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Taking Charge Of Your Fertility

Anyone read this book? I'm reading it now and learning so much! It's full of info that really all women should know, and it's so readable, I would totally recommend it regardless of when they were TTC or wanting to use it as BC.

Except. For all the amazing things I've heard about it, and how much I really like it, the author includes a really unfortunate note at the bottom of page 14 (in the edition I have from the library LOL so maybe it's not in other ones) where she is talking about why unplanned pregnancies occur. She is getting at that we don't understand our own fertility, and she does this footnote that says something about how she's not referring to why teenage girls get pregnant, that's different. Which totally pissed me off, not only because of the obvious reason, but also because umm hello, if we're going to be putting qualifiers on why unplanned pregnancies occur, shouldn't it be something along the lines of women are often denied control of their own bodies and denied access to reproduction? (I'm thinking of writing the author to say something to this effect.)

Anyways. I don't want it to sound all negative because other than that one part it's a really amazing book, I think it's really valuable and important.

Anyone read the it? What did you think?

I haven't read it, but

I haven't read it, but figuring out my fertility is definitely something that is on my list of things to do. I think maybe after I finish school though, as I do not want an accidental pregnancy right now and would not want to get off my birth control.
  • By adcaela at 03/03/2009 - 7:45am
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I've read that book. To be

I've read that book. To be honest, I can't imagine actually charting like that, though. I mean, maybe I just have the worst sleeper in the world, but you have to get more than a couple of consecutive hours of sleep and wake up at a regular time, not something that happens in this house. Still, I did learn a lot from reading that.
  • By boigrrrlwonder at 03/03/2009 - 11:07am
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adcaela wrote:I haven't read

adcaela wrote:I haven't read it, but figuring out my fertility is definitely something that is on my list of things to do. I think maybe after I finish school though, as I do not want an accidental pregnancy right now and would not want to get off my birth control. Yeah, if you do it properly it's very reliable, but I know personally I can't guarantee that I'd be vigilant enough about it to make it work as BC. I read it because we're talking about TTC soon. I dunno though, I think if you have the time to read it, even if you're not planning on using it as BC or to TTC there is still a lot to learn just about how your own body works, why stuff happens the way it does, what's normal, etc. I learned a lot. I really want to make it a goal to connect with my body more. And the more I learn the more I'm amazed at how little I know about my own body, KWIM? boigrrlwonder wrote:I've read that book. To be honest, I can't imagine actually charting like that, though. I mean, maybe I just have the worst sleeper in the world, but you have to get more than a couple of consecutive hours of sleep and wake up at a regular time, not something that happens in this house. Still, I did learn a lot from reading that. Yeah, it doesn't seem very mama friendly, does it? I cosleep so I don't ever fully wake up in the night though (actually not sure if DD still wakes in the night LOL but I suspect she does) so I'm hoping that will make it OK. She says you need 3 hours of sleep and should take it within an hour-ish every day. I just want to try it out and see how it goes.
  • By momnipotent at 03/03/2009 - 8:18pm
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I really hate hormonal

I really hate hormonal BC....it really screwed with my hormones/cycles. I didn't get a period for a really really long time after coming off of the Nuva Ring, and it took me a while to get pregnant. I don't want to do that again. Maybe next time I will try the natural family planning.....(My husband has a habit of removing his condoms during sex. He dosn't like them, it drives me nuts that he does this)
  • By acrane86 at 03/05/2009 - 5:46am
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acrane86 wrote:I really hate

acrane86 wrote:I really hate hormonal BC....it really screwed with my hormones/cycles. I didn't get a period for a really really long time after coming off of the Nuva Ring, and it took me a while to get pregnant. I don't want to do that again. Maybe next time I will try the natural family planning.....(My husband has a habit of removing his condoms during sex. He dosn't like them, it drives me nuts that he does this) Arcane, that's really fucked up that he does that. Birth control sabotage is a form of abuse.
  • By boigrrrlwonder at 03/05/2009 - 9:50am
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Ooo hes not doing it because

Ooo hes not doing it because he want's a baby....he's doing it because condoms during sex kinda ruin it for him, I think. I guess I should be angry about this.
  • By acrane86 at 03/05/2009 - 10:20am
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my hubby does this too. and

my hubby does this too. and then he just pulls out. but i encourage it alot. I absolutely hate the way condoms feel. I have the mirena now though and am getting my tubes tied april 6th so i dont' have to worry about it anymore
  • By mamatessa at 03/05/2009 - 10:24am
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I agree. Condoms DO suck. I

I agree. Condoms DO suck. I don't encourage mine to take his off...but I dont give him shit for it either.
  • By acrane86 at 03/05/2009 - 10:52am
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Yeah, I hate condoms as

Yeah, I hate condoms as well, actually more than DH does. But it is a huge violation to remove a condom during sex without asking permission. I need to know I can trust my DH to respect my body and not intentionally fuck with my choices if I'm going to have sex with him, KWIM?
  • By momnipotent at 03/05/2009 - 12:15pm
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For sure, consenting to sex

For sure, consenting to sex with a condom does not equal consenting to sex without a condom.
  • By adcaela at 03/05/2009 - 1:46pm
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I have read the book... it

I have read the book... it was recommended to me by a woman I recently met. It is very good, and I was impressed with a lot of the information... specifically the difference between FAM and Rhythm. She has a website: http://www.ovusoft.com/ It is something I will learn to do after I am done breastfeeding.... as it is harder to learn when breastfeeding.
  • By Yabinti at 03/12/2009 - 5:17am
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Thanks for the link!

Thanks for the link!
  • By momnipotent at 03/12/2009 - 8:44pm
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Haha, no problem!

Haha, no problem! Smile
  • By Yabinti at 03/13/2009 - 4:22am
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I just wanted to bump this up

I just wanted to bump this up and say I did this properly for a cycle and then like on-and-off-ish for the next cycle. It was a pain to keep up honestly.
I learned so much though. Like, I can't believe how much my hormones effect me! I never connected it before - I have a really high sex drive right before ovulation (and then pretty much not at all for the rest of the month LMAO), I get angry and stressed right before my period. I mean I knew this but I didn't pay enough attention to my cycle to really connect, KWIM? My cervix really does move around and open and close throughout my cycle. It's kind of cool! Even though I didn't do it for long I feel like I really learned a lot. I want to start again at the beginning of next cycle, now that I have more of a morning routine.

  • By momnipotent at 05/26/2009 - 6:51pm
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