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Hormones, Reproductive Health

Things You Might Not Know About Your Reproductive Health & Hormones

February 1, 2018 By Robyn 85 Comments

Back in my early 20s when I was just starting my career as a dietitian I knew very little about my lady hormones. Aka my reproductive system. What I did know is that I never got my period except when I was taking the birth control pill. What I also knew is that after a slew of blood tests, ultrasounds, and multiple rounds of the Provera challenge that didn’t induce a period, doctors didn’t know why I wasn’t getting a period on my own. I was told, “this is normal” and the solution was to take the birth control pill.

I trusted my doctors and so off I went to go pick up my prescription. Looking back I know my doctors had the best intentions and they truly were trying to help. I’ve never been to medical school, but I have been through nursing school and we receive very little, if any education on treatment for missing or irregular periods outside of medications and birth control. So I don’t blame the doctors or nurses. I just think as a healthcare providers we’re undereducated. I was too.

Things You Might Not Know About Your Period and Hormones | The Real Life RD

It wasn’t until I acted on my gut that had been telling me for years this wasn’t normal…that I began to dig into the research myself and was pretty surprised by what I found. I by no means know everything and there are many, many physicians and healthcare professionals out there that could teach me a whole lot. Amenorrhea (not getting a period) and other reproductive hormonal issues are areas we just don’t get enough education on and in order to truly understand what’s going on in the body and how to treat the root cause…it takes some a comprehensive understanding.

After a lot of digging I realized the solution to my period problems would not be found in a birth control pill. The solution was taking a honest look at my lifestyle and how I was treating my body. What I thought was healthy living – eating “clean” foods, never missing a workout and being productive and go go go every day – wasn’t healthy for my body at all. It was scary and uncertain and uncharted territory for me at the time to let go of these engrained “healthy habits” but it was worth it. Having a natural period and being more in tune with my body’s needs was worth every ounce of anxiety and fear.

I’ve only been able to learn what I now know about fertility and hormones because of my healing journey with hypothalamic amenorrhea and through helping other women with reproductive issues heal too. And along the way, there have been many things I realized weren’t actually true when it came to female reproductive health.

Weight can certainly play a role in our reproductive health. But it’s certainly not the bottom line. While being underweight for your body puts you at greater risk for losing your period, you can definitely lose your period or have irregular periods at a “normal” weight. Weight fluctuations play a key role here too. If you have a history of weight loss (as little as 10 lbs) that can impact your periods. It’s easy to get stuck on the thought (maybe because your doctor or someone else told you this..), “I’m at a healthy BMI, so there’s no way my weight is a problem.” and that just simply isn’t true. Adequate energy intake regardless of weight plays a huge role here. Plus BMI isn’t an accurate measure of health either. There are a lot of other factors that contribute to menstrual abnormalities than weight itself so we have to look at weight and weight history but also look beyond weight to figure out the problem.

reproductive health

PMS that impacts how you participate in your life is not normal. Sure, we are going to experience different sensations throughout our cycles as hormones fluctuate throughout the month. We might be a little more tired. We might have some mild cravings. We might experience some skin changes. We might have some mild discomfort or bloating. Those are normal. Your body is doing it’s thing. Symptoms that leave you out for the count or significantly impact your life like painful cramping, heaving bleeding, mood swings, migraines etc ….these are not normal.

There’s something going on and we have to figure out what that is. While there is still room for a lot more research, there is a good amount of research that suggests PMS is correlated with high levels of estrogen. Every month progesterone and estrogen wax and wane to prepare the uterus for a potential pregnancy. More noticeable, impactful symptoms occur when these hormones fluctuate dramatically. I think it’s helpful to note as well that neurotransmitters (like serotonin) may play a role in addition to genetics too – something we have no control over. The important thing though, is figuring out what is causing the PMS symptoms that are impacting your daily functioning. That can take some time and digging, but if that’s important to you I think it’s well worth the effort versus jumping straight to birth control or other medications. Medications have a time and place and can be a very helpful tool…but they aren’t always the solution.

reproductive health

This is something I actually thought to be true up until about 3 years ago when I began nursing school and starting looking into the research more. And I found it wasn’t that conclusive. Some studies showed birth control might help prevent further bone loss, and some showed some small increases in bone density over various time frames. Overall though, the evidence for birth control’s role in bone protection is pretty underwhelming. Actually, oral contraceptives are not recommended to protect bone health in the presence of amenorrhea (not getting a period). BUT supporting your body in finding it’s healthy set point weight and restoring your natural period does do wonders for your bone health. You won’t be able to reverse the bone loss completely, but you can replace significant amounts of lost bone.

