“My cycle would be one of the first indicators that it was time to slow down and engage in some serious self care”.

It’s estimated that 3% of sexually active women in the United States use a Fertility Awareness-Based Method to avoid pregnancy – that’s over 1.1 million women! Unfortunately, the majority are using the outdated and ineffective rhythm method. Here in Australia, data from 2012-13 indicates that approximately 1.4% of sexually active women are using some form of Fertility Awareness-Based Method to avoid pregnancy. Other data indicates that this number could be as high as 2.8% of sexually active women.

The good news is that more and more women are placing their bodily autonomy and hormonal health as first priority and we are likely to see these numbers increase dramatically over the coming decade (especially as femtech advancements bring natural fertility management further into the public eye).

Join the conversation as I chat with people around the world to hear their stories and experiences with Fertility Awareness-Based Methods.

Rebecca, thanks for catching up! Please introduce yourself and tell us who you are!
I’m Rebecca—in my late twenties, married and a mom of one. I live in Southwestern Ontario, Canada. My education has largely centred around community development and regional planning and I have worked in non-profit development and the promotion of affordable housing.

How did you first hear about Fertility Awareness-Based Methods?
I first heard about Fertility Awareness-Based Methods in college through some people within my church, as many FABMs are used for naturally family planning and reproductive and gynecological health monitoring within Catholic circles. One friend in particular was telling me about how empowering it was to learn how her cycle worked and how this impacted her self confidence and body image. The more I looked into it, the more I wondered, “Why the heck aren’t women and girls taught this information more widely?” The following year, I worked with an amazing doctor and Billings Educator to learn to chart my cycle. We used to meet up in a coffee shop in my little university town to go over my charts and geek out over cervical fluid!

What FABM do you currently use and what do you love about it?
I started charting using the Billings Ovulation Method and used that method for about three years. When I relocated to my current city and got engaged, my husband decided he wanted to learn about charting as well to walk the journey with me, so we looked up classes in the area. This lead me to Creighton, which is similar to the Billings Ovulation Model but uses a standardized system for denoting the cervical fluid observations. What set Creighton apart for me was the availability of NaPro Technology—a women’s health science that monitors and maintains a woman’s reproductive and gynecological health. It provides medical and surgical treatments that cooperate completely with the reproductive system instead of suppressing or circumnavigating it. NaPro doctors—family physicians, ob/gyns, endocrinologists and the like—are actually trained to read Creighton charts to aid in their diagnoses. The opportunity to have medical practitioners that could ‘read’ my charts really sealed the deal for me and convinced me to make the switch.

Can you tell us what has been the most major benefit for you of using a FABM?
The power that comes from knowing what is going on in my body is real, especially when it came to monitoring stress in seasons of life where I was really hustling: competing in college sport; pulling all-nighters working on my master’s thesis, planning a wedding etc. Oftentimes, my cycle would be one of the first indicators that it was time to slow down and engage in some serious self care.

How has using a FABM impacted your health?
Charting my cycle has helped me manage painful periods. I’ve largely used diet and exercise to improve things but there are a ton of ways to replenish the body, rebalance hormones, and treat more all-encompassing gynecological conditions like PCOS and endometriosis. Further, I’ve really struggled with generalized anxiety in certain seasons of life and am currently learning more and more about how my reproductive hormones play into that. I am enthused at the prospect of helping my body rebalance in the most gentle and efficient way possible in the postpartum period by charting my cycle and tailoring my diet and exercise to meet my body’s needs right now.

How has using a FABM impacted your relationship?
Gosh, I can’t say enough about FABMs in terms of strengthening my relationship with my husband. Let me tell you, if you can discuss cervical fluid with your partner, you can discuss anything. Ha! I’m blessed that my husband was on board with using FABMs to plan our family since the very beginning. I think one of the reasons it’s worked well for us is because it’s really enhanced our communication. The Creighton Model is unique because it is both an effective means to avoid pregnancy as well as a very efficient means to achieve pregnancy, depending on which set of instructions are used. As such, using this method has led us to discuss our family planning goals each and every month, assess our mental and physical health, finances and so forth and take stock of our lives together. This has had super positive impacts on our communication and ensures shared responsibility for our family and each others’ well-being. Furthermore, charting my cycle with Creighton has allowed us to achieve pregnancy simply, date the pregnancy accurately, and investigate a previous miscarriage to ensure it wasn’t a sign of hormonal imbalance.

