Woven Well: Natural Fertility Podcast

For Woven client, Abby, the experience of cycle charting provided far more insight than simple family planning. It opened up a whole new world of discovery as she recognized the role her reproductive hormones played in her emotional state and creative potential. After charting her cycles with the Creighton Model System, she began working with these natural rhythms instead of against them and her c...

In today's episode, Caitlin answers a question submitted by one of our listeners: Why is the Creighton Model System more useful than basal body temperature based methods?  She gives an overview of the main differences between the methods, including the reproductive biomarkers observed and the different information they provide, as well as the unique benefits of the cervical-mucus only fertili...

Learning a Fertility Awareness Method can feel intimidating, which is why having a step-by-step game plan for starting NFP can help so much. If you're looking to begin learning the Creighton Model System or any other cycle tracking method, this episode is meant to walk you through what you need to do before beginning. We discuss how long it takes to learn, what is helpful when things get diff...

Filmmaker Savannah Crossfield is exploring some of the ethical, medical, and legal complications of IVF in her documentary, Cradled in Glass. She was inspired by the frozen embryos across the world and hopes to shed light on some of the topics not always shared with couples before they begin the process. While everyone lands in different places in regards to ethical and moral solutions for IVF, th...

Arianna knew something wasn't right with her cycle, but when she went to her doctor, they just prescribed birth control. It didn't work. So they added a second form of birth control. Then, a third! Without ever getting to the underlying issue causing the issue in the first place. Finally, she had had enough. The journey she took from that point is an inspiration to us all. I know you&apo...

After you deliver a baby, the hormonal changes don't stop. For many women, navigating those postpartum months is challenging on its own, but add in the daunting return of fertility and things can feel overwhelming. How can we approach these unique seasons? What are our options? Is there any way to know whether or not we're fertile before the first period returns? In this episode, Caitlin...

Is your wife or fiancée interested in using natural family planning or a fertility awareness method? If so, this episode is a basic introduction of : how fertility awareness methods function how effective they are for family planning how you can participate in the learning process and beyond  one method worth exploring due to its effectiveness and health benefits.  (Women interested in using NFP o...

Is there a difference between strength training and general exercise? And does it matter for your reproductive health and balancing hormones? Professional Strength Trainer, Nate Johnson, says YES. In this episode, we discuss the benefits of strength training for women and explore the differences in training and outcomes for women vs men. We explore what makes strength training impactful and, spoil...

When it comes to women's health, why could you possibly need more than an OBGYN?? Well, there are a few reasons! In today's episode, I sit down with Registered Dietitian and Woven friend, Chiara Estes (no relation), to discuss the importance of your own personal "dream team" when addressing your reproductive health as a whole. We even talk through several mutual clients and how...

Kelley, a Woven client and Mental Health Counselor, joined me today to talk about her journey working with Woven Natural Fertility Care to make sense of her cycles and the effects of PCOS, but the conversation took a truly meaningful turn as we talked about the significance of understanding our mental, physical, and spiritual creation and how that impacts how we understand our female design. It wa...

Kelley, a Woven client and Mental Health Counselor, joined me today to talk about her journey working with Woven Natural Fertility Care to make sense of her cycles and the effects of PCOS, but the conversation took a truly meaningful turn as we talked about the significance of understanding our mental, physical, and spiritual creation and how that impacts how we understand our female design. It wa...

Infertility is more than a medical symptom; it affects every aspect of your life. For Paula Gallagher, it impacted her sense of self, her conception of God, her vision for her future, and her idea of family. A decade later, her struggle has become her ministry as she walks alongside women in the midst of infertility. This episode touches on her own story and the aspects of struggling to conceive t...

Did you know that blocked fallopian tubes can be UNBLOCKED? Very often, women who discover blocked fallopian tubes during an HSG hear that their only option is to go on to IVF, but that's not the only path forward. There are actually ways to restore the healthy function of blocked tubes through a very simple procedure. Dr. Naomi Whittaker joins us today to talk about this easy approach and gi...

