Beginning to Chart & Relationship Building
Charting for my health
I was introduced to the idea of charting my cycles when I was a student. I was not yet engaged, married (or sexually active). So why did I want to start charting? The simple answer is that I knew getting a “jump start” would be beneficial in the long run both for my personal health but also my future marriage. Marriage and babies were always what I wanted. I was beginning to worry something was seriously wrong with my body. My periods were becoming really difficult to manage and I did not know what to do about it. Could there be an issue that would lead to fertility problems? Would I get to be a biological mother someday?
19 year old Rachel had good reason to be concerned but this was just the beginning. It would take many years before I would discover that what I was starting to suffer from was a chronic disease called endometriosis.
As I continued to navigate the increased stress, dietary changes, lack of sleep, and more that came with this time in my life, I cautiously stepped into the fertility awareness world with the support of a great mentor. She helped me to understand that a woman’s menstrual cycle is a vital sign of her overall health. Yet most women are never taught even a fundamental understanding of how our bodies are designed and function.
A few years later I was engaged to be married. Unlike many women, I did not start taking the birth control pill. My soon to be husband and I began charting but this time as a couple. We had agreed that using a natural method was something that we wanted to do together. I was concerned about the side effects and impact of hormonal contraception (the pill, the shot, IUD, etc.) on my health in addition to the fact that we felt like using contraception was not compatible with our beliefs.
We explored other fertility awareness methods but ultimately decided that the Creighton Model FertilityCare System was the best fit for us. We were drawn to how effective it is to avoid or to achieve pregnancy. Another valuable aspect to charting using FertilityCare is the women’s health science of NaPro Technology is ultimately what led to identification, diagnosis, and treatment of many of the hormonal and reproductive health issues I was experiencing.
Charting with my husband
When a woman or couple wants to start charting, it begins with the introductory session. (Bloom Cycle Care offers this at no cost and no obligation to anyone interested.) The couple then continues to work with their practitioner for private follow ups to review charting, ask questions, and gain confidence with the system. Learning to use the system well with the help of an experienced and qualified practitioner is critical for maximizing efficiency.
My husband and I are grateful to our practitioner who has provided so much knowledge and support to us over the years. We were in close contact with her when we first began charting, through my medical treatment with NaProTechnology, and again as we navigated charting during the postpartum phase after the birth of our two daughters.
It was a challenge to figure out charting together in the beginning. There was a learning curve that pushed us to trust each other and trust the method. We chose to begin to use the FertilityCare System to avoid pregnancy for a few years. My observations and subsequent charting were even more complicated due to the growing health issues I was experiencing.
The women at FAbM Base put it well… “Learning a fertility awareness based method is fundamentally different than using birth control. It requires extra time and hard work to initially learn your method of choice from a trained instructor, and continued effort to maintain successful use. It can require abstinence if avoiding pregnancy is the goal. But we believe – and a growing number of women agree – that it’s worth the effort. It’s not always easy and sometimes the reward isn’t immediate. But that’s why we’re here, to arm you with the facts and support your need to practice this lifestyle the best way you can!”
Charting with intention
Charting has not always been the easiest option. There are real challenges and frustrations along the way. Using a fertility awareness method doesn’t hold all the answers for marital, sexual, and health issues. But it does provide a toolbox filled with resources for couples to tap into over the years. My husband and I have always approached this as a team. The choices we have made - especially the difficult ones - bring us peace. FertilityCare and NaProTechology allow us to live without compromising our moral principles while optimizing natural health and fertility. And that is something worth striving for.
Your body is telling you everything you need to know.
Learn to listen with Bloom Cycle Care.
