Reddit Reddit reviews Taking Charge of Your Fertility, 10th Anniversary Edition: The Definitive Guide to Natural Birth Control, Pregnancy Achievement, and Reproductive Health

We found 86 Reddit comments about Taking Charge of Your Fertility, 10th Anniversary Edition: The Definitive Guide to Natural Birth Control, Pregnancy Achievement, and Reproductive Health. Here are the top ones, ranked by their Reddit score.

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Taking Charge of Your Fertility, 10th Anniversary Edition: The Definitive Guide to Natural Birth Control, Pregnancy Achievement, and Reproductive Health
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86 Reddit comments about Taking Charge of Your Fertility, 10th Anniversary Edition: The Definitive Guide to Natural Birth Control, Pregnancy Achievement, and Reproductive Health:

u/[deleted] · 239 pointsr/relationships

As a former 16 year old girl, ^^^ this is great advice.

Let her know you're disappointed that she lied, but that you want to be here for her no matter what. Promise her you won't get mad if she comes to you with anything, and then STICK with that. It'll be REALLY hard to do that when you get mad but you're raising her to be an adult, and at 16, she's nearly there. I view 16-18 y/o to be "practice runs" for adulthood. Let her make decisions, but be there with guidance and support.

Lastly, schedule a doc appointment at Planned Parenthood. When you're booking the appointment, explain the situation so they can address your concerns directly with her.

Oh, and I recommend this book to a ton of teenager girls: Taking Charge of Your Fertility because it covers a LOT of info on getting pregnant (or, in this case, NOT getting pregnant) that's not covered in health class.

u/deadasthatsquirrel · 38 pointsr/BabyBumps

As someone who is trying for a baby, I wish someone had told me how long the process can take and it's not just a case of "stop using birth control, get knocked up". I had no idea just how few fertile days you have every month!

Read Taking Charge of Your Fertility now, lurk at /r/TryingForABaby and join /r/waiting_to_try :)

Edit - After posting this last night, I got my first positive this morning at 11DPO :)

u/qwertypoiuytre · 12 pointsr/GenderCritical

A few that come to mind, not sure if they are exactly what you want but very informative and interesting nonetheless!

"Taking Charge of Your Fertility" for the basics on female reproduction (most of which is not known by most women), also discusses ignorance and sexism in the medical particularly ob/gyn field. (recommend even if not interested in using Fertility Awareness Method as contraception/conception tool)

"The Egg & the Sperm: How Science Has Constructed a Romance Based on Stereotypical Male-Female Roles" - discusses how stereotypes shape descriptions of physiological processes, and has some pretty interesting info on functions of the egg during fertilization (i.e. it is not just a sitting duck passively awaiting penetration by the strong brave sperm).

And I'm currently reading "Testosterone Rex: Myths of Sex, Science, & Society" - only about half done but so far have read sections on sexual activity and "brain sex" - generally debunking the socially constructed ideas of differences in the two and the traditional evopsych narratives. Which might be another angle to consider.

u/siriuslyserious · 11 pointsr/TryingForABaby

Welcome! My first advice is to get yourself a copy of this book. It will explain just about everything you need to know about how your cycle works! It is a huge help and I wish I'd read it years ago just to understand my body better. It talks about tracking your temperatures to see if/when you ovulate and goes into tracking your cervical fluid as well.

Start taking prenatal vitamins! I like the yummy gummy ones. Are you on hormonal birth control at the moment? Most doctors recommend that you go off of it 2-3 cycles before actually TTC to let your body get back to normal, but sometimes it can take many months.

I use the Fertility Friend app, which seems to be the most popular around here. It's great, you can track your BBT, CM and other symptoms, compare your charts to others, search for specific types of charts, lots of info there!

Best of luck, hope you're not here long!

u/mrswaka · 10 pointsr/TryingForABaby

Hey girly!

I definitely use OPKs, but only really found them useful after I had an idea of when I ovulated, which I figured out through charting. *A note on charting: The first months are very hellish. You'll drive yourself nuts if you try to analyze it all, so I'd recommend starting it when life is kind of slow!

I use these OPKs because they came in a combo pack with HPTs and they've been really reliable. I use this thermometer because I like that it beeps when it's getting the temp (note on BBTs, they take about one full minute to get an accurate temp, so you do have to be a bit patient with them!) and it also has a backlight. I temp vaginally because I want to get the most accurate readings, so the beeping does not bother my husband since it's all under the sheets. Definitely start temping CD1 of your period and make sure you're getting the temp right when you wake up (I have an alarm set for 6:30am because I will never be awake on my own then!)

I wouldn't worry about supplements until you have at least three months of charting under your belt. No need to throw everything off...just see how your body works naturally.

This book is the fertility bible to most women and has a lot of helpful information. For charting, FertilityFriend is a great place to start and also has a handy dandy mobile app. You can also poke around in /r/TFABChartStalkers for charting help once you start.

If you can hold out...try to not test before your period is due. Trust me, squinters on pregnancy tests are NIGHTMARES to cope with, totally not worth it, and are avoidable. I wish someone had told me this when I started TTC because it would have saved me a lot of heartache.

I hope you find the support you need here and please feel free to PM me with any questions that you come up with! I've been around the block a few times and can definitely help out :)

u/GertrudeBeerstein · 9 pointsr/SRSWomen

The cis-het lean of my choices is unintentional.

Taking Charge of Your Fertility by Toni Weschler taught me so much about my cycle that I didn't know, and I considered myself extremely well educated about sexual health. Useful info.

Why Does He Do That? by Lundy Bancroft is primarily written about male abusers from the perspective of a court-appointed domestic abuse counselor but specifies the information is useful for all gendered situations. I have recommended this book to so many women who do not recognize abusive situations. It elucidated a lot about my relationships and the nature of abuse. It really understands how find yourself in an abusive situation despite your best intentions, but insists you must leave for your safety and is very clear about the ubiquitous escalation from psychological/verbal abuse to physical harm and death. This is an Intervention book if you know someone who needs help getting out of a shitty relationship.

The Red Tent by Anita Diamant- so this is a weird choice maybe to be coming from me, an atheist, but this is reimagined Biblical fiction about a daughter of Jacob. It's been a long time since I read it but I remember being impressed by the idea of elevating a woman's voice from Biblical times, giving her agency, and reflecting on the ritualistic ties that bind women together (in this case, menstruation and midwifery). I'm sure there's all sorts of problematic stuff re: that pesky underlying belief system/Bronze Age patriarchy/elevation of motherhood as the epitome of female experience, et al. But I don't remember that? The thing that stuck with me was just a powerful story of womanhood, so that's gotta say something. (If any of you have read this more recently and want to tell me this is actually a terrible choice, I'm willing to concede that I have an awful memory, so the details may sink this one.).

u/Shortkaik · 8 pointsr/TryingForABaby

Welcome! Nothing insensitive about it - we all start somewhere :)

Book recommendations: Taking Charge of your Fertility will teach you more than you ever wanted to know about reproduction and trying to conceive. It's great!

My only other product recommendation is a basal thermometer for tracking ovulation. It's a pretty easy habit to get into and will confirm when and if you are ovulating. The book talks about that a lot.

Otherwise, start taking prenatals now (you want that stuff to be in your system BEFORE conception!), and start looking at improving your health in general. Nothing particularly "Trying for a baby" related there, just you know, eat a healthy diet, drink plenty of water and exercise regularly as best you can!

u/Refhgarad · 7 pointsr/TryingForABaby

Taking Charge of Your Fertility is an amazing book! When I read it first I was amazed at how little I knew about my cycles, definitely recommend it :)

u/quince23 · 6 pointsr/TTC30

Taking Charge of Your Fertility, which describes in detail how changes in your cycle impact your body, allowing you to figure out your most fertile days.

Expecting Better, a book by a kick-ass economist. She goes through all the pregnancy recommendations and digs up the initial studies to say what the evidence actually says.

Pregnancy, Childbirth, and the Newborn - just what it says on the tin

"All Joy and No Fun" and "Why Have Kids?" are interesting reads if you want to examine parenthood in American culture, but are less relevant for the TTC process.

u/rainbowmoonheartache · 6 pointsr/TTC30

I personally recommend the "bible" of the Fertility Awareness Method: Taking Charge of Your Fertility by Toni Weschler, MPH. (The new 20th anniversary edition comes out in July.)

u/lo_lei · 6 pointsr/AskWomen

Fertility awareness and withdrawal.

