Making the decision to go with natural birth control is a big one. I’m not going to lie to you it is scary in the beginning. Before I decided to look into the fertility awareness method I had previously been taking a daily hormonal contraceptive pill. Everything went well while I was on the pill and my body, and my menstrual cycle was tuned like the cycle of a clock.
I’ll admit it was nice knowing as long as I took my pill as directed I could have as much unprotected sex with my special person as much as I wanted. After being on the pill for four years straight, I couldn’t help thinking about what it was doing to my body long term. Having lost my mother and grandmother to cancer, protecting my body against health issues is always on the back of my mind. Especially when birth control pills tell you right on the package that they are linked to certain forms of cancer.
Including Your Partner
My decision to come off the pill wasn’t one I made alone. Naturally, I included my special person in this decision because it affected them almost as much as it did me. Taking this decision seriously, I read up on some articles about the fertility awareness method aka FAM. I ended up stumbling upon an article much like this one. That article recommended a book called Taking Charge of Your Fertility by Toni Weschler.
I decided to take the $25 hit to my bank account for the betterment of my body. I read this book religiously over the first few days. After reading the book, I realized just how much I had been taught about myself. Weschler was able to convey how to look at signs given by your body during your menstrual cycle to tell you exactly what’s happening.
I would highly recommend picking up a copy of this book if you are considering Natural Birth Control options. For me, all I needed was this book and a new thermometer to track my body temperatures to help me come off hormonal birth control pills.
Coming Off “The Pill”
My first month coming off the pill was a bit nerve-wracking. Albeit, I did feel more comfortable being able to pick up on signs my body was giving to tell me where I was at during my cycle. After reading Weschler’s book, I felt confident enough to know where I was at in my cycle, and about how long my cycle should. From reading some blog posts about FAM and coming off birth control pills, I was afraid my teenage acne would return once I got off the pill. Luckily for me, it did not! Anyway back on track.
Starting the fertility awareness method was hard initially. You really do need to be consistent in taking your temperature every morning at the same time. For me, this is 5:30 am, even on weekends, as this is the time I wake up for work. After about a month or so you start to get the hang of it. One of the best parts is your partner can help take your temperature in the morning too! That’s right, girls. FAM is hands-on for both partners.
How It’s Supposed to Work
FAM really is all about charting and reading the signs of your body and agreeing when it is safe to have unprotected sex and when it is not. And by “safe” in this context, I mean safe to avoid pregnancy not safe as in to avoid STD’s. While STD’s are definitely a cause for concern, the fertility awareness method should be used by persons with a single partner, in my opinion (not throwing shade if you have multiple partners, you do you girl!).
When you and your partner are monogamous with each other you can safely remove STDs from the equation, at some point. My partner, like myself, was initially hesitant to trust FAM and in charting and reading my cycle’s signs. However, when you start to be able to predict the day when your period is coming just by learning to take your temperature every day, things become way less scary. Your confidence in trusting your body will grow tremendously.
I’m Never Going Back
I believe I obtained this confidence from the support of my partner and through reading Ms. Weschler’s book. FAM has not only been better for my body but better for my relationship as well. I want to take a moment in this blog to personally thank Toni Weschler for me to take charge of my fertility and being able to share my experience with others.
For free access to Toni Weschler’s fertility charts download them here. To read more about natural birth control check out this article!
Disclosures
Affiliate Disclosure: This post may contain affiliate links that earn me a small commission, at no additional cost to you. I only recommend products I personally use and trust, or think my readers will find useful. As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.
Medical Disclaimer: Listen, folks, I am not a doctor, nor do I claim to be. The content of this blog is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified health providers with any questions you may have regarding a medical decision.
