Tag: Reproductive Health

Train to become a Fertility Awareness Educator

If you are passionate about Natural Fertility and have a background in health you can apply to become an educator. The next Certificate in Fertility and Reproductive Health starts in February 2027. Download the programme guide for all the details, and apply now to register your expression of interest (only 12 places available).

What is the Fertility Awareness training like?

There are 3 main components to the course:

1. The theory – Delivered online via moodle, and split into two semesters. Expect to spend about 5 or so hours a week on the theory.
2. The Practicums – Each semester ends with an in person practicum where you will get to put your theory into practice and meet the other trainees, your Course Facilitators and the Clinical Supervisor.
3. Supervised Practice – An assessment of your practice with your first client for each category.

While most of the theory is self guided, there are 2-3 online meetings each semester to go over some of the content.

Who is Fertility Awareness Training for?

Becoming a Fertility Awareness Educator is a great addition to your current practice. We have a number of Nurses, Midwives, and Natural Health Practitioners currently Accredited with us who find that this training complements their work, and provides extra support to their female patients.

About the Fertility Awareness Training Programme

The NFNZ Certificate in Fertility and Reproductive Health is taught over 1 year, and will qualify you to teach:

• The Sympto-Thermal Method (STM) for avoiding conception
• Fertility Awareness for those trying to conceive
• GP’s, Nurses and Midwives through Continued Medical Education (CME)
• Community education

Once you have completed the certificate, you will be invited to become a member, and recognised as a NFNZ Accredited Educator.

You will also have the opportunity to further your fertility awareness education with the diploma, which is taught over 6 months, and will qualify you to teach:

• Advanced guidelines for STM, including for Peri-menopause
• The lactational amenorrhea method (LAM) & fertility while breastfeeding

NFNZ supports its Accredited Educators through continued access to senior educators, monthly educator online meetings for chart discussion, facebook group for general discussion, and a number of grants.

Please note that we will only be training up to 12 students in 2027, so don’t delay in applying to secure your place on the course.

Next Course starts February 2027

Recent Posts

• 
  Train to be a Fertility Awareness Educator
  If you are passionate about Natural Fertility and have a background in health you can apply to become an educator. The next Certificate in Fertility and Reproductive Health starts in February 2027. Download the programme guide for all the details, and apply now to register your expression of interest (only 12 places available)
• 
  Find a Fertility Awareness Educator
  Learning the sympto-thermal method is an empowering practice, a skill that will support you through every phase of your reproductive life. You can trust that your NFNZ educator has had robust training, and the support behind them to ensure you are in the best hands.
• 
  Navigating Peri-menopause with Fertility Awareness
  The years leading up to menopause are known as Peri-menopause. During these years, the ovaries start winding down, with menopause being confirm once its been a full year since the last period. Peri-menopause can last anywhere from 4-10 years, and begin earlier for some women, sometimes as early as the mid to late 30’s.
• 
  Does Breastfeeding work as a Contraceptive?
  Whether breastfeeding can work as a contraceptive to prevent pregnancy is probably one of the biggest missunderstandings when it comes to Fertility Awareness. The answer is…

Find a Fertility Awareness Educator

Learning the sympto-thermal method is an empowering practice, a skill that will support you through every phase of your reproductive life. You can trust that your NFNZ educator has had robust training, and the support behind them to ensure you are in the best hands.

How to choose a Fertility Educator

It is important to work with an Accredited Fertility Educator. What does that mean? An Accredited Educator has not only completed their Fertility Awareness Training, but they have also remained connected to Natural Fertility NZ and have access to:

• Mentorship from our senior educators
• The latest advice and resources
• Audits – which ensure that our educators are operating to the highest clinical standards
• Funding
• Read Your Body App templates

The risks involved in learning from a non accredited educator can include an unplanned pregnancy – we take unplanned pregnancies very seriously at Natural Fertility NZ.

We have Fertility Educators all over the country, and one now based in Australia. In the Educator Directory. You are able to toggle between locations, and also specify the type of appointment for example: avoiding conception, trying to conceive, breastfeeding.

