Rating: 
Summary: Much recommended
Review: I recommended this book to a good friend of mine who'd been struggling to conceive (she has a very irregular cycle); it worked for her and has since worked for several of her friends, too. Interestingly enough, a friend recommended the book to me in the first place, as well! The information is basic, and the author doesn't write in a complicated manner. I think someone with a sixth-grade education could read the book and use it effectively. Which is good - regardless of our educational backgrounds, I think every woman should know how her body works. There are more 'complex' versions out there, and classes etc. as well - which can also be helpful in addition to this book. But the single most helpful option I found, was Winstein's book. I continue to recommend it to friends who are struggling to get pregnant, and to friends who are looking for other options for family planning. I used the book for natural family planning, so that I did not have to use chemical or artificial birth control options; when we were ready to start a family, we succeeded the very first month. I have every confidence that this book will be informative, regardless of whether the purchaser is hoping to avoid or embrace pregnancy. I think Winstein had to walk a fine line while writing this book, in terms of religious issues etc. and managed to do so in a way which allowed her book to be unbiased, open, and helpful regardless of what the readers' backgrounds or goals might be.
Rating:
Summary: Your Fertility Signals
Review: Not the greatest book on the subject. I didn't find this book to be up to date. I bought it to learn more about the after effects of being on "the pill," and achieving conception; it was not beneficial. It needs more content in regards to this subject matter. As well, it sounded like the author was not certain about the subject matter and the effectiveness of the recommended procedures for conception or to avoid conception. A friend who was using the book for just the opposite reason, to avoid pregnancy recommended it to me, and she enjoyed it. I think the book sways more towards how to avoid conception than how to achieve it.
Rating: 
Summary: Just ok.
Review: Not the greatest book on the subject. I didn't find this book to be up to date. I bought it to learn more about the after effects of being on "the pill," and achieving conception; it was not beneficial. It needs more content in regards to this subject matter. As well, it sounded like the author was not certain about the subject matter and the effectiveness of the recommended procedures for conception or to avoid conception. A friend who was using the book for just the opposite reason, to avoid pregnancy recommended it to me, and she enjoyed it. I think the book sways more towards how to avoid conception than how to achieve it.
Rating:
Summary: Good, but Taking Charge of Your Fertility is much better
Review: This a fairly informative book. I especially like the ideas for other acts of intimacy other than intercourse for when you are fertile and don't want to get pregnant. Otherwise, I really didn't care for it. It seems to be more illustrations and less text. There is not much information, and it is written in a scattered manner. I really didn't like the section on acheiving pregnancy. It was scant and very general. This book seems more focused on avoiding pregnancy, than achieving it. I think that Taking Charge of Your Fertility by Toni Weschler is a much more informative book.
Rating:
Summary: Concise, complete, with some extras on the side
Review: This book is a very simple, concise, easy-to-read explaination of Natural Family Planning. It includes the "how-to" of using both temperature and mucus symptoms to avoid or achieve pregnancy, as well as the cervical position information. I love that it also explains the hormones going on at each phase of the female cycle to help the reader understand WHY these symptoms are happening! I use it as a quick reference instead of dragging out my big Art of Natural Family Planning book from the Couple to Couple League. It also includes brief information about charting your signals during breastfeeding, and information about some common infertility problems. I really like the added information about "Regulating Cycles With Light" and "Choosing Your Baby's Sex". I still think everyone should have the Art of NFP in their library, but this is a great reference for every-day use!
Rating:
Summary: Concise, complete, with some extras on the side
Review: This book is a very simple, concise, easy-to-read explaination of Natural Family Planning. It includes the "how-to" of using both temperature and mucus symptoms to avoid or achieve pregnancy, as well as the cervical position information. I love that it also explains the hormones going on at each phase of the female cycle to help the reader understand WHY these symptoms are happening! I use it as a quick reference instead of dragging out my big Art of Natural Family Planning book from the Couple to Couple League. It also includes brief information about charting your signals during breastfeeding, and information about some common infertility problems. I really like the added information about "Regulating Cycles With Light" and "Choosing Your Baby's Sex". I still think everyone should have the Art of NFP in their library, but this is a great reference for every-day use!
Rating:
Summary: Very, Very Informative!
Review: This book is pure information on what makes a woman "tick". Every grown woman should read this whether you are interested in having children someday, or not. A good gift for a new bride.
Rating:
Summary: Excellent and practical handbook
Review: This book is so well written and explains very clearly through detailed description and diagrams everything you need to know about mucous. Sounds odd, but if she didn't have such good diagrams I don't know if I would have quite understood what she meant. For the first time in my 35+ years I am understanding my body better than ever and YES, I can actually tell when I'm ovulating now, simply through tracking changes in the mucous as the author recommends. I definitely recommend this book to women who both want or do NOT want to conceive.
June 2004 UPDATE: I'm pregnant now for the 2nd time - unfortunately I miscarried in February. I conceived both times in months that I was careful to follow the fertility signals especially the physical signs of ovulation (i.e "strings" - read the book, you'll know what I mean!) I'm a believer!
Rating:
Summary: Excellent and practical handbook
Review: This book is so well written and explains very clearly through detailed description and diagrams everything you need to know about mucous. Sounds odd, but if she didn't have such good diagrams I don't know if I would have quite understood what she meant. For the first time in my 35+ years I am understanding my body better than ever and YES, I can actually tell when I'm ovulating now, simply through tracking changes in the mucous as the author recommends. I definitely recommend this book to women who both want or do NOT want to conceive.
June 2004 UPDATE: I'm pregnant now for the 2nd time - unfortunately I miscarried in February. I conceived both times in months that I was careful to follow the fertility signals especially the physical signs of ovulation (i.e "strings" - read the book, you'll know what I mean!) I'm a believer!
Rating: 
Summary: An excellent basic book
Review: This book is well written and easy to understand. There are helpful diagrams and charts that illustrate the points the author is making. This book is for women who want to better understand their fertility, avoid or achieve conception, eliminate use of the pill or other chemical forms of birth control, and attempt to conceive a baby of one sex or the other. It explains how you can use your basal body temperature (taken before rising first thing in the morning) and your cervical mucous to tell whether you are fertile or not. This allows you to avoid intercourse if you are trying to avoid pregnancy, and to have intercourse at your most fertile times if you are trying to get pregnant. I think that even women who want to remain on birth control should read this book - it is valuable to understand how your body works and why. For women who are breastfeeding, this book has a whole chapter on using your temp and mucous to ascertain whether your fertility has returned - an excellent tool since chemical birth control while breastfeeding is best avoided. For women who are experiencing infertility, charting your temps and mucous can help you discover why you aren't conceiving, and knowing this can make it easier to seek treatment. There may be more thorough books on this topic out there, but I think this is one of the best basic ones. I recommend it highly.
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