Withdrawal, when used properly, is nearly as effective as condoms.

For fertility awareness, pick up a copy of Taking Charge of Your Fertility.

u/Auzurabla · 6 pointsr/TwoXChromosomes

I used this method as bc for about 8 years with my now husband. We didn't use an app, we used a book called Taking Charge of your Fertility and paper charts.
https://www.amazon.com/Taking-Charge-Your-Fertility-Anniversary/dp/0060881909

This book goes into all the details you need, with every question you might have. Basically, you need 3 months of tracking before it starts to make sense and you start to see the pattern in your cycle. You need to take your temperature with a basal thermometer, a regular one isn't sensitive enough. You need to take your temp after 3 hours of sleep, at the same time every day (so if you work nights, take it at noon or smt). I never woke up at 6am, my husband would stick the thermometer into my mouth, and when it beeped, I'd take it out. The temp is saved, then I'd put it onto my paper chart when I woke up later.

It sounds complicated, but honestly once you've done it for a year, you know your body so well. Even 15 years later, after having babies, I still know that if I'm on day 16, I'm ovulating and going to be cranky. 10 days after ovulation, I get my period. I notice that my sense of smell is really sensitive around day 16. Odd things like that. Patterns that you never noticed.

It is really empowering to know that everything you go through during your cycle is predictable and normal.

u/samiisexii · 6 pointsr/polyamory

Have you read Taking Charge of Your Fertility? It's got a lot of awesome information that makes you go "why did no know ever teach me this?" I use condoms with my secondary, obviously. But it's great knowing exactly where in my cycle I am to get a general sense of riskiness. And also once you get good at pinpointing when you ovulate, you'll know just when to expect your period ahead of time (and won't have to stress that you're late because you're pregnant, since you know you just ovulated late).

ETA: http://www.amazon.com/Taking-Charge-Your-Fertility-Anniversary/dp/0060881909/

u/DarkEdgeoftheSea · 6 pointsr/AdviceAnimals

If you are interesting in knowing more about your cycle check out the book Taking Charge of Your Fertility.

u/youngbridget · 5 pointsr/TwoXChromosomes

I am not on hormonal birth control. We use condoms when I am fertile, which which is a little over a week every month. You can be as conservative with your choices (e.g. no penatrative sex before ovulation is confirmed) as you like to ensure you will not be at risk of pregnancy.

I keep track of my fertility status myself and know when I can and can not get pregnant. I use a Lady-Comp to help me do this. You don't have to spend the money on the Lady-Comp, but I find it to be helpful and worth it for me. I also highly reccomend this book, it will really help you to understand what is going on with your body and make informed decisions about it. Even if you decide you want to use birth control, I still reccomend that book.

u/superherowithnopower · 5 pointsr/Christianity

I would say discuss with pastor. Mother in Law may not be the best for spiritual advice here.

From what I understand, the argument against stuff like IUDs or hormonal birth control is that, if they fail at preventing the sperm from reaching an egg, there is a risk that the device or medicine can cause the fertilized egg to fail to implant in the uterine wall.

For many conservative Christians, this means that these methods can produce an abortion, making them unacceptable for use. I suppose the line of reasoning for your mother in law might be:

  • Using these methods can cause an abortion.
  • Abortion is murder
  • Murderers cannot inherit the Kingdom of God [Gal 5:19-21 KJV]
  • Therefore, Using these methods of contraception can make you a murderer, unable to inherit the Kingdom of God.

    However, to be honest, condoms can be a bit of a bother, but they really aren't so bad. Perhaps try looking for some of the ultra-thin condoms and such? Also, you could try combining the use of condoms with fertility tracking, which might allow for a least some time during the month that you and you wife can have sex without the use of condoms. My wife was recommended Taking Charge of your Fertility by a friend, and it worked well enough for us.

    ****

    For a little more detail:

    In the case of hormonal methods ("The Pill", hormonal IUDs, &c.), the medicine releases hormones into the woman's body that mimic those present in pregnancy. Thus, the normal menstrual cycle is halted, in theory, causing none of the typical events (ovulation, thickening of the uterine lining, thinning of the uterine mucus, etc.) to take place. The primary purpose of this is to prevent ovulation (no egg, nothing for the sperm to fertilize). It also has the side effects of preventing the sperm from reaching the Fallopian tubes (around ovulation, the uterus prepares itself to basically aid the sperm in finding its way to the 'tubes, but if no ovulation happens, these other things don't happen either), and, relevant here, it also reduces (if not stops) the uterine wall from thickening, as it (usually) does after ovulation to prepare to receive a fertilized egg (a process called implantation). This is also why hormonal birth control is often prescribed to alleviate excessive period pains. The result of this is that, if the first part fails and an egg is released, and a sperm happens to get to the egg, it's possible the unthickened uterine lining will increase the chances that the fertilized egg fails to implant.

    In the case of older, copper IUDs, which do not have a hormonal aspect, the device works basically by altering the chemical environment in the uterus to make it inhospitable to sperm. So, basically, the sperm, ideally, die before they can reach the Fallopian tubes where the egg is waiting. However, I'm guessing, by the same token, the copper IUD would
    also make the uterus inhospitable to a fertilized egg, if a sperm manages to get there (so it would actively kill the fertilized egg). Also, as I understand it, it is possible for the sperm to be damaged to such a degree that any fertilized egg would end up being non-viable.

    There is a lot of debate over this aspect of these methods. For those who insist that a pregnancy begins at implantation (which is the position the medical community holds), there is no issue, as these methods are not killing an implanted embryo (however, you should have the IUDs removed or stop taking the pills as soon as you know you are pregnant if it happens). For those who insist that a pregnancy begins at fertilization (which is the position of many conservative Christians), then there is serious concern that the use of these methods may, inadvertently, result in an abortion (killing the fertilized egg). However, even there, IIRC, there is some debate as to how much the thinned uterine wall
    actually causes a fertilized egg to fail to implant.

    Understandably, this is a difficult area to study scientifically. There is some evidence, I think, that the failure of an egg to implant is not uncommon under
    normal* situations, which I have seen some use to argue for the "pregnancy begins at implantation" position.

    Even within those two broad positions, I have heard a good bit of debate (for example, I've seen Principle of Double Effect applied to the situation of preventing implantation).

    Of course, all of the above assumes a position that contraception is, at worst, permissible but regrettable (i.e., a position opposed to contraception in principle, but allows for it in certain cases, broadly or narrowly restricted). If the person's or church's position is simply that birth control is not permissible under any circumstances, then all of the above is moot.
u/pinggoespow · 5 pointsr/TryingForABaby

It's important to do the same time every day b/c your body temp naturally rises through the night into the morning. I would set your alarm and go with it. I set mine for 6am b/c that's when my partner gets up in the AM and she usually wakes me anyways. On the weekends, I wake up enough to take my temp and fall back asleep. I think it was on here, but someone (a lady and a scholar) suggested putting a bit of velcro on the thermometer and attach it to a spot on your bed frame so you don't have to fumble around. Genius! Or, apparently there are thermometers out there that will store data for a few hours so you could record your temp, go back to sleep, and record it when you wake up. Mine doesn't do this. :(

It sounds like we both have a similar approach to TTC, philosophy-wise, so I'd strongly recommend the book Taking Charge of Your Fertility.
I finally bought it after seeing it referenced so much in forums and am glad of it. I thought I was doing well with my research online, but there were so many holes and it was frustrating to have to sort through data on multiple websites. One book was just easier.

u/ckmspecial · 5 pointsr/polyamory

I am in a closed FFM triad, and we are fluid bonded. We currently have one child and are trying for another. As I am the woman NOT trying to get pregnant, we use withdrawal and fertility tracking. Actually, both of us (women) use fertility tracking, just for different purposes.

I have used this method of birth control for my entire marriage (10 years) and never had an unplanned pregnancy. The only pregnancy I've had is the one with my daughter, which we tried for.

We are very cautious, and use withdrawal most of the time, even when I know I'm safe. My wife used it for 2 years prior to us trying to have a child, and she never had an unplanned pregnancy either. There is definitely a learning curve to this method, I would not rely on it until you've established a 6 month baseline of knowing your cycle and pinpointing your ovulation.

