Most birth control techniques use some sort of device to prevent fertilization of the egg. Condoms, UIS’s, the pill all of these require something you can buy. The Billings Method is a bit different though. With this method, women can learn to gauge where they are in their menstrual cycle, and take advantage of the time when they’re naturally infertile. As long as you stick to the right cycle, this method of contraception is very successful, but it also means that you have to be able to avoid having sex during the fertile times.

How Does the Billings Method Work?

In every woman’s natural menstrual cycle, there’s really only six days out of the month when she can become pregnant. Ovulation, when the egg is released, only happens on one day of the cycle, and the egg only really lives for a day at the most. If it isn’t fertilized by then, it dies. For a little less than a week leading up to the day of ovulation, the mucus lining of the womb thickens, and sperm can actually live there for up to five days. If they’re there when the egg comes out, it’s time to start buying baby clothes.

With the Billings Method, a woman can learn to tell when she’s ovulating, and by default she can tell what days she isn’t fertile anymore.

How Do You Use the Billings Method?

When you start to pay attention to the secretions coming out of your womb throughout the month, you’ll start to notice a pattern, which typically goes like this:

-In the first few days after menstruation, your vagina will feel dry and you may have consistent discharge.

-As you go into the fertile phase, you’ll likely feel a change in your body, but there will also be more mucus present and you won’t be dry anymore.

-As ovulation gets closer, you’ll notice even more mucus coming out, your vulva will be more slippery, and all of this will be accompanied by an internal feeling.

-The peak of your fertility period happens during the last days when the vulva is slippery, and ovulation will happen no more than 48 hours after that.

-4 days after the peak, you will no longer be fertile until the next cycle begins.

Once you learn how your body works, by recognizing the changing sensations and the cycle of mucus, you’ll be able to time your sexual acts to either avoid pregnancy or give yourself a greater chance of getting pregnant, whatever your goals are.

How Long Does the Billings Method Work?

This method will work for your entire life as long as you’re careful. There will always be the temptation to ignore the signs, especially since women are more sexually active during the fertility cycle, but with good communication between you and your partner you could keep this up forever.

A lot of women choose to do this while breastfeeding because they don’t want to take a birth control pill or anything that changes their hormones.

For more information on The Billings Method: