Three FREE Natural Birth Control Methods: Information that Males and Females Should Know when Trying to Avoid Pregnancy or when Trying to Conceive a Baby

Whether you are a newly wed couple, a married couple with a couple of kids already and mom is in no way ready for more, or a couple who have no plans to have kids; deciding what method of birth control you use can take some thought and research. Couples who do wish to conceive also consider natural methods to predict the best times to conceive each month. In my opinion nothing is as safe as using something that is natural. I know of three natural methods of family planning. The three methods I outline below can be used for either avoiding or conceiving a child. There are any reasons to consider using natural methods. The first reason is that natural methods are free. They do require one or both partners to learn the method selected, before using it as birth control or a method to conceive a child. These are not “learn as you go” methods. You must take the time to learn all about each one, before you engage in sex with your partner. Another reason to consider a natural method is to avoid introducing hormones into the female body or putting a foreign body into her body. A third reason is that once women use hormonal or barrier methods and then decide to try to conceive a baby; it may take your body a while to adjust after shots, pills or devices. A woman’s body can also have a negative or unpleasant reaction to a hormone or a barrier method. Even methods like sterilization can have a negative effect on the human body. Many women have complained of medical and physiological ill effects after having a tubal ligation. Natural methods are just what they imply they areâÂ?¦. natural.

The first method I would like to mention is the World Organization of the Ovulation Method Billings also referred to, as WOOMB, a natural fertility regulation method. This birth control method does not use any form of rhythm counting, temperature taking, drugs or devices. You can use this method to achieve or avoid pregnancy. Those who have been identified in the low fertility risk group should use this as a first step in achieving pregnancy after being identified as having a risk for infertility. There are 4 rules to this method. The first 3 apply during the time leading up to ovulation. The last rule applies for the balance of our cycle after ovulation day. The Billings Ovulation Method can be used once a woman starts having periods, when a woman is breastfeeding, during times of after having taken hormonal medication and when experiencing irregular period cycles. It would not be wise to use the Billings Ovulation Method of birth control when the woman is also using barrier, or hormonal methods at the same time as these methods can throw off symptoms that you need to be able to recognize while using the Billings method. After using barrier or hormonal birth control you body may take some time to be regulated back to a normal rhythm. Using the Billings method is also not recommended for those who are just learning natural methods of birth control. You should take the time to learn about any natural birth control method BEFORE the need arises to use birth control. You can find facts about fertility and the female body as well as detailed instructions on how to properly follow the Billings Ovulation Method of birth control at the following pdf link: http://www.woomb.org/learningBOM/B200/BasicInstruction.pdf

The second method of birth control, I would like to mention is the one, my husband and I used for the first few years of our marriage: The Symptothermal Method. This is one of the most reliable methods of natural family planning. Some also call it the mucothermal method. It is a combination of doing two things accurately: Taking an accurate temperature reading and the observing and recording of cervical-mucus. The symptothermal method of birth control requires that you be diligent in observing the appearance of your cervical mucus and keeping accurate record of your daily morning temperature. This information regarding temperature and mucus will be used to determine the days when you are fertile or able to conceive a baby. You should not have sex during these fertile days if you don’t want to get pregnant; if you do want to conceive a baby, then these days are when you do want to have sex. Once you observe your mucus and temperatures, you will on average notice 8 to 11 days every month that are your fertile days. The following Website gives detailed information about how the Symptothermal Birth Control Method works and how exactly to take your temperature and how to observe your mucus http://scc.uchicago.edu/naturalfamilyplanning.htm#temp

I would be remiss if I did not mention one of the oldest natural methods of birth control widely practiced, and that is the Rhythm Method. When someone mentions natural family method this is most likely the method that pops into your mind. It is also known to be unreliable in preventing pregnancy. Many people are walking around here today who’s parents were practicing the Rhythm Method. There are three ideas that the Rhythm method is based on. The first idea is that every woman ovulates (releases an egg) on day 14 of her cycle. The second idea is that sperm can last only 3 days once released inside a woman. Lastly, that an egg can only be fertilized during the first 24 hours after being released from the ovary. Since no woman I know ever has the same # of cycle days, month after month; it stands to reason that idea number 1 is false. In my experience, many things can throw off my cycle; getting sick, being stressed out, being terrified during exam weekâÂ?¦these things have been known to either bring on my period a few days early or make me think I am pregnant because my period is late; when in fact, my period has just been delayed. There have been medical data showing that women have conceived from sperm deposited as much as 7 days before or after ovulation; thus disputing the 3-day survival theory. The Rhythm method has a failure rate of 13 – 20%. This birth control method is not recommended for women who have irregular cycles or who do not have the same number of days to her cycle, month after month, after money; and as I previously stated, who does? I suppose if a man and woman want to take a 13 to 20% chance of conceiving a baby, then this method would be better than no method of birth control.

So, there you have it; three FREE natural birth control methods outlined for you to consider: the Billings Ovulation Method, the Symptothermal Method, and the Rhythm Method. Explore any of the links provided for further information concerning these and other natural birth control methods. These methods are natural, do not disrupt a woman’s cycle, or her chance of conceiving at a later date, and do not cause a negative physical reaction, like a rash, or infection, or mid-cycle bleeding. Your body won’t be changed forever like having your tubes tied will. Should you change your mind and wish to conceive, you won’t have to wait for hormones to leave your body or for your cycles to return to normal. You just have to wait until the female ovulates with her next cycle. Keeping it simple, free and natural, that to me makes sense. The birth control method you choose is between you and your partner.