What has your experience been like with mainstream health professionals when discussing FABM’s?
My use of a natural method has been met with skepticism at times but thankfully I’ve never had any of my healthcare providers push hormonal methods of contraception on me. In fact, while some have certainly understood it to be the “rhythm method” and advised me to not be surprised by an unexpected pregnancy, I’ve also been lucky enough to have others on my healthcare team express genuine interest in learning a natural method themselves and even start comparing notes about Toni Weschler’s “Taking Charge of Your Fertility”. So, I genuinely feel that women themselves are driving changes as they look for more holistic options and that the tide is beginning to turn.

If you could give advice to anyone who is just starting to look into Fertility Awareness, what would you say?
It is definitely worth it! Take stock of your lifestyle and do your research before choosing a method, as they do vary in both their efficacy rates, but also which biomarkers are tracked and at which time of day. I think it’s worthwhile to learn how to chart your ovulation cycle the old-school way [on paper] instead of starting with an app. This will allow you to truly understand how your body works and take ownership of your data. Lastly, I’d recommend learning alongside a FABM instructor; they’ll be able to walk with you through your first few cycles and help you gain confidence in the method.

Where do you see the future of FABM’s?
I am so thrilled about the surge of interest in FABMs and really do feel this is the beginning of a women’s health revolution. So much so that I want to be a part of it and have begun studying the Creighton Model FertilityCare System in the hopes of becoming a certified Practitioner. Women need to know this information and I hope to one day see it taught in schools as part of the Health Education curriculum.

Thanks Rebecca and where can we find you to follow your journey?
You can find me sharing my journey in fertility appreciation and the road to become a Creighton Practitioner at @charbelfertilitycare on Instagram.

“I always knew it existed as far back as I can remember because my Mum practiced Fertility Awareness when she was trying to conceive for the second time.”

It’s estimated that 3% of sexually active women in the United States use a Fertility Awareness-Based Method to avoid pregnancy – that’s over 1.1 million women! Unfortunately, the majority are using the outdated and ineffective rhythm method. Here in Australia, data from 2012-13 indicates that approximately 1.4% of sexually active women are using some form of Fertility Awareness-Based Method to avoid pregnancy.

The good news is that more and more women are placing their bodily autonomy and hormonal health as first priority and we are likely to see these numbers increase dramatically over the coming decade (especially as femtech advancements bring natural fertility management further into the public eye).

Join the conversation as I chat with people around the world to hear their stories and experiences with Fertility Awareness-Based Methods.

Lee-Anne, thanks so much for chatting with me! First off, where in the world do you call home?
Thanks! I’m from Dartmouth, Nova Scotia, Canada

For those who don’t know you, can you tell us a little about yourself?
I’m a data analyst by day and artist by night who did not get to this place in life by accident.  I got sober and decided to turn my life around at 30 and have been accomplishing my goals ever since. Due to being diagnosed with endometriosis and a blocked tube, trying to conceive has taken me almost two years but my recent fibroid removal surgery has brought me much-needed optimism and I’m ready for the next chapter: motherhood!

Amazing! That sounds like an incredible journey. How did you discover Fertility Awareness?
I always knew it existed as far back as I can remember because my Mum practiced Fertility Awareness when she was trying to conceive for the second time. She is a nurse who is also huge into the natural world so it was always ingrained in me to listen to your body and to love yourself.

Which protocol do you follow and why?
I use the Symptothermal Method but when I first started charting about six years ago I only tracked cervical fluid. I’ve now evolved to tracking temperature, cervical fluid, mood, bodily symptoms, and cervical position. 

What was your greatest challenge when learning to chart?
Knowing what to record for days when you have more than one type of CM from morning to night.