Each Accredited Educator has a profile with contact details. Get in contact with them directly to find out more about what they offer, and the costs associated with booking with them.

What are the Appointments like?

Depending on the Fertility Educator that you book with, you may be given the option to meet in person at their clinic or in your home, online using zoom, or over the phone. If you are meeting online or over the phone, your educator will make sure you receive all the information you need before hand.

You will receive an in depth guide to use as you are learning the Sympto-thermal Method, and some paper charts to get your started. The Read Your Body App is a handy resource to use after you have learnt how to interpret your signs of fertility.

The Sympto-thermal Method is taught over 3 appointments, this gives you the chance to use your own charts to learn. Sometimes further appointments are needed, but most of those who learn the method are confident after the 3 appointments.

How much does it cost to learn Fertility Awareness?

NFNZ Fertility Educators operate independantly, so the cost can vary depending on their other qualifications. The range can differ from $200 – $350 for a full set of 3 appointments, resources and ongoing support.

Is there any Funding Available?

Yes, we have a limited amount of $100 grants each year to go towards your appointments with your chosen educator. Simply ask them about funding before you book your appointment.

Unsure if Fertility Awareness is right for you?

If you are unsure if Fertility Awareness will suit you and your current fertility situation or goals, then please reach out to the educator that resonates most with you. All of our Accredited Educators are more than happy to answer your questions, and to provide advice on your next steps.

Current NFNZ Fertility Awareness Educators

Recent Posts

• 
  Train to be a Fertility Awareness Educator
  If you are passionate about Natural Fertility and have a background in health you can apply to become an educator. The next Certificate in Fertility and Reproductive Health starts in February 2027. Download the programme guide for all the details, and apply now to register your expression of interest (only 12 places available)
• 
  Find a Fertility Awareness Educator
  Learning the sympto-thermal method is an empowering practice, a skill that will support you through every phase of your reproductive life. You can trust that your NFNZ educator has had robust training, and the support behind them to ensure you are in the best hands.
• 
  Navigating Peri-menopause with Fertility Awareness
  The years leading up to menopause are known as Peri-menopause. During these years, the ovaries start winding down, with menopause being confirm once its been a full year since the last period. Peri-menopause can last anywhere from 4-10 years, and begin earlier for some women, sometimes as early as the mid to late 30’s.
• 
  Does Breastfeeding work as a Contraceptive?
  Whether breastfeeding can work as a contraceptive to prevent pregnancy is probably one of the biggest missunderstandings when it comes to Fertility Awareness. The answer is…

Navigating Peri-menopause with Fertility Awareness

The years leading up to menopause are known as Peri-menopause. During these years, the ovaries start winding down, with menopause being confirm once its been a full year since the last period. Peri-menopause can last anywhere from 4-10 years, and begin earlier for some women, sometimes as early as the mid to late 30’s.

Although Peri-menopause is a universal experience that all affects all women, many find that it creeps up on them, and can only identify the initial subtle shifts in hindsight. These initial changes in hormones can impact certain women more than others, with many reporting that ‘the wheels fell off’ at some point in their early 40’s.

The standard of care from health professionals has had an interesting history, especially when it comes to hormone replacement therapy. This highlights the need for further research, so that future generations can approach this time of life with more awareness, and be better equipped to navigate life during this time.

Lets look at how Fertility Awareness can help you navigate this time of life.

Different Phases of Peri-menopause

Practicing Fertility Awareness will enable you to identify certain changes to your menstrual cycle, of which there are 3 major shifts:

Phase 1

The first identifiable change is that your menstrual cycle will get shorter than what your normal is. For example, if you normally have 30 day cycles, you may start noticing 26 day cycles every now and then, which will start occuring more frequently over time.

Technically, your period is not arriving early… it is arriving on time. What is happening, is that you are now ovulating much earlier every cycle.

Phase 2

The second shift happens as the ovaries are no longer responding to the signals from the brain. Your cycles begin getting longer, and further apart. You may start noticing cycles where you do not ovulate at all.

Phase 3

This is the final phase and consists of the 12 months leading up to the one day that is known as ‘Menopause’. During this year, the ovaries do not ovulate at all, and there is no period.

