Like millions of women, I used to take the pill - and was lucky enough not to have any unpleasant side effects.
Then in 1995 thousands of women stopped taking it because of reports that it increased the risk of blood clots.
Despite that, I would have continued to take it, except a friend suggested using fertility awareness as contraception.
I thought it sounded a bit fringe, not like a serious method at all.
It also felt irresponsible. We were both working in the NHS, in public health,
Then in 1995 thousands of women stopped taking it because of reports that it increased the risk of blood clots.
Despite that, I would have continued to take it, except a friend suggested using fertility awareness as contraception.
I thought it sounded a bit fringe, not like a serious method at all.
It also felt irresponsible. We were both working in the NHS, in public health,
we knew how risk could be over-reported in the media.
Stepping away from the pill felt like breaking some unwritten rule.
But I was curious, and intrigued by the method's feminist history, and there was a certain amount of “what the heck? We're planning to have a baby anyway.”
So I borrowed my friend's book, bought a thermometer, asked her some questions and spoke to my husband. Fortunately he was happy to go along with it.
I was nervous. It was all down to me whether it worked or not. Where was the nice reassuring drug packaging and the instructions from a doctor and pharmacist? The only official-looking gadget I had was a thermometer – not exactly high-tech!
And yet I thought, nothing ventured, nothing gained – it might not be the glossiest method but the book and my friend were convincing. We decided to go ahead.
So I took the momentous step and…didn’t feel that different, though I did notice some of my hair falling out, a fairly common side effect of coming off the pill which calmed down eventually.
Most importantly, it worked! I was able to avoid pregnancy and then plan pregnancy – just like it said in the book! Science!
And I was able to avoid all the hassle of doctor appointments. And I got the wonderful “I am the queen of my fertility” feeling from being able to recognise the signs that ovulation had occurred. And the smugness of saving money for the NHS, and being eco, and having a method that could be used in the event of a zombie apocalypse – all that.
When I did visit the doctor (for something else) I was surprised to get a bemused smile when I asked him about the impact of crossing time zones on my waking temperature.
He said “You probably know more about this than I do”.
What? I thought, this is all down to me? Don’t doctors get taught this stuff at medical school?
It was an alarming moment, but I'm glad my doctor trusted me to get on with it and didn’t give me a lecture about how irresponsible I was being – which is what many women have to endure.
So on I went, using the method to help me get pregnant when the time came, and following the LAM rules when I was breastfeeding. Again, I was slightly nervous, but I took "the more you feed the better it works" message to heart, and it worked, again!
Since training with Fertility UK in 2011, I have helped many women and their partners to use the method successfully. I also continue to learn about all aspects of fertility awareness and contraception, and I continue to speak out about the need for fertility awareness to become a routine option rather than a routinely dismissed one. This is a privilege and a pleasure - and all thanks to the 1995 pill scare, a borrowed book and a chat with a friend.
Stepping away from the pill felt like breaking some unwritten rule.
But I was curious, and intrigued by the method's feminist history, and there was a certain amount of “what the heck? We're planning to have a baby anyway.”
So I borrowed my friend's book, bought a thermometer, asked her some questions and spoke to my husband. Fortunately he was happy to go along with it.
I was nervous. It was all down to me whether it worked or not. Where was the nice reassuring drug packaging and the instructions from a doctor and pharmacist? The only official-looking gadget I had was a thermometer – not exactly high-tech!
And yet I thought, nothing ventured, nothing gained – it might not be the glossiest method but the book and my friend were convincing. We decided to go ahead.
So I took the momentous step and…didn’t feel that different, though I did notice some of my hair falling out, a fairly common side effect of coming off the pill which calmed down eventually.
Most importantly, it worked! I was able to avoid pregnancy and then plan pregnancy – just like it said in the book! Science!
And I was able to avoid all the hassle of doctor appointments. And I got the wonderful “I am the queen of my fertility” feeling from being able to recognise the signs that ovulation had occurred. And the smugness of saving money for the NHS, and being eco, and having a method that could be used in the event of a zombie apocalypse – all that.
When I did visit the doctor (for something else) I was surprised to get a bemused smile when I asked him about the impact of crossing time zones on my waking temperature.
He said “You probably know more about this than I do”.
What? I thought, this is all down to me? Don’t doctors get taught this stuff at medical school?
It was an alarming moment, but I'm glad my doctor trusted me to get on with it and didn’t give me a lecture about how irresponsible I was being – which is what many women have to endure.
So on I went, using the method to help me get pregnant when the time came, and following the LAM rules when I was breastfeeding. Again, I was slightly nervous, but I took "the more you feed the better it works" message to heart, and it worked, again!
Since training with Fertility UK in 2011, I have helped many women and their partners to use the method successfully. I also continue to learn about all aspects of fertility awareness and contraception, and I continue to speak out about the need for fertility awareness to become a routine option rather than a routinely dismissed one. This is a privilege and a pleasure - and all thanks to the 1995 pill scare, a borrowed book and a chat with a friend.