What do you think is the greatest benefit that practising a FABM has brought to your life?
I now understand that lifestyle changes like diet, exercise, and stress levels have a huge impact on my mood/PMS symptoms which makes me feel more in control in my life.  Charting also helps me to see when something is out of wack in my body so that I can take the steps to fix it.

How has practicing a FABM impacted your relationship?
Charting and researching all things FAM has improved my analytical mind greatly which translates to more confidence and articulation when it comes to my moods and cycles.  I feel my fiance respects me more because of this.

Do you think FABM’s are growing in popularity, and if so, why?
Yes because more information is getting out there around hormonal birth control and more women are seeing the negative consequences of this and researching other options.  I also believe an increasing number of couples are waiting until they’re older and more settled in their careers before attempting to start their families which, in turn, can become more of a struggle which will naturally prompt them to look into FABMs.

What advice would you give to women who are interested in Fertility Awareness?
Don’t let anyone, doctors included, tell you this method is bunk. It is literally the science of how women’s bodies work.  Take your time and get curious about your body and your fluctuations- you’ll learn so much. 

Thanks Lee-Anne! Where else can we find you?
I have a youtube channel where I talk about all things alcohol recovery and share my trying to conceive journey:

Do you have a story to share? Positive, negative or somewhere in between – I would love to hear about your experiences with Fertility Awareness. Contact me using the form below.

“Many women would choose a natural option of birth control if they knew there was such a thing”

This week I was lucky enough to catch up with Aisha Mukooza, the co-founder of a 20,000-strong Facebook group called ‘Fertility Awareness Method of Birth Control‘. This Facebook group has played a key role in the education and support of a growing number of women and much of this is thanks to Aisha’s dedication in growing the group from scratch! Each week, this group hosts weekly learning activities and has a huge wealth of resources in their Files section. They also have a dedicated team of admins and moderators who are on-hand to guide new members through their learning journey.

I was curious to chat with Aisha to find out more about her background, her experience with Fertility Awareness, and what drove her to create such an incredible Facebook group.

Join the conversation!

Some of the links in this article are affiliate links, meaning, at no additional cost to you, I may earn a commission if you click through and make a purchase. For more information, please read the Advertising & Affiliates Policy here.

Aisha! Thanks for catching up. Can you tell us a little about yourself and where you are based?
My name is Aisha Mukooza. I live in Virginia and have since I moved to the USA 11 years ago from Uganda. I work as a lab assistant at a local hospital and I’m currently going back to school to become an ultrasound technologist.

What was your experience of sexual health education in High School?
I went to high school for a bit in Uganda but mostly in America. All I remember in High School (USA) was a woman counselor who was brought into the main hall of our school for juniors and seniors. She gave a serious lecture about STD’s, safe sex and relationships. One time. I don’t remember exactly what it was about but I do remember it being great. I already knew it all though thanks to a male family friend who had gone over STD’s and safe sex back in Uganda. In Uganda, there were many programs (including in schools) surrounding STD’s and safe sex due to the AIDS epidemic. The family friend I mentioned actually worked for such programs. It’s from him I learned what “STD” meant. What sex meant and what safe sex meant. One of the people in my life I am and will always be thankful to have met.

How did you first discover Fertility Awareness?
I was never for anything that interfered with ovulation for long term so I was lucky that Kenneth also envisioned condoms as his long term birth control. Everything was great until about six months of dating when he started to experience burning and such. We concluded he was allergic. I discovered withdrawal perfect use and we started using that solely; however, he wasn’t keen on withdrawing long term. This led to pressure to get on birth control. I looked into the IUD and that scared me more than hormones to be truthful. I was not going on hormonal birth control and that led to unhappiness and negative thoughts. At some point I did contemplate breaking up but I figured I’d run into the same problem in the next relationship. I googled ‘natural birth control’ thinking there was no such thing. How wrong I was! I stumbled onto the LadyComp. It was expensive though and I wanted to make sure it truly worked. I didn’t know much about studies and such then so reviews were my best bet. Most positive reviews also suggested reading Taking Charge Of Your Fertility by Toni Weschler – I figured whatever increases the effectiveness, why not?! I borrowed the book from my local library, read the book, and was blown away! Amazed! And never looked back. I realized I didn’t even need a LadyComp anymore but rather a thermometer and paper charts. 

