Fertility Book Review: Taking Charge of your Fertility

Book Review taking charge of your fertility by Toni Weschler

Taking Charge of Your Fertility
Past Toni Weschler, MPH
2003 edition
Pages 461

What is the book about?

Taking Charge of Your Fertility is a textbook on the fertility awareness method, a way of charting your cycles and becoming aware of your body's signs in order to better sympathize the times in your cycles when yous are fertile.  It is mayhap the single most important book you can buy to assist yous with fertility struggles.  Big statement, I know.  The fertility awareness method (or FAM if yous wish to sound like a pro) can exist used both every bit a way to increase your chances of conceiving or equally a method of avoiding pregnancy.  The book has sections on both.

There are 2 primal books (two bibles of fertility, if you will) that comprehensively comprehend the topic of FAM and most people who do FAM have read one or the other - you are a rare breed if you have read both.  One volume is this one, the other is The Garden of Fertility past Katie Singer, not a book that I have consumed, every bit I am non that rare breed of person.  Taking Charge of Your Fertility covers (comprehensively) the basics of your bicycle, how to recognise your fertile signs (oh THAT's why I sometimes have more discharge) and how to chart these in order to understand your cycle.

What the hell is fertility charting?  Expert question.  It is pretty unproblematic in theory - you log your periods, discharge in your pants (gross I know), your torso temperature and what your cervix feel like (if willing and able to poke around in there) and continue it in a chart.  Although there are template charts at the back of the book you can photocopy and use, most women these days cover the mod era of technology and apply a fertility app on their smart phone.  It ways that you can whip out your chart on the railroad train and obsess about progress, 1 of my favourite procrastination railroad train activities.  If yous wanted to know more than about charting to know whether it may exist for you before buying this book then check out the American Pregnancy Association. This is also known as the sympto-thermal method and information technology is highly reliable. If you are interested in natural family planning in full general, MomLovesBest.com have put together a comprehensive guide which is available for free hither and very helpfully outlines the success rates of each method.

Most crucially for me, Taking Charge of Your Fertility has a few chapters that go into detail on fertility and weird and whacky cycles which were immensely helpful.  In that location is a affiliate on anovulation and irregular cycles, ane on maximising your chances of getting significant (are you lot really having sexual activity at the optimal time, are you Certain?), another on fertility tests and treatments that may be needed and a brilliant 40 folio annex on troubleshooting your wheel with plenty of case charts to explain how diverse fertility problems may announced on charts.  Troubleshooting is always associated in my listen with fixing a printer, but it turns out it works but as well with a homo and I bookmarked this section for frequent referral.  The book is peppered with diagrams, instance charts, photos (such as of the dissimilar types of cervical mucous which are highly informative simply not for the faint hearted), and some comical cartoons to keep things light.

Is this book 'out there', 'woo woo', "hippy dippy'?

FAM is non the same equally the inaccurate Rhythm Method.  Do not get the two things confused.  Utter the two words 'Rhythm Method' outside of strictly cosmic circles and y'all'll receive a response of rolled optics and despairing shaking heads, and quite rightly so.  But FAM is NOT the same matter.  It is firmly grounded in biological science, science and evidence.  So much and then that the NHS recognises it as an constructive grade of birth control, stating that if followed correctly, it can be upwards to 99% effective.  The NHS require plenty of skilful evidence before they admit to annihilation being effective, so information technology is safe to say that FAM is mainstream.  Don't expect your doctor to have heard of information technology though....

Book Review taking charge of your fertility by Toni Weschler

The Author

Toni Weschler is a women'southward health educator with a master'southward degree in public wellness.  She has been lecturing and teaching on fertility awareness since earlier I was born, and I am no bound chicken.  She is a great abet for fertility awareness education equally empowering knowledge for all women of reproductive age.  In summary, she is a total star in the field of fertility awareness.  At that place is no ameliorate candidate out in that location to take written the bible on FAM.

Who is this volume for?

All women of reproductive age.  That is another bold statement only I stand past it doggedly.  Understanding your cycles is not only about trying for a baby, although information technology is totally essential for that purpose, but it too provides an invaluable insight into your full general health and wellbeing.  I tin can meet when I am stressed, it is on my nautical chart.  I tin see that I haven't eaten in a way that my body appreciates that month, it is right there on my chart.  I can see that I am oestrogen dominant, yes, there it is on my chart.  It provides a monthly report card of your health, one that y'all cannot cheat (I know, I've tried).  My ability to chart my cycles due to this book even induced some envious comments from my husband, who quite correctly identified that maybe he has hormonal imbalances, stress or illness, merely how the hell is he to know?  Unlike me, who has it right there in black and white every month, a frequent feedback loop on my health and vitality (or lack thereof in my case).

Is information technology just basic biological science?

Book Review taking charge of your fertility by Toni Weschler

Yes, this book is basic biology.  But non any biology that you will know, having never been taught it growing up or information technology being noesis that is easily accumulated on your travels as an adult woman.  Initially perturbed by an Amazon review (I should know not to read these but I just cannot help myself) that this book is just basic biology and covers nothing more than the ordinary teenage girl is taught in schoolhouse, I delayed buying it, to my considerable detriment.  I am in awe, as the schoolhouse attended by that reviewer must have shown unprecedented dedication to fertility awareness, as the content of this book is a far cry from the personal development education I received.  Mine involved one lesson from a slightly awkward, male biology teacher who made a couple of ill advised jokes nearly 'information technology not staying up, the story of his life' which was met with complete silence from his teenage audition, with the open up jawed faces staring back at him an equal split betwixt utterly perplexed and totally horrified.  The extra teaching received if yous were female person came in the class of 'The Tampax Lady' who visited the form (the males were excused and filed out to the playground in giggles) who told us all how to insert a tampon and to remember when using sanitary pads always place them gluey side downwards to avoid an impromptu pubic wax.  Did anyone teach me about fertility charting, signs of fertility throughout the bike or anything else of apply?  No they did non.  In fact, the bulletin was, be careful because y'all can get pregnant Anytime.  It is and then easy to fall pregnant.  I empathize why that messaging is used in schools, merely information technology is factually utter rubbish.  Consummate fiction.  So if the above sounds familiar to your feel, Taking Accuse of Your Fertility will exist a revelation.