If you are interested in this form of birth control I suggest picking up a copy of 'Taking Charge of Your Fertility', it is an excellent resource.
http://www.amazon.com/Taking-Charge-Your-Fertility-Anniversary/dp/0060881909/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1342271170&sr=1-1&keywords=taking+charge+of+your+fertility

u/cltphotogal · 5 pointsr/BabyBumps

If you go a few months and you don't get pregnant, I recommend picking up a copy of Taking Charge of Your Fertility and thinking about starting to track (taking temps & looking at mucus, etc). It's a really good resource!

https://www.amazon.com/Taking-Charge-Your-Fertility-Anniversary/dp/0060881909

u/Jemmaris · 5 pointsr/latterdaysaints

>Why should women be the only ones to alter their reproductive systems?

I am a woman, FYI. My spouse does not have access to birth control in the forms that I do. I can recognize the inherent sexism here. I have no doubt that male birth control was not explored or approved as easily as women's birth control because of sexism. Women's suffering has always been more acceptable than men's. The side affects of many hormonal birth controls are atrocious.

And while women do risk death and disability with pregnancy, approaching pregnancy as being a natural normal physiological event instead of treating it like a problem or a disease has produced significantly improved outcomes for both mother and baby. But that's a different topic I shouldn't try to dig into here!

There are, however, options that do not rely on hormones. Also, I highly recommend every woman have a copy of Taking Charge of Your Fertility because it is helpful for women's health regardless of if you do or do not want to have children.

I recognize the trouble with my commentary in this moment is that I spoke very generally instead of about vasectomies specifically, but there are still complications that can arise from vasectomies.

So, as I stated in my main comment - I wholeheartedly ascribe to the idea that every couple must make this decision for themselves with prayerful consideration. In the mean time, I don't think it's terrible to think about there being other possible reasons for the Church having a policy on the practice that isn't tied specifically around actual reproduction.

u/cachinnate · 5 pointsr/TwoXChromosomes

Ugh, tell me about it. I'm gonna put a link to the book here because I honestly believe everyone should read it. They should teach all of this in fourth grade or something. There's so much we aren't taught about our bodies!

u/ReddisaurusRex · 5 pointsr/Parenting

Congrats! Here are my tips . . . (Cut and pasted from another post.)

  1. Stay positive - your attitude/outlook can really make a difference :)

  2. Watch (don't read/or read after watching) The Happiest Baby on the Block film (see below.)

  3. I see you are a reader - I felt like after reading the below books and listening to my parent friends' experiences, I was prepared for almost everything pregnancy and the first couple years of parenthood threw at me (I learn best from reading, and this was just my personal method that worked for me in making confident and informed decisions, or figuring out where to go for more research) - I know a lot of people don't learn best this way/get frustrated trying to implement something really specific if it doesn't work for their baby, rather than just taking pieces of everything they've heard/read about and adapting it to work for them.)

    These helped me make better decisions because they presented me with many options to try for trial and error, or good jumping off points for further research. I have honestly never had a "what do I do now?!" parenting moment because I have read so much that I have back up plans in my pocket if the first thing I try doesn't work. I have also never had any of the struggles with my son that a lot of people have around sleeping, eating, behavior, etc. and while I know some of that is because we have a healthy kid, I truly believe a lot of it comes from being an informed parent who explores all the options and tries the ones that have the most evidence for working well in combination with what feels right for me and my family.

    I tried to just list the neutral/middle of the road books that are fun and/or give enough indepth information on most sides of an issue to be a great jumping off point for exploring particular parenting styles, options, etc.

    In no particular order:

  • Bringing up Bebe - Tells the parenting story of an American expat. living in Paris, and how she observed different parenting techniques between American and French families, and how that plays out in children's behavior. It is a fun "experience" story and I think it lends some interesting insights.

  • Pregnancy, childbirth, and the newborn - I think this is the most informative, neutral, pregnancy book out there. It really tries to present all sides of any issues. I can't recommend this book enough. From here, you could explore the options that best fit your needs (e.g. natural birth, etc.)

  • Taking Charge of Your Fertility - Look into this if you find you are having trouble conceiving, or if you want to conceive right away. Really great tips on monitoring the body to pinpoint the most fertile times and stay healthy before becoming pregnant.

  • The Womanly Art of Breastfeeding - This is published by Le Leche League and really has everything you need to know about breastfeeding, pumping, etc. After baby is born, kellymom.com is a good resource for quickly referring to for breastfeeding questions later, but seriously don't skip this book - it is great!

  • Dr. Spock's Baby and Childcare - Really comprehensive and probably the most widely read book about every aspect of child health and development (and also a lot of what to expect as parents.)

  • NurtureShock - by far the most interesting book I've ever read in my life. Basically sums up research on child development to illuminate how many parents and educators ignore research based evidence on what works well for raising children. If you read nothing else in this book, at least read the sleep chapter!

  • What's Going on in There? - This book was written by a neuroscientist after becoming a mom about brain development from pregnancy through about age 5. It has some of the same research as NurtureShock but goes way more in depth. I found it fascinating, but warning, I could see how it could scare some people with how much detail it goes into (like how many people feel that "What to Expect When Expecting" is scary.)

  • Happiest Baby on the Block - There is a book, but really you can/should just watch the DVD. It has 5 very specific techniques for calming a fussy baby. Here are some recent reddit comments about it. Someday I will buy Dr. Karp a drink - love that man!

  • The Wholesome Baby Food Guide - this book is based on a website which has some of the same information, but the book goes way more in depth about how to introduce food, with particular steps, to set baby up for a lifetime of good (non picky) eating habits.

  • A variety of sleep books, so you can decide which method you might be comfortable with (I believe the Baby Whisperer and Healthy Sleep Habits Happy Child are pretty middle of the road, but you can look into bedsharing (The Dr. Sear's books) or the other end (Babywise) as discussed in other comments already here, etc. - these last two links I am letting my personal bias show - sorry, but I just think it is good to know all sides of an issue.)

  • Huffington Post Parents section often has "experience" articles, and browsing subs like this can help with that too.

  • A lot of people love the Bill Cosby Fatherhood book too, but my husband and I haven't read it, so I can't say for sure what is in it, but I imagine it is "experiences" based

  • The Wonder Weeks - describes when and how babies reach developmental milestones, what to expect from those, and how to help your baby with them.
u/sadie0922 · 5 pointsr/childfree

So the book Taking Charge of Your Fertility is all about education about your body and is really interesting and informative.. it talks about using daily temping/cervical mucus as ways to know if you're ovulating and how that applies to either getting pregnant or Not getting pregnant and has a good section on birth control even if a lot of the book focuses on getting pregnant. That, and Condoms!

Edit: Or even the copper IUD if the hormones are the issue.

u/castlemiss · 5 pointsr/BabyBumps

Apart from the different subs people are referring, I'd recommend getting the book Taking Charge of Your Fertility. I picked it up when I was TTC my second child, worried it'd take us another 2 years like our first, and it laid everything out in very easy to understand terms.

Honestly, it explained stuff that had never been mentioned to me before. And I remember going through a pretty thorough book with my mom when I was 12 or so... lot more information today than there were 15 years ago, I guess.

Good luck!

u/MISSINGNO_appeared · 4 pointsr/AskWomen

Aw, I'm so sorry you have to deal with all that :(

It's weird that some people react just fine to hormonal methods, while the rest of us suffer tremendously.

I found that spermicide + cycle-tracking was pretty effective for me, but not all women are able to successfully use that method. This book was my bible for a couple years.

u/risorius12 · 4 pointsr/BabyBumps

Taking Charge of Your Fertility is a really wonderful resource if you haven't read it already.

u/trublood · 4 pointsr/TwoXChromosomes

You should read the book Taking Charge of Your Fertility, by Toni Weschler. http://www.amazon.com/Taking-Charge-Your-Fertility-Anniversary/dp/0060881909/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1398102119&sr=1-1&keywords=taking+charge+of+your+fertility It will answer all of your questions about periods and pregnancy.

