The Natural Womanhood Podcast brings together experts in the field of fertility awareness for candid, informative, and friendly conversations about authentic women's health. From pelvic floor physical therapy, to surgical interventions, to relationships and mental health, no topic is off limits as we seek to bring the empowering truth about women, their bodies, and their cycles to our listeners: that is, that women's cycles are essential, powerful, beautiful, and do not need to be "controlle ...
…
continue reading
![Artwork](/static/images/128pixel.png)
1
TempDrop 10 years later: A conversation with inventor Michael Vardi
42:46
42:46
Play later
Play later
Lists
Like
Liked
42:46
"What started as an ambitious crowdfunding campaign back in 2014 has since grown into the world’s first wearable [basal body temperature] sensor, advancing women’s reproductive health throughout every stage." So reads TempDrop's "About Us" page. As it happens, Natural Womanhood's website also began 10 years ago, in 2014, and so it only feels right …
…
continue reading
![Artwork](/static/images/128pixel.png)
1
She wasn't hysterical, she was sick (with Endo)
50:59
50:59
Play later
Play later
Lists
Like
Liked
50:59
Abigail Anthony knew a thing or two about pain and perseverance as a former competitive ballerina. But when her increasingly painful periods and other seemingly disparate side effects made her workload at Princeton harder and harder to manage, people treated her as if she just needed to mentally "toughen up." Now a graduate student at Oxford (and t…
…
continue reading
![Artwork](/static/images/128pixel.png)
1
Why is talking about NFP (and sex) so difficult?
41:25
41:25
Play later
Play later
Lists
Like
Liked
41:25
Talking about intimacy can be tough, which can make communicating about natural family planning (NFP) with our spouse—or sharing about NFP and its benefits with others—a little bit... uncomfortable. How can we communicate better about sex, intimacy, and natural family planning to benefit not only our own marriages, but others', as well? In this int…
…
continue reading
![Artwork](/static/images/128pixel.png)
1
Miscarriage help, healing, and prevention
54:12
54:12
Play later
Play later
Lists
Like
Liked
54:12
One miscarriage is painful enough, but imagine suffering two in a row, only to be told that you "got unlucky twice," and that it's still "too early" to look into any potential underlying causes. Maybe you don't have to imagine; maybe this is your reality, as it is for so many women suffering the heartbreak of repeated miscarriage. In this miscarria…
…
continue reading
![Artwork](/static/images/128pixel.png)
1
Miscarriages, a Vasectomy, and a Reversal: Emily & Kirk's Story
56:54
56:54
Play later
Play later
Lists
Like
Liked
56:54
Emily and Kirk had just suffered their second miscarriage, and they were done: done with the pain, done with the fear, and done having kids. They had already had two children, and had made their peace with their family size, so they made the decision to have Kirk undergo a vasectomy. Done. Until... Join us for the first episode of season 3 of The N…
…
continue reading
So many women wonder if they can reliably use a fertility awareness method (FAM) while breastfeeding—and it's little wonder, given that this can be the trickiest of times to learn and use a FAM. But with a little guidance and perseverance, it absolutely can be done, and we're here to talk about how! In this episode of The Natural Womanhood Podcast,…
…
continue reading
It's no secret that fertility awareness methods (FAMs) can be a controversial subject. For non-Catholics, using FAMs for family planning is seen as controversial when they're (mis)understood as ineffective iterations of the Rhythm Method (of course, in reality, they're lightyears ahead of the Rhythm Method in scientific validity, and therefore incr…
…
continue reading
"Does the world we build welcome mothers, or does it treat them as a problem to be solved?" That's the question author Leah Libresco Sargeant wrestles with over and over again in her writings on her Substack and elsewhere, and especially in her essay "Designing Woman" for Comment. For this episode of The Natural Womanhood Podcast (S2E8), Grace and …
…
continue reading
When it comes to adolescent sex education programs, do we have to choose between "abstinence-only" or "comprehensive?" Dr. Sarah Denny doesn't think so. In this episode of The Natural Womanhood Podcast, Grace and Cassie interview Dr. Denny about her beautiful and innovative vision of a "third way" for sex education—one which gives teens a full pict…
…
continue reading
In this episode of The Natural Womanhood Podcast (Season 2 / Episode 6), Grace and Cassie interview Dr. Matthew Loftus, a family doctor who currently lives (with his wife and four children!) and practices medicine in Kenya. As you might have guessed from the title, this is "the episode where we talk about porn," and we approached Dr. Loftus as a gu…
…
continue reading
In this episode (Season 2 / Episode 5), Grace and Cassie interview Tiffany and Kelly of Beautiful One Midwifery, a practice based out of Encinitas, CA. In this wide-ranging interview, we discuss the key differences of midwifery care vs. obstetrical care when it comes to pregnancy, childbirth, and postpartum—learning a lot about the power of women's…
…
continue reading
In this episode (Season 2 / Episode 4), Grace and Cassie interview Julia McElhenny on the benefits of fertility awareness methods (FAMs) for single women. Julia is the assistant video editor for a non-profit media studio in Austin, TX called the Emergent Order Foundation, and she actually edited the first season of The Natural Womanhood Podcast for…
…
continue reading
In this episode (Season 2 / Episode 3), Grace and Cassie interview functional nutritionist and registered dietician Victoria Coglianese of Wonderfully Made Nutrition. We discuss not only what good nutrition looks like for women suffering from PCOS, but also how to be mindful of the ways we nourish our bodies as women. Women are not just small men, …
…
continue reading
In this episode (Season 2 / Episode 2), Grace interviews Leah Jacobson, author of Wholistic Feminism: Healing the Identity Crisis Caused by the Women's Movement, and founder and CEO of The Guiding Star Project. Grace and Leah have a fascinating conversation that discusses the implications of the women's movement, from its origins, to its effects on…
…
continue reading
Welcome back to The Natural Womanhood Podcast! In this episode (Season 2 / Episode 1), we're discussing all things postpartum. Cassie and Grace recorded this episode after both recently having new babies (their second and third, respectively), and in it, they reflect on what they've learned through each new postpartum experience--about themselves, …
…
continue reading
![Artwork](/static/images/128pixel.png)
1
Why this former top IVF doc now only offers restorative reproductive medicine: An interview with Dr. Lauren Rubal, M.D.
