18. Ways to ’know’ (& NOT know) when you ovulate.

This episode is brought to you by my Cycle Wise Woman 8-Week Program. This is a specially designed intimate program with 12 women only, where are going to dive right in to FAM – for contraception, conception or simply to get to know your own body. I’m offering the first program, starting in July, at a heavily reduced rate and there are still some places available at the time of this episode airing, so get in touch if you’ like to join us. We will be learning the method in depth, and sharing charts to learn from each other. This is invaluable when learning this method for whatever purpose you may be using it for. You can email me at sara@followyourflow.com.au or head over to the website, look under courses and events and then select Cycle Wise Woman.

On average women have around 450 periods in a lifetime. So if that’s the case, this means that there has to be around 450 ovulations, because remember ovulation happens first! But very few women actually know when this happens, they may have some idea or if they are like I was up my late 20’s, they may not know what it even is. I see so many women who are trying to conceive and they get the timing completely wrong thinking they are ovulating at a particular time when they are not. So this episode is discussing the ways to KNOW when you ovulate. We all need to know this and we CAN know this, the ACTUAL day of ovulation, just as well as we know our bleeding time.

Here are some of the main points discussed in this episode:

• The key word is ‘know’ – not think, guess, assume, presume – it’s know. And this is absolutely possible.

• What is ovulation? A reminder about what ovulation actually is...

• When does it occur in general? We can have a general understanding that ovulation occurs around 2 weeks before we get our period. However we have to look at the signs our body is communicating for us to know exactly when that is from cycle to cycle.

Why do you want to know when you ovulate?

• To achieve pregnancy
• To avoid pregnancy
• To support diagnosis like PCOS, see stress patterns, short luteal phase – could be linked to recurrent miscarriage, hormone levels – are you ovulating at all, amenorrhea
• To get to know your body – understand the markers in your body that support you to identify or confirm the changes that you feel – we are not always the same.

Ways to KNOW when you ovulate

Please note: this is not the rhythm method, which is where your previous menstrual cycles are tracked on a calendar, and this information is used to predict future ovulations.

1. Cervical Mucus (CM) – presence communicates the lead up to ovulation and can also let you know when ovulation has occurred
2. Basal Body Temperature (BBT) – thermal shift in temperature confirms when you have ovulated
3. Cervical position (CP)– feels Soft, High, Open, Wet (SHOW) when approaching ovulation – can’t be used exclusively but can support other methods – particularly CM and BBT
4. Ovulation Predictor Kits (OPK) - measures LH surge that happens before ovulation.

• Can OPK's reduce your chances of conceiving?

• Is it possible to miss your fertile window when using OPK's?

• Does using OPK's alone encourage use of the Rhythm Method (RM)?

• How is the Fertility Awareness Method different to the RM?

• In terms of timing, how do you maximise your chances of conception?

IN SUMMARY –

CM, BBT are your number 1 & 2. Know your body.

CP and OPK can be a support but you can’t rely on them to know exactly when ovulation occurs.

The only way to KNOW, is by knowing your body - know your cervical mucus changes and use basal body temperature as your guide.

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