Family Planning

STANDARD DAYS METHOD (SDM)
If your menstrual cycle is between 26 and 32 days long, you can use this method to record your periods and determine when you can’t get pregnant.

TWO DAY METHOD (TDM)
This is another method where you observe cervical secretions to see when you’re fertile.

CERVICAL MUCUS METHOD
Your body secretes a distinct kind of body fluid when you’re most fertile. This method is all about observing your cervical mucus.

BASAL BODY TEMPERATURE (BBT)
Use this method to chart your body temperature every single morning to determine whether or not you’re ovulating.

SYMPTOTHERMAL METHOD
There are many signs that communicate when you’re fertile and this method tracks several of them at once, including how open your cervix feels.

LACTATIONAL AMENHORREA METHOD (LAM)
Breastfeeding naturally suppresses fertility. This method works if you’ve just had a baby and are breastfeeding in a very specific way.

FERTILITY AWARENESS-BASED METHODS COME DOWN TO THIS:
Track your menstrual cycles and don’t have sex on the days that you can get pregnant; if you do have sex on those days, use an alternate method.

There are several different methods you can use to track your cycle and ideally you’ll use a combination of them to help with accuracy and success. They all involve observing changes in your body and calculating where you are in your menstrual cycle. This takes effort and commitment, so before you decide this is the method for you, be sure you really understand what you’ll need to do. Be prepared not to have sex for at least seven days out of every month. And if you do knock boots on your fertile days, have backup birth control on hand.

STANDARD DAYS METHOD:
In order for this one to work for you, your menstrual cycle must be between 26 and 32 days long. This method incorporates CycleBeads, a handy string of colored beads that help you mark off the days of your menstrual cycle and track your fertility.

To get the hang of it, check out the Fertility Awareness Center. It has lots of information including where to find workshops in your area. They can even coach you on this over the phone.

TWO-DAY METHOD:
Every day you’ll check to see if you have any cervical secretions. If you notice secretions of any type—today or yesterday—you’ll consider yourself fertile. That means no sex or using an alternative form of birth control if you notice any of your body’s natural fluids.

CERVICAL MUCUS METHOD:
Ready to check your mucus? This involves monitoring changes in your cervical mucus on a daily basis. This idea is that you can get pregnant from the onset of your secretions (when your mucus is clear, stretchy, slippery, and wet) until 3 days after it stops. Best when used with Symptothermal Method or Standard Days method.

BODY BASAL TEMPERATURE METHOD (BBT):
You’ll take your temperature every morning before you get out of bed and write it down on a fertility awareness chart. Download one here. Best when used with Symptothermal Method or Standard Days Method.

SYMPTOTHERMAL METHOD:
This method helps you predict when you’ll be fertile by tracking your period over 8 to 12 months and several other daily signs that indicate when you could get pregnant. It should always be used in combination with a couple of other Fertility awareness-based methods, just to be safe and accurate. It won’t work for women whose cycles are shorter than 27 days or longer than 32.

There are entire classes you and your partner can take to learn how to use this one, so we’re not going to go into the details here. Churches teach some classes; healthcare professionals teach others.

LACTATIONAL AMENHORREA METHOD:
Breastfeeding can be used as a family planning method up to 6 months after having a baby. For this to work, you have to meet all three of the following criteria:

No menstrual bleeding since your baby was born.
You only breastfeed your baby (no other foods or liquids given).
You feed your baby at least every 4 hours during the day and every 6 hours during the night.

There are positive and negative things to say about each and every method. And everyone’s different—so what you experience may not be the same as what your friend experiences.

THE POSITIVE

• Doesn’t cost a thing—except for the price of a basal thermometer or CycleBeads


• No prescription necessary


• No hormones added to your body


• No worries about side effects (other than the possibility of getting pregnant)


• Helps you learn more about your body and how it works

THE NEGATIVE

• Takes planning, record-keeping, and self-control


• Requires abstinence (or use of an alternate method) for at least a week per cycle


• Both partners need to participate 100%


• The Calendar Method and the Standard Days Method don’t work for women with irregular periods


• Not something you should try if you’ve just gone off a hormonal method, because the hormones effect your cycle (you’ll need to use a non-hormonal method while you’re learning to track your cycle)

WE’RE HERE TO GET THIS METHOD WORKING BETTER FOR YOU.
And if it still doesn’t feel right, we’ve got ideas for other methods. Just remember: If you change methods, make sure you’re protected during your switch.

I DON’T THINK I CAN REMEMBER TO TAKE MY TEMPERATURE, TRACK MY CYCLE, OR CHECK MY MUCUS EVERY DAY.
This method requires a real commitment and the ability to track your fertility signs on a regular basis.

Still not working?
If you’re not sure you can monitor your fertility signs every single day, you might want to check out any of the highly effective methods that require less ongoing effort.

An IUD or the implant covers you for years, the shot lasts for months, the ring only gets changed monthly, and you switch the patch once a week.

MY PARTNER AND I AREN’T SUPER-GREAT AT NOT HAVING SEX DURING FERTILE DAYS.
If you’re not 100% sure you’ll avoid sex on all of your fertile days, you should definitely be using another method in addition to fertility awareness-based methods. If you prefer to avoid hormones, you can use condoms (male or female), a diaphragm or cervical cap with spermicide, or the sponge.

Still not working?
If you and your partner are having trouble sticking to the fertility awareness-based methods schedule but you want a non-hormonal method, you might want to consider the ParaGard IUD. It’s non-hormonal and super low-maintenance.