As mentioned earlier, there does seem to be an earlier phase for some women, which can impact energy, resilience, and emotions – but as yet, there is no clear standard of practice. Many women can identify with this phase in hindsight, or after a few years of noticing these changes. These hormonal changes can show up years before any changes to the menstrual cycle.

Fluctuating Hormones

The fluctuation of hormones during Peri-menopause leads to many changes in your body – which can impact on all areas of your life. The main hormones concerned are estrogen, and progesterone. Estrogen increases leading up to ovulation. Progesterone is produced afer ovulation and drops off at the end of the menstrual cycle.

In phase one, estrogen is fluctuating and surging a little too much (which leads to early ovulation). In phase two, she can fluctuate a lot, but is generally in decline. Progesterone is still doing her thing every time you ovulate – however declining egg quality can impact on progesterone production as Peri-menopause progresses.

After menopause, both estrogen and progesterone are produced in small amounts by the adrenal glands – but not for reproductive purposes.

Because your hormones are fluctuating so much during Peri-menopause, blood tests can be unreliable for diagnosis. However a substantial increase in Follicle Stimulating Hormone (FSH) can be a clear indication that you are entering the final stages of Peri-Menopause. FSH is the hormone produced by your brain that tells the ovaries to ovulate – as the ovaries stop responding, your brain will send out more and more FSH in the hopes that they wake up. This is what can lead to very high estrogen in one cycle, and very low in another.

A note on Hormone Replacement Therapy (HRT)

HRT is entering a new era, with research indicating that it can be beneficial to support women through the changes in Peri-menopause. There are generally 2 protocols for HRT – cyclical and continuous:

• Cyclical is where you are on estrogen (patches or gel) for the whole cycle, and then take progesterone capsules for 12 days out of every cycle. If you are still getting your period regularly, this is most likely what you will be on.
• Continuous is when you are using both estrogen and progesterone every day. This is more common in the later stages of Peri-menopause, when your cycles are far apart and more upredicatable.

You can use Fertility Awareness while on cyclical HRT, to time it with your natural cycle.

How to track your cycle during Peri-menopause

By learning Fertility Awareness, you can monitor your declining fertility and accurately predict when your period will arrive. Fertility charting will show if you are still releasing eggs (ovulating) and reassure you that you are not pregnant.

It can be a very trying time for some, as these hormonal changes impact on almost every area of your life. Symptoms can vary from woman to woman, and may show up before there are any changes your period. They can include irregular bleeding, hot flushes, night sweats, skin changes and itching, vaginal dryness, urinary symptoms, osteoporosis, loss of libido, breast tenderness, tiredness, weight changes, forgetfulness, brainfog, depression and anxiety.

With more understanding of what is happening, you can meet the challenge of the peri-menopausal phase and reduce stress and uncertainty. NFNZ Educators can provide advice on how to navigate this transition, improving your quality of life during this time.

Recent Posts

• 
  Train to be a Fertility Awareness Educator
  If you are passionate about Natural Fertility and have a background in health you can apply to become an educator. The next Certificate in Fertility and Reproductive Health starts in February 2027. Download the programme guide for all the details, and apply now to register your expression of interest (only 12 places available)
• 
  Find a Fertility Awareness Educator
  Learning the sympto-thermal method is an empowering practice, a skill that will support you through every phase of your reproductive life. You can trust that your NFNZ educator has had robust training, and the support behind them to ensure you are in the best hands.
• 
  Navigating Peri-menopause with Fertility Awareness
  The years leading up to menopause are known as Peri-menopause. During these years, the ovaries start winding down, with menopause being confirm once its been a full year since the last period. Peri-menopause can last anywhere from 4-10 years, and begin earlier for some women, sometimes as early as the mid to late 30’s.
• 
  Does Breastfeeding work as a Contraceptive?
  Whether breastfeeding can work as a contraceptive to prevent pregnancy is probably one of the biggest missunderstandings when it comes to Fertility Awareness. The answer is…

Does Breastfeeding work as a Contraceptive?