reproductive health

I never really fully understood how the whole body intertwined together and the effect one system could have on the other until I started nursing school. I understood some surface level concepts, but hadn’t done much reading or learning to really understand what was going on in the body. It makes total biological sense though that if your body is physically stressed out from disease or other health conditions, it’s going to take the energy it does have coming in and use it for survival versus using that precious energy on non vital systems like your reproductive system. Take a look at your overall health…are there areas of physical stress your body is under that could be affecting your reproductive health?

reproductive health

Just because you menstruated at xyz weight or size when you were xyz age does not mean that is the weight your body is going to turn back on it’s reproductive system now. Especially if you’re thinking about the weight you were when you got your first period in your teenage years – if you’re now into your 20s and 30s or 40s ..your body has done a lot of maturing since your teen years and that weight is very likely too low for you now. Additionally, the body is dynamic. Weight and body size change and fluctuate throughout our lives – I know this is hard, but learning to trust your body is so freeing (although hard – I know!) Every woman’s body is different. Also keep in mind weight is not the end all be all. There are many factors that contribute to your period going missing. If you can, see if you can create some space to use this as an opportunity for some body image work. Positive body image doesn’t mean you have to love your body, but can you focus your time on building a fulfilling life outside of your body?


If my own story resonates with you or if you’ve had any of these similar questions or thoughts, I have created an e-course on healing your hormones and getting a healthy, natural period back. It’s been years in the making as I’ve compiled the work I do one on one with clients into a video course that walks you through the healing process in a realistic, easy to digest way. Beyond talking about what’s going on in your body and how to heal, I also walk you through cultivating healthy body image and developing self care for long term health. If this resonates with you, you can read more here.


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Filed Under: Hormones, Reproductive Health

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Comments

  1. Caroline says

    February 1, 2018 at 9:01 am

    Robyn, I so appreciate your passion for this topic, because it’s something I feel pretty passionate about too. I’m so thankful that I have been able to have normal cycles for over two years now. But that’s after taking a long hard journey to eat more, exercise differently, and really take care of my health (both mental and physical). As annoying as periods can be, they are an amazing indicator of our overall health, and for that I am thankful. I’m planning on going into the healthcare field (as a PA!) and this is something I’m so excited to learn more about, and also to teach and learn from my future patients about!

    Reply
    • Robyn says

      February 2, 2018 at 1:07 pm

      That are an annoying yet beautiful thing 🙂 So excited you are pursing a PA career! Best of luck to you – you will be wonderful!

      Reply
  2. Christina says

    February 1, 2018 at 10:08 am

    Thank you so much for this article. I too have struggled with this and continue to struggle. After a series of stress fractures I found out that what I thought was my “healthy” lifestyle too was impacting my period and my overall health. My body was literally shutting down from the inside out. I am still finding the balance and continuing to work to gain control. It’s often something we don’t think about so I am so happy you shared your experience!

    Reply
    • Robyn says

      February 2, 2018 at 1:06 pm

      I’m so glad this has been helpful for you Christina! Thinking of you in this journey!

      Reply
  3. Xinwei says

    February 1, 2018 at 10:13 am

    So so happy that you’re talking about this and educating others! I have a degree in health sciences and spent a good 2 years taking classes on how to read research papers (even helped write on!) and even then it takes me a good amount of time and effort to read papers when I am doing my own research on things like reproductive health. And touching in what you said about getting your period at different weights. I was a good 25 pounds lighter than I am now (22 years old) when I was a freshmen in high school and getting a normal period. Back then I was super underweight by medical terms but also super healthy and ate whatever I wanted (think two personal sized pizzas covered wit ranch for lunch daily – oh public school lunch programs 😜) but through high school I developed a severe ED and have since recovered by if I were to get back to my pre-ED weight I would actually have to starve myself again and definitely wouldn’t get my period. Not to mention just be miserable, hangry all the time, and not have any energy. Just goes to show that I grew up in the last 8 years (wow time goes by fast) and my body/set point changed!

    Reply
    • Robyn says

      February 2, 2018 at 1:06 pm

      I remember being so bored in my research classes but now I’m like OH YEA THIS IS WHY haha.
      Thanks for sharing how “menstruating body size” has changed over the years – mine too!

      Reply
  4. Xinwei says

    February 1, 2018 at 10:14 am

    Also, just thought you might find this interesting but there is some new research that may link the copper IUD with reduced cervical cancer rates! It’s a good read.

    Reply
    • Robyn says

      February 2, 2018 at 1:04 pm

      Oh wow would love to read that if you can link!

      Reply
      • Xinwei says

        February 7, 2018 at 11:39 am

        Life got real crazy this week and totally spaced on getting back to you Robyn! Here’s the citation for the study: Cortessis, V. K., Barrett, M., Wade, N. B., Enebish, T., Perrigo, J. L., Tobin, J., … & Natavio, M. (2017). Intrauterine Device Use and Cervical Cancer Risk: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis. Obstetrics & Gynecology, 130(6), 1226-1236.

