Harnessing the Power of Your Cycle: A Guide to Fertility with Lisa Hendrickson-Jack of Fertility Friday
Show Notes:
[2:23] We have a Book Giveaway this week! We are giving away a copy of Real Food for Fertility
In order to be entered into the giveaway, go give us a review! You're going to open up Apple Podcasts, find Pregnancy and Birth Made Easy Podcast, scroll down, select Ratings and Reviews. Click the stars, write a review, and tell us what was the most amazing, comforting, eye-opening thing that you loved from this week's episode, or just the podcast in general. Screenshot the review that you left and email it over to [email protected]!
[3:27] Our Reviewer of the Week, ERees307, said: "This podcast was my best resource during pregnancy! I just had my first baby and before the birth I listened to every episode of this podcast! My birth preferences went out the door when my babe was diagnosed with fetal growth restriction and I was scheduled to be induced early. This podcast gave me the strength and knowledge to stay positive and continue forward to have the most amazing natural(ish) hospital birth. Now I have a beautiful baby girl who is as healthy as can be at 1 week old. Thank you!"
[4:10] Lisa Hendrickson-Jack, BA, FAE is a certified Fertility Awareness Educator and Holistic Reproductive Health Practitioner who trains women’s health practitioners to use their menstrual cycle as a vital sign in their practices. She is the founder of the Fertility Awareness Mastery Mentorship™ program, and the author of three bestselling books The Fifth Vital Sign, the Fertility Awareness Mastery Charting Workbook, and her most recent book Real Food For Fertility (co-authored with Lily Nichols, RDN). Lisa has been teaching fertility awareness for over 20 years and has empowered thousands of women to take control of their fifth vital sign worldwide through her podcast, books, online courses, and group coaching programs.
[7:08] Your menstrual cycle is your 5th vital sign Your cycle is a powerful health indicator—pay attention to it! Just like heart rate or blood pressure, the menstrual cycle provides key insights into overall health. It’s more than just the period—it's the full cycle from the first day of one period to the last day before the next.
The cycle includes different phases, each offering valuable health information. Some factors to observe:
- Length and quality of the period (pain levels, volume, spotting)
- Cervical mucus (timing, consistency, and abnormalities)
- Overall cycle length (healthy range: 24–35 days)
- Luteal phase length (should be 12–14 days)
- Ovulation typically happens between days 10–22.
[9:58] What should a normal cycle look like? Your cycles are a reflection of what’s happening health-wise. Irregular cycles, abnormal bleeding, or missing periods may signal deeper health concerns. Many women don’t learn about their cycles beyond basic reproductive function. Understanding your own cycle fosters body literacy and better healthcare decisions.
[22:01] Let's talk about birth control! A significant percentage of women use birth control, often starting in their teenage years. Many women struggle with fertility after stopping birth control, leading to concerns about its long-term effects. Studies suggest no permanent negative impact on fertility but confirm a temporary period of subfertility. Research often excludes women with pre-existing cycle irregularities, meaning results may not reflect every woman's experience.
- Time to Conceive After Birth Control:
- Women using non-hormonal methods (like condoms) conceive on average in 4 months.
- Women stopping the pill or hormonal IUD take about 8 months on average.
- The birth control shot has the longest delay, with an average of 18 months.
Birth control suppresses ovulation, temporarily reducing ovarian volume by up to 50%. Studies show it takes about 6-7 months for ovarian function to normalize after stopping the pill.
If you are planning to get pregnant:
- If you’ve been on birth control for two years or more, consider stopping at least a year before trying to conceive.
- If you had irregular cycles before starting birth control, you may need 18 months to 2 years for full recovery.
- Use this transition time to explore non-hormonal birth control options and support your body's natural cycles.
Understanding how birth control affects fertility empowers women to make informed choices about their reproductive health. If we plan weddings years in advance, why aren’t we planning for pregnancy the same way?
[34:34] What is Fertility Awareness? It alludes to you having an understanding of your cycle, knowing how to identify fertile days, ovulation, and predict periods. It is not commonly taught in school—many are misled into thinking pregnancy is possible any day.
There is only a small window of time when pregnancy is scientifically, biologically possible. The SymptoThermal method which tracks mucus, temperature, and cervical position, when properly used is comparable to hormonal birth control.
[44:46] What do you need to know about conceiving postpartum?
- Breastfeeding impacts how soon your cycle returns, depending on frequency and duration of suckling.
- “The most crucial factor in determining how long it takes for your cycle to return is breastfeeding.”
- Changes like returning to work, introducing solids, or baby sleeping through the night can trigger ovulation.
- Women have different natural timelines for cycle return, even while breastfeeding.
[58:03] Where can people find Lisa:
To Leave a Review ⭐️
- Open Apple Podcasts
- Find “Pregnancy & Birth Made Easy” podcast
- Select “Ratings and Reviews”
- Click the stars!
- Select “Write a Review” and tell us what was the most amazing, comforting, eye-opening thing that you loved!
ALL the best,
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