[Editors note: The LadyComp is a device made by Valley Electronics – the same company that makes Daysy. Both devices predict when you are fertile using an algorithm that uses your basal body temperature. Apps and devices that rely on your temperature alone to tell you when you are fertile (such as Natural Cycles, Daysy and LadyComp) are not recommended and you can read why HERE]

What was the most surprising thing you learned about your body?
That you can accurately track ovulation.

What made you start the Facebook group Fertility Awareness Method of Birth Control?
To share the knowledge. The more platforms – the more the knowledge of Fertility Awareness is passed on.

How was the growth – did it grow fast right from the beginning or did it start off slowly?
It started out slow with lots of engagement from the members. It grew slowly in the early days but once it got big, it started to grow even faster. 

What’s the most memorable thing that’s ever happened for you in the group?
A study on the group taught me and my fellow admins about the seriousness of consent. A member approached us about observing how women who use Fertility Awareness interact on social media. I was so excited about it without realizing that not everyone would want to be observed. It also lead to a feeling of mistrust from our members. We never went through with the study but it taught me a great lesson I will use forever. Lots of stress though!

Why do you think social media is so important for Fertility Awareness Based Methods?
Like I said, the more platforms out there spreading the knowledge, the better. There are many women out there who would choose a natural option of birth control if they knew there was such a thing.

Any tips for people who are just starting out with a Fertility Awareness Based Method?
I highly recommend to learn the method thoroughly. If there’s something essential that you don’t understand, there are Fertility Awareness Instructors so take advantage of that great option. Always follow the rules if you’re using Fertility Awareness for birth control. Once you get it, you can become over-confident and disregard the rules. In my experience as someone who’s seriously used Fertility Awareness for birth control, I can firmly say that it’s better to delay unprotected sex than worry you might have mistaken things and weren’t safe.

Where do you see the future of Fertility Awareness Based Methods?
I’d like to believe that there are going to be more aids to help us accurately determine when the fertile window opens and to confirm ovulation happened.

Thanks for catching up Aisha!
If you’d like to join Aisha and a community of over 20,000 women who practise Fertility Awareness, you can find the Facebook group here

“I think a lot of people are afraid that it would ruin their sex lives”

This week I caught up with Georgie Breen to hear about how she discovered the Symptothermal Method. We chat about the challenges of finding an educator in Australia, the reactions from friends and family when they heard what method she was using, and the benefits that Georgie has found.

Join the conversation!

Some of the links in this article are affiliate links, meaning, at no additional cost to you, I may make a commission if you click through and make a purchase. For more information, please read the Advertising and Affiliates Policy here.

Thanks for catching up! Can you tell us a little about who you are and where you’re based?
My name is Georgie Breen, I am 29 years old and I live in Dubbo, Australia. I work at a dairy factory and get up at 4:30am three times a week.

How did you originally discover Fertility Awareness-Based Methods?
I found out about Fertility Awareness-Based Methods through the YouTube channel “FemmeHead”. I was checking out her reviews of some period products which then led on to her videos about Fertility Awareness. She led me to the book Taking Charge of Your Fertility by Toni Weschler, and the app Kindara. I’ve now been charting my menstrual cycle for about a year. I got married eight months ago and have been using the Symptothermal Method to avoid pregnancy for those eight months.

Did you encounter any challenges while you were learning the method?
Yes. When I went looking for FABM Educators in Australia I was pretty disappointed. Australia really seems to be lagging behind, but I was glad to find an Educator through CatholicCare who was pleased with my knowledge and checked over my charts before I started using them to avoid pregnancy.

[Note] Most Fertility Awareness Educators are able to teach remotely via Skype / Zoom / Google Hangouts etc. You can find someone to work with on the Find An Instructor page.

What was the reaction from friends and family when you told them what you were using for contraception?
When I started talking about it with friends, I found that the stories that came out were of people who had ‘kind of’ used Creighton, or ‘kind of’ used Billings, or ‘kind of’ tracked their cycle and ended up pregnant.