        It’s a meta-analysis of 16 or so studies, all but one conducted in the 80’s and 90’s so while the studies don’t implicitly say that copper IUDs were used, hormonal ones were not available yet at the time. It’s a cool study to read and author does give a few mechanism that may explain why IUDs help prevent cervical cancer, but also this was a time before the HPV vaccine was available so the whole socioeconomic idea that women who have access to IUDs also had fewer partners/were in monogamous relationships and access to better healthcare also come into play. Nonetheless, interesting read. Enjoy!

        Reply
  5. Ellen says

    February 1, 2018 at 11:07 am

    Oh my goodness thank you for this post!
    I have been dealing with irregular/absent periods for the past 3-4 years ever since coming off of hormonal birth control. I was given the fear tactics of bone loss and cervical cancer risk by doctors refusing to actually listen and look at me and just wanting to put me back on the pill (which, by the way, I don’t tolerate anymore anyway and ended up getting breakthrough bleeding DAILY).
    I asked myself the same questions – my weight is higher than it was when I lost it, why isn’t it back!? I exercise less and eat more, so why isn’t it back!?
    By working with a functional medicine doctor, we think it’s come down to my liver not detoxing correctly – b-glucaronidase levels were OFF THE CHART so my estrogen levels were probably being kept too high to allow for the natural cycle of estrogen/progesterone – not that my estrogen was HIGH per se, but progesterone never got the chance to dominate and initiate ovulation/a cycle.
    We have brought down my enzyme levels and I’m having some periods here and there now, so progress after 1.5 years without ANY! Still pretty sure I’m not ovulating yet, but progress is progress!

    Reply
    • Robyn says

      February 2, 2018 at 1:04 pm

      So glad to hear you are finding some solutions Ellen!! Excited for you and admire your patience and persistence in this journey <3

      Reply
  6. Allison says

    February 1, 2018 at 11:23 am

    My OB mentioned that birth control can lower your risk for breast and ovarian cancers (I think it was those two…). Can you comment on that? Is there data to support it?

    Reply
    • Robyn says

      February 2, 2018 at 1:03 pm

      Research does show bc can lower risk for ovarian and endometrial cancer. The research tends to be still mixed on breast but leans more on the side of increasing risk in addition to bc increasing risk for cervical cancer. There are pros and cons of all medications so I think the side effects and risks of birth control itself have to be considered alongside the effect on cancer risk. I hope that’s helpful! Here’s a great article by the NIH with accompanying research studies https://www.cancer.gov/about-cancer/causes-prevention/risk/hormones/oral-contraceptives-fact-sheet#q2

      Reply
  7. Colleen says

    February 1, 2018 at 11:44 am

    Thanks so much for bringing up this topic. I think you’ve reached a lot of people who have been told that the quick fix for not having a regular period is birth control… but the reason for not having a period was never explained. When this happened to me it really bothered me. I knew something wasn’t quite right with my body. I started taking birth control like they said and started having regular periods, but then everything else went out of whack, including horrific mood swings for almost a year. When I stopped the birth control those awful mood swings went away but my periods were irregular again. I still knew something wasn’t right, but couldn’t put my finger on it. Until I had a friend who was diagnosed with anxiety and depression did I start to see what may be going on with me. I was having similar feelings of prolonged sadness and I always felt on edge. After multiple doctor appointments and eventually being hospitalized, I was diagnosed with bipolar disorder. Once I started medication to treat bipolar disorder, everything else fell into place and I had regular periods too. I was amazed how these two problems were connected. It’s so important to find the root cause of the problem—thanks again for bringing light to this topic.

    Reply
    • Robyn says

      February 2, 2018 at 12:56 pm

      Not getting a reason why I wasn’t getting a period was a big stumbling block for me too Colleen. I’m so glad you brought this up as other underlying illnesses can certainly impact your cycle. Thank you for bravely sharing – I know other women will be able to relate!

      Reply
  8. Hannah says

    February 1, 2018 at 12:55 pm

    First, a belated congrats on your move to our now shared city!

    Second, I have been a long-time reader but admit this is my first comment! Like many of your readers, I have struggled with a long history of eating disorders, exercise addiction, and amenorrhea and appreciate and value the balance you have found in your own life and also seek to help others find. Intuitive eating has been a life saver for me and helped me get to a place of health and mental stability for the past 6-7 years!

