The tides are changing, my friends, and can I say it’s about time! Uplifting conversations about menstruation have found a platform. Our bodies want to be understood and celebrated, and I love that the period positivity movement is doing just that.

We all long to be accepted and to have acceptance; yes, our bodies need acceptance too! Every woman is wired for menstruation. Our bodies as females are made to do this vibrant deep cleaning. The process is profound, our bodies are brilliant, and menstruation is a crucial part of every women’s health.

I accept my full power as a woman and accept all my bodily processes as natural and normal. I love and approve of myself.~ Louise Hays

We are entering a new era of accepting the way our bodies function as women. Helping us uncover a pearl of hidden wisdom, how we as women tick. We have peeled back yet another layer of understanding the hormones that help us achieve menstruation and optimize our daily health.

“I rejoice in who I am. I love my body. I love myself, I love all my cycles. All is well.~ Louise Hays

How have you felt about menstruation?

Take a moment, hands on your womb, deep breath, sending love, light, and healing energy into your womb space. Attune to this space, and listen. What dogmatic views are you holding in this space that is no longer serving you?

Take a moment to journal about your first period; what memories do you have around menarche? Did you feel celebrated?

If needed, find an affirmation that is healing to you and affirm it daily with attention to your womb space to help remove negative lingering thoughts about your body. Any condescending thoughts about your menstrual cycle can be transformed by self-love.

“I am a powerful, dynamic women. Everypart of my body functions perfectly, I love me. ~Louise Hays

Your womb is a sacred space of creation. It’s our wombs that carry the power to create new life. This powerful creating force also hosts new ideas, new projects, new ability to be creative. As you clear out negativity and fill your womb space with love and affection, new and brilliant aspirations will arise.

Now listen up, ladies. Here is your girl power! Harness your energy in flow with your menstrual cycle. Cycle harmony teaches us to use the different phases of our cycle as a superpower. Here are some girl power tips for each phase of your cycle:

Phase 1 Menstruation (winter)- This phase starts the first day of your bleed. Allow yourself rest, solitude, calm, and time to daydream. What’s next? Like the new moon, new beginnings are on the horizon. This time of the month is a reset. Find time to dream, settle in, and slow down.

You might want to add soothing activities to your daily routines, such as meditation, pilates, or a hot bath. It’s time to date yourself. Listening to your thoughts and inner voice for direction is imperative during this time. Feel lost or stuck in life? During menstruation, getting in touch with yourself may help you find a way back to wonder. Choose to let go of the things you are holding on to that are no longer serving you.

Healthy eating tips while on your bleed? Um, pass the red meat please, losing blood means you will need a healthy iron dose. Veggies with iron include kale, beets, parsley, and also fruit prunes. You will want to stay away from any foods that will produce inflammation and cause period pain. This means goodbye, dairy, white bread, sugar, junk food, and alcohol but please pass the deep leafy greens that will help quench inflammation! Taking a b12 supplement will help with energy levels.

Phase 2 Follicular phase (spring)- First seven or so days after menstruation is called the follicular phase. Estrogen is now starting to ramp up for ovulation to occur. You might feel optimistic, playful, and adventurous. The world is your oyster, lots of new ideas and initiatives might be rolling around in your head.

As the moon gradually is waxing so too are you in this phase of your cycle, a little by little bit by bit enjoy putting things back on your plate a little at a time. Remember your energy is gradually building in this phase and your output should match this gradual build.

Healthy eats for this phase: Try wheatgrass, a great hormonal balancer, and cooling foods such as lettuce, fresh fruits like peaches and pears, cucumbers, soy, and tempeh. Pumpkin and flax seeds help support estrogen and are a great choice for this phase. Enjoy lighter meals with protein on colorful salads, and top it off with healthy fats such as olive oil and avocado.

Phase 3 Ovulation ( summer)- Drum roll, please!!!! The show stopper of your cycle. Your energy is now at its peak! This part of your cycle is like a full moon. Giving, gratitude and wonder are in this phase. You might feel expressive and outgoing. Enjoy the limelight, lady. Tis’ the time to socialize more and work later, your superwomen powers are now at work.

You might feel more attractive during this phase because your stomach will slightly flatten, and your boobs will firm up and be rounder. You will also produce pheromones that send a message of ovulation to men. In this portion of your cycle, you will most likely feel like engaging in sexual activity.

Trying to conceive? A supplement like royal jelly, vitamin C, zinc, and a good multivitamin can help you achieve good egg health for conception. It is a must to cut out alcohol, tobacco, and marijuana for both men and women to achieve optimal egg and sperm health. Don’t over-exercise, which can put stress on your body, throwing off ovulation.