Whether breastfeeding can work as a contraceptive to prevent pregnancy is probably one of the biggest misunderstandings when it comes to Fertility Awareness. The answer is yes – but! There are very specific guidelines to be followed, which most women are not aware of when they start their breastfeeding journey. If you do not follow these, then breastfeeding will not prevent pregnancy.

How can Breastfeeding prevent pregnancy?

When you are breastfeeding, your body produces the hormone Prolactin. Prolactin shuts off the communication between your brain and your ovaries – which interferes with ovulation. However the lines of communication can be reopened anytime there is a change in the way that you are breastfeeding.

In order to use breastfeeding to delay your return to fertility, you must learn about Fertility Awareness, and understand what is meant by ‘exclusive breastfeeding’, what can wake up the ovaries, and also what signs of fertility to look out for on a day to day basis.

Methods of Fertility Awareness when Breastfeeding

Natural Fertility NZ teaches 2 methods:

Lactational Amenorrhoea Method

The Lactational Amenorrhoea Method (LAM) is the method that can be used from birth up until when your baby is 6 months old. It relies on you exclusively breastfeeding, and not having had any bleeding from 8 weeks after birth. It is important to get support from a Fertility Educator when practicing this method, so that you understand full what ‘exclusive breastfeeding’ means in the context of Fertility Awareness AND what to do if you experience any bleeding before those 6 months are up.

Breastfeeding Charting

Breastfeeding Charting is the method that you switch to at 6 months, or if you no longer meet the criteria for LAM. It is a time of transition for your body, and so extra care needs to be taken.  You will learn how to record your signs of fertility, and details of your baby’s feeding and sleeping patterns. You’ll then learn how to interpret the information in relation to your fertility. 

Once your fertility has completely returned, you can then move onto using the Sympto-thermal Method. Some women are able to delay the full return of their fertility for many months using this method. 

How do I learn about my Fertility while Breastfeeding?

Choose your Fertility Educator, and organise your first appointment. You will meet with your Educator 3 times, and have regular check-ins with them; 

1. Preferably before you have your baby, to understand what your goals are, choose the right method, and to make sure you are equipped with the information you need to support both breastfeeding, and what you need to do to delay your return to fertility.
2. Your second appointment will be after you have given birth, at this appointment your Educator will ensure that you still meet the criteria for your chosen method. 

Between this appointment and the next, your Educator will reach out periodically so that you can update them on your breastfeeding.

3. The third appointment will happen when you are ready to transition to Breastfeeding Charting – this will either be when your baby is 6 months old, or earlier if you no longer meet the criteria for LAM.

Although breastfeeding can delay the return of your fertility – for some women it does not delay it for very long, so it is vital that you know what to look out for, so that you do not risk an unplanned pregnancy.

Read Lena’s Fertility Story

After using the Sympto-thermal Method for around 6 years to avoid pregnancy, the time came to start trying for a baby. After giving birth, I then started using the Lactational Amenorrhea Method (LAM) of Natural Fertility Awareness. This is a separate method that supports breastfeeding in the first 6 months after birth, and tracks your return to fertility during the breastfeeding stage. Read More…

Recent Posts

• 
  Train to be a Fertility Awareness Educator
  If you are passionate about Natural Fertility and have a background in health you can apply to become an educator. The next Certificate in Fertility and Reproductive Health starts in February 2027. Download the programme guide for all the details, and apply now to register your expression of interest (only 12 places available)
• 
  Find a Fertility Awareness Educator
  Learning the sympto-thermal method is an empowering practice, a skill that will support you through every phase of your reproductive life. You can trust that your NFNZ educator has had robust training, and the support behind them to ensure you are in the best hands.
• 
  Navigating Peri-menopause with Fertility Awareness
  The years leading up to menopause are known as Peri-menopause. During these years, the ovaries start winding down, with menopause being confirm once its been a full year since the last period. Peri-menopause can last anywhere from 4-10 years, and begin earlier for some women, sometimes as early as the mid to late 30’s.
• 
  Does Breastfeeding work as a Contraceptive?
  Whether breastfeeding can work as a contraceptive to prevent pregnancy is probably one of the biggest missunderstandings when it comes to Fertility Awareness. The answer is…