Are you planning a baby? To put the odds on your side in this preconception phase, learn not only to understand your body but also to prepare it as well as possible. Either way, we're here. Because supporting future and young mothers is the life we have decided to lead.
Ovulation: what, when, how?
Did you prefer to write friendship-forever notes in Lucie's diary during SVT classes? ( we admit, we do ). At that time, talking about babies and conception seemed a long way off. And now, we are not all super clear with our cycles, their duration, their functioning. Let's go back to the basics: ovulation is when the ovary releases an oocyte through the fallopian tubes. This oocyte may meet a spermatozoon, and form a first embryo cell, during fertilization. Basically, it's the period when we are the most fertile, the binGO moment to "frolic", cheerfully, often!
As for the date of ovulation, it is as variable as the cycle of each woman. If in general we speak of an “average” cycle of 28 days, some women have shorter ones (20), others very long ones (40). In short, no absolute truth, as always when it comes to our bodies. Some women ovulate very regularly (although a simple source of stress can disrupt a very regular cycle) while for others it is less predictable. Certain pathologies, including polycystic ovary syndrome, can also cause dysovulation.
REMEMBER: In theory, ovulation takes place on average 14 days before the end of your cycle (the beginning of which is announced by the first day of your period). But be aware that it can also take place between 11 and 16 days, or even sometimes less, if the cycle is unbalanced.
IMPORTANT: Your fertile window lasts about 5 to 7 days (the lifespan of sperm can last up to 5 days before ovulation, and between 1 to 2 after, the egg having a lifespan of 12 to 24 hours) .
So, keep your evenings free at least five days before ovulation: this will be the (good) time to make love. And even start again as often as possible that week!
Decipher the signs of the body to know when you are ovulating
The signs of ovulation are numerous and rather identical in all women. But recognizing them requires being a little attentive. If your goal is to get pregnant, symptothermie will be your friend. It can be used as a natural contraceptive method, and conversely be the indicator of the days when your fertility is at its peak. It is based on the observation of three clear signs that your body gives you:
> Monitor your body temperature (thermal curve method)
During the ovulation phase, the body temperature increases. This lasts about ten days, and the variation is not obvious (it may even be non-existent in some women). But if you get a little hotter at night, or sweat a little more, it can put you on the trail. For more precision, you can work out your temperature curve, over at least two cycles: this also allows you to realize if you have regular ovulation. And know that there are apps to make your life easier.
> Observe your cervical mucus (Billings method)
Cervical mucus: Glamorous term for odorless vaginal discharge. It becomes more abundant when you ovulate, it is also more sticky, transparent. You could compare it to egg white, stretchable between the fingers. This cervical mucus is a clear symptom of ovulation, but be careful not to confuse it with white discharge - present throughout the cycle and which is not part of the ovulation process - or with an infection, which causes discharge. smelly. Once past ovulation, the mucus thickens and eventually disappears gradually.
> Observe her cervix
During the menstrual cycle, it's not just our mood that changes! Our cervix too. Its position, its texture evolve, so much so that it can tell us where we are. In the pre-ovulatory phase, the cervix is rather dry, closed and hard; on the contrary, in full ovulation it is high, open and moist (hello, cervical mucus).
Apart from symptothermia, other small signs can be taken into account:
> Control (or not!) your libido
This is an area where we are not all equal, but the hormones released during the period of ovulation (estrogen) boost the libido. A peak that lasts 4/5 days, during which, normally, lubrication is also increased. All beneficial!
> Listen to (or touch) her breasts
“Discreet” symptom, but which can put you on the track! Who has never felt their breasts heavier, sore or sensitive as their period approaches? This is also the case during ovulation.
> Having a stomach ache
Unfortunately, pain isn't just for menstruation. The intensity is obviously not the same for everyone, but it is common to feel a feeling of heaviness in the lower abdomen, bloating, or abdominal cramps. Fortunately, these pains are only supposed to last for a few hours. We breathe!
> Take an ovulation test
Even if these symptoms are the most common and the most developed in women during the ovulation period, it is however possible to feel none, or not all of them. The most certain way to know in which part of our cycle we are, and/or if we have little time to check our symptoms, is the ovulation test. On the same principle as a pregnancy test, we also pee on a stick, which will detect the ovulation trigger hormone (LH) and will be positive (if we are in the period).
Give your body a little boost
Having a baby is a bit like a marathon: so when you know you want to get started, you might as well prepare your body for the “test”! It is with this in mind that we have created our supplements. Detox , phase 1 of our preconception protocol, was created to help you reset the counters, “cleanse” your body (the liver in particular) by ridding it of its toxins. If you have difficulty conceiving or cycle irregularities, you can continue in phase 2 with Baby Boost , designed to boost fertility by improving ovulation and oocyte quality and rebalancing the cycle. Our best-seller, Pregnancy , can also be taken after Detox combined or not with Baby Boost, and as soon as you want to have a child. Thanks to it, you fill up with good vitamins and minerals, and increase your reserves of natural vitamin B9, assimilable by the body, and which replaces the synthetic folic acid generally prescribed a few months before becoming pregnant .
And for all those who want to know even more, we invite you to follow the Instagram account of Emancipées , alias Laurène Sindicic, the queen of fertility who will make you love natural science lessons again!
