Noticing the fertile-type mucus (cervical mucus) is the easiest way to know when you are fertile, since it is noticed in the course of daily activity.
Fertile mucus is produced by the cervix during the days when the ova are maturing and preparing for ovulation, even if your cycles are irregular. This mucus is not only an indicator of fertility, but is also essential for fertility – since it nourishes the sperm, protects them from the natural acidity of the vagina, and guides them toward the ovum.
Here’s how to observe and chart your fertile type mucus – without buying tests or gadgets:
Pay attention to how you feel as you go about your daily activities. Just as you have learned to notice a certain wetness at menstruation, you will begin to notice a second wet time later in the cycle, a wet time without bleeding. The second wet time is caused by your fertile type mucus.
Each time you use the toilet, wipe with toilet paper both before and after you use the toilet, noticing: a) the sensation you feel as you wipe with toilet paper, b) what is on the toilet paper. If you do not use toilet paper in your culture, whatever way you clean yourself after using the toilet will be the way that you observe the mucus. Chart what you see and what you feel in any way that makes sense to you. Here is one way to chart.
1) Menstruation: mark the days of bleeding in some way, such as coloring the calendar day red.
2) Nothing: if you don’t see or feel anything outside your vagina, you can leave the calendar blank on those days.
3) Something: but if you see or feel something – anything – such as pasty or sticky mucus, or a feeling of wetness – draw a raindrop on these days.
4) Slippery something: If the pasty or sticky mucus turns to slippery mucus or a slippery feeling, color the raindrop dark to indicate the slippery wetness. A slippery sensation at the vaginal opening indicates a rise in estrogen and the approach – probably – of ovulation.
After a few slippery wet days, the mucus may disappear or return to sticky or pasty. When it does, mark the LAST DAY of slippery wet mucus as the KEY DAY, and begin to count the days when no mucus is noticed, or the mucus is no longer slippery. In a fertile cycle, the time between the last day of slippery mucus or slippery feeling and the next menstruation is between 11-16 days. You will become quite accurate about your predictions after you chart for a few cycles.
The slippery mucus time is your most fertile time, since fertile is produced during the days leading up to and including ovulation. If you are trying to conceive, use the wet, slippery days for sexual relations. (Don’t try to use this information for birth control – avoiding pregnancy – unless you seek out a qualified teacher of fertility awareness or download and study the fertility awareness book on this site www.knowyourfertility.net.
Generally speaking, dark red bleeding for about three days indicates that hormones are high enough to build a good uterine lining and nourish a fetus in the event of conception. However, more than three days of dark red bleeding can be exhausting. I recommend two or three cups of red raspberry leaf tea daily to strengthen the uterus, prevent heavy bleeding and balance hormones.
Three to five days of wet, slippery mucus 11-14 days before the next menstruation is a probable indicator of ovulation and a fertile cycle. Cycles are often 28-30 days from the first day of bleeding to the first day of the bleeding of the next menstruation.
However, irregular cycles do not indicate infertility. If the time between the last day of slippery mucus and the next menstruation is 11-16 days, the cycle is probably fertile. Even if one cycle is not fertile, the next may well be fertile.
Pay close attention to nutrition. Look for natural foods grown without chemicals. Heal your relationships with family and mate. Exercise in moderation. Drink plenty of pure water. Pray for the child you desire.
For more information, and a sample chart for fertile type mucus, download the free Fertility Awareness book available on this site at www.knowyourfertility.net. If you keep a careful chart for a few cycles and send the charts to me at mariezenack@gmail.com, I will be glad to review your charts and make suggestions.
Blessings,
– Marie Zenack, www.knowyourfertility.net
