My struggles with getting pregnant led me to learn more about fertility. And I’ll be honest with you, I was very surprised I did not know these things about my own body, especially in my age! There is definitely not enough education in this area as every woman must know how her reproductive system works and how to understand the natural signs her own body is giving her. I am going to share with you 3 main things that I believe every woman of reproductive age should know:
1. Charting your cycle
There are a lot of apps out there which you can use to track your period, and they can even tell you when you are about to ovulate. But those predictions do not account for your unique fertile pattern. Even if you are not trying to conceive, charting can reveal a lot about your reproductive health. It will not only show your fertile window, but it will also tell you if you have any hormonal imbalances, and reveal some health issues.
All you need is a basal body temperature thermometer and an app that has an option to add the temperature and create a chart. It is important to have BBT thermometer with 2 decimals so it can pick up on some subtle changes in temperature. Basal body temperature is your temperature when you are at complete rest, after at least 4-5 hours of sleep. You need to measure your basal body temperature every day at the same time before you get out of bed. Due to hormonal changes throughout your cycle, your temperatures are lower before ovulation, and higher after ovulation. After ovulation, your ovaries start producing progesterone and it causes your body temperature to rise. In case you get the bun in the oven, the progesterone is responsible for keeping the oven nice and warm. If there is no pregnancy, progesterone drops, your body temperature drops, and your period starts.
I only started charting last month but I have already learned some interesting things about how my body functions. It is pretty fascinating what our bodies do and how busy they are! I encourage you to do your own research on charting your cycle, I am sure you will learn a lot! You can google “BBT charting” or “cycle charting”, or you can watch this video to get started. I absolutely love watching Ingefleur’s videos. She has such a beautiful smile and is very passionate about hormonal health and helping women with fertility management. She also offers a free charting course through her website which is very detailed and helpful! In case you prefer podcasts, there are a few amazing podcasts by Fertility Friday about fertility awareness method.
2. Cervical mucus (CM)
When I went to see my naturopath right after a miscarriage, she asked me if I was getting any egg white discharge during ovulation. I had no idea what egg whites she was talking about, as it was a completely new concept to me! Since then I really started to pay attention to the amount and consistency of vaginal discharge throughout my cycle.
During the follicular phase of the cycle, estrogen increases and stimulates the production of cervical mucus which becomes thinner and stretchy, like egg whites, a couple of days before ovulation. This type of CM nourishes and protects the sperm as it makes a long journey towards the egg. When you are keeping an eye on your CM, you will be able to identify your most fertile days. This fertile window can last for a few days. The fertile quality mucus keeps the sperms alive for up to 5 days. So when that egg drops on ovulation day, the sperm can already be there waiting to do the job.
Start tracking your CM on the day after your period stops. The best way to check is to wipe with a piece of white toilet paper before you do anything else, and then again after you finish your business. The most fertile CM is clear in color and has the consistency of raw egg whites. Check the consistency with your fingers to see how stretchy it gets, it should stretch an inch or two. Do this every time you use the washroom so you are able to notice the change as soon as it happens.
After ovulation, the quantity of cervical mucus decreases and it becomes thicker in consistency. At this time, it becomes harder for the sperm to swim and to survive. If you have been tracking changes in your cervical mucus, and you noticed that you do not produce that fertile quality mucus around your ovulation time, you need to consult a healthcare professional. But in any case, please make sure you drink enough water and stay hydrated, this is important for the production of all fluids inside your body.
3. Cervix position
Tracking changes in your cervix position is also important, but completely optional. If you are charting and tracking your CM, that should already provide you with plenty of information about your cycle and fertility. But there is so much more your body does during certain times of the cycle, that it is very useful to know what is happening to your cervix as well. It changes position and texture – how cool is that?!
If you are going to check the cervical position, make sure you wash your hands well prior to going in there. I think it is best to do it after a shower. Gently insert one or two fingers inside while in a squatting position, or with one leg on the edge of the bathtub or toilet. If you do that regularly you will start noticing the changes in the cervix position throughout your cycle. The cervix is usually low and firmer to the touch (like the tip of your nose) after your period and after ovulation. And it is positioned higher and becomes open, softer (like lips) and moister close to ovulation. You can check the changes in the cervix position against your BBT chart and cervical mucus to see how these 3 body clues interact throughout your cycle.
It may take time to get into a habit of doing these things. But once they become a part of your daily routine and you get to know your body better, you will know what to look for and will be able to notice the slightest changes. It’s amazing how our body gives us these clues and helps us to understand what is happening during the cycle. I truly believe that knowing how our body functions can help us be more in sync with it. And doing these things take less than 5 minutes every day
