Family Foundations Archives - Fertility Science Institute

Dads, Daughters and Fertility Awareness

My dad has two sons, so I always had first-hand experience being a father to boys. When my first daughter was born, I wasn’t sure I knew what to do. I was still figuring out women at the time, having only been married 3 years, but I quickly learned that figuring out women would be…

The Lowdown on Caffeine and Fertility

Taken from Fertility Cycles and Nutrition by Marilyn Shannon Caffeine is a good slave but a bad master. When you use it only occasionally or in moderation, it provides a lift that many people enjoy. However, it affects the nervous system, and can cause anxiety and irritability. It can deprive you of a good night’s…

Spring Foods to Fuel Your Cycle

By Amanda Rohwedder. Adapted from the original Family Foundations article. The weather is getting warmer, flowers are starting to bloom, seeds are being planted, and farmer’s markets are opening – spring is here and summer is on the way! What grows seasonally in spring that we can take advantage of to fuel our bodies? Each…

Savor the Seasons for Fertility

By Amanda Rohwedder. Adapted from the original Family Foundations article. …yet, in bestowing his goodness, he did not leave himself without witness, for he gave you rains from heaven and fruitful seasons, and filled you with nourishment and gladness for your hearts. Acts 14:17 I recently finished reading The Ruthless Elimination of Hurry and it…

Healthy Food Habits Start at Home

By Amanda Rohwedder. Adapted from the original Family Foundations article. Food makes up such a large part of a family’s routine, lifestyle, and culture. Key developmental milestones happen at mealtime, as well as an opportunity for family bonding. It is when a husband and wife can look each other in the eye, a toddler discovers…

Fertility Charting for Health for Young Women

By Anne Marie Williams. Adapted from the original Family Foundations article. Brian and Johanna’s Story While the average NFP or FABM user is a woman who, with her husband, is actively seeking to avoid or achieve pregnancy, one Ohio couple is capitalizing on the relevance of fertility awareness-based methods of natural family planning beyond pregnancy…

Cooking Up Love at Mealtime

By Amanda Rohwedder. Adapted from the original Family Foundations article by Melissa Gorley. The most important ingredient in any recipe is love. When food is prepared with loving hands, it seems to taste better somehow. In my own life, cooking and sharing a meal with others has created friendships, nurtured relationships, and cultivated deep conversations.…

Life with Polycystic Ovary Syndrome (PCOS)

By Kara Storey. Original version published in Family Foundations. The first part of the article was posted on this blog post. Jackie, 32, of New Jersey describes the emotional and spiritual toll of PCOS as a “roller coaster.” It took years for the high school teacher to be diagnosed with the PCOS disorder. Noticing she…

Nourishing Your Postpartum Body

By Amanda Rohwedder. Original version published in Family Foundations. Edith Stein said that a woman “naturally seeks…to cherish, guard, protect, nourish and advance growth…” and referred to this as a maternal yearning within every woman. The postpartum woman has a particular instinct to cherish, guard, protect, and nourish her child, but she would do well…

Living with PCOS (Polycystic ovary syndrome)

By Kara Storey. Original version published in Family Foundations. When Jamie and Nicole tied the knot in 2013, they were excited, yet apprehensive, to start a family. Since her teens Nicole had experienced painful, irregular periods and had difficulty maintaining a healthy weight. In high school, a doctor took stock of her symptoms and diagnosed…