The chances of getting pregnant on the last day of your period are low, but it's hard to tell when the last day is, because you often continue bleeding after the last day of uterine shedding. You should really just always use a condom, and get on birth control pills if possible.

u/anon99anon · 4 pointsr/TryingForABaby

I'd heartily recommend reading Taking Charge of your Fertility if you haven't already, it will answer SO many questions.

u/GryphonLily · 3 pointsr/AskReddit

Read: Taking Charge of Your Fertility by Toni Weschler. Read it last year when trying to get pregnant, but I learned so much about my reproductive cycle and felt embarrassed that I hadn't already known it by age 34...I really cannot recommend this book enough!
She apparently also wrote a book for young girls just starting their periods, etc. I am so buying that for every friend's daughter that I know!
http://www.amazon.com/Taking-Charge-Fertility-Anniversary-Edition/dp/0060881909/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1347717778&sr=8-1&keywords=taking+charge+of+your+fertility

u/hannoush · 3 pointsr/migraine

Hey! Have you tried any of the preventatives that people tend to recommend here: Magnesium, Riboflavin, Coq10? I've been taking magnesium and coq10 steadily for a few months. The frequency of my migraines hasn't really diminished, but the severity definitely has. I can now be a functional member of society while having a migraine...if I have to.

I know how awful it is. I also know how misunderstood it is. I try to keep friends around me who understand. Those who don't I just have to remind myself, "This is really about them and not me." If a friend thinks I'm flaky because I cancel plans due to a migraine, I let them think that.

As for jobs...have you considered going into something where you can freelance or set your own hours? That's what I do. It helps me feel more normal. Most of my friends are graphic designers or web designers, and they tend to have more sympathy than my friends who have 9-5 desk jobs.

And as for hormones. I get both hormonal migraines and wtf-whenever-migraines. Are you on birth control? I stopped taking hormonal bc years ago to work on balancing my hormones on my own. This book has been amazing. Over the course of a year, it helped me identify a hormone problem that is causing at least some of my migraines.

That's all I've got. Don't let the bastards grind you down.

u/myanodyne · 3 pointsr/TryingForABaby

Lots of us!

Day 14 is supposedly the magic number - if your cycle is the perfect, textbook 28 days. Even then you may not be ovulating that day. There is a lot of variability in the length of your cycle leading up to ovulation, and not so much variability following it. Generally speaking if your cycle is less than 28 days, then you are ovulating sooner than day 14, and if your cycle is longer then you are ovulating later.

For example, my cycles run on the longer side of normal. My last was 34 days with ovulation on day 20 or 21.

There is a lot of great information out there on the internet and in books about the menstrual cycle and determining when you are or are not fertile, so I'm not going to try to explain what others have already done more thoroughly and eloquently.

I recommend Taking Charge of Your Fertility (along with just about everyone else on here) if you are interested in learning more.

u/KailuaGirl · 3 pointsr/sex

I'd like to recommend Taking Charge of Your Fertility. If you can take a pill everyday you can take your temp everyday and know exactly when you are and aren't fertile. This is not the Rhythm Method. This is science. Every woman should read this book and learn about her body even if she decides to use a different form of birth control. It is incredibly informative!

I have been successfully charting for 2 years. We use condoms when I am fertile or just have sexy times that doesn't involve semen in the vagina. ;)

And now I am gonna stop because I really don't want to sound preachy. I just always get so excited about sharing this knowledge with other women. If you have any questions I will do my best to answer.

u/TeaPotPie · 3 pointsr/TwoXChromosomes

This is so relevant to me right now it's insane.

I had been using hormonal BC off and on since I was about 15 years old. It started with the pill, which I used for probably about a year or two, and then I switched to the NuvaRing, also using it for about a year or two. But after using both methods of BC, and after feeling plummeting self esteem from weight gain, a killed libido, and just feeling "artificial," I decided to just be done with hormonal BC. I was set on getting Paraguard (non-hormonal and no babies for 10 years? Who wouldn't want that?) So I went to the doctor, and talked to her about my options. I explained my desire to get the IUD placed, and she told me horror stories about the IUD (perforated uteruses, snapped IUDs that required surgery to retrieve, etc.) and that she didn't think I would be a good candidate simply because I haven't been pregnant before. The whole experience was debilitating and for the first time in my life I felt truly trapped and defeated. I wanted birth control that wouldn't screw with my hormones, was effective, and didn't require a barrier, but it didn't seem to exist.

I did a bit of research and also came across Lady Comp. Honestly, it sounded too good to be true. But $500 is a hefty one-time payment for birth control, and I have yet to make the commitment (though I honestly think I will within a few months). However, while researching Lady Comp, I saw a lot of talk about the book Taking Charge of Your Fertility by Toni Weschler and it instantly drew my attention. The book explains how you can use the Fertility Awareness Method for BC by simply tracking your Basal Body Temperature (which is exactly what Lady Comp does), your cervical fluid, and/or your cervical positioning.

I'm nearly done reading the book, and I honestly feel so much more comfortable and aware of my own fertility.

I haven't used the FAM method yet (husband is active duty and is away at the moment) however I have been tracking my BBT and cervical fluid and hopefully will be using it when he comes home. That's the plan, anyway. I don't think I would feel comfortable using Lady Comp without supplementing with the book, simply because several things can affect your BBT (alcohol the night previous, not getting adequate amount of sleep, sickness or fevers, etc) but the book helped explain how in addition to my BBT, I can examine my own cervical fluid and cervical positioning to identify my fertile window.

My suggestion would be to at least look into the book a bit before buying the Lady Comp so you can understand your own personal cycle, and understand how BBT works, as well as your cervical fluid and positioning.

u/SoBitterSO · 3 pointsr/sexover30
u/shes-a-cunt · 3 pointsr/xxketo

This worked really well for me - I have a second kid to prove it! LOL

I had undiagnosed PCOS, and through tracking my cycles I knew I wasn't ovulating every month. But when we were ready to conceive our 2nd baby, we got pregnant with only one try (work schedule & illness) because I knew exactly when I DID ovulate.

The book I used was fantastic. Taking Charge of Your Fertility. This book should be required reading for all women anyway. I couldn't believe how ignorant I was about my own body.

u/givemeteapls · 3 pointsr/TryingForABaby

I would advise seeing a gyno right off the bat to see if they can do some testing for pcos which could be a cause for the irregular cycles and possible weight gain.

Highly recommend Taking Charge of Your Fertility, it's pretty much a bible for ttc. Also would recommend reading The Impatient Woman's Guide to Getting Pregnant. Both are great reads.

Get a BBT thermometer from your local pharmacy (the Target pink & white one sucks, so try a different store) and start temping/tracking your cycles through Fertility Friend.

Buy a buttload of wondfo OPKs to test for ovulation. Wondfos are cheap and plentiful. Check here for a 'how to' on buying them from a reputable source on Amazon/

u/whenwillthewaitend · 3 pointsr/TryingForABaby

Welcome and congratulations on starting your TTC journey. It's usually a very exciting time for couples. :)

I'd suggest reading Taking Charge of Your Fertility as it explains a lot of things that will be helpful to you as you continue in your TTC efforts. Another book I've heard is good for TTC, though I haven't read it myself and cannot confirm, is The Impatient Woman's Guide to Getting Pregnant.

> I tried a few ovulation tests earlier in the month and after getting faint second lines I decided it was close enough and we BD'd.

It's good that you've been having sex so you don't miss your fertile window. But you should know that an OPK isn't considered positive till the test line is as dark, or darker, than the control line. A lot of women, myself included, will literally always be able to pull at least a faint line on an OPK. I could drink a gallon of water at 11pm on CD3 and still get a faint test line. I've literally never seen an OPK without at least a faint line on it. And I realized the other day that I halfway (completely illogically) believe that if I dipped an OPK in water there would be a faint second line. Which of course isn't how it works but to illustrate just how weird it would be for me to see an OPK without a test line.

I personally would chalk up the spotting and the symptoms to your hormones regulating after the pill. A lot of ladies have a wonky first cycle or two. I know some lady who had strangely short cycles. Other have weirdly long cycles. Some ladies have a normal cycle length but O'd late and had a very abnormally short luteal phase. Basically what I'm saying here is that yes your cycle may be totally normal the first month but more often than not something is off with the first cycle. And what that something is could be anything.

Just to dispel this myth really quick: implantation bleeding isn't really a thing. No I'm not saying you can't have spotting/bleeding and also be pregnant. You definitely can be pregnant and have some spotting/bleeding at some point. It isn't even that uncommon to have a tiny bit of spotting/bleeding at some point during a pregnancy. However, there is no evidence at all that implantation is capable of causing bleeding. So "implantation bleeding" is at the very least a misnomer. Here is a study on bleeding in very early pregnancy. Here is a quote from the study:

>We found no support for the hypothesis that implantation can produce vaginal bleeding.