Key learning points from this book

That I have PCOS.  Who would have thought information technology?  Not the NHS, no Sir.  It took 3 years of pondering and lie before the NHS concluded that I was peradventure on the PCOS spectrum merely that it's all a bit tricky isn't it and so let's put you down as 'unexplained infertility'.  Thanks.  My IVF clinic diagnosed PCOS and confirmed my strongly held view, formed 2 years previously equally a result of reading this volume, that PCOS was indeed my allocated lot in life.  Without this book I would have taken my GP'south communication that 'whatever is normal for my bicycle is normal' and not realised that taking more than than 35 days to ovulate is not 'normal' or 'healthy'.  Due to the learnings from this volume I was able to conspicuously run into the bug with my cycles and brand dietary and lifestyle changes to dramatically better my health, tracking the improvements in my cycles, month on month (against my better judgment on maintaining some privacy during my pursuit for fertility, I have posted a yr'southward worth of charts showing my improvements and how I accomplished them).

Just some examples of the numerous things that a fertility nautical chart can show you (that you may not know otherwise) include the post-obit:

  • Are you ovulating? - your temperatures should ascent by a sure amount and for a sure menstruation of time mail service ovulation. Cycles can look nice and regular, every 28 to xxx days a period arrives, and yet you are not ovulating. How is a daughter to know?

  • Is your progesterone likewise low? - shown past a short luteal stage (the phase post ovulation) which may foreclose implantation of an embryo and therefore pregnancy. A brusque luteal phase has plagued me from the start.

  • Are you pregnant or at risk of a miscarriage? - your charts can indicate a pregnancy before urine tests tin can detect information technology and low temperatures following a positive effect can indicate that the pregnancy volition not be sustained. Charting mail receiving a positive pregnancy test effect must be incredibly daunting, inducing panic at every temperature reading that is slightly lower. I don't know whether my center could take it.

What do you lot need to implement the learning in the book and outset charting your cycles?

Book Review taking charge of your fertility by Toni Weschler

one. A digital thermometer - I use a Braun Digital Thermometer which records my temperature to 1 decimal place and gives a useful yet irritatingly loud beep to permit me know that the temperature has been taken successfully.  It can be used orally or under the arm pit (I wouldn't mix the two, gross).  There are plenty of other body temperature thermometers bachelor online and they are non as well expensive, under £15.  A superlative tip: place the thermometer in your mouth for v minutes to let is conform to the temperature before turning it on and taking the reading.  Otherwise, the results can leap most a flake on a trampoline of inaccuracy.

2. A fertility chart - I utilise the (costless) Kindara app from the app store to notation my data and it automatically creates the fertility chart, similar the ones available on my monthly results folio. It besides provides access to a cognition base with questions, answers and instance charts every bit well equally an excellent customs of like minded and supportive fertility charters, many of whom are trying to excogitate.

iii. The Fertility Friday Podcast - Listening to the (free) Fertility Friday podcast helped me to get to grips with concepts of fertility awareness.  The rational vox of Lisa leads the listener through interviews on topics such as coming off the pill, irregular periods and unexplained infertility.  The commencement few episodes of the podcast in particular focus on the nuts of fertility charting and are definitely worth a heed.

four. Assist with your charts - Some fertility signs and charts are more difficult to interpret than others.  I have ever been lucky that mine are every bit clear equally day.  Totally dysfunctional, but clearly so.  If y'all struggle to get to grips with charting y'all tin can always seek help from a FAM practiced.  Justina Thompson from Nourish Fertility is one such proficient who I have consulted with in the past.  She is excellent and can provide consultations via Skype.

How long did it take me to read?

Well, I still haven't read every word and never will, as not every section is applicable to me.  It is a textbook rather than a page turning beach read and information technology is there is to dipped in to for reference. If you read it all, cover to comprehend, my lid goes off to you lot.

That said, information technology is very readable and insightful.  Never take I flipped through the pages of a text book with such glee, like a kid excitedly opening the next present on Christmas morn.  I was enthralled, fascinated and hooked on reading about how menstrual cycles should piece of work and was desperate to offset the tracking my own.  Admittedly I held an unwavering conviction that my body was an exception and that the inbuilt evolution of the female cycle would not be applicable in my case.  I was wrong, plain.  And a moron for thinking that despite women'due south cycles following a pattern since the dawn of time, I, petty me, would be the exception to the dominion.  An ego like that deserves to be bashed.

Conclusion

If there is i fertility book I'd recommend to a higher place all others, it is Taking Charge of Your Fertility.  It is the foundations upon which to build whatsoever dietary changes, lifestyle investments or fertility tests.  Without the agreement in this book how practice you know what is wrong with your fertility and whether any steps you lot are taking are working? Whilst waiting months in-between medical appointments and years in-betwixt fertility treatments, this book empowers women to sympathise their bodies and accept dorsum control of their fertility.  I would take been lost without it and I will ensure that information technology forms compulsory reading for any young women in my family.  And I don't intendance if that makes me 'boring Aunt Bister', probably a championship I will learn anyway so they may equally well benefit.  They will give thanks me for information technology when they try to accept a baby...