51:51
51:51
Play later
Play later
Lists
Like
Liked
51:51
Dr. Lauren Rubal, M.D. is a board-certified OB/GYN and Reproductive Endocrinologist (REI). She was also once one of the top full-scope REI providers for the Kaiser Health Network, which meant that she frequently provided in vitro fertilization (IVF) services to patients struggling with infertility, and provided birth control to women struggling wit…
…
continue reading
![Artwork](/static/images/128pixel.png)
1
How fertility awareness can help us reclaim an authentic vision of self-care: An interview with Julia Hogan, LCPC
49:40
49:40
Play later
Play later
Lists
Like
Liked
49:40
What do you think of when you hear the term "self care?" Does it mean treating yourself to something special or expensive? Does it mean forcing yourself to maintain some semblance of personal hygiene (like showering), even though you're overwhelmed and exhausted? In this episode (Season 1 / Episode 7), we tackle the topic of self-care with therapis…
…
continue reading
![Artwork](/static/images/128pixel.png)
1
What does FAM have to offer relationships? An interview with NW board member Jackie Aguilar
46:54
46:54
Play later
Play later
Lists
Like
Liked
46:54
Living with your fertility feels radically different when turning off your fertility is the cultural norm. But couples often find when they make the switch to using a fertility awareness method (FAM), that it can be a wonderful tool for strengthening their relationship. In this episode (Season 1 / Episode 6), we have an enlightening conversation wi…
…
continue reading
![Artwork](/static/images/128pixel.png)
1
The exciting history of fertility awareness methods (FAM), and why modern FAMs are NOT your great-grandmother's rhythm method
41:32
41:32
Play later
Play later
Lists
Like
Liked
41:32
Fertility Awareness Methods have come a long way from your great grandma’s rhythm method. As Grace puts it, comparing today's Fertility Awareness Methods (FAMs) to the antiquated rhythm method is like comparing Jerry Seinfeld's car phone to the smart phone you are probably listening to this podcast on. Who first discovered that basal body temperatu…
…
continue reading
![Artwork](/static/images/128pixel.png)
1
The surprising (and sordid) history of hormonal birth control
42:44
42:44
Play later
Play later
Lists
Like
Liked
42:44
Birth control is so ubiquitous and so easy to procure, that many women have not stopped to think about how it prevents pregnancy, and why it matters. The history of birth control, from the very first iteration of the Pill to the modern options available to women today, provides some interesting clues about what birth control is, how it works, and w…
…
continue reading
![Artwork](/static/images/128pixel.png)
1
What is FEMM? An interview with Anna Halpine, founder of FEMM
48:43
48:43
Play later
Play later
Lists
Like
Liked
48:43
Although FEMM is one of the latest fertility awareness methods (FAMs) to take the world of women's reproductive health by storm, it's built on a long history of established science. Complete with a sleek mobile app and established restorative reproductive medicine protocols—and a growing directory of healthcare providers around the world trained to…
…
continue reading
![Artwork](/static/images/128pixel.png)
1
What is pelvic floor therapy, and why do you need it? An interview with Dr. Jen Tippmann, PT, DPT
42:23
42:23
Play later
Play later
Lists
Like
Liked
42:23
Some of our most popular articles on the Natural Womanhood website have to do with painful sex. A growing area of interest is how pelvic floor physical therapy can be utilized to heal the causes of painful sex, but as we discover in this episode, it can do so much more. In this episode (Season 1 / Episode 2), we interview Dr. Jen Tippmann, PT, DPT,…
…
continue reading
![Artwork](/static/images/128pixel.png)
1
Introducing The Natural Womanhood Podcast: Who are Grace & Cassie, and how did we get into Fertility Awareness?
41:45
41:45
Play later
Play later
Lists
Like
Liked
41:45
The Natural Womanhood Podcast brings together experts in the field of fertility awareness for candid, informative, and friendly conversations about authentic women's health. From pelvic floor physical therapy, to surgical interventions, to relationships and mental health, no topic is off limits for Grace and Cassie, as they seek to bring the empowe…
…
continue reading