I've looked at a couple of other research articles on the issue and I have never once seen anything in the research that suggests implantation can, or does, cause bleeding.

There is also this study that is based off self-reported data on a TTC site. It found:

>There is no solid evidence in the graph for the occurrence of so-called implantation spotting.

and

>The chance that spotting will happen on any given DPO is greater for non-pregnant women than for pregnant. In DPOs 0-9 this means that spotting is a slightly negative indicator for pregnancy.

>In DPOs 10-20, in contrast, it is a strongly negative indicator since the primary cause of spotting in those DPOs is oncoming menstruation. The large bulge in the non-pregnant curve shows this clearly.

I'm not saying you're definitely not pregnant. I'm just saying that you may not want to assume that spotting is a great sign that you're likely pregnant. It seems like a great way to end up really hurt by false hope.

u/awkwardlyfeminine · 3 pointsr/xxketo

Check out Taking Charge of Your Fertility! It was a real eye-opener for me.

u/citellus · 3 pointsr/GenderCritical

>I wish I could do the rhythm method but I can't, because my periods very between 40-60, but it hurts to know there are many women like me that may love their normal cycles but never experience them or even know about them, ever.

The rhythm method is nonsense anyway, even if you had a typical length cycle. There's a joke that goes, "What do you call couples who use the rhythm method? Parents!"

But you could still look into Fertility Awareness Method, which is different. It's not based on a prediction of a typical/average cycle, it's based on tracking what your body is doing right now, in your current cycle. You'll know on a day to day basis whether you're in follicular or luteal phase, and whether unprotected PIV can or cannot result in pregnancy. And when it can, you just use condoms or think outside the box as I always say.

And as for irregular cycles it's pretty fantastic because you'll know when you ovulate and thus can predict to the day about two weeks in advance exactly when you'll get your period. And then the day of you'll get another reminder. So you can put a pad on/cup in in advance. It makes me feel like a magical wizard. I love it.

Another option thought might be the copper IUD. Personally I've heard a fair number of unfavorable anecdotes (like making periods and cramps way worse) but it clearly works for some women and it'd let you keep your cycle.

u/cheerfulmuse · 3 pointsr/TryingForABaby

Welcome and good luck! :)

As for reading material, get your hands on this. Very good read (just ignore some of the anti-doc speech she has in there and you're good to go).

Do you have a smart phone? Download Fertility Friend! There's a free version and you can also pay for a subscription version that unlocks additional features. (You can also use their website if you don't mind using a desktop version -- desktop and mobile versions sync so you can use both as well, website located here )

Get thee a BBT (basal body thermometer). You can normally find them in the drug store or online (unless you're like me and can't find them anywhere except Amazon, but in theory, you should be able to find them anywhere a thermometer is sold! :P)

ETA: I just noticed you said you're in your 30's. There's also /r/ttc30 if you're interested in checking that out :)

ETA2: If you want a recommendation on what OPK's to use, I use Wondfo OPK's. They're dirt cheap (For a 100 pack of OPK's and a 20 pack of HCG tests, it's ~$35?). Supposedly their HCG tests are garbage, but I've never had a problem with the OPK's. They work great :)

Let me know if you have any questions :) I think I covered all the basics lol

u/ttcwish · 2 pointsr/TryingForABaby

I've only been tracking for 5 months. This is what I did:

Month 1:
I went to OB to get a workup re: my PCOS, I had irregular period too coming off BC, PCOS, Hormonal Imbalance. We did blood tests and ultrasound and she gave me medicine to regulate my hormones. So far I have 27-28 day cycles with Duphaston. I bought a Basal Thermometer and started logging my wake up temperature. I input that data with Fertility Friend app. It's not the prettiest app but it does better and gives me a clearer picture of what's happening than other apps I've tried. BBT Tracking only and I was able to pinpoint my Ovulation.

Month 2-3:
I was traveling so no valid temp data.

Month 4:
BBT tracking but I learned that I need to track temp at the same time (give or take 30 minutes and at least 3 hours straight sleep). My temps were all over the place and I was temping at different times. Decided to set an alarm for this and to take my temperature vaginally (apparently I sleep with my mouth open and it affects the results). No ovulation for this month.

Month 5:
Using alarm regularly to take BBT vaginally then I sleep again. I've added checking my Cervical Mucous too. I wash my hands then wipe it dry with a tissue before inserting it to check for CM. So far, my CM are on track with my cycle. I tried checking my cervical position this month, nothing definitive as I'm still familiarizing myself with my cervix.

I'm also using Wondfo Ovulation Predictor Kits this month. I took it at CD10. More info here I get giddy seeing the test line grow darker with each day of testing. If the test line is darker than the control line it usually means that you'll be ovulating within 12-36 hrs. But according to what I've read, a sustained Temperature shift is the only way you'll know if you really did ovulate. When in doubt, Baby Dance!~

There are things that I never really bothered about until TTC. Everything is a learning process but I'm enjoying it so far. I hope this helps. But please do read "Taking Charge of Your Fertility" by Toni Weschler or Fertility Friend's free ebook. Those will really help you understand your cycle better.

u/MrsCrapnapkin · 2 pointsr/pregnant

Have you heard of fertility awareness? I love this book: http://www.amazon.com/Taking-Charge-Fertility-Anniversary-Edition/dp/0060881909. I got pregnant when I first started trying after having been on hormonal birth control (the pill) for ten years. I started reading it because I was just interested in how my body worked without hormones once I decided to stop taking the pill, and we decided we wanted to try for a baby shortly thereafter. What I loved most about the book is that it helps you determine if you really need (expensive!) fertility treatments or not without going to the doctor, and what kinds you might need. It is a huge learning curve, I thought, but it is so well worth it. It was really liberating to learn all of the clues about when I was fertile and when I wasn't. I feel like women should be learning this stuff in high school - knowing these things is really, really empowering.

u/Petunia_JAK · 2 pointsr/TryingForABaby

If you haven't got it already, I would get Taking Charge of Your Fertility http://www.amazon.com/Taking-Charge-Fertility-Anniversary-Edition/dp/0060881909/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1376092312&sr=8-1&keywords=taking+charge+of+your+fertility

A lot of people also seem to like the Impatient Women's Guide to Getting Pregnant, but I haven't read it myself. http://www.amazon.com/Impatient-Womans-Guide-Getting-Pregnant/dp/1451620705/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1376092348&sr=8-1&keywords=impatient+woman%27s+guide+to+getting+pregnant

Personally, I like charting on the taking charge of your fertility website (tcoyf.com) better than Fertility Friend. The website does run a little slow but it is easier to use in my opinion.

u/Jen_Snow · 2 pointsr/PCOS

If you're actively trying, you should think about starting to chart that stuff. If you get to a point where you're going to see a doctor about it all, they'll want you to start doing it before they can move forward with any sort of fertility help. (I was lead to believe, at least.)

The book Taking Charge of Your Fertility is a great resource for this sort of thing.

u/larabair · 2 pointsr/infertility

Welcome to the shitty society! You're going to get a lot of advice from all us here, and it can be very overwhelming. So. Are you trying to get pregnant? Did your GYN do testing for STDs? There's a lot of infections which can cause damage to your uterus and fallopian tubes, resulting in infertility.

Beaver gave a great explanation of your cycle in brief. However, if you have time, I would get this book out of your local library:
Taking Charge of Your Fertility by Toni Weschler
http://www.amazon.com/Taking-Charge-Fertility-Anniversary-Edition/dp/0060881909

TCOYF goes into detail about what happens to your body during a regular cycle when everything is working perfectly. I found it really helpful when we first started trying. It also explains what your GYN meant by temp/OPK kits.

u/computerkid · 2 pointsr/birthcontrol

The time from the beginning of your cycle to ovulation depends a lot on stress levels, your environment, and a lot of other things that can change from month to month. It's really not anything to be concerned about.

