fertility, conception and being in touch with your cycle

There is nothing more empowering than understanding the natural feminine cycle our bodies gently experience every month. It is a privilege to be a woman, to experience bleeding, to have a womb that has the ability to bring forth life. When you come to know the way our body, hormones, and nature shifts throughout a cycle there is an innate wisdom that is awaken. A knowing of this womanhood being sacred.

From our first bleed to menopause—maiden to crone, these seasons are deeply connected. The way to see our menstrual cycle and care for our bodies during our bleeds (and every postpartum) affects how we experience menopause. It is no coincidence that these transformational moments directly impact one another.

When we discuss fertility, conception, and even prevention it is important to begin with our cycle. There is a reason menstruation is also known as the fifth vital sign. Our period can tell us a lot about our health and hormones. Our “cycle” differentiates in length, but for simplicity we will use 30 days to explain exactly what I mean. The first day of your cycle is marked by bleeding. I refer to this as a release as the body flows and sheds the inner lining of the uterus. The average menstrual bleed is 4-5 days, when it ends the follicular phase begins. During the follicular phase estrogen is rising and your body is preparing for ovulation. Ovulation typically occurs on days 12-16. The Luteal phase occurs around days 17-30 until the next bleed occurs and the cycle begins again.

Now that we have a better understanding of this sacred rhythm, let’s talk about cycle tracking. The best way to understand your cycle is to intentionally follow what your body is doing when. This is an intuitive and observational experience that helps you see first hand how the feminine cycle unfolds within. This way of cycle tracking is effective for family planning and to gain a better understanding of what is happening. It involves taking your basal body temperature, palpating the cervix, and checking cervical fluid. This is known as the fertility awareness method (FAM), an effective birth control or tool for conception.

FAM is deeply involved and intentional, but isn’t that the point? If we want to understand our bodies we have to slow down and pay attention to what is happening. This invitation is to literally take back your fertility, and is best said by Toni Weschler who wrote Taking Charge of your Fertility https://www.tcoyf.com/taking-charge-of-your-fertility/. 

By taking your basal body temperature (your temperature before you get out of bed or drink water) at the same time every morning, we can see a peek in temperature that happens after ovulation that in turn quickly drops. When it comes to conception, sperm can live inside the body for up to 7 days. If ovulation occurs within this period of time pregnancy can occur. When trying to conceive the goal is not to have sex when you’re ovulating, but within this window just before ovulation. This peek and drop in temperature following ovulation can help us know what days our egg is released and when it is safe to have intercourse when we are trying to prevent pregnancy. This can also be a unique sign of pregnancy if your basal body temperature stays elevated after ovulation.

The cervix is also changing throughout our cycle giving indicators of fertile and infertile days. Through mucus and the cervical opening, we can have a better idea of when the chances of conceiving are more likely. In fact, any cervical mucus can be fertile, and when desiring to prevent pregnancy it is recommend to use barrier methods or abstain from intercourse until there is none. You may notice mucus when you wipe or when you’re feeling your cervix.

Yep. That’s what I said, feeling your cervix. The cervix goes from firm and closed to soft and slightly opened. You can use your forehead, nose and lips to compare firmness to softness. An open soft cervix can be an indicator of ovulation and pregnancy too!

Below you will see one of the charts I have completed during a cycle in 2022. You can clearly see the peek in basal body temperature indicating ovulation being complete. I share this very imperfect chart as it was my first, and gives a good idea of how this can look for you. I will leave some resources below including a resource on how to ensure you are using the FAM correctly for the most accuracy.

Taking charge of your fertility charts: 

Birth control chart https://www.tcoyf.com/wp-content/uploads/charts/TTA%20Classic%20Chart%20(F).pdf

Pregnancy chart https://www.tcoyf.com/wp-content/uploads/charts/TCOYF%20Pregnancy%20Chart%20-%20Classic%20(F).pdf

FAM guide https://docs.google.com/document/d/10Mqbmwo7vQrztMS95Y4X-V3KdnyQLpWZDrYO0ygIivQ/edit?usp=drivesdk

My personal journey started with birth control at a young age. Without ever having been sexually active I was put on birth control, striping my body of its physiological hormonal flow. If you aren’t aware of the effects of birth control, I highly recommend watching the documentary The Business of Birth Control. During the three years of implanted hormonal birth control I experienced month long bleeds, extreme emotional swings, and so much disruption. I knew that birth control was harmful for my body. I felt a deep intuition that there had to be more options for those wanting to prevent pregnancy and that my body was missing wisdom. My first cycle after being free of birth control I experienced signs of fertility along with the beginning of my endometriosis symptoms. Still til this day, I can’t help but wonder if birth control was the culprit for this unfortunate diagnosis I have received.

I share all of this to say that studying the art of midwifery has blessed me with learning what I knew deep down—what my body knew all along. We need these hormones flowing as normal to have optimal reproductive health. Birth control does not trick your body, it completely severs the connection between your blood brain barrier and reproductive organs, stopping all hormonal flow. My body is wise and the natural rhythms flowing within me is a communication should not be severed. That it is sacred to be a woman and to understand our bodies as a deep knowing that we should all work to awaken.

This telling doesn’t give the perfect picture of all fertility, conception and understanding your cycle entails—it gives an honest basic understanding that I hope peeks your interest and guides you to reach deeper for what is already within. Though I wish I could simply give you every piece of information to perfectly guide you, I want to instead encourage you to do research, pick up a book, print a chart and begin getting in touch with your cycle.