    All that said, while I can tell many readers love and value your posts about female hormones, birth control, menstrual cycles (and I love your transparency about these sometimes taboo topics!), I want to play the devil’s advocate here and caution you on these posts – as much as you try to provide disclaimers that reproductive health is not one size fits all, you still come across with an all or nothing mentality on what is the right way to manage your hormonal health. And I found myself getting affected by your posts in a way that really messed with my head to the point where I asked my gynecologist this week to remove my IUD this past week in my annual exam. He asked me, “Are you trying to get pregnant?” No. “Are you having bad side effects from your IUD?” No, in fact, I love it. I mentioned my concern about not having a “natural period” – and I was so mad at myself for even bringing it up based on a blog – I have RELISHED not having a period for the past five years – and while a cycle is a great indicator of health, it is NOT the only one! My doctor, who I cherish, had no concerns about my hormonal, reproductive, or otherwise health, including my history of lost periods, and thankfully talked me off a ledge.

    I caution you to be respectful of choices that work for others that may not be your choice – you are an amazing resource and a wealth of knowledge, but I think I personally need to step back from your blog and let myself pass by your posts on hormones and reproductive health and instead only read your intuitive eating posts. I hate that I even second guessed what works for me (and so many other healthy women) because of the way you proselytize about natural periods as the be all end all to female health.

    Reply
    • Amber @ Bloom Nutrition Therapy says

      February 1, 2018 at 1:25 pm

      Hi Hannah, After reading your comment, I wonder if you have misunderstood Robyn’s intentions for mentioning a “natural period”? When I have read her posts related to a natural period, I take it that she is trying to convey for women who are searching for answers about menstrual health and then their doctor prescribes a birth control to “normalize” periods. This also happened to me with my doctor. I explained to my doctor my intense exercise schedule at the time and asked if this could be part of the problem. My doctor quickly dismissed it and just prescribed me a birth control. It was nearly a year later after scaling back on my intense exercise that my period returned to normal on it’s own.

      I understand birth control to be just that – birth control. So I’m puzzled, if you were using the IUD as a method of preventing pregnancy, then why would Robyn’s posts about having a natural period convince you otherwise? The need to use birth control to prevent pregnancy is a SEPERATE issue from being prescribed birth control to normalize the menstrual cycle. I would imagine if you’re trying to prevent pregnancy, then you would use whatever method works best for you and that your doctor recommends for you. If that method, as a result, causes you not to have a period, but otherwise you were having a period, then I don’t understand why that would be a problem. I don’t think Robyn has ever said don’t use birth control AT ALL.

      Just some thoughts. Again, I don’t mean any of this to be disrespectful. I just think perhaps you’re misunderstanding the purpose behind these posts.

      Reply
      • Hannah says

        February 1, 2018 at 1:46 pm

        Amber, I think your post definitely captures a level of my confusion and I appreciate you highlighting that! I do agree that Robyn has highlighted a big time problem of doctors prescribing hormonal BC to women struggling to have a period – and while I’m glad I don’t fall in that category, I do think part of me (internally) felt “less than” in Robyn’s/this blog’s lens because I don’t have a “natural period” and while I like that fact, found myself worrying there was something wrong with what I was doing!

        Perhaps this more of me adjusting the frame work I read her posts in or more of a request for the clarity you provided in her posts!

        Reply
    • Cait says

      February 1, 2018 at 1:35 pm

      I think it depends on your goals – your cycles and periods can tell you more about your health than you realize. If you are curious about your body and your fertility because you hope to get pregnant one day, for example, your menstrual cycles can provide a wealth of information if you pay attention. I appreciate that Robyn recognizes this too. There is a difference between proselytizing and raising awareness about an important issue, which has opened the eyes a of lot of women like myself. Please do not feel attacked by women wanting to understand their bodies.

      Reply
      • Robyn says

        February 2, 2018 at 12:55 pm

        Hi Cait – I’m glad the posts/info have been helpful for you. I didn’t know much of these even five years ago myself. I hope it’s empowering and educational. Have a great weekend!

        Reply
    • Robyn says

      February 2, 2018 at 12:53 pm

      Hi Hannah!

      Thanks for your welcome to Boston 🙂 Amber got to a response before I did and echoed my thoughts in her comment. I talk about not having a natural period without the help of birth control a lot and how not getting a period on your own is not normal and shouldn’t be brushed over but rather addressed since it can have a lot of negative health impacts.

      I think in your comment you’re referencing not getting a period while on an IUD which is actually quite normal. I’ve written a lot about how using birth control for contraception is what it’s for and can be a fitting option for a woman not trying to conceive. I myself subscribe bc to patients for this reason after they know all their options and choose what’s the best fit for them. It seems that the IUD is a good fit for you – you aren’t having any side effects and aren’t trying to get pregnant. Using birth control to prevent pregnancy (which is what its intended for) vs using it to normalize periods or for symptom management (PMS, heavy bleeding etc) is where I feel passionate about because it doesn’t address the underlying cause but rather masks symptoms.