Note: Want to find out more about the different types of FABM’s? Read more HERE.

It seemed like Fertility Awareness was something to use if you were ‘kind of’ up for having a baby anyway. During most of their stories the women confessed that they ‘weren’t really being strict’ or that they subconsciously wanted a baby. That was a bit frustrating because there were no examples of women correctly following a proper method, and finding out if it actually worked. That’s where I found the community on Kindara to be such a support, and wealth of experience and knowledge. There were women on there who had used it for years – some who never wanted kids, and some who used it during and after having kids. I do feel like it can become a tricky subject to talk about because women who are happy with hormonal birth control can feel easily judged.

Do you think there are any misconceptions around FABM’s?
Yes. FABM’s are centred around such a personal and intimate topic that I know a lot of people would be afraid to ask about it. I think a lot of people are afraid that it would ruin their sex lives. I think people are afraid that you can only have sex on a ‘safe’ day and that you can’t have spontaneous sex. 

What has been the biggest benefit you’ve found?
I love how it is a shared responsibility. It encourages communication between my husband and I. I love how much it has taught me about my body and how to listen to it.

Thanks for sharing Georgie!

Do you have a story you are ready to share about your experiences using Fertility Awareness-Based Methods? Contact me via the form at the bottom of this page to organise an interview.

“I was diagnosed with PCOS, hypothyroidism and Hashimoto’s after 9 months of charting”

This week I chat with Liza Patterson Blake on how the Symptothermal Method played a role in getting a diagnosis of PCOS, hypothyroidism and Hashimoto’s. Liza also shares how having a doctor as her father actually encouraged her to think critically about her contraceptive choices and lead her to discover Fertility Awareness in 2017.

Join the conversation!

Some of the links in this article are affiliate links, meaning, at no additional cost to you, I may earn a commission if you click through and make a purchase. For more information, please read the Advertising & Affiliates Policy here.

Liza, thanks for catching up! Can you tell us a little about yourself?
I’m Liza, a woman in my mid-twenties and I currently live near Seattle, Washington. I’ve lived in a lot of places both in and out of the United States, and I claim Alaska as my true home. I have a Management Information Systems degree, and I absolutely love data, statistics, math, research and science. In my everyday life I love reading, writing, going to nerd conventions, horseback riding, hiking, exploring the world, crafting and coding. Fertility Awareness for me is really about having all of the data, and it’s even helped me to get enough data to discover that something was wrong with my body. I’ve been diagnosed with PCOS, hypothyroidism and Hashimoto’s disease. As someone whose two biggest medical problems in life had been 4 stitches in my eyebrow and being numbed for wisdom teeth removal, it was a bit of a surprising discovery to make!

Growing up, did you have any awareness of natural methods of contraception?
Honestly, I didn’t know a ton about different methods of contraception. So no, I didn’t know anything about natural contraception other than hearing “NFP” a few times in books, etc.
[NFP stands for Natural Family Planning – Fertility Awareness-Based Methods that require abstinence during the fertile window]

What was your experience of the school education system on reproductive health?
I was really lacking in knowledge of female reproductive health until I was in my twenties. I knew basics, and I actually thought that I knew a lot. Looking back now, I had almost no idea about reproductive health in general but I did know quite a bit more than my friends. I took my health class in high school through distance ed, and I do think that I have that to thank for the knowledge that I did have – my schoolmates definitely didn’t learn as much in their classes as I did in mine.

What led you to discover Fertility Awareness?
I was introduced to the concept that there’s a whole world of science out there for us to discover by my dad who is a doctor! When I was a kid, he always encouraged me to be aware of what my body was telling me because of my diet, sleeping and exercise habits. I was taught that there’s a time for medicine and there’s a time for our bodies to lead themselves where they should go. While he didn’t ever talk to me about Fertility Awareness, he did instill the thirst of body awareness into me which definitely helped to prepare me for my discovery of Fertility Awareness. My mom mentioned natural birth control to me one time around when I graduated from college, and that’s when I started to look into Fertility Awareness options, but I did research about it on my own.

