Fertility Awareness: how we cycle

Our Bodies (how we cycle)

http://www.gardenoffertility.com/reprofemale.shtml

1. MENSTRUATION: The first day of a cycle is the first day you bleed, your period.

-your period typically last 3 to 5 days

-it varies for every woman though….just as your cycle length does too…anywhere from 24 to 40 days!

2. Then we dry up for a bit, our temperatures are low and our cervixes are closed and firm.

3. FOLLICULAR PHASE: After our period ends (sometimes even towards the end of your period) you begin your follicular phase which is when your ovaries start growing a few eggs which will emit estrogen into your body.

-estrogen tells your uterus to start preparing for a baby

-to add a fresh layer of blood to the uterus wall.

-to open and soften your cervix

-secrete vaginal mucus from the cervical crypts! Which will keep sperm alive for 5 days.

-which can start as gummy/tacky then turn to creamy/sticky and turn slippery/eggwhite

-This begins your FERTILE PHASE. Mucus means fertile time.

-and to keep your body temperature cool. Typically somewhere in the 97 degree range.

The follicular part of the cycle will last about 10 days.

*If you have poly-cystic ovarian syndrome this part of the cycle will last a long time.

4. OVULATION (this is when you most fertile): Once the egg is ripe and ready to go it will break free from its shell in the ovary and travels into the fallopian tube.

*The egg will live in the fallopian tube for only 12-24 hours!!!

*at this point you will have really wet/stretchy/eggwhite mucus. Like in the pictures we looked at.

5. LUTEAL PHASE (you are no longer fertile): after you ovulate the shell that released the egg from the ovary will begin to make progesterone.

-Progesteron tells the body to make your bloody uterus lining spongy

-it dries up your mucus. No more vaginal mucus.

-It warms you up your body temperature (typically in the high 97 or 98 degree mark,
youwill see a clear shift from low to high temps depending on your body)

-your cervix becomes firm and closed

*Your shell that released the egg dies in about 2 weeks (12-16 days) after ovulation. THEN YOU BLEED AGAIN!!!!! And start over. From the top.

*your temperature will drop down again once you bleed.

*if your are pregnant then your temperature won’t drop….sorry.