Easy Natural Birth Control
What do I mean by easy natural birth control? I mean freedom from four things that most women deal with on a regular basis. Do you want the following?
No Pills filled with hormones
Not needing to take a pill every day
Not worrying if you forgot to take your pill
Bye to side effects
Yes! Natural hormone free birth control is for you then.
(Possibly… It’t not for everyone unfortunately. Please do your own research before starting any of the methods mentioned in this article. I am not a medical professional. This is based on my own research and my own experiences and everyone must be responsible for their own choices and the consequences)
Hormonal Birth Control
Hormonal Birth control comes in various forms, from pills, patches and rings that contain estrogen and progestin. There are progestin only pills, IUD and shots.
How do these hormones prevent pregnancy?
The hormones prevent the eggs from being released from the ovaries, causes the cervical mucus thicken to prevent sperm from entering the uterus while thinning the lining of the uterus to prevent implantation.
The pill is 97% effective, the depo shot is 99% effective, Nuva ring is 99% effective. When used properly hormonal birth control is 99-100% effective but with typical or normal used it is 95% effective at preventing pregnancy. There are some things that make these methods less effective such as missing pills, certain other medications both prescribed and over the counter, products with charcoal and digestive disorders.
Some women have no issues with hormonal birth control, others deal with many side effects ranging from weight gain, high blood pressure and a change in emotions. Then there are those who simple do not want to put anything in their bodies that are not necessary. What ever your reason, natural birth control is an option that works.
NON HORMONAL BIRTH CONTROL OPTIONS
Copper IUD
Barriers: sponge, cervical cap, diaphragm
Condoms
Fertility Awareness Method or Natural Family Planning
What is Fertility Awareness Method or Natural Family Planning
Fertility Awareness method or natural family planning are the same thing. It is NOT the same as the rhythm method.
The Rhythm method assumes that every women has a 28 day cycle and that she always ovulates on day 14. This simply is not true. Each women has a slightly different cycle ranging from 26-35 days. This can change from month to month. One month she may have a 27 day cycle and the next it may be a 31 day cycle.
What does this means?
This means that she is not always ovulating on day 14 of her cycle, it could be day 13, or day 17. Various things can affect when a women ovulates such as stress, sickness and travelling. If you are stress or travelling this may knock your normal cycle slightly off course meaning that even if you do normally ovulate on day 14, while travelling you might end up ovulating a few days later.
Why does this matter?
A women can only get pregnant when she is ovulating. But sperm can survive for 5 days, meaning that there are 6 days a women is considered fertile. The five days before she ovulates and the day she ovulates.
Is it effective:
If done perfectly FAM or NFP is 99% effective in preventing pregnancy. There are apps such as Kindera and special thermometer devices that help make tracking your cycle much easier.
From the Daysy website and also applies to lady Comp, these devices has a pearl index that is comparable and in some cases better than other forms of birth control making this method of birth control just as, if not more effective than using hormones
Pearl Index of 0.7
With a Pearl-Index of 0.7, the fertility monitors of Valley Electronics are the leader in natural contraception and family planning.
The Pearl Index is used to report the effectiveness of a certain birth control method.
As an example: if 100 women use a particular birth control method for one year and one woman becomes pregnant, the Pearl Index of this method is 1.0. Birth control pills have a Pearl Index between 0.1 and 0.9, and IUDs range from 0.1 to 2.2.
for more information on the effectiveness https://usa.daysy.me/effectiveness/
“Lady-Comp supports your natural family planning goals like no other. If you want to prevent pregnancy naturally without subjecting your body to artificial methods, or if you want to maximize your chances of becoming pregnant, the fertility computer is perfect for you. Lady-Comp is the intelligent fertility monitor — a next-generation computer that learns, analyzes and indicates ovulation with 99.3% accuracy, free of hormones and side-effects.”
- One time purchase
- Over 7 years life expectancy
- Very durable
https://www.lady-comp.com/fertility-computers/
What I need a Thermometer?
You need a thermometer to take you temperature every morning upon waking up but before getting out of bed. It is quite simple. When the alarm goes off, you roll over, grab your thermometer and take your temperature.
Here is a basal thermometer to check out. This is for the person who will be charting their own data and analyzing it. There is a easier way explained farther down in this article if the idea of charting your own temperatures sound like to much.
Then what?
Write it down, or better yet use an app like Kindara to enter your morning resting temp.
How does it actually Work?
After a women ovulates her temperature rises, then when she starts her period her temperature drops until she ovulates again.
The principal behind FAM is that you are not fertile the first 5 days of your period. The first day of your period is day 1. So then day 1-5 you will not get pregnant. From day 6 until three days after your temperature rises you are considered possibly fertile. So depending on your cycle this could be day 6-17, if you do ovulate on day 14. Then day 18- 28 or beyond, until you get your period, would be considered non fertile days or green days, that you can not get pregnant.
For more information on how charting of your cycle works check out https://kindara.zendesk.com/hc/en-us/articles/224933048-The-4-Rules-of-Charting-for-Birth-Control
Free Charting app to make it easier
Kindara is an app that is very easy to use. Enter your temperature in the morning, make if you have your period, if you are checking your cervical fluid you can enter that data later and there is a nice chart that shows your temperature progression for that cycle so you can see when your temperature has risen and then when it has been 3 days since the temp rise. You may even be able to determine a day in advance when your period will start since your temperature drops when your period is close to starting. When my temperature drops I will get my period anywhere from that day to up to 24-30 hours after that. This is actually very nice since it one confirms I am not pregnant and two I know that it will be coming shortly and I can be prepared for it.
