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Francesca
Naish is
a naturopath, herbalist, hypnotherapist and author, who in 1975
combined the methods now known as Natural Fertility Management,
originally as a way to manage her own fertility. She began teaching
these methods to women and couples as well as offering naturopathic
treatment for reproductive and general health. In 1996 Francesca opened
the Jocelyn Centre for Natural Fertility Management and Holistic
Medicine, Australia’s first clinic dedicated to helping couples manage
their fertility effectively and naturally. With her associates,
specialist naturopaths and medical doctors, Francesca has educated and
treated tens of thousands of women and couples, and trained hundreds of
health professionals in Australia and overseas.
Francesca wrote The
Lunar Cycle (Prism Press 1989) and Natural
Fertility (Sally Milner Publishing 1991), and with Janette
Roberts, The Natural Way to Better Babies
(Random House 1996), The Natural Way to a Better Pregnancy(Random
House 1999), The Natural Way to Better Birth and Bonding
(Random House 2000) and The Natural Way to Better
Breastfeeding (Random House 2002).
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From a talk where Jane
introduces Francesca and Natural Fertility Management:
I first met Francesca Naish in 1982, and
having worked with her at the Village Healing and Growth Centre in
Paddington, Sydney, I was aware of her work with Natural Fertility
Management.
However, it took a new relationship and the encouragement of my new man
to take the step to make an appointment with Francesca for her
Contraception Program.
Francesca talked with us about the methods we had been using and
appropriate back up contraception, explained the Natural Fertility
Management methods, gave us some printed notes; some charts and an
audio tape to work with, and sent us home.
I had known a bit about the NFM methods and thought them theoretically
a good thing, but wondered, could I really know these things for
myself, and come to rely on this knowledge for something as important
as contraception?
For me, charting and learning to use the methods were utterly
revolutionary. Not only was I able to learn to read my body and my
cycles, with guidance and understanding, it was actually quite easy and
ultimately ‘obvious’.
I remember thinking at this time that it would have been great to have
had this information available from an age of 13, or younger; not for
contraception at that stage (!), but to begin my fertile years with
positive understanding and respect for my cycles and fertility.
As I continued to chart and use the NFM methods I found learning about
my cycles and how my body and fertility worked, fascinating.
Using this knowledge to guide me in managing my fertility simply, and
effectively, became a very useful by product. And now, at 48 and in
perimenopause I still find the methods straightforward and easy to use,
even at this time of change.
These methods are now being used by increasing numbers of health
professionals in Australia and overseas.
Besides her work on contraception and general reproductive health
problems, Francesca is also a pioneer of the concept and practice of
‘preconception health care’ which is now a term in common use
throughout both natural and orthodox approaches to fertility and
pregnancy.
The Natural Fertility Management programs at the Jocelyn Centre now
include:
- preconception health care for a healthy
conception, pregnancy, birth and baby
- natural treatments for fertility problems (male
and female)
- natural treatments for the common complaints of
pregnancy and breastfeeding
- natural treatments for all aspects of
reproductive health
- and, of course, where we began, natural
contraception.
All these programs and methods
provide
women, their partners and families with holistic, effective and safe
solutions for reproductive health needs throughout life: from puberty
to menopause, contraception to conception, preconception health care to
treatments for fertility problems, pregnancy health care to birth,
breastfeeding and beyond.
They emphasise the self-management of reproductive health needs, the
primacy of natural remedies in resolving health issues, the practice of
environmentally healthy lifestyles, and the optimal health of children
and future generations.
In order to facilitate the self-management of reproductive needs we
developed the NFM Kits. They have evolved from notes and tapes in the
early days, through several incarnations, to the new NFM Kits we
launched in July 2004.
To contact Jane email jane@nfmcontraception.com
For more information about The Jocelyn Centre go to www.fertility.com.au
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