Avert your Eyes Fellas (aka It's Lady Time Again)

You gentlemen are of course welcome to hang about and get educated...heck, some of you may have something to add that I've forgotten.

We're going to talk fertility today. Whether or not you intend on having children, you should really...REALLY...know how to monitor your fertility in a SHTF situation. Birth control, as we know it now, may not be available and you will have to rely on the signs your body is giving you. These little buggers can be tricky, to be sure...that is why I suggest you learn them now. Of course, if you are currently on birth control the following will likely not be helpful to you at all as the extra hormones mess with your body's ability to "speak". Either way, I most highly suggest THIS BOOK. Be sure to check around on prices as I've seen them vary widely according to source.

In the above book, you will learn all about monitoring your morning temps (possibly not feasible in a SHTF situation which is why the rest of the signs are important to learn), cervical fluid, cervical position and how it all relates to your fertile periods. Anyone that has used Natural Family planning already knows most, if not all of this. But it bears repeating. Learn the signs and listen to your body.

Here is where keeping a daily journal comes in handy. Not only can you write about your day (I mean write literally...with a pen and paper), make reminder lists, have a little "me" time and a plehora of other things BUT you can also record your signals, in code if need be, in a little corner of your entry. This will help you remember where you sit in your cycle so that you can avoid intercourse or have fun with it as to your conception desires. Journaling all of the information can help you establish a pattern of "normal" for you as well. This in turn can help you see warning signs of potential problems before they get too far out of hand. Include in your information breast exams, done monthly AFTER your menses.

Since I'm not a trained medical professional (though all my experience with infertility should earn me a freakin' medal), I can only give my personal recommendations. "Taking Charge of your Fertility" is the big one. The website also offers a free trial period of a compatible software that allows to you track your signs and reminds you of what they mean. You can also use Fertility Friend to do the same (for free period). Both programs however highly depend on you taking your morning temperature at a consistent time (I fail so miserably at this). I do need to add here that I currently have both programs going (to test the Ovusoft one...I use Fertility Friend regularly because the price is right, lol) and they are at odds over fertile and ovulation timing...a little concerning to say the least as I have two dates, a week apart. The true test of their timing will come in a couple of weeks I suppose!

I also stumbled upon these in my research (Cycle Beads)...I have not used them as my cycles are a little weird in length, but they show promise for someone that is far more regular than myself.

Learning and keeping track of your body's fertility signs can help you achieve or avoid pregnancy. Though I have to say it just to sound like my mom...."The only guaranteed birth control is to not have sex"....sure Mom, sure.