Two of the most common things women tell me when I tell them about natural family planning / fertility awareness is either “I don’t need that. I’m done having babies” or “I don’t need that. I’m not in a relationship.” The thing is, family planning is only one small part of what fertility awareness can help with. Every menstruating woman can benefit from the knowledge that comes from her own body and her own cycle. Girls should learn this information as soon as they get their first period. The American College of Obstetrics and Gynecology (ACOG) has called our menstrual cycles the 5th vital sign, they are that important! And they are important throughout our cycles! Whether you just had your first period or you are nearing menopause, fertility awareness can empower you to understand your health. Mary Nordahl, fertility awareness instructor in the FEMM method, and I had an excellent conversation around the topic of using fertility awareness for health.

Take-aways:
-The FEMM method of fertility awareness uses cervical mucus and LH testing
-You can find a medical management provider through the FEMM website
-FEMM is a knowledge and education-based program. The goal of FEMM is to understand the information behind your fertility signs
-Make an informed choice about how you use your body’s information to achieve your health and/or reproductive goals
-Women should know so much more about their cycle than when they last had their period
-The birth control pill is just a band-aid!
-Cycle-tracking apps can be a useful tool, but are not equivalent to following a specific fertility awareness method and working with an instructor
-Knowing your body is incredibly empowering!
-You are not making an informed choice to take birth control if you don’t know your body’s natural signs of fertility and what those signs mean for your cycle. If you do know all your options, then you can feel confident when you truly choose the contraceptive method that is best for you
-If you are told something is your ONLY option, stop and ask if there are really any other possible alternatives. Do your own research before agreeing to do or take something, especially when it relates to your health
-You deserve to speak up for yourself
-Myth: using NFP/FA is cumbersome. Is taking a pill every day truly easier than charting your cycle?
-Squash comparison by remembering you are enough
-When you love yourself, then you can pour out that love to others

Related Wholly a Woman episodes:
Episode 5 - our menstrual cycles are a sign of health
Episode 13 - facts about hormonal contraceptives (how birth control works)
Episode 16 - self-care as a strategy to reduce stress and balance hormones - featuring Dr. Heather Rhodes
Episode 22 - thrive with a functional medicine approach to health - featuring Dr. Melody Hartzler
Episode 24 - can natural family planning help me get off birth control?
Episode 28 - restoring a culture of women’s health - featuring Anna Saucier

To learn more about Mary or to work with her: https://www.fertilityawarenesspath.com/
Find Mary on Instagram: @mn_fertilityawareness (to be updated to @fertilityawarenesspath)
Tag me (@nfppharmacist) and Mary and let us know your take-away from this episode!

My next FREE “Know Your Body with Natural Family Planning” workshop is Tues 2/16/21 at 7:30pm central time. Sign up at workshop.nfppharmacist.com/0216. See you then!

What did you think? I want to hear from you!
Email me: emily@nfppharmacist.com
Instagram: @nfppharmacist
Facebook: NFP Pharmacist