What ultimately made you decide to choose to use a FABM instead of hormonal birth control/IUD?
When I was 23 I caved to what some doctors had been telling me for years – that hormonal birth control would “solve” my irregular cycles, dizziness, nausea, headaches, heavy bleeding, pain, unwanted hair growth, acne, and everything else that was making my life harder to live. I hated how they made me feel: physically, mentally, emotionally. I do think it was the first time I had 2 “cycles” (I know better than to call them cycles now) in a row that were 30 days each in my entire life. I decided to take things into my own hands and did the research (one of my favorite things to do). The science is way more open to me than any form of hormonal birth control because I have the control. That really helped me to jump in and get involved in Fertility Awareness.

What was your learning process like?
I have learned Fertility Awareness through a ton of study – studying books, articles, peer-reviewed papers and example charts. I started practicing Fertility Awareness in July of 2017. While I’m good at learning from technical information, I find that my cycles are irregular because of my PCOS and hypothyroidism, so I’m looking into taking a class where I can really focus on this and learn more specifically about my body.

What was the most surprising thing you learned about your reproductive system by learning a FABM?
Before I started learning about Fertility Awareness, I had absolutely no idea what different types of cervical fluid meant! I was so delighted (I’m such a nerd lol) to learn that they were actually indicators of what was happening inside of my body. I love data like that.

Did you encounter any challenges in your journey?
I’m so lucky to have my husband on board with this whole process – he loves that I am proactive about my health (sometimes he might think I’m a little too excited). However, he currently has no interest in learning absolutely any of the things that I know. It’s really frustrating to me because if I could know every piece of information available in the world, I would love to have it all…whether it’s relevant to me or not. He has learned a little, even if he doesn’t want to admit it. I also was diagnosed with PCOS, hypothyroidism and Hashimoto’s after about 9 months of charting, but it was one of the most difficult processes that I’ve been through. I went to my doctor with the suggestion of PCOS. He told me that I couldn’t have PCOS because the hair on my neck was just because of my genes and my cycles are only irregular because I’m overweight (I gained 35 pounds over 4 months with no lifestyle changes and haven’t been able to lose it no matter what I do, but the doctor was unwilling to consider that to be a symptom of something wrong in my body). I was so glad that my dad taught me that not every doctor was meant to be my doctor; if I thought that, I would have just stopped at this point and lived without a diagnosis. But I persevered and found another doctor. She took one look at me and the list of symptoms I had provided, including that I knew that I didn’t ovulate every time I bled because I practice Fertility Awareness, and told me she was almost certain that I had PCOS and she wanted to get to the bottom of it. When the first set of blood tests came back inconclusive, she ordered the ones that she would have had the first tests come back with abnormalities. The second set of blood tests found both problems – had she stuck to the routine blood tests, I would have remained without a diagnosis. Getting these diagnoses has really helped me know what to look for while charting so that I don’t just think I’m mysteriously having cycles that are 70-110 days long. But they also came from recognizing that something was abnormal in my charts and being able to discuss that with my gynecologist.

What is the most surprising benefit that practicing a FABM has brought to your life?
I think that the most surprising benefit that I’ve gotten from practicing a FABM has definitely been peace of mind. Now that I know that my cycles truly are abnormal (and why), I can be aware of where I am in my cycle and accept each day as it comes. I have a lot of frustration because of the problems I’ve discovered in my body, but Fertility Awareness helped me identify what they are, which is the only good way to actually develop a well-researched plan of action. My life revolves around the need to know everything, and I know so much more about my body now than I ever have.

What would you do differently if you could go back in time to your teen self?
If I could go back to my teenage self, I would provide every possible resource and sign up for a class to learn about Fertility Awareness. I think that it’s basic body literacy that every girl needs to have, and I hope to be able to teach at least some of the women and girls in my life to have an appreciation for all of the things their bodies can do.