My periods are always pretty irregular, even though I'm on BC, and I used to worry about the same thing. It was really helpful to read this book about fertility and women's health. It explains in detail all the things that can make your cycles be different lengths, and ways that you can make sure you're not pregnant, like tracking your body temperature. Really helpful for understanding your feminine health in general. Highly recommend for any woman. (Plus just check the Amazon reviews.)

tl;dr: Nothing to worry about. Read awesome book to help you not worry about it in the future.

u/elizabethreb · 2 pointsr/infertility

The book "Taking Charge of Your Fertility" is good for learning more about your cycle. It'll probably be a good place for you to start. http://www.amazon.com/Taking-Charge-Your-Fertility-Anniversary/dp/0060881909/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1416878093&sr=8-1&keywords=taking+charge+of+your+fertility

u/2step2dmb · 2 pointsr/Samesexparents

Don't assume that because you're young and healthy that it'll only take a few cycles for you to get pregnant. You never know what will happen, so I don't want you to set yourself up for an easy insemination only for disappointment to set in. Because we don't have sperm available to us whenever we want, the timing of it all is very crucial. You could miss your ovulation days by one day on either end of the spectrum, so my recommendation is to start tracking your basal body temperature. Get a basal body thermometer to the hundredth degree (you could have mine as I don't need to use it) and every morning before you even move a muscle, take your temperature and right it on a chart. Once you see a spike in your temperature, this is a good indicator that you're ovulating. I would check out the book Taking Control of your Fertility. It's a comprehensive book that describes in detail how you can naturally and effectively track when your ovulating, how your uterus changes position through the month, your vaginal fluid, etc. Use the charts they describe in the book, they're really good. I got the book from the library, so don't feel like you need to purchase it.

I'm pretty sure we'll spend the extra money to get additional information on the donor. It depends on what you want as to what level you're willing to spend at, but my wife and I are most interested in education level and family medical history.

I know it's a little ways down the road, but you might want to consider storing some of the donor sperm you get pregnant with for future children. This way your future child could have a blood sibling. It's not important to my wife and I, but it might be something you want to do.

I started my journey in January and I still feel helpless sometimes. The timing of ovulation is what is tripping me up. The sperm is just so expensive that I can't afford to miss my ovulation window. I guess that's why we have doctors to tell us when we need to be injected.

P.S. It's not necessary to get a basal body thermometer to the hundredth (.00) degree, but it was recommended to me as my PCOS doesn't allow me to have a normal body temperature. It was really hard to find a more precise thermometer (I found mine 1800 miles away in Michigan!) so if you want something like this, PM me and I am more than willing to sterilize and send you mine. My fertility doctor told me to stop tracking, it wasn't giving me good ovulation predictors anyways.

u/Oneofthese3 · 2 pointsr/TryingForABaby

I would first start with talking between the two of you how aggressive you want to be in the charting/trying business. I mean, do you want to start charting everything from the beginning, what if it doesnðt happen. What view of fertility treatment do you both have? That kind of questions are I think very useful to start asking yourself right away.

If you want to go for tracking everything (I recommend it) then I recommend reading Taking Charge of your fertility by Toni Weschler.

u/allmyblackclothes · 2 pointsr/sex

If you want to better understand this, Taking Charge of Your Fertility is great. Short form, no you can't get pregnant during your period, but you can misunderstand when your period is or be irregular. I recommend the book to any woman, particularly nerdy women, who wants to understand your body.

Another lesson: if you find yourself horny and making bad choices about unprotected sex, female fertility can be triggering that. Be careful, evolution is tricky.

u/shaitanverte · 2 pointsr/sex

Chart your cycles. I successfully did this for the two years I was with my last boyfriend, and we never had any issues. I found this book highly useful.

u/PurpleStix · 2 pointsr/sex

Check out Taking Charge of your Furtility, it's all about charting your way to effective family planning. It's applicable whether you want to get pregnant or avoid pregnancy.

Lots of people think that the "fertility awareness method" (FAM) is the same thing as the "rhythm method", which is untrue. The rhythm method assumes a 28 day cycle, which is why it's wildly ineffective. FAM is all about getting to know her cycle so you can better predict her most fertile days.

I believe the only difference between "natural family planning" and FAM is what you do during her most fertile days. In NFP, you would remain abstinent, in FAM you would just use a condom. The info is the same for the rest though. Toni Weschler's book is a great resource.

u/sewsweet · 2 pointsr/TryingForABaby

Thanks! Fertility awareness method is a fertility charting method that can be used to avoid or achieve pregnancy. The basic signs you chart are basal body temperature, cervical position, and cervical mucus. We used it as our sole form of birth control for over a year before we started trying to get pregnant. If you are interested in learning more you should read Taking Charge of Your Fertility and check out the website tcoyf.com. I was amazed to learn so many things about my body and fertility that I had no clue about.

u/loopymath · 2 pointsr/TwoXChromosomes

I had a bad time with BCPs as well (irregular spotting throughout my cycle, despite trying several kinds over 5 years). My husband and I then exclusively used condoms (SKYN brand are great!).

I'm currently tracking my basal temperature and cervical fluid/position while trying to conceive, but I really like knowing what is happening with my body throughout my cycle. I will likely continue using it as birth control (with condom backup during fertile times) between kids and afterward.

It might be an unconventional option, but check out the book Taking Charge of Your Fertility by Emily Oster.

u/nezgrrl · 2 pointsr/Catholicism

There are some great secular NFP books like this one that encourage women to realize that NFP can be empowering.

u/k_tiara_von_lobster · 2 pointsr/TrollXMoms

I would recommend the fertility awareness method if you didn't have a kid on the way. When practiced correctly it's a really effective method of non-hormonal birth control, but it relies on a fairly regular sleep schedule, which ain't gonna happen when baby arrives.

You don't need to make this decision now. Being pregnant could be making you feel all the feels and it could make you not want to be pregnant again. This decision can wait. It's great that your hubby presented it as a question and a conversation rather than a declaration.

u/Nugget_Brain · 2 pointsr/TryingForABaby

Welcome! At 2 months, you have absolutely no reason to worry that you won't be able to do this. It can take a healthy couple up to a full year to conceive.

Do you temp? Use OPKs? My suggestions:

Buy and read Taking Charge of your Fertility. This is going to show you things about your body that you never knew. It really is eye opening.

Buy a Basal Body Thermometer. You can take your temperature vaginally or orally, as long as you do it the same way every day. You want to take your temperature after at least 3 hours of solid sleep. Don't get up, don't move around. Wake up to your alarm, take the temp and go back to sleep. I believe the one I linked has a 'history' so you can read it in the morning.

Enter your temperature daily in Fertility Friend This is free and will help you track your ovulation. You should have a drastic dip and then a pretty drastic rise. This indicates that you have in fact ovulated.

Temping is only good in retrospect. You can see that you have ovulated, not that you are going to. That's where [Ovulation Predictor Kids] (http://www.amazon.com/Combo-Ovulation-Pregnancy-Test-Strips/dp/B001E1Y1X6/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1404993367&sr=8-3&keywords=wondfo) come in handy. You use these in the afternoon (when most women will have a surge of Lutenizing (sp?) Hormone. This indicates that you are gearing up to ovulate. And yes, it's true that it's possible that you don't ovulate every time you surge. That's why you want to temp to actually confirm it.

Combining these 3 things will give you a really clear picture of what's going on each cycle. For some women, it can really stress them out. For me, it makes me feel empowered. Let me know if you have any more questions!

u/meat_tunnel · 2 pointsr/TwoXChromosomes

This is a really good resource: https://www.amazon.com/Taking-Charge-Your-Fertility-Anniversary/dp/0060881909 It's long but has a very scientific approach to your biology.

u/thelmick · 1 pointr/TryingForABaby

I would. I went through 5 doctors, 3 different kinds before I was able to get pregnant. I also have PCOS, I'm a classic case. At one point a fertility specialist told me to look into adoption. I thought we would never have children of our own. For me the endo didn't do anything. It was my GYN that got my cycles regulated and eventually put me on Clomid. It took 3 months each times but I was able to get pregnant twice.

If you aren't charting, you should start. FertilityFriend.com or Taking Charge of Your Fertility can help you.

u/anna_maple · 1 pointr/TryingForABaby

FINALLY I'm at CD1. I feel like I learn something new about my body and fertility with each cycle, so I'm totally ready for cycle 6! This cycle I'm going to temp vaginally; hopefully my chart won't be all over the place. I also bought this book, which I'm very excited to read: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0060881909/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o00_s01?ie=UTF8&psc=1

u/mundabit · 1 pointr/TwoXChromosomes

Condoms and spermacide used together is an effective contraception and its very unlikely that she is pregnant, especially as she is now getting some more bleeding.

