginal canal and reach as far back as you can. You’ll honestly feel something that seems like a nose (when not fertile) or something as soft as your lips (when you’re fertile), and completely different than the vaginal walls. You might also notice that there is a small depression in the middle of it, this is the opening into the uterus and the part that opens slightly when you are at your peak time for ovulation. If you are unable to find it, just wait a few days and try again. You’ll also have to keep in mind that it may be easier to find while in a lower position, such as after your period or after ovulation. (if you’d like to see actual pictures of the changes, go here)
Charting your cervix is an effective way to practice Natural Family Planning when combined with charting your temperature, as well as your mucous. When used together they give you a window in to what your body may be doing during each phase of your cycle and can help you either achieve or prevent pregnancy.
** Please do not construe my posts as medical advice, because *ahem*, I am not a doctor or medical professional. I am but a student of Nourishing Nutrition and Natural Health. I only hope to ignite a passion within you to do your own research and begin your own journey to better health. And to make sure you don't miss a single post, you can add my blog's RSS Feed to your reader or you can sign up for free updates by Email.NFP: Let’s Talk About Mucous
You can’t talk about natural family planning without talking about mucous. Gross, I know, and not something most women like to think about on a daily basis. But it’s worth talking about. Actually it’s important to talk about, and just as much and if not more important, than talking about temperature charting. Because I for one, was never into charting my temp every morning.
But what if you could tell when you were ovulating even with irregular cycles? For this reason, we’ll be delving into the depths today and discussing mucous. If it makes you blush, as it does with me, sorry!
How it’s produced and what it does
Your cervix has tiny pockets in it, and estrogen tells these pockets to produce mucous (vaginal discharge). This mucous is produced during the fertile days of your cycle, whether your cycle is regular or not. It has two major functions when it comes to conception.
- It feeds the sperm and can keep it a live for up to 5 days after sex
- It helps the sperm travel to the uterus and fallopian tubes to the awaiting egg
The Cycle
If you’re anything like I was, you have no idea that any discharge is tied to your hormones or your cycle. But for me this was the greatest indicator of fertility and after a few cycles I could tell exactly when I was ovulating, to the day.
After your period, the cervix stops producing mucous and it should feel dry. You are not fertile yet, so there is no need for it, and the sperm can only live for about 4 hours. As ovulation gets closer it gets stickier and right before ovulation it changes to a thin, slippery, and stretchy consistency. Most call this the egg-white phase since it is similar consistency to a raw egg white. (if you’ve got consistency like a cooked egg white – you’ve got bigger issues than I know how to deal with!) This discharge is a prime indicator that you are ovulating or will be ovulating in the next day or so. Normally this type of mucous last for a few days and will then start to dry up again. On average, ovulation occurs on the last day of wet mucous or the day after and the egg will survive for anywhere from 12-24 hours. (now some women never experience the actual egg white consistency, so your ovulation would follow your wettest moments that month)
When you realize your mucous had changed, and you are fertile, have intercourse each day you feel ‘wet’ and also the day after. If your husband happens to have a low sperm count, it would most likely be best to have intercourse every other day so that his body can prepare a good amount of sperm each time. Of course, if you are practicing NFP to prevent pregnancy, these would be the days to abstain, and also add on a couple extra days at the end of the fertile mucous period.
The Checking
Checking for signs of fertility really isn’t a glamorous thing to do. The best times to check are before and after you use the restroom or before you take a shower. Of course, many women know when they feel wetter than normal, especially while being intimate. If you have trouble locating any mucous, you may not be near ovulation. Try a few kegel exercises and if nothing shows, I would take that as a non-fertile sign.
Taking care of it
Healthy mucous actually feeds the sperm for many days and helps it travel faster to the awaiting egg. Many things we do can have an effect on not only the consistency, but also on whether or not it can do it’s job.
- Drink plenty of water. When we have a cold we’re told to drink fluids to clear up our sinus’s, would it not be the same for other bodily fluids? Staying hydrated is a great way to ensure the correct consistency and make it easier to judge when you are fertile. Make sure your getting at least an ounce per inch of your height!
- Stay away from cold and allergy medications. Antihistamines are made to dry up mucous and it’s not just directed at the stuff in your nose. They can dry your vaginal mucous enough to where it can no longer sustain the sperm or help it on it’s way.
- Avoid over indulging in acidic foods. In our western diet, our body’s have become quite acidic and this bodily PH actually effects the sperm. When a womans vagina and mucous becomes too acidic, it can actually attack the sperm instead of feeding it. High acidic foods include coffee, pop or soda(depending on what part of the country you live in!), beer, artificial sweeteners, sugar (both white and brown), and white breads and pastas. Other acidic foods actually include eggs, yogurt, and even whole wheat breads. It’s recommended to make sure you are eating a well rounded diet including many different types of fruits and vegetables to help your body balance it’s own PH to a neutral state.
- I’ve also heard it suggested to drink a cup of green tea each day. And while I don’t know the science behind it, it can’t hurt either. Plus it helps with overall fluid consumption.
** Please do not construe my posts as medical advice, because *ahem*, I am not a doctor or medical professional. I am but a student of Nourishing Nutrition and Natural Health. I only hope to ignite a passion within you to do your own research and begin your own journey to better health. And to make sure you don't miss a single post, you can add my blog's RSS Feed to your reader or you can sign up for free updates by Email.
Natural Family Planning: Charting Your Temperature
Natural family planning is most normally looked at as a way to prevent pregnancy, but for lots of couples, it’s also a way to achieve pregnancy. It even works for those of us who don’t have regular menstrual cycles. It’s a way to be in tune with your body, enough to even know exactly when you ovulate. While there is more than one way to achieve this, I’ll focus on the temperature method today.
How to chart your temperature:
At the same time each morning, before you get out of bed (or move or talk), you take your temperature (orally) on a digital thermometer that records your temp within 1/10 of a degree. Chart your temp each morning on a Basal Body Temp Chart. A womans temperature normally drops slightly right before ovulation and then rises sharply following ovulation.The rise in temp should be about .4 degrees. When you see this drop, you can know that it may be time to ‘get busy’, if you get my drift.
A great way to find the different phases of your cycle is to draw a line between the follicular phase and the luteal phase. How do you find this? Take a look at the 6 days prior to ovulation (or the decrease in temp, before the sharp increase) and draw a line across the chart 1/10 of a degree higher than your highest temp those days. You should be able to see the follicular temps (1st part if the cycle) are all below the line and the luteal temps (second part of the cycle) are above.
Charting your temperatures is not only a great way to see when you’ll be most likely to conceive, but it can also help you figure out if you have a luteal phase defect of some sort. Basically after ovulation your temp should remain above the coverline for at least 12 days. And if it stays above the line (or elevated) for 18 days, it may be an indication of pregnancy. Also, if you do decide to seek medical counsel after you’ve been unable to achieve pregnancy, they can help the doctors find out what may be going wrong.
Charting does take time and it does need to be done everyday, but it can also be a very accurate way to achieve pregnancy.
** Please do not construe my posts as medical advice, because *ahem*, I am not a doctor or medical professional. I am but a student of Nourishing Nutrition and Natural Health. I only hope to ignite a passion within you to do your own research and begin your own journey to better health. And to make sure you don't miss a single post, you can add my blog's RSS Feed to your reader or you can sign up for free updates by Email.