Where do you see the future of FABMs?
I love technology so much and I think that as more women learn the reality of Fertility Awareness-Based Methods – that they aren’t just writing down when you had your period on a calendar – that we’re going to get more and more tech supporting Fertility Awareness. Since I work in the tech world, it’s so exciting for me to see everything unfolding. Already, we’re seeing smart devices are starting to get interested in the idea of cycle tracking; hopefully they’ll take it one step further and add features to help women chart their cycles thoroughly. As far as my future with FABMs, I’d like to help spread the word and the thirst for knowledge to women – it doesn’t take a degree and it doesn’t take special equipment to understand your body. However, the people who do have degrees and equipment can definitely work with you to learn more and build the knowledge together. I’m hoping to get certified through an accredited program to teach a few people and bring more tech into the Fertility Awareness world.

Do you have any advice or tips for other women who are curious about starting to chart?
You CAN do it, and it IS worth it. The knowledge and self-understanding that FABMs will bring to your life are worth the effort that it takes to learn the methods. Our bodies are full of science, and we should be embracing that instead of shutting it down. FABMs teach connections that are integral to understanding your body as a whole, and the amount of effort that it takes (5 minutes a day, max) is so minimal compared to the reward you’re getting. Find friends in the Fertility Awareness world, because that’s how women empower each other.

Lastly, where can we find you?
You can find me over at solvingladylife.com where I write about Fertility Awareness and life hacks for women!

Thanks so much for sharing, Liza!

Do you have a story you are ready to share about your journey with Fertility Awareness-Based Methods? Contact me via the form at the bottom of this page to organise an interview!

This article originally appeared on mamamia.com.au

Some of the links in this article are affiliate links, meaning, at no additional cost to you, I may earn a commission if you click through and make a purchase. For more information, please read the Advertising & Affiliates Policy here.

It’s been a year and a half now since I took my last Pill back in 2016. I remember the day well. I woke up on the morning of a new pill packet and decided “screw it” – I’d had enough of them and it’d only been 10 months!

By this stage I had changed from my previous happy self into an emotionless zombie – I was simply floating through my days in a strange sense of detachment while periodically experiencing anxiety attacks. Plus, my hair was thinning and I was developing hyperpigmentation on my face.

I had never wanted to go on the Pill in the first place, but condoms weren’t cutting it in the honeymoon phase with my new boyfriend. I had taken the Morning-After pill twice in the space of about 3 months (oops!) and I just couldn’t see any other way around it.

Thankfully, as soon as I stopped the Pill I literally felt like a cloud lifted from my head – so much so, that people commented on how much happier and more present I seemed. And a few weeks later, I finally stumbled upon some information that completely blew my mind.

“You don’t need to use synthetic hormones or IUD’s to avoid pregnancy” said Summer. What?! That didn’t seem right, but those were the words I was hearing from my work colleague in the car on the way to our work Christmas party.

It turns out, Summer was right. There is something called the Symptothermal Method that has been studied to show a 99.6 per cent perfect use effectiveness rating, and a 98.2 per cent typical use effectiveness rating to avoid pregnancy. That typical use effectiveness rating is higher than the Pill which sits at only 92 per cent.

The Symptothermal Method is a form of Fertility Awareness. You take note of the look and feel of your cervical mucus every time you go to the bathroom, and you take your basal body temperature every morning before you get out of bed. You might know cervical mucus as “discharge”, but it’s actually very healthy and changes from dry or sticky to wet and slippery as you become more fertile leading up to ovulation. Your basal body temperature is your core body temperature at rest, and it rises after you’ve ovulated.

These two biomarkers tell you when your “fertile window” opens and closes every menstrual cycle. There’s only about 6 -9 days you can actually become pregnant – and that takes into account the lifespan of sperm, too. With this information you can decide to use a barrier method or abstain while you’re fertile, or you can schedule sex to increase your chances of conceiving!

I learned all this while reading a book called “Taking Charge Of Your Fertility” by Toni Weschler. I then went and spoke to my GP about it and it turns out that she herself had used Fertility Awareness for over 20 years both to avoid getting pregnant, and then to fall pregnant when she was ready! Honestly I don’t think I’d ever been so shocked in my life. I couldn’t fathom why us women had been kept in the dark for so long about how our bodies actually work.

