When it comes to identifying your most fertile times many women are more than happy to swap their bodys wisdom for a gadget or a test kit.
These gadgets and kits are not only expensive, but they also make you feel like you would never be able to work this out yourself.
Mother Nature thinks of everything and she even came up with a clever way of letting you know when you are most likely to get pregnant.
All women are familiar with PMS symptoms (pimples, sore boobs, cravings, mood swings etc.) but very few can accurately recognize the symptoms of their peak fertility.
What are they?
- Mucus fluctuations
- Heightened Sex Drive
- Pheromones make you more attractive to the opposite sex for the duration of your peak fertility (how sneaky is that?)
- Energy boost
Out of those the most reliable key to recognizing your most fertile time is your cervical mucus. I know to some the thought of examining your mucus may sound gross but seriously, its the easiest and simplest way of telling when you should have sex to get pregnant (and avoid sex if you dont want to get pregnant), so just do it. Your cycle is as unique as you are and no gadget will be able to tell you as precisely as your own body when you are fertile. You will also learn a thing or two about your cycle which may surprise you or even alert you that something is wrong. So rejoice that you have an access to such an amazing built in mechanism. Ok here we go;
Mucus fluctuates with your hormones
- At the beginning of the cycle your oestrogen levels are low. The mucus mirrors its levels and will be scanty, sticky and tacky and opaque in colour. This mucus is infertile and hostile to sperm as its acidic and thick thus not allowing the sperm to swim forward. It forms a plug across the cervix preventing sperm from entering.
- As your oestrogen gradually starts increasing with your approaching ovulation, the mucus will change in quantity and texture. This mucus is not yet fertile but its becoming more fluid and the pH is increasing and becoming more sperm friendly.
- As you approach ovulation your mucus will become wetter, clearer and thinner. And there will be more of it (profuse). This is already fertile mucus and it will enable sperm to swim and survive due to a friendly pH.
- Right before ovulation when oestrogen levels peak, mucus will become raw egg white like, it will stretch between your fingers up to 5-10 cm. This type of mucus is also called spin for its ability to be stretched. This is the most fertile type of mucus, it dislodges the mucus plug, leaving the gates to the cervix open, and its consistency allows the sperm to swim and survive. (hint: this is the mucus with baby written all over it)
- After ovulation as the levels of oestrogen start to drop, the mucus will gradually return to what it looked like after the period and before ovulation: infertile.
What are we looking for when checking mucus?
- How does it feel when you are walking around?
- How does it look?
- How much of it is there?
- What colour is it?
- How does it smell and if you are brave enough taste?
When should you check your mucus?
When you have to do a wee. Simple! Before doing a wee just check if there is any mucus on the mouth of the vagina. If there is, examine it between your fingers and use the above criteria to tell if its fertile or not.
This is a simplified explanation of the basics for recognizing your peak fertility. It takes time and practice before you can confidently rely on this information alone. There are also additional natural methods which can confirm whether you ovulated or not. So seek help and advice from a qualified health practitioner versed in natural fertility, who will teach you how to chart your cycles properly.
Having said that practice makes perfect and the sooner you start the faster you will master the art of determining your most fertile time.
Copyright 2009 Iva Keene and Natural Fertility Prescription
These gadgets and kits are not only expensive, but they also make you feel like you would never be able to work this out yourself.
Mother Nature thinks of everything and she even came up with a clever way of letting you know when you are most likely to get pregnant.
All women are familiar with PMS symptoms (pimples, sore boobs, cravings, mood swings etc.) but very few can accurately recognize the symptoms of their peak fertility.
What are they?
- Mucus fluctuations
- Heightened Sex Drive
- Pheromones make you more attractive to the opposite sex for the duration of your peak fertility (how sneaky is that?)
- Energy boost
Out of those the most reliable key to recognizing your most fertile time is your cervical mucus. I know to some the thought of examining your mucus may sound gross but seriously, its the easiest and simplest way of telling when you should have sex to get pregnant (and avoid sex if you dont want to get pregnant), so just do it. Your cycle is as unique as you are and no gadget will be able to tell you as precisely as your own body when you are fertile. You will also learn a thing or two about your cycle which may surprise you or even alert you that something is wrong. So rejoice that you have an access to such an amazing built in mechanism. Ok here we go;
Mucus fluctuates with your hormones
- At the beginning of the cycle your oestrogen levels are low. The mucus mirrors its levels and will be scanty, sticky and tacky and opaque in colour. This mucus is infertile and hostile to sperm as its acidic and thick thus not allowing the sperm to swim forward. It forms a plug across the cervix preventing sperm from entering.
- As your oestrogen gradually starts increasing with your approaching ovulation, the mucus will change in quantity and texture. This mucus is not yet fertile but its becoming more fluid and the pH is increasing and becoming more sperm friendly.
- As you approach ovulation your mucus will become wetter, clearer and thinner. And there will be more of it (profuse). This is already fertile mucus and it will enable sperm to swim and survive due to a friendly pH.
- Right before ovulation when oestrogen levels peak, mucus will become raw egg white like, it will stretch between your fingers up to 5-10 cm. This type of mucus is also called spin for its ability to be stretched. This is the most fertile type of mucus, it dislodges the mucus plug, leaving the gates to the cervix open, and its consistency allows the sperm to swim and survive. (hint: this is the mucus with baby written all over it)
- After ovulation as the levels of oestrogen start to drop, the mucus will gradually return to what it looked like after the period and before ovulation: infertile.
What are we looking for when checking mucus?
- How does it feel when you are walking around?
- How does it look?
- How much of it is there?
- What colour is it?
- How does it smell and if you are brave enough taste?
When should you check your mucus?
When you have to do a wee. Simple! Before doing a wee just check if there is any mucus on the mouth of the vagina. If there is, examine it between your fingers and use the above criteria to tell if its fertile or not.
This is a simplified explanation of the basics for recognizing your peak fertility. It takes time and practice before you can confidently rely on this information alone. There are also additional natural methods which can confirm whether you ovulated or not. So seek help and advice from a qualified health practitioner versed in natural fertility, who will teach you how to chart your cycles properly.
Having said that practice makes perfect and the sooner you start the faster you will master the art of determining your most fertile time.
Copyright 2009 Iva Keene and Natural Fertility Prescription
Information about the Author:
Leading Fertility Naturopath Iva Keene publishes the Ultimate Fertility ezine with tips to get you pregnant ASAP. Get your free Fertility advice at www.natural-fertility-prescription.com
To see more articles like this one see Iva's Blog at www.natural-fertility-prescription.com
