Natural Contraception

I first started taking contraception when I was 16 years old.  It wasn't to do with any activity of mine but because my period still hadn't started properly and the doctor advised this was the best thing to do.  At the time there was no suggestion of this being PCOS or of any other way of dealing with this.

Since then I have tried practically every form of contraception available (except for the implant) and, whilst they have all had the contraception affect required, they all have had other negative impacts.  These impacts have ranged from mood swings and an increase in feelings of anger and aggression, to an increase in my migraines and very tender breasts.  Now I'm using the NuvaRing and this has definitely been the best form of contraception I've used so far with no side effects that I have noticed.  However, after going through all the other issues with previous products I have been wondering if there was another, more natural way of doing this.

After doing some research online to see what was out there and came across Victoria who set up FemmeHead and has been using the Fertility Awareness Method (FAM) for a few years with success.  Intrigued I watched her YouTube videos, read her blog, and started to do my own research on the method.  In a nutshell FAM is a way of tracking your menstrual cycle by charting body signals such as changes in you body temperature and vaginal fluid.  You can then use this to predict when you are ovulating every month and, therefore, when you are most fertile.  During this ' unsafe' period (if you don't want to get pregnant) you then use alternative methods of contraception.

As I have PCOS I did wonder if this method would be suitable and effective for me, but after some look into this it seems that the initial answer is yes as your body will still give signals as to when you're ovulating.  It is all about learning about these signals and what they mean for you body.  I will do more research into this, but it hasn't to me off giving this method a go.

To help me get started I have decided to order the FemmeHead Chart Your Cycle course and have started working through this.  I am also reading Toni Weschler's book Taking Charge of Your Fertility (secondhand of course).  I have already started charting my cycle, as recommended by the course, to give me more data to work with whilst I'm learning about this method.  I'm also still using the NuvaRing whilst I'm charting my cycle for now, just while I get my head around it. However, once this round of contraception is over I should know enough about FAM to use it from then on.  It'll also give me an interesting look at what happens as my body gets of hormonal contraception.  Though, as the NuvaRing is more location specific rather then one goes through your blood stream, I'm not necessarily expecting to see a large change.

Should be interesting! ☺

Have you tried FAM or another forms of more natural contraception.  If so let me know which and how you're finding it.