Have you read the book Taking Charge of Your Fertility? It’s such a wealth of knowledge. Personally, I love to give this book as a gift for a bridal shower. The information is so essential to women’s health I think it’s a must read. I thought it was about time I wrote a book review for this little gem and shared this book with any who may not have heard of it. I first heard about this book from one of my favorite co-workers when I worked at the David Salon. I learned so much more about my body and menstrual cycle.
Who Should Read Taking Charge of your Fertility?
Women who don’t want to get pregnant. The author Toni Weschler, who wrote this book over 20 years ago, wrote it with the intent to help women NOT get pregnant using the Fertility Awareness Method. And after having my first baby I knew I wasn’t ready for another one. My husband would have loved to have “Irish twins” but he wasn’t the one throwing up for 20 weeks.
The mini pill is an option for birth control when you are nursing. But it’s a little unforgiving. And you have to take it at a similar time each day. I expressed my concern at being able to take a pill around the same time every day. My doctor told me to take it when I brushed my teeth. But honestly, I didn’t always brush my teeth at the same time. My life revolved around my new baby. And we slept whenever we could.
The Fertility Awareness Method is a system where you base your fertility on your current cycle. It is not to be confused with the rhythm method which bases your fertility on past cycles. Hormones and being sick can affect your fertility. I loved being able to control my fertility without hormones and all their side effects.
image by Jenelle Ball
Breastfeeding effects your fertility. People claim you can’t get pregnant the first six months of breastfeeding. But my husband’s baby sister proves that theory doesn’t work. It depends on how often you nurse. If your baby sleeps for longer stretches and you aren’t getting enough nipple stimulation you can start dropping eggs. Others say that you won’t be fertile until after you have your first period after your baby. But we have our periods because our bodies didn’t get pregnant weeks earlier. It’s best to decide what kind of birth control you want to use after you have a baby, if you are going to use birth control.
And this method isn’t just for nursing mothers. I discovered this book after having my first born and I found it to be perfect for nursing mothers. But the Fertility Awareness Method is helpful for women in whatever stage they are in. I continued to use this method after I was done nursing. All women can prevent pregnancy in a health, non-hormone method. She has so many charts and options for women.
Image by Shari Hanson
Women who WANT to get pregnant should also read this book. Toni Weschler was surprised when she first wrote this book because women were using this knowledge in achieving pregnancy. This book is a must read for anyone trying to get pregnant. I know we all know the basics on how to get pregnant, but this book gives so much information.
Lots of doctors want you to wait until you have been trying for 6 months to a year before seeking medical help. But if you were to learn about the Fertility Awareness Method, you could be keeping records of your cycle that would be valuable to your doctors if you need to see a doctor after all. I learned that some times women don’t have a hard time getting pregnant, but staying pregnant. With a simple help of extra hormones, women are able to quickly fix that problem. Charting would help you and your doctor figure this problem out sooner. Being able to share your charts with your doctors would take care of a lot of the guess work.
There is such a wealth of information on ways to help you get pregnant. And infertility is such a heartbreaking problem. If someone really needs some serious help I think the sooner you rule out other minor issues you can go forward with what is best for your family. This book teaches you how to track your fertility so you can be efficient and speed up the process. Saving time would be such a blessing.
This is another reason I love to give this book as a bridal shower gift. You never know who is going to have a challenging time getting pregnant. I hope that my friends that I give this book to will never have to deal with the trial of infertility. But if there might be a challenge it’s better to learn about what to do before you need help.
And it’s good to remember this book is wonderful for any woman who would like to learn more about their gynecological heath. I know I will be sharing this gem of a book with my own daughter someday.
So I am going to give this book 5 stars! I think it’s a must read. Be sure to check it out or pick up a copy for your next bridal shower. And if she is lucky enough to receive two, Amazon is amazing when it comes to returns.
You can read about my other book review More Than the Tattooed Mormon or my Author Interview with Emma Rae Parker.
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