It sounds like pregnancy is a frequent concern of hers each month, made worse by her irregular periods, Because of that I strongly recommend she talks to her doctor about what other contraceptive methods are available to her. Some methods like the pill, patch and ring will help regulate her period as well as protect her, to give her peace of mind. Other methods like Injections, Implants and IUDs are administered by a health care professional, offer 99% protecten and can't be misused. If she had one of these other methods and you continued to use condoms, her uterus will be damn near impenetrable.

I recommend she read up on female fertility, how it works and how she can understand her own. Taking charge of your fertility is one of he best books on the subject, But wikipedia can be just as good.

If she needs help keeping track of her irregular periods, I love the phone app Kindara Its designed for women with irregular cycles who are trying to understand their body. It will enable her to track her periods and understand how her body works. This app uses fertility tracking (temperature, cervical mucus and cervical placement) to determine which phase of the menstrual cycle you are in. (Folicular, ovulatory, Luteal and Menstrual - You can't get pregnant during the luteal phase, and if you enter the luteal phase, you know you aren't pregnant)

But the main thing is that she gets herself on a third method of contraception to feel as safe as can be, and maybe even talk to her doctor about the anxiety itself if she is still very stressed after implementing a third method.

u/searedscallops · 1 pointr/AskWomen

I think that your BF has a great idea. Condoms are wonderful as both birth control and STI prevention. For BBT and charting, there's an amazing book - Taking Charge of Your Fertility, by Toni Weschler. In fact, I think all uterus owners should read this book.

As for me, I don't use BC with some partners, but condoms with others. I have struggled with infertility for about 6 years and since I'm not TTC, I'm totally cool with it. But at other points in my life, condoms worked well, as did charting all by itself.

u/summernot · 1 pointr/reddit.com

taking charge of your fertility

This book outlines the Fertility Awareness Method: how to tell when ovulation is occurring, when to avoid having sex, when to have sex when trying to conceive.

We all set our paths. We all are responsible for our choices. It's too late to change some paths, but live -- and most importantly -- learn. There's a lot now that is out of your control, but at the very least, you can control your own bodies. Learn everything about how to do this.

This is in addition to my reply above

u/tina85 · 1 pointr/TryingForABaby

Definitely check out Taking Charge of Your Fertility (http://www.amazon.com/Taking-Charge-Fertility-Anniversary-Edition/dp/0060881909), I learned so much about my body after reading that book. Maybe it will help you.

u/PookyBot · 1 pointr/Hashimotos

https://www.amazon.com/Taking-Charge-Your-Fertility-Anniversary/dp/0060881909

Get your hands on this book even if you are not trying to get pregnant! I learned so much about my body reading this. It is normal to have a lot of slippery mucus around ovulation. I did a quick Google and blood can also appear after ovulation.

u/youknowmypaperheart · 1 pointr/Random_Acts_Of_Amazon

I know. :/ I actually read this book and used the Fertility Awareness method for years after I decided I just couldn't deal with hormonal bc anymore. I know people think it's crazy, though. :)

u/oatmeal_pie · 1 pointr/TrollXChromosomes

Have you heard of Taking Charge of Your Fertility? You track your fertility signs, so for example when Aunt Flow hasn't arrived on day 35 you know that you aren't pregnant because you haven't ovulated.

u/ahisma · 1 pointr/AskMedical

"Irregular" cycles are common, no worries! FAM is not about predicting your cycle. It is different from the "rhythm method" and "natural family planning". Basically with FAM you check your temp & cervical fluid every morning to tell you where you are at in your cycle on that very day. Typically it is the follicular phase not the fertile luteal phase that fluctuates anyways.

Nice app for keeping track of this data: https://www.kindara.com/app

Great book on FAM: http://www.amazon.com/Taking-Charge-Fertility-Anniversary-Edition/dp/0060881909

u/Lupicia · 1 pointr/Catholicism

Check out the pretty cool book, Taking Charge of Your Fertility.


Upfront disclaimer - our first is due in December. We didn't do in-depth charting, and we we're happily cutting the margins short. ;)

I'm Catholic, my husband of two years isn't, and the Catholic teaching on NFP wasn't the main reason we chose natural methods.

Knowing how my own personal cycle works, for me, is immensely liberating. I was never keen on changing my hormones, and contraception can get expensive. I was also lucky that I had a consistent cycle (+/-2 days) and intense mittelschmerz that made ovulation pretty obvious.

We were also generally of the opinion that if we were to get pregnant, it would be a happy thing, since we made choices to support that - we were married, had a good support network, had insurance, and though we're not entirely stable yet, could probably make it work.

I tracked using CyclesPage for a rough idea, and put the fertile week windows on a joint Google calendar.

u/potatoisafruit · 1 pointr/TrueReddit

There is an excellent book I gave my daughter called Cycle Savvy. I wish every girl or young woman would read it. It includes great information on all birth control in real-world situations, as well as information about how your cycle works, including when you can get pregnant and why.

I read Taking Charge of Your Fertility by the same author when I was having trouble getting pregnant. Either is a great read. You'll be surprised how much you don't know.

u/beccabug · 1 pointr/sex

I think she has some bad information. If nuvaring is inserted on Day 1 of her cycle (first day of period) it is effective immediately. If not, it only takes 7 days for it to become effective. And she can put it in whenever she remembers. She doesn't need to wait for her period, or for 2 months to pass...
Maybe she just doesn't like using it? Sit down and have an honest conversation about it with no judgement or negative energy whatsoever. Ask her what she wants. If she doesn't mind HBC, but just doesn't like NuvaRing, you guys should look into the Implanon (Nexplanon?) She can't forget it bc it's implanted into her arm, and it lasts for 3 years.

If she doesn't want the hormones, buy her this book. It's natural birth control. It takes diligence and tons of communication, but it works: http://www.amazon.com/Taking-Charge-Your-Fertility-Anniversary/dp/0060881909/ref=sr_1_2?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1415306228&sr=1-2&keywords=taking+charge+of+your+fertility
Hubby was skeptical. But after reading it, we are both happy we did it. Also I should mention that I'm a alternative-living kind of person, so try to keep an open mind.

u/Codenamepeach · 1 pointr/PCOS

If you ovulate you will have a period or become pregnant.

It looks like provera can sometimes bring on ovulation in some women, but it's really given to induce your period. You can have a period without ovulating. So you may or may not ovulate. If you are attempting to get pregnant maybe talk to your doctor about clomid, which helps with ovulation.

You should read Taking Charge of your Fertility. http://www.amazon.com/Taking-Charge-Your-Fertility-Anniversary/dp/0060881909/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1416400675&sr=8-1&keywords=taking+charge+of+your+fertility&pebp=1416400685244

It will help you understand all of the pieces. :)

u/HB11 · 1 pointr/TwoXChromosomes

You can get pregnant during your period because it's possible to ovulate before your menstrual bleeding stops. This is more common in women who have very short or irregular cycles. In rare cases, a woman can release two eggs in one cycle, but this typically happens within a short window of time.

Source: Taking Charge of Your Fertility (highly recommended, even if you use other forms of birth control).

u/capoteismygod · 1 pointr/TwoXChromosomes

I had similar issues to yours. So I decided to use no hormonal birth control.
Instead, I bought this book, and started tracking my cycle. I haven't had a single pregnancy scare, and I have no side effects. I also like the feeling of knowing the rhythms of my body. I know this won't be a good option for a lot of people, but I figured I'd leave it as a suggestion anyway :]

u/givingsomefs · 1 pointr/TryingForABaby

Taking Charge of Your Fertility - its the best! Everything you ever wanted to know about making babies, your uterus, etc.

http://www.amazon.com/Taking-Charge-Fertility-Anniversary-Edition/dp/0060881909

u/bananabee · 1 pointr/Catholicism

I would really recommend only having sex during stage 3 if you really, really want to avoid pregnancy. Apparently the effectiveness rate of couples who do this is 100%, and it definitely worked for us. It takes a bit more self-control, but you can use that time to read more about NFP and maybe troubleshoot what went wrong when you were trying to prevent pregnancy before. I would also recommend using the sympto-thermal method if you're not already since it will give your wife the most information about her cycle.