      Reading the information in the context of the entire post might help clarify this? I’ve written often about how birth control IS for contraception and can be a good fit for women. But using bc as a solution to a lot of women’s hormonal and reproductive issues is something I feel really strongly about raising awareness around. That has nothing to do with using it as contraception. My hope is to empower women to be their own advocate and feel empowered in their health care decisions – whatever that decision is. Which I think is different than proselytizing. I hope that’s helpful for you!

      Reply
  9. Amber @ Bloom Nutrition Therapy says

    February 1, 2018 at 1:17 pm

    This is SOOO exciting about your ecourse!! I just know it’s going to help hundreds of women out there. I can definitely second what you’re speaking on here about “normal” weight and fertility. During the time in my life that I experienced irregular periods, I was also living what I thought to be a “healthy” lifestyle. I was eating “clean”, working out most days out of the week and doing all the things. I was also VERY stressed from all the things. I was doing too much physical exercise and eating too little. Ironically, I wasn’t at my lowest weight, but my body was definitely giving me lots of signals that something was wrong. Irregular periods, constant fatigue, hair loss and others. It was actually by reading your blog that I FINALLY was able to honor my body and CHILL OUT. I scaled back on exercise. Instead of running, I began just walking (imagine that). I began listening to my body for hunger cues rather than micromanaging everything I ate. My period returned to normal and has been regular and consistent ever since. I FEEL so much better! Thank you for this information, I know it’s going to be great for so many!

    Reply
    • Robyn says

      February 2, 2018 at 12:54 pm

      I’m so glad you’ve found healing through this! I can certainly relate to your story Amber. I’m so glad you are feeling better 🙂 Thanks for sharing!

      Reply
  10. Trista Johnson says

    February 1, 2018 at 2:43 pm

    I’m curious about what you mentioned about bone health. A friend of mine has been struggling with an eating/exercise disorder for 3 years and she doesn’t care that she’s lost her period. Over the summer, the nurse at her doctor’s office could not find her pulse. Eventually the doctor found it and said her heart rate was 35. They told her that if she has chest pains while exercising she should go to the ER. I was livid when she told me this story because I wanted her doctor to tell her to STOP EXERCISING, but I know it is not my place. Anyways… all of this to say, how does weight impact bone health? I’m worried she might not be aware of those risks to her health.

    Reply
    • Robyn says

      February 2, 2018 at 12:33 pm

      That HR in the presence of a possible eating disorder is concerning and not a sign of “increased athletic ability” that you see in endurance athletes (that’s a common confusion – a decreased HR comes from a weakened heart muscle) if in fact she is struggling with an eating disorder (I’m not sure based on your comment so don’t want to assume!). There’s research that shows inadequate calorie intake is a possible factor in bone loss independent from estrogen levels (if she’s not getting a period she likely has insufficient estrogen levels. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/15659278. Hope that’s helpful!

      Reply
      • Trista Johnson says

        February 2, 2018 at 12:45 pm

        This helps so much. I am very worried about her health, but she is in denial. I’ve had to cut back on my time with her because a) her disorder was not helping me in my journey to get change my own habits and 2) my worry for her was getting in the way of our friendship. She had such significant leg pain at one point this fall that she could not walk (turned out to be an IT band and hip flexor injury)… she went to PT but with the intention of healing it so she could get back to running ASAP. I just wish she could understand that her body needs a break.

        Do you have any advice for how I can support her?

        Reply
        • Hillary says

          February 4, 2018 at 4:16 pm

          This is such a tough situation. I was hospitalized 3 times for a low heart rate due to anorexia/exercise addiction. They would wake me up in the middle of the night to drink a Boost because my heart rate was in the 20s.Robyn is right, this has nothing to do with athletic prowess, but rather a deterioration of the heart muscle. This is serious, but there’s not a lot you can do. She has to get to a place where she realizes there is a problem and wants to get help. I know how hard it is to sit by and do nothing. I hope she gets help before anything happens, but it is not your responsibility to save her. You need to take care of yourself, too. I’m

          Reply
          • Trista Johnson says

            February 5, 2018 at 9:09 am

            Thank you Hannah

            Reply
  11. Joelle says

    February 1, 2018 at 9:11 pm

    Really great article! This was definitely my experience- my GP had no idea what was going on with my body, and I was told that this was normal for someone who was running as much as I was. I remember being heartbroken when blood work came back saying that my estrogen was less then the minimum- it was so low that they did not have a measurable value for it!

    You and Cody have really helped me through so much and it has been such a blessing to cycle again.

    One question that I haven’t been able to find an answer to-
    Though I do not plan on getting pregnant any time soon, I have been trying to track my BBT to see that I am ovulating (which in my mind means my body is 100% happy). I haven’t been seeing a sharp temp rise/extended risen temperature that indicates ovulation, and I was wondering if you could touch on (here or in a future post) what the deal is with anovulatory bleeding/if this is something you need to worry about if you’re not trying to get pregnant/the hormonal imbalances that may be at play.

