F-Fest Begins!

In a previous post I mentioned lunar phase fertility, a theory presented in the 1950’s by Dr. Eugene Jonas, an astrology enthusiast, who was investigating why many women got pregnant when practicing the rhythm method. This theory proposes that contingent upon the cycle of the moon, a woman may ovulate more than one time during a given month.


After finding a website that would chart this information for customers using their birth date and time for about $40, I joked that I would save my cash for something else like shoes or jeans (although at this point, I’d probably use it for my next chiropractor’s visit).

The moon seems pretty mysterious and powerful to me, so I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t a little bit interested in this theory. Frank, one of my facebook friends from high school practices astrology and Reiki, so I messaged him after I wrote my previous post to find out what he knew about lunar phase fertility.

He already had my information (b-day, time of birth) so he took the initiative of calculating my most fertile time (for free!). According to Frank, my moon sign is a guestimated 18 degrees Capricorn, so my window to conceive is when the monthly moon sign goes into Capricorn.

He recommended that for the 3 days the moon is in Capricorn Eric and I should—let’s see, how should I put this—go at it like wild rabbits. Sorry, mom!

Well, guess what, it started today. Slightly before 5:00 AM this morning, and runs through Sunday, with the best chance for conception sometime around tomorrow afternoon (according to Frank).

Eric and I have dubbed this time F-Fest (the F is for fertility, of course).  Let the games begin!  Or should I say "continue"...

To Stress or Not To Stress

Two extremely polar views exist about stress and fertility. Most experts claim that stress can negatively impact fertility, especially stress that comes from not getting pregnant. Studies at Harvard University have shown that women who undergo stress-relieving therapies before fertilization have a greater chance of conceiving. Doctors in New Jersey used leg and foot massages on women as experimental treatment before embryos were transferred and noted some measure of success. Personally, I find this a totally awesome and reasonable reason to request a foot massage from Eric (who, by the way, also gives a mean pedicure).

Another school of thought exists among astrologists who believe that lunar phases can impact fertility. According to this theory, the moon can trigger a woman to ovulate twice during her menstrual cycle. They claim that stress and sexual activity can increase this possibility. Each person’s lunar cycle is dependent on the phase of the moon on the day they were born. For a mere $49.99 one can order her own Personal Lunar Fertility Guide, available in only two business days!

Although I’ve never been gaga over astrology (with the exception of checking my horoscope in the back of Teen magazine during my formative years), I do like the idea that stress can trigger double ovulation, allowing me to lay two eggs in one month. You see, stress is my friend. We go way back. We spend most of our time together during the months of August through May (can you guess my profession?), but he frequently pops in for a visit during the summer months, too.

For now, I think I’ll save my $49.99 for something else. Perhaps some organic veggies, another OV Watch sensor, half a pair of shoes, or a quarter of a pair of jeans… or maybe a damn good foot massage.