Devices that make it even easier
Some ladies like to chart their cycles with pen/pencil and paper, more probably prefer to use an app such as Kindara but what I found most useful is a little device called Lady Comp. There is another one called Daisy and Kindara has one that connects to their app called Wink. They all differ a bit. Lady Comp and Daysy will show you red, yellow or green lights that indicate where you are in your cycle whereas Wink is a thermometer that links to the Kindara app and creates a chart for each cycle that you will need to analyze yourself.
Lady Comp and Daysy
The benefit of the Lady Comp and the Daysy are that they not only take your temperature but they have software that gives you a red light, a yellow light or a red light. You don’t have to do the charting you just take your temperature every morning.
The indicator Lights
Red light: you will most likely get pregnant
Yellow light: it is possible to get pregnant or it needs more data to give an accurate prediction
Green Light: This is your all clear, no getting pregnant
Some may choose to just use one of these devices which are very reliable on their own up to 99% when used correctly but I personally prefer to use the lady Comp with the Kindara app. The Kndara app alone is wonderful but you must know the rules of fertility awareness method charting and determine yourself when you are red, yellow and green.
I like to use the lady comp to take my temperature each morning. It has an alarm that I set so I never forget and then after it takes my temperature it gives me a light. I then enter my temp for that day in the Kindara app and enter any other data such as if I have my period or if the color changed from red to green or vice versa. Then I can look at the chart on the app instead of doing one by hand and it is easy to see when my temperature changed.
This confirms for me that the lady comp is correct by seeing it on the chart. There is a section to enter information about your period, cervical fluid and when you had sex. This will all show up on the chart. From their website you can print your charts and other information to share with your doctor such as the average length of your period and the length of your luteal phase.
This is just extra when using the Lady Comp or Daisy device but I like being able to see the chart.
APPS TO TRY
Kindara- This is the one I use and and have very useful.
Natural Cycles- claims to be 99.5 % effective and certified for us as birth control
Dot
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DEVICES TO TRY
Lady Comp Star- $445, payment plans are available from www.lady-comp.com
or buy from Amazon
Pearly Lady Comp is the compact version of the regular Lady Comp and is slightly cheaper. This one was not available when I started but it seems like it would be good for travel since it is more compact. It is also available at www.lady-comp.com
or on Amazon
This is the most expensive one I have seen but you can find used ones that have been reset on Ebay. I bought mine on Ebay and a new thermometers can be bought from the www.lady-comp.com.
Lady Comp is the one I have done the most research on and at the time the Daysy did not have an app for Android. My used one has been serving me very well for over 4 years now and no issues, no pregnancy scares. I only had to replace the thermometer once because I accidentally pulled on the thermometer cord to hard and disconnected the thermometer cord and it would not take my temperature requiring it to be replaced.
Daysy
Daysy- just under $300 and has a free app, using the red, yellow and green light system. The website looks very informative and seems to work on the same algorithm as the lady comp does so this would seem like a good option for less money. If and when my Lady Comp stops working this might be the one I get as a replacement since I don’t have the time to chart and analyze my own data.
Wink
Wink- links to Kindara’s app
As of 3/27/2020 “Winks are currently out of stock, but you can sign up at the bottom of this page for updates on Wink. The good news is, Kindara can be used with any BBT thermometer.”
To use Wink you must follow FAM guidelines. Wink only takes your temperature and links to their app. It does not give you lights to tell you if you are fertile or not. This means you will have to know how to read your own charts and be willing to ask for help if necessary.
Resources Online
For charting and understanding how to chart
The book that started it all and the website that goes along with it
Facebook Groups
Fertility Awareness Method of Birth Control
Fertility Awareness Charting Support
Warning: These Facebook groups can be intense. They are not fond of using apps except for Kindara and they do not like the devices that I mentioned. People will post their chart on the groups and ask for help reading them and understanding them This is great for those who really want to learn how to chart and check fertility signs as their form of natural birth control. They can definitely help you to grow your knowledge. This is not the group for you if you prefer the easy natural birth control method I spoke about with temping devices like Lady Comp and Daysy and are not interested in learning to chart manually.
Books
Taking control of your Fertility
This is a must have book for anyone who is interested in Fertility awareness method. It does a wonderful job of explaining how a women’s cycle works, why hormonal birth control is not necessary, why a women can only get pregnant 6 days out of a cycle, how to chart for a regular cycle, charting for irregularities and other reproductive issues.
I very much suggest reading the book in full before starting to use one of the thermometer devices mentioned or starting to chart since this will give you a clear explanation of how your body and your menstrual cycle works making you feel more confident about using Fertility awareness method and explaining to others why this method is an effective method of birth control.
The Fifth Vital Sign– I have not read this book yet, but many on the Facebook groups have mentioned this book so it might be worth a read. There is also a charting workbook that is available to go with it.
The workbook
Testimony
My husband and I have been successfully using the Lady Comp device for over four years now along with the knowledge I have gained and shared with him from the above book.
It is completely possible to stop using hormonal birth control and use start using easy natural birth control. It works, it isn’t that difficult, it is interesting to learn about your own body and people will think it’s fascinating that you don’t use hormonal birth control.