    Reply
    • Robyn says

      February 2, 2018 at 12:23 pm

      Hi Joelle! I’m so glad you’ve have found the info and work we do so helpful! BBT rises slightly when ovulating so you won’t see a sharp rise – usually less than 1 degree F – just in case you were expecting higher 🙂

      I think what you’re asking is what are signs/symptoms or anovulatory cycles, what does that mean hormonally? and what can you do about it to make sure you are ovulating?

      Reply
      • Joelle Baer says

        February 2, 2018 at 3:37 pm

        Hi Robyn– you are right, by sharp I mean between .5-1 degree haha. But yes that is exactly my question! Particularly what it means hormonally, what to do about it, and if these imbalances have as severe effects as not getting a period entirely.

        Reply
  12. Shelby says

    February 1, 2018 at 11:12 pm

    Hi Robyn,
    Do you have any recommendations for a non-hormonal birth control option other than paraguard that will allow you to monitor your true period? I hate being on artificial birth control because you never know if your period is naturally occurring, but my body does not tolerate paraguard. Any suggestions would be great!

    Reply
    • Robyn says

      February 2, 2018 at 12:15 pm

      Hi Shelby! Paraguard is the only non hormonal prescribed birth control that’s on the market right now – other options could include condoms or fertility awareness methods. I too wish there were other prescribed non hormonal options personally! Here is a blog post on FAMs if you’re interested in exploring that more.

      https://www.thereallife-rd.com/2017/09/fertility-awareness-methods/

      Another option to consider with your health care provider is that if you don’t have a lot of side effects on hormonal bc and have been getting a natural cycle for a while (9-12 months at least) and stay mindful for caring for yourself (nutrition, sleep, exercise, stress etc) getting on hormonal bc could be an option for you since you’re getting a natural period beforehand. Maybe a different IUD? That’s a totally personal decision and up to you but something to consider if you don’t want to do condoms and put the energy into FAM.

      Reply
      • Shelby says

        February 2, 2018 at 3:42 pm

        Hi Robyn,
        Thanks for the information. The issue is right now I am working on getting my period back, so being on something hormonal interferes with me determining if I am making progress on that. So I am unsure about what to do! Thanks for the resource!

        Reply
  13. Emily Swanson says

    February 2, 2018 at 6:53 pm

    Learning to trust your body even in the weight fluctuations and uppsss and downs is HARD, but you have been one of the most instrumental people in encouraging me to do this every day Robyn!

    Reply
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A non-diet dietitian and nurse practitioner helping women find peace with food, accept their natural body size and heal from hormonal issues and period problems.

More On Lady Hormones

How Birth Control Methods Affect Your Hormones, Period and Fertility

What Your Cervical Fluid Can Tell You About Your Reproductive Health

women's reproductive health

Women’s Reproductive Health 101

I have yet to experience postpartum myself, but I've had many clients and readers that have been through that season of life. Or perhaps you are currently living through the postpartum period. Every woman's body is different, therefore every woman's experience after giving birth will be different. What works for one woman, might not work for the next. While one woman might go through postpartum and adjust to newborn life quiet seamlessly, another woman might find it much more difficult. She might need the support of medication, therapy, extra help and many other things. One way is not better than the other - they are simply two different ways of navigating the postpartum period. I hope this post helps you better care for yourself, whatever that means for you. There's no right or wrong way to care for yourself as a mom or your new baby.