Have you heard of LDN or Low Dose Naltrexone? It's gaining popularity after several studies revealed its support for reproductive health issues like PMS, PMDD, endometriosis, and infertility. Today's episode with NaProTechnology trained nurse midwife, Ashley Jensen, discusses what it is, why it's effective, how it works, and whether you should ask your doctor about it for your own u...

NOTE: This episode is appropriate for all audiences. GUEST BIO: Lexi is the wife to her husband, Brandon, whom she's been married to for about 10 years. And she's the mother of two children, ages three and three months. OTHER HELPFUL RESOURCES: Ep. 178: Dealing with PCOS as a single woman, with Jen Ep. 152: Do PCOS cycles work with fertility awareness methods? Ep. 128: Healing irregular...

Women's health can cause a lot of frustration.  Whether you're displeased with your birth control, upset that you haven't figured out the cause of your symptoms, or you're in the midst of learning a new fertility awareness method, it can be tough.  Today's episode is about these frustrations and how we can use them to our advantage to make progress, what it takes, and how...

If you're looking to quit birth control, you'll want to make sure to do so safely. Does it matter when you stop taking it? What do you need to do before hand? What can you expect when you stop taking the birth control pill? We invited OBGYN, Dr. Monica Minjeur, to share her top tips, including her key advice: make a plan before you quit. She walks through making a solid plan and what to...

Did you know your cycle charting or cycle tracking can actually help your OBGYN? Cycle charting (through a formal fertility awareness based method) not only helps you identify your window of fertility when you're trying to get pregnant (or avoid pregnancy), but some can also highlight reproductive health issues. Your chart can reveal signs and concerns that help your OBGYN narrow down how to...

Guest, Elizabeth Tiglau-Guss, opens her heart to us in today's episode to share about her fertility journey.  After marrying her husband later in life, they pursued assisted reproductive technology and adoption, but ultimately remained childless.  She shares the grief of her journey and how they've come to the point where they feel they are thriving instead of merely surviving.  We appre...

Amanda and her husband had tried everything but IVF on their road to try to conceive. After failed IUIs and no known diagnosis beyond unexplained infertility, they felt stuck and frustrated. Amanda had had cycle issues for years, but had always used birth control to suppress symptoms. Now, it seemed like they could be contributing to their infertility. A friend reached out with a different option...

Why do women seem to be so fed up with birth control? I mean, they should just be grateful not to be pregnant, right? Wrong. Recently, a client sent me an article where researchers question the experience of women on birth control and I just had to respond. Maybe your own side effects and experiences have been doubted? Maybe you've been told it's all in your head? Well, that is unaccepta...

Do single women who aren’t trying to get pregnant need to worry about women’s health? Fertility? If you’re not trying to get pregnant, do periods matter? Hormones? All of it? The answer is YES! They matter for a multitude of reasons that you may or may not have heard. The health and wellness of single women is just as important as women who are married or trying to get pregnant. In a world focused...

Here at Woven Well, we are all about empowering women — but what about young girls? Absolutely! In today’s episode, host Caitlin Estes chats with Dr. Julia Sadusky about how to talk to young girls about puberty, periods, and sexuality. We talk about how to have early conversations (and how early to start them), what to cover vs not cover, and how conversations with trusted women can build confiden...

What if your menstrual cycle is sending you signals about your overall health? Dr. Mary Davis joins us to talk about how undiagnosed autoimmune issues can impact our periods, fertility, and overall women’s health (not just our overall health and wellness)! As a functional medicine and osteopathic physician, she often works with complex, chronic illness. She believes it’s important to focus on prec...

Single ladies with menstrual cycle issues aren’t given much time and attention. “If you’re not trying to get pregnant, it’s not worth treating.” This is what Jen heard when she complained of long, irregular cycles and frustrating symptoms. She suspected PCOS, but getting a good diagnosis and treatment was harder than she thought. She believed she deserved excellent care NOW before she was ready to...