Eating tips for ovulation: Your body has been working hard in the production of producing an egg. Add some healthy carbohydrates and starches. Sweet potatoes, red potatoes, brown rice, quinoa, whole-grain bread are excellent choices.

Phase 4 Luteal phase (fall) – This phase starts after ovulation. Your inner wild woman and truth-teller may show her face in this phase. Edgy and blunt, she has a place to be heard, and yes, you will hear her. Spouses, this is a great time to listen. With the rose color glasses of estrogen waning in this portion of your cycle, it is easier to identify what is actually bothering you. If you have a flare-up within yourself, producing a harsh inner critic or lashing out at the people around you, remember to be kind and patient with yourself and your spouse. Practice effective communication, which is rational.

This is the best portion of your cycle for extra self-care. Allow yourself to pull back from too much social activity to start preparing for menstruation. Like the waning moon, let your activity levels wane as well. Progesterone, a hormone at play in this portion of your cycle, is a calming and soothing hormone, reducing anxiety. If you find yourself with anxiety in this portion of your cycle, your estrogen levels are perhaps dominant.

Your luteal phase is the best time for your project checklist to be knocked out. You may feel the urge to clean or to check off a lingering office project. Progesterone brings focus, rational thinking, and attention to detail.

Eating tips for this phase of your cycle: Eat well, make smaller meals, and don’t overeat. Make sure to drink plenty of water. Your metabolism rises in this phase, which sometimes causes cravings. Eating more protein and healthy high-fat foods may help you feel fuller for longer. If you can’t deny your sweet tooth in this phase, reach for dark chocolate, which has antioxidants. Taking a magnesium supplement in this phase of your cycle can help with achiness, sore breasts, and irregular sleeping patterns.

Remember, everybody is different, this is a generalized overview, but only you know how you feel during your cycle. Charting or journaling is a great way to identify your individual shifts in your cycle and how you feel at those times. Want more information on charting? Please read my blog on the Fertility Awareness Method here: http://leahroshelfellers.com/home/using-the-fertility-awareness-method/.

Have you heard about seed cycling? It may help by supporting hormonal balance during your cycle. I’d love to send you free instructions on how to seed cycle. Drop me a note in my contact box and say “seed cycle,” and I’ll send that right over:)

Until next time,

XO Fertile Myrtle

I am taking the time to answer questions about FAM I love this method because it helps women connect and understand their bodies. I like to think of this method as a gold mine of exploration into our magnificent bodies!

What is FAM? Fertility Awareness Method is a method of body observation. You will come to understand your body’s cycles, your fertile window, and your feminine health.

What are the benefits of charting? There are numerous benefits to charting that lay outside of knowing your fertile or infertile days. Body literacy is one of my favorite reasons to start charting because no two bodies are alike. The information we can glean by paying attention to our body’s cyclic ways will help us take charge of our gynecological health.

By charting information about your unique cycle, you can have a wealth of knowledge at your fingertips to bring to your physician or gynecologist when needed. You will know details about your fertility, menstruation, hormonal imbalances, premenstrual symptoms, and FAM will help you troubleshoot issues like anovulation ( lack of ovulation), PCOS, and miscarriages.

Should I chart if I don’t want to get pregnant? Yes! Using FAM for birth control takes discipline. If you are committed to charting your temperatures alongside using a barrier method like condoms or abstaining from sex during fertile days, this method is for you.

Women are only fertile for six days of a twenty-eight to thirty-two-day cycle. By using FAM, you can take control of your fertility.  The Fertility Awareness Method is a holistic option that can save your body from hormonally disrupting synthetic birth controls.

How do I start to chart? Download and print a free chart. You can find a chart here: https://www.tcoyf.com/downloadable-charts/

Fertility Awarness is tracked by the observation of these three things:

Observation of fluids: The process for sperm to reach an egg needs to be hosted by the alkalinity and appropriate amount of the cervical fluid. Charting your cervical fluids by using the word “dry,” “slippery,” “stretchy,” “eggwhite,” or “creamy” after observing your cervical fluids when wiping will help you in the process of identifying your fertile and unfertile window.

You’ll also want to take note of your menstruation, tracking the number of days, texture, color, and PMS symptoms. Because menstruation is a monthly report card into your health, this information is valuable and an essential part of understanding your body’s wellbeing. The day you start to Menstruate is day #1 on each month’s chart.

Basal Body Thermometer– Using a thermometer will help you gather three critical questions on your fertile journey. 1.) If you are ovulating, 2.) If your luteal phase an adequate length (necessary for implantation purposes), 3.) whether or not you have conceived during conception can all be indicated with your thermometer.