Postpartum Hormones: what’s happening in your body and how to care for yourself

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A little way I’m learning to enjoy these years o A little way I’m learning to enjoy these years of getting to spend so much time with my kids: aka another way I’m discovering some pockets of peace so my heart & mind & soul don’t crumble under the reality of dependent & emotionally dysregulated tiny humans.  About once a week we go somewhere for baked goods. We drive or walk, buy something buttery & then find a beautiful, relatively quiet outdoor spot where the boys can romp and I can sit and think my thoughts while I watch them play. This past week we were found ourselves at the Wool Factory where the boys threw rocks & whatever else off the bridge while I ate 90% of this almond 🥐 from @coucourachou that will blow your mind. Boys ate the other 10% bc they were busy playing and didn’t ask for more quickly enough 😜  I’m finding *for me* playgrounds have a time & place but they aren’t where I enjoy motherhood & my two toddlers the most. Baked goods & a pretty outdoor spot without high drops my 15 month old could launch himself off of…I’m here for it.
I brought this bag of snacks along when I took the I brought this bag of snacks along when I took the boys to hike out at one of our favorite spots last week and when I ripped it open I was regretting my choice to share them with my kids. @baresnacks randomly sent me a box of snacks and I usually eat free food we receive or give it to a friend/neighbor and move on. But I felt it my duty to tell you about these bc they are THAT GOOD. I’m not getting paid and this isn’t sponsored - I was just shocked at how tasty these were and felt you needed to know. We ate them with some buttery roasted nuts and the combo was 👌🏻 but they are good just on their own.  The boys climbed rocks and swam in the reservoir - leave it to my almost 3 year old to want to strip down naked and fully submerge himself in chilly water on a sixty degree morning. “Mama can I get super nakey?” Sure baby. Sure. This is your childhood.
It’s a hard sell to get me to accept an offer of It’s a hard sell to get me to accept an offer of extended alone time away from the babies to just be. And that isn’t something that’s best for me, it’s an area I gotta grow in. So this afternoon when Nick pushed me out the door and was like - get out of here plzzzz - I walked to my favorite cafe and ordered a thick pastrami sandwich and sat there for a good LONG while before taking a long, peaceful walk in the rain to wrap up the afternoon. Note to self: stop being such a control freak and go be by yourself sometimes.
a girlfriend brought me a 🍪 the size of my face a girlfriend brought me a 🍪 the size of my face from @mariebettecafe this morning when she came to get her toddler who played with us all morning and it is v good. even better when paired with an iced latte 😍
#AlignPartner I left off a few weeks ago sharing a #AlignPartner I left off a few weeks ago sharing about how taking @alignprobiotic regularly has improved my digestive regularity.  And I’m still taking them! I’ve permanently added Align 24/7 Digestive Support* into the roundup of supplements I take before bed (prenatal, vitamin D, choline & DHA - all which help keep me healthy while breastfeeding) so I can keep seeing the benefits.  Just because you see benefits, doesn’t mean you should stop taking your probiotic. Keep taking Align daily (under the supervision and recommendation of your health care provider of course) to keep seeing the benefits!  I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again - one of my favorite parts of Align probiotics is that they don’t need refrigeration AND they come in a convenient little blister pack that has the days labeled. It’s the little things people! #MyAlignGuutJourney #guthealth  *These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. This product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease.
I realized it was going to be a long, hot afternoo I realized it was going to be a long, hot afternoon (91 and muggy in MAY 🤯) when a toddler nap was refused and a baby nap was cut wildly short ....so my tired mom brain pulled out two plastic storage bins, filled them up with soap & hose water and striped ‘em down naked in the yard. Two hours later, it was almost time for an early dinner and I had magically been able to sit for most of that time and we already had baths checked off the list. 👍🏻 I’m archiving this idea for my future self, hope it helps another tired mama out.
#AlignPartner I left off a month ago sharing about #AlignPartner I left off a month ago sharing about getting better at doing the basics to care for myself which included taking my supplements and @alignprobiotic regularly.  Probiotics take time to work so I wanted to give it a full month to see the full effects of @alignprobiotic. So here are my honest thoughts: it took a few weeks to notice any differences, but near the end of the month I did notice some changes in my digestive balance - even while traveling! I’m not someone who experiences occasional gas, bloating or abdominal discomfort frequently enough to notice a difference, so I don’t feel like I can comment on how well Align works for those benefits.  All in all though, taking @alignprobiotic was a positive experience and I really appreciated how the capsules don’t need to be stored in the fridge, making it convenient to take them with me anywhere #MyAlignGuutJourney #guthealth  *These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. This product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease.
Where we will spend a good majority of our summer. Where we will spend a good majority of our summer. Because the swampy VA summer has already begun (it’s in the low 90s today 🥵 lord help) and creeks are our retreat - not only from the heat but also from the noisy world. I need this just (if not more) than they do! We’ll be at the splash pads and pools too, but the quietness of the creek...my mental health is so about it. And it’s hours of play for them! Win win.  A couple things to note: this scene also included a few toddler reminders on finding another direction to throw rocks instead of at his brother - so not all is serene 🤪 and also, yes I am now that mom who buys the same clothing for both kids bc it keeps things simple & i think i kinda like it too 🤷🏻‍♀️
Things I love about midwifery among many: the appo Things I love about midwifery among many: the appointments, no matter how long, feel so unhurried. 
Just walked in from an appointment with my midwife because I was due for a Pap test + an overall wellness visit. My last pap was during my first trimester with Cal which feels like a jillion years ago, but it’s only actually been three years. Life changes so fast! Pre-baby life feels like a whole other life.  I’m wayyyy overdue for a visit to my PCP bc I’ve been under OBGYN or midwifery care for the majority of the past three years while having babies, but I am pretty good with keeping up with my paps. It seems women often think they need pap and/or HPV testing way more frequently than they do (and providers sometimes perform these tests more frequently than necessary - remember more testing doesn’t always mean better outcomes!)  So if you need it, here’s a quick little reminder on this chilly spring Friday afternoon on how often you need this testing (these are the recommendations from ACOG)  Women aged 21–29 years should have a Pap test alone every 3 years. HPV testing is not recommended.  Women aged 30–65 years should have a Pap test and an HPV test (aka co-testing) every 5 years (preferred). It also is acceptable to have a Pap test alone every 3 years.  If you get abnormal results, this testing frequency could change - but for healthy women with normal results, you actually don’t need testing as frequently as you might think. Which is great news for those of you who hate the speculum.  Ok, off to finish up some things on the to-do list (including cleaning this kitchen) during nap time and then come 5 o’clock, crack an IPA with our neighbors 🍻
#AlignPartner Over the past seven months since bec #AlignPartner Over the past seven months since becoming a mom of two, caring for myself has gotten shoved to the back burner. And it's been a challenge to make it a priority. My routine-resistant personality has upsides and downsides when it comes to motherhood. So I'm starting small this year with a consistent bedtime routine that includes taking my supplements and @alignprobiotic and hoping as that becomes consistent, my mornings will naturally shift too.  In short my bedtime currently goes like this….jammies & face care when putting the babies to bed. Before I go to bed (anytime between 9pm and 12am...) I’ll pump, take my supplements and fill my water. Then I go upstairs and brush my teeth. And then get in bed. The kicker: 70% of the time I find myself finishing up tasks on my phone IN BED. I hate this habit.  Back to supplements. This is something I have been able to stick with. On top of fish oil, my prenatal, choline and vitamin D, I recently added @AlignProbiotic 24/7 Digestive Support*§ to see if it helps with abdominal discomfort and regularity because when I don’t drink coffee or am traveling that can get thrown off.  I’ll be taking it every day for the next 28 days since it takes TIME for our bodies to adjust to probiotics - and I'll be taking you guys along with me as I share my honest thoughts. Many people think if they don’t see changes within the first 7-10 days then the probiotic isn’t working, but that’s not the case. I’m giving myself more than just a week or two and instead a full month to see the full benefits. I’ll keep you posted over the next month. Check out my stories to learn more! #MyAlignGutJourney #guthealth
 