I have a small library of NFP books, and this one was my very favorite for figuring out quirks.

u/Axana · 1 pointr/Frugal

I've used a combination of withdrawal and natural family planning for over six years now without any pregnancies or pregnancy scares. I'm also in a monogamous marriage where I completely trust my partner and STDs aren't an issue. It's a solution that works for my particular situation, but it's not something I'd feel comfortable recommending to people in different circumstances. It's definitely something that requires a lot of research and diligence and not something to be taken lightly.

I strongly recommend that you read the book Taking Charge of Your Fertility. Actually, I recommend this extremely informative book to all women who want to know more about their reproductive system, but it's especially pertinent to anyone interested in natural birth control. Even if you decide to get the device, having this knowledge is extremely beneficial and will help you stay pregnancy-free.

I really have to agree with the comments that the device you're looking at is an overpriced piece of crap. All you need is a basal thermometer and a calendar (there is a ton of information on how to use these in the book mentioned above). There are also websites and software out there that will help you track your cycle for far less than what these machines cost. Quite simply, you're being ripped off. Positive internet reviews about this device were probably paid for and planted by the company, and should be treated with a grain of salt (not talking out of my ass here; I'm into internet marketing and know how prevalent this is).

You say in another comment that you want something "idiot proof", but in terms of natural family planning, nothing is more idiot proof than knowing your fertility cycle intimately. Use a machine or software to supplement this knowledge, but don't completely rely on it. Machines and software run on algorithms and can never know your body as well you do. I strongly recommend going the old "basal thermometer and calendar" route for this reason alone.

Whatever you decide, I wish you the best of luck. You'll run into a lot of "well-meaning" people telling you that you'll fail and that this is a horrible idea, but don't let it dissuade you. It's unfortunate that so many people believe that the only way to control fertility is through medication and devices.

u/missus_b · 1 pointr/RandomActsOfPolish

So basically what you'll need to do is track your cycle. I use the smart phone app called "Fertility Friend." You take your temperature every morning when you wake up and record it in the app. The day after you ovulate, it rises at least 0.3 degrees and stays up for at least three days, confirming ovulation. Here's what my chart looked like last month. After a few months, you'll be (and the app will be) able to see a pattern--say, that you ovulate on cycle day 18, and you're fertile from cycle day 14 to 18. Then you know to avoid those days.

I also use Ovulation Predictor Test Strips to help me tell when I'm about to ovulate because for me, I need to be trapping my husband in the house at that time ;) It might be useful to you if you're avoiding pregnancy to know when you should use condoms or just avoid sex.

I definitely recommend this book: Taking Charge of Your Fertility as a total textbook. There are other signs/metrics you can track to corroborate your predictions about when you're fertile (like the consistency of your cervical fluid and the position of your cervix) but those are harder for me to explain--I let the professionals do it ;)

This has worked for me in the sense that I know, with absolute certainty, when I am going to ovulate every month (I am just not pregnant yet). Many many women in committed relationships use this method successfully to avoid pregnancy without involving hormones--it just takes about three months to really establish a pattern. Let me know if you have any questions!

u/SloppyDrunkOtter · 1 pointr/PCOS

This won't help you get your period any time soon, but I HIGHLY recommend Taking Charge of Your Fertility for some TTC advice and dealing with PCOS. There is also a forum on the site for the book that may be of some help. I'm sorry that I don't have anything more solid to help you, but I wish you the best of luck in your journey! ((Hugs))

ETA: When you talk to your doctor find out about any kind of testing to find out how PCOS might be effecting your fertility, i.e. are your eggs actually leaving your ovaries during ovulation, etc. This will at least help you get going in the right direction.

u/guinnypig · 0 pointsr/AskWomen

I had ParaGard for 8 months, two years ago. It was fucking awful from day one. My uterus was measured and everything. I wasn't too "small" and the placement was perfect (checked via ultrasound).

But goddamn, that thing was pure hell. The drugs given for insertion mimic labor contractions and make you shit non-stop. Then the insertion nearly made me pass out. After that, the cramping was horrific for a solid two weeks. Then it let up. BUT I had the heaviest periods imaginable with the most intense cramps I've ever felt. I couldn't move. Couldn't eat. Couldn't sleep. Couldn't work! I passed out on the job, sitting behind my computer. I was taking RX pain pills to manage and they weren't enough.

So after 8 months of pain, tears, and blood, I had the fucking thing pull out. Oh and btw, my insurance didn't cover it at the time. So I paid $800 out of pocket. Then about the time I had it pulled I got a $600 check in the mail from the insurance company for the device.

The day I had it pulled, the pain and hell was over. It was amazing.

Anyways, I employ the pull out method. Not the safest, but I'm married and don't care if kids happen. I also understand my cycles and can track my fertility. "Taking Charge of Your Fertility" is the female bible and EVERY woman should read it.

http://www.amazon.com/Taking-Charge-Fertility-Anniversary-Edition/dp/0060881909

u/buttsupwhatercup · 0 pointsr/sex

Couple options I can think of:

Have you tried non-latex condoms? Some men prefer the feeling of them, as do some women. Condoms drying her up MIGHT be from a very mild allergic reaction. So giving that a try would be simple.

If her period is regular (every month) I recommend the fertility awareness method (FAM). It's not really popular on reddit (or in general, outside of religions that deny barrier and hormonal contraceptives), but I've successfully used it for over 3 years now. With that, she has to wake up at the same time every morning, take her temperature with a basal thermometer (I recommend a glass one, not a digital one. Digital ones aren't precise enough.), as well as check her cervical mucous, and (optional) cervix height and firmness. If you want to go this route, she (and you as well, IDEALLY) should read this book, and then practice charting for at least one cycle, before using this as a method of BC. During her fertile times you could use the pull out method, or simply abstain. If you opt for the pull out method, I recommend buying and keeping a Plan B, in case of accidents.

I had issues with the pill, and this method has worked great for me, for about 3 and a half years now. I'm considering getting an IUD soon, simply for convenience and being able to wake up whenever. But FAM is super effective, if done properly by monogamous, tested, and mature adults.

As for probability of pregnancy: Assuming a regular cycle with ovulation on day 14, the chance is practically nonexistent. However, do you KNOW she ovulates on day 14? Some women ovulate sooner, some later. If she ovulates on day 10 or sooner, the chance is small, but there. For any form of birth control besides implant, patch, IUD or sterilization, I really think everyone should keep a Plan B in the house. Then if there's any fear at all, just take it immediately after the incident.

u/nomnomchikhan · 0 pointsr/Parenting
u/emmyjane1111 · -6 pointsr/bigdickproblems

Firstly, don't ask me how I ended up on this page...

Secondly, consider reading up on the family planning method. I know it sounds scary and unreliable, but planned parenthood itself publishes stats declaring condoms are a mere 2% more reliable than the pull out method.
(http://www.plannedparenthood.org/health-topics/birth-control/withdrawal-pull-out-method-4218.htm ; http://www.plannedparenthood.org/health-topics/birth-control/condom-10187.htm).

Moreover, studies evidence an even smaller gap in effectiveness between the methods.
(http://abcnews.go.com/Health/Economy/sex-study-pull-withdrawal-method-rivals-condoms-birth/story?id=7688558).

Long story short, if you're in a monogamous relationship where you openly communicate with your partner (which it sounds like you are) the natural method might be a great option for you and your girl. Not only is it not significantly more or less reliable than condoms, but it means you don't have to wear one at all if you aren't worried about STIs. What's more, your girl doesn't have to suffer from a lack of sex drive and inability to control mood swings due to consumption of artificial hormones. And wait, I know you're worried about having to pull out every time, but you don't have to.

This is the book that got me practicing (and explains how to track when you can avoid having to pull out).: http://www.amazon.com/Taking-Charge-Fertility-Anniversary-Edition/dp/0060881909/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1393901477&sr=8-2&keywords=family+planning+thermometer.

I was worried about the commitment of taking my temperature everyday, but since it's not the 1970's anymore we can rely on ovulation kits to prove ovulation instead of taking temperatures every morning. Along with simple (and free) apps like iPeriod, you're girl can track what's going on in her body quickly and easily.

I'm not saying you should do it, but it's probably cheaper than designing a custom condom.. just saying