I got you! Not everyone needs or wants a full course. So this 14-page guide is designed to give a basic overview of WHAT perimenopause is, and typical things that women and couples can expect to see with changes related to cycle lengths, cervical fluid, basal body temping, and LH testing in the various stages!
PLUS- it includes a list of Natural Family Planning method options and links to websites so you can follow up with individualized advice from a certified instructor!
What if we assumed that women need perimenopause education the same way girls need puberty education? After all, OUR bodies are changing, too!
Menstrual cycles and periods are just... different. Shorter? Longer? Heavier? Lighter? Yeah. What's up with that????
...Not to mention mood swings, insomnia, night sweats, and changes in our body shape, too! Why is that happening?
But we're adults. We're super busy, on the go, and we probably just need a portable education option.
The fact is that women deserve education about our bodies, but...
Sometimes we don't know who to turn to for advice. Our moms may not be around, they may have gone through a totally different menopause experience, or they just may not want to talk about it.
And doctors are helpful, but they don't really have time to explain why all of this is happening.
And our friends' experiences may be really different from ours. So while it's great to know that we're not alone (and it's SO important to be affirmed that we're DEFINITELY not making all of this up!), there's only so much information we can get from girl talk.
☑️ The different stages of perimenopause (Yep! Even within perimenopause there are distinct phases!)
☑️ How our menstrual cycles, periods, and fertility shift through these various stages?
☑️ Considerations for how these changes might impact our family planning protocols (whether we're trying to avoid pregnancy or conceive!)
☑️ What are other normal symptoms to experience, and when I should talk with a doctor?
☑️ How to navigate this time together, as a couple?
☑️ And especially for CATHOLIC couples, why not add in some reflection that can help us navigate this time with more positivity and respect for this unique (albeit confusing!) time in our lives?
I've been a Natural Family Planning instructor for over a DECADE and through Pearl & Thistle I'm on a mission to bring better body literacy to the Church.
Because NFP is challenging.
Understanding our bodies can be a beautiful, but also frustrating experience.
And coping with the transition through perimenopause is something that adds layers of changes to our relationships, our overall health, AND yes... our NFP protocols.
THAT'S WHY I CREATED:
A self-paced course to give you a comprehensive overview of the hormonal and cycle changes we can expect to see through the different stages of perimenopause, with a SPECIAL FOCUS on how this all applies to Natural Family Planning and our relationship with God and our spouse.
...we had a heads' up about certain cycle changes (like... did you know that SHORT cycles are one of the first signs?)
... we knew what sorts of issues we might start to see with our various fertility biomarkers, and could ask really targeted questions of our instructors about how our NFP method will handle that?
...we understood how fertility rates change through this transition, so we can discern more concretely with our spouse about postponing pregnancy or trying to conceive?
VIDEO PREVIEW
Watch the "Introduction" video to get a feel for the tone, pacing, and content! But buckle up, because this course includes:
MD, OBGYN
Navigating Symptoms with Hormonal Supplementation
Pelvic Health PT
Navigating Changes to our Pelvic Floor
National Board Certificed Health & Wellness Coach
Navigating Insulin Resistance
Nutritional Therapy Practitioner
Navigating Low Hormones Through Adrenal Support
Board Certified Doctor of Natural Medicine
Navigating Decreased Libido
Registered Dietician
Navigating Perimenopause with PCOS
Welcome to Perimenopause Prep!
These files are here for you to have as a reference while progressing through our course. You can download the Slides document to have an easy place to take notes as you work through the videos, and the Resources & References document will give you all the handy information about footnotes, sources, and recommended further reading!
This series of podcasts features expert interviews to expand the conversation about perimenopause beyond NFP! You can listen to the files right here in Podia, or you can just click the link to find this private podcast wherever you get your podcasts!
⭐ Special Note ⭐
☑️ You are married and are tracking your cycles with Natural Family Planning (or you're interested in learning more about options for doing so!)
☑️ You're not sure what cycle changes to look for at various stages of perimenopause
☑️ You want to understand how your hormones are changing, and what impact that has on cervical fluid, BBT, and hormone monitoring with NFP
☑️ You'd like to learn the basics of what's normal to experience with things like hot flashes, moods, and changes in body shape (and what you should definitely mention to the doctor!)
☑️ You'd like some helpful tips on navigating challenges related to sexual intimacy and NFP during this time as a couple
Christina is a certified NFP instructor, not a healthcare professional. This course will provide an overview of various options for symptom alleviation that you may want to discuss with your doctor, but cannot advise on the suitability of those treatments for your situation.
This course cannot be used to learn an NFP method. It provides a general overview of biomarkers that are used by various NFP methods, with discussion about how those biomarkers may be impacted by perimenopause and NFP protocols may be affected. But in order to use an NFP method during this time, you will need to learn that independently. Your course materials will come with options for finding an NFP instructor in your chosen method!
This purchase is for private, individual use only. If you are interested in using these materials for a group, please contact Christina for inquiries about group licensing packages.
This course includes references to Catholic teachings and assumes that couples will be following Catholic moral guidelines when trying to avoid pregnancy or conceive during this time. But if you are a woman who is not Catholic and don't mind sifting through that particular aspect of the course, then this can still be a very helpful resource for you to learn about perimenopause and what the unique considerations are for NFP use during this time. You are very welcome here!
This course focuses on the distinct challenges faced by couples who are using NFP during perimenopause, so if you are not married and are looking for general cycle information during this transition, you will still learn a LOT about what to expect with cycle changes, and probably gain a lot of valuable insight especially from the interviews with experts. But it will be up to you to decide whether this particular course is worth the investment.
This course teaches all about the periemenopause transition, which is primarily about the years leading up to menopause. While some of the content may be helpful for women who undergo induced menopause (through surgery or other medical treatment), the materials are not crafted for the specific needs of that situation, where the transition is much more rapid or practically non-existent. If you have questions about your specific situation, you can always contact Christina for more info.
Due to the digital nature of this course, refunds cannot be offered except for special circumstances. If you have questions and would like to request consideration for a refund, please contact Christina directly.
Want to ask another question? Contact Christina!
Meet your host:
Christina is the founder of Pearl & Thistle, where she offers lifelong body literacy programming for Catholics. She has been a certified instructor in the Boston Cross Check™ method of Natural Family Planning since 2013. In that time, she has walked closely with women through the perimenopause transition and knows what a unique challenge it can be. Over the past few years, she has presented "Perimenopause Prep" to women around the country, and is excited to share this presentation in a brand new format-- with LOTS of bonus content!