*These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. This product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease.
We had an AFTERNOON today. Toddler didn’t care f We had an AFTERNOON today. Toddler didn’t care for a nap. Putting baby down was harder than I wanted it to be. Miraculously, I had a moment of clarity as I was covered in tiny humans and decided I wasn’t doing the nap battle thing a on 60 degree, gorgeous, sunny spring day 🙅🏻‍♀️ so I piled both babies into the car half naked, opened the sun roof, put on white noise for them and an audio book for me and drank a kombucha as I drove a meal to a postpartum mama. Thirty five minutes later we had a sleeping baby and a toddler who at least had a rest. Baby transferred without waking HALLELUJAH and although my toddler didn’t nap today (lord help) at least we got soaked in breezy sunshine 😎🤘🏻💆🏻‍♀️
We veered from our usual Friday night homemade piz We veered from our usual Friday night homemade pizza (minus the dough, we leave that to @albemarlebakingco) because we are eating pizza tomorrow with some friends - instead I called my mom and asked her how she makes her chicken fingers and we fried up a big ole batch of chicken nugs 🙌🏻🤤 along with a sheet pan full of sweet potato fries and a simple arugula salad dressed with parmesean, olive oil and s&p. Oh and my moms honey mustard recipe for dipping. It’s SO DANG GOOD.  Over the past 6ish months we’ve been practicing (and practicing and practicing bc it doesn’t come naturally) unplugging from technology and slowing down and resting and just being for one day a week. Some call it Shabbat. Some call it Sabbath. Maybe you call it something different. All I know is IT IS SO GOOD FOR MY WEARY SOUL and the day I look forward to ALL WEEK. Sundown on Friday to sundown Saturday. Nothing but rest. For us that means hiking (or something outside) and napping and reading and being with friends and eating really good food. And drinking some really good wine or craft beer. Sometimes whiskey. 😛  And because I know I’ll get asked about the chicken finger recipe and also because it’s too good not to share and Momma Coale said I could, here ya go:  Cut chicken breast into thin strips or small pieces (I prefer nug size bc the breading to chicken ratio is perfection). Salt and pepper those babies really well. Then dredge them in all purpose flour, then egg, then panko - just like you would bread anything else. Then fry them up in a light oil - I use avocado oil because that’s our everyday oil. You could also use canola or peanut oil. Just fill a pan with an inch or so of oil on medium high heat. They only take 2-3 minutes per side. You can always temp them to make sure they are at least 165 degrees F to really make sure they are done. Dunk in all the sauces and enjoy!  Happy weekend!

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