**note: I am going to make every effort to make this post as professional as possible. There is a chance that some of the information shared here may not be appropriate for immature audiences.
Sex is weird. It's sort of like sleep; in that 1/3 of our lives is spent unconscious and no one bats an eye. Sex is this weird act where people like each other and penetration occurs. Obviously it's a pretty easy act to achieve, however as our relationships and culture change "with the times" it becomes less and less acceptable to connect with each other on an intimate level. Sex is inherently intimate, but with enough effort and disillusionment, it can be as mindless and heartless as you desire.
Also, with medical advancements in the past 75 years there's been huge cultural shifts on sexual liberty in the form of hormonal birth control, condom availability, and more invasive/permanent contraceptive methodologies. These advancements all have benefits and drawbacks. I came to NFP because none of them were an option for me.
So, what is NFP?
NFP stands for natural family planning. Natural family planning is a methodology of avoiding or attempting conception. NFP is sort of an umbrella term, in which there are approximately 13 methods available. If you are familiar with NFP, at this point you are probably thinking of the rhythm method, which is when you look at a calendar, and add 14 days to the first day of your menses, and abstain for 5 days before and one day after (this is a very rough summary). Today, there are many methods aside from the rhythm method. The cervical mucus methods were my gateway drug. I started there, and then a good friend recommended Marquette Method. I am a doctorate student, and I really, REALLY didn't want to have a baby in school. I needed some assurance if I was going to engage in sexual activity, that the likelihood of conception would be comparable to the methods mentioned above (birth control pills/condom usage).
I could absolutely come at this topic from a place of fear, but intimacy (consenting) is not to be feared. So, yes, Marquette method is over 98% effective at avoiding or attaining conception, and that's great! But that's not the focus here.
Marquette method utilizes either the Clear Blue Easy Fertility monitor, or test strips (Wondfo) to detect luteinizing hormone. Believe it or not, women are not constantly fertile! Most men are fertile constantly. Women are truly fertile for about 36 hours. When you combine the statistics that sperm can live in the reproductive organs of a woman for approximately 5 days, a woman and man have a combined fertility window of 10 days (5 days before, 1 day of ovulation, and 24-36 hours after ovulation).
I am an avid fan of Marquette method, but I'm an avid fan of drinking water, why did I pursue the certification to teach other people about NFP? I should have mentioned this in my original post, but my goal as a Chiropractor (I am not a current licensed Chiropractor, I am an intern) is to empower women to make the best decisions for their health; specifically in the context of fertility, pregnancy, birth, and parenthood. The simple facts are: our bodies are ever changing, and ever accommodating to our environment (at least an unsubluxated one ;)). Blood analysis, or any lab work for that matter, is a snap shot in time. It is a single moment. Further more, I can't speak for what is being taught currently in schools, but when I was in school (and most of my clients), we were taught, "You can get pregnant at any time! So, you better not!" And now, we have an entire generation of women who either think or are being told by their medical professional that they are infertile. How many women do you know right now who have at some point in their lives have either thought or been told they were infertile? It is an epidemic! That thought process is literally the first step of disempowerment in parenthood. It perpetuates the idea that we are dependent on an outside redeemer to save us from our broken little bodies. One thing I appreciated about the Marquette method is that in their teachings they only refer to infertile couples when one or both partners has had a sterilizing procedure; everyone else is "sub-fertile", which implies that fertility is attainable. Obviously, it is necessary to point out that there are people who cannot conceive. However, estrogen dominance and the related diseases are NOT a deathwish for baby dreams.
Intimacy:
I am an avid fan of Marquette method, but I'm an avid fan of drinking water, why did I pursue the certification to teach other people about NFP? I should have mentioned this in my original post, but my goal as a Chiropractor (I am not a current licensed Chiropractor, I am an intern) is to empower women to make the best decisions for their health; specifically in the context of fertility, pregnancy, birth, and parenthood. The simple facts are: our bodies are ever changing, and ever accommodating to our environment (at least an unsubluxated one ;)). Blood analysis, or any lab work for that matter, is a snap shot in time. It is a single moment. Further more, I can't speak for what is being taught currently in schools, but when I was in school (and most of my clients), we were taught, "You can get pregnant at any time! So, you better not!" And now, we have an entire generation of women who either think or are being told by their medical professional that they are infertile. How many women do you know right now who have at some point in their lives have either thought or been told they were infertile? It is an epidemic! That thought process is literally the first step of disempowerment in parenthood. It perpetuates the idea that we are dependent on an outside redeemer to save us from our broken little bodies. One thing I appreciated about the Marquette method is that in their teachings they only refer to infertile couples when one or both partners has had a sterilizing procedure; everyone else is "sub-fertile", which implies that fertility is attainable. Obviously, it is necessary to point out that there are people who cannot conceive. However, estrogen dominance and the related diseases are NOT a deathwish for baby dreams.
Intimacy:
I won't even try to lie, I am absolutely tee-totally addicted to social media. It's not even the pretty kind where I post informative things and talk to beloved relatives that are far away. I scroll, sometimes for hours, and nothingness. One of my favorite phrases is, "It is common but not normal." That phrase definitely applies here. I doubt I am alone in my addiction, but it doesn't make it ok. Matter of fact aside from the current research on the implications of backlit electronic devices, the distraction of looking at the phone instead of the vast eyes of my husband is arguably a waste of time.
Yet again, I think this is a cultural epidemic. So, how does my social media addiction relate to Marquette method? Easy: As mentioned above you do not have to have intimacy to have sex, but if you want to have sex and not get pregnant (or get pregnant), a certain amount of communication or cooperation is necessary. When I am instructing clients, I tell them that charting is not enough. I could sit with you and show you what each symbol and color means until we are both blue in the face, but the fact of the matter is, in the heat of the moment... You are going to need a sign. I recommend visual cues. I tell clients to buy a calendar, and as you chart (the paper/electronic charting is massively beneficial not only for correlating signs of fertility, but also for medical history), you should also mark the days on a wall sized calendar. Make it your own! Make symbols for "safe" days, and symbols for "unsafe" days. And then, there's no reading glasses or confusion, when you see the calendar with a giant [insert personalized symbol here] you know that you are good to go! Also, if you are using test strips or the monitor, the male partner can easily help interpret or read for you while you chart. It might take 20 seconds, but at the end of the day you are on the same page. These activities inherently bring consciousness to fertility, and as Dr. Fehring says, the 7th vital sign.
If you have any questions feel free to contact me via the Google+ home page. I encourage conversation on this topic as one that is close to my heart and my purpose.
Next up:
Ketosis and Fertility; a marriage made in the blood stream
Some research for your viewing pleasure:
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