The Fertility Awareness Method

The fertility awareness method (FAM) is a natural form of birth control that is completely hormone and negative-side-effect free! Yep, there are ONLY plus sides to this method! In this method, you will learn to observe your cycle and know when you are the most fertile. From this, you will learn so much about your body, have a lot of appreciation for being a woman and it will also benefit your relationship. The primary signs for using the FAM is:

1. basal body temperature (taken first things in the morning with a VERY accurate thermometer under your tongue)
2. changes in cervical fluid and texture
3. Height and softness of the cervix

In addition, other signs are charted like cramps, energy levels, libido, cravings and other things that return cyclically. Although this might sound like one hell of an effort, it becomes second nature and it allows you to become so fricken in tune with your body. You don't just end up knowing when you're fertile, but you are also able to have a 6th sense about when you are about to come down with a cold, when you feel inflammed, like your thyroid isn't working properly etc etc This contraception has:

• no negative side effects
• no risks
• no drugs or invasive devices
• it can also be used to achieve pregnancy
• it can help you to know your hormonal health
• it is free!
• it's empowering!
• it helps your partner to also understand what he should be aware of at different times (e.g. on day 21 if you fucking disagree with me, you will have your balls chopped off).
• it's more effective than the pill. Yep, you heard me right. Check it out... 1.8% versus 9%!!!!!!!!!!

And please don't confuse this for the Rythm Method. That method is based on guesswork. This method is a scientific method. Once you get to know your cycle, and I highly recommend investing in Natural Cycles, you will start to be able to know when your fertile window is. You actually only ovulate once (most of the time) each cycle. The reason why we add 'buffer' days is because the sperm can live inside of you for up to 5 days. Therefore if you have sex 3 days before you ovulate, you could still fall pregnant. Also, it is possible to ovulate twice in 48 hours (and then twins would occur) so this is why you add in a 'buffer' day after ovulation. It is important to get intimate with your yoni so that you can begin to understand your signs and signals as to when a bun in the oven could happen. With FAM and this margin, it helps to ensure that there is no risk of conception. If you choose to have sex during your fertile days, you can, of course, use a barrier method which I talk about here. When starting out with this (and PLEASE get Natural Cycles it's amazing) you must not rely on this for the first 3 months (use a barrier method). You need your cycles to be very regular and for you to know your signs and symptoms. Once you do, then you can rely on this as your form of contraception. If you're new to this method and understanding your body temp, cervical fluid, and cervix changes, then talk to me! This is what I go through with women so that they feel empowered and educated to be able to do this themselves. Please reach out to me and we can set up an appointment. Just email me at hello@monicayates.com.au https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/17314078 https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/17314078 https://www.cdc.gov/reproductivehealth/contraception/index.htm Briden, L. (2018). The Period Repair Manual. Australia: Pan Macmillan Australia.