Cervical Position: Every cervix will shift during your cycle and can be a helpful guide to tracking fertile and unfertile days. Is your cervix high, soft, wet, and open? If so, sperm can swim into your uterus, and you have a chance of pregnancy when ovulation has occurred. Or is your cervix low and closed, like pushing on the end of your nose? Your cervix now is blocking sperm from entering. Ovulation has already passed, and the cervix is no longer open for service.

Is FAM the same as the Rythm Method? FAM is not the Rythm Method in which it often is confused. The difference is that the Rythm Method is a guessed calculation of a fertile window by observing prior cycles. Leaving a wide-open window for pregnancy or missed conception possibilities because your ovulation can change month to month. FAM is a scientifically proven method of birth control that is 90 percent effective, which is equivalent to using a condom.

The Fertility Awareness Method is about becoming more self-aware of what is going on inside of your body. I like to add another component along with charting the physical aspects of your cycle. I ask myself how my body is feeling today, physically, emotionally, mentally?  Making a quick note of these things can help you attune and understand what you might need during the day to help you be the best you can be. Attuning to your needs is a daily gift you can give to yourself.

Charting is always the first step in helping clients on their fertility journey. I am here for Q and A:)

XOXO- Leah

Every Doula has a story behind why she has chosen to be a labor companion. Our collective nature is fueled by helping women; women’s health and vitality are at the center of our hearts. We have a reverence for birth, pregnancy, and babies. We are DOULAS. Women who have given our lives to support other women.

My passion, like most passions, stemmed from my own birth experience. My birth experience ignited a fire deep inside to help others live something different.  Here is my birth story, that started it all:)

It was 2005, the year I was pregnant with my first-born son Ty.  I was an exuberant nineteen-year-old, who had not yet figured out who she was, yet had conceived a child. Like most teens, I was unaware of my body and was unattuned to how powerful, perfect, and intelligent my body was. 

I chose to have my firstborn son in the hospital ( my second child was born at home, but that is another blog:).  For my son, a hospital birth was a blessing; he arrived at 30 weeks premature.  The Dr. diagnosed my son’s prematurity condition in connection to my stress levels. Being a full-time working mama without any reliable partner support, the diagnosis the Dr. had given matched the season perfectly.

On the day of my birth, a sunny day in November, I worked retail at a boutique store when my contractions started in at about four minutes apart. I had three days of prior Braxton hicks but did not think anything of them (hello, unaware, and not attuned to my own body). I remember not wanting to call the Dr. I had made up my mind that I was sure whatever I was experiencing was not labor and did not want to burden him on a Sunday where he was not taking non-emergency calls.  

However…..within the hour, I found myself loading up in a car to be checked in at the hospital. 

VULNERABLE, NAKED, FRIGID, LAID BARE, EXPOSED, PANIC, TENSION, CHOAS…. Labor from that point on was an emergency. I had to change hospitals and was taken by ambulance to a hospital with a NICU unit. I remember the feeling of being muted in the background of bodies in medical scrubs. The feeling of helplessness swept over me as the impulses in my body took over. Every decision in the hospital presented was overwhelming. My hospital room, with a shower curtain panel for a door, left little to no room for privacy. The sheet curtain rotated with strangers faces watching the most intimate parts of myself laid bare.  I struggled to navigate the reality of which I was living. I was surrounded but felt utterly alone.

  As I progressed to 10 cm at 10 pm, the nursing staff promptly ushered me into the emergency room. Gappy eyed students waited for my arrival to watch me as Dr. RANDOM delivered my baby. I don’t remember any verbal allowance to let people observe my birth experience; like many decisions that day, I was unaware and uninformed.

  MY SWEET BABY WAS BORN. I remember getting to look at my son as he was wheeled away in a plastic heating device to be taken straight to the recovery unit for preemies. His full head of black hair, his tiny 3-pound body, his precious little face all tubed for oxygen for his underdeveloped lungs. I grappled with my first mothering moments, my son nowhere present.

In the three months of hospitalization to follow, I had many missed opportunities to bond with my newborn. Breastfeeding and a joyful postpartum slipped through the cracks of trying to hold down a full-time job and back to back hospital runs. The blur of motherhood around those first months and even years was insane. I, like so many women, needed support.

I believe with all do the best we can with the knowledge we have at the time. I hope my story lays a nonjudgemental, compassionate foundation for those who have similar stories. I want ALL mothers to be strong, mentally, physically, and emotionally healthy.  Anna Verwaal said it well: “A woman, as long as she lives, will remember how she was made to feel at her birth.” It matters, and we (doulas) want to help make it an experience that is the best it can possibly be. “

My own birth story has motivated me to come beside you in yours. I believe together we can create something beautiful and memorable,

XOXO

Leah Fellers