I soon found out that I wasn’t the only one. Summer introduced me to a Facebook group called “Fertility Awareness Method Of Birth Control” and I discovered thousands of other women using the Symptothermal Method. Personally, I see this as a bit of an uprising as women around Australia and the world are getting sick and tired of being told that it’s just our lot as women to endure crappy side effects in the name of sexual freedom.

Curious to hear an opinion from someone qualified in womens health, I reached out to Sydney Naturopath and author, Lara Briden. Lara said “I’m a huge fan of modern fertility awareness methods such as the Symptothermal Method. They’re far more reliable than the old rhythm or calendar methods because they use the scientific observation of body temperature and cervical mucus. For example, one study of women trained in the Symptothermal Method found it to have a perfect use failure rate of just 0.4 per cent, which is pretty close to the 0.3 per cent for perfect use of the Pill. In my upcoming book Period Repair Manual, I recommend Fertility Awareness as the best of the non-hormonal methods of birth control. I also recommend it to many of my patients”.

It makes sense then, that so many Australian women from all different walks of life are turning their backs on hormonal birth control for a more natural approach. Many of them were kind enough to share their experiences with me.

Emily, a 31 year old from Sydney said “I came off the pill when we decided to try for a family, only to find out I had PCOS and erratic cycles. The Symptothermal Method has finally given me knowledge about my cycles and my body – I’ll never be using an oral contraceptive again. Every woman should be taught this method!”

Summer, a 29 year old Australian living in London said “About four years ago I came across the Symptothermal Method. Since moving overseas and other stresses, my cycle had been negatively impacted. Charting allowed me to see that something was wrong and find natural ways to heal. It’s such a great thing for women and their partners to learn”.

Nat Kringoudis, founder of Melbourne health centre The Pagoda Tree and author of ‘The Contraception Deception‘, said “I’ve been practicing the Symptothermal Method for well over 10 years.  I have two children, both conceived very quickly after trying (testament to knowing my cycle) and I know my body well enough to use this practice to prevent pregnancy.  This is very important to me since I’m not wanting any more children.  I believe the biggest gift women can have is understanding their cycles and what their body is telling them each and every month.”

Jenna from Tasmania had a slightly more complex story and said “I was put on the pill to suppress symptoms of my rare, inherited bleeding disorder (Von WIllebrand Disease – VWD) as a teen. After 13 years, I had a handful of side effects, as well as the hormones in the pill no longer suppressing the VWD symptoms. Now, after 3 years post pill, the symptoms of my condition are well managed through other medications. Using the Symptothermal Method has allowed me to avoid pregnancy and side effects, and gives me useful information for my medical team about the state of my health.”

Tilpa local Sylvie, said “After suffering from severe anxiety and panic attacks while on hormonal birth control, my partner and I decided to try something different. We used the Symptothermal Method to avoid pregnancy for more than a year until we decided we were ready start a family. The knowledge we gained made the process of trying to conceive much less stressful and we are now expecting our first child!”

Kirsty, 36 of Sydney said “I was getting concerned about the everyday things that interfere with our body chemistry; like endocrine disruptors in products and plastics, and hormones in meat, but I literally had a foreign object wedged into my body pumping out stuff I knew nothing about. Ignorance might have been bliss for a long time, but learning the Symptothermal Method has given me really powerful insight into how my body works. I feel so privileged to have this knowledge and to be a part of the awesome community around it.”

The overwhelming mood was of positive change. It was clear these women felt the same way I did: empowered through newfound knowledge about how our bodies worked.

It dawned on me that men are fertile 24/7 and women are only fertile for about a week every month – so why are we the ones that have to grit our teeth through IUD insertions and arm implants and Depo injections and little Pills that make some of us sad? Go figure, but these are the questions I ponder while I fall asleep at night.

Synthetic hormones and non-hormonal IUD’s work fine for most women and can be important tools for some health conditions. But I think we all deserve transparent information – not only about their side effects, but that there IS another way.

I would love to hear your stories on how the Symptothermal Method has impacted your life – please leave a comment below!