Fertility Awareness Method (FAM) is a simple, mindful way to connect with your body’s natural rhythms, to better understand your health. If thinking or talking about your menstrual cycle feels new to you, then knowing where to start may feel out of reach. Don’t worry - this blog is a beginner friendly guide to give you some practical tips to get you started.
Understand the basics
At its root, FAM is about observing the natural changes in your body throughout your menstrual cycle to determine days of fertility. This means paying attention to variations in bodily fluid, physical sensations and shifts in your energy. It’s best practice to record what you observe, so that you can start to see patterns. What you note becomes your cycle tracking data - how this information looks and how it's used will be different for everybody, but FAM serves to provide health insights each month, and empowers people with the knowledge they need to make the best decisions for themselves - whether that’s choices related to their sexual behaviour, diet or lifestyle given your intentions and needs.
It can feel overwhelming when you’ve never tracked your cycle before, knowing what to look for is key but it can take a little time to attune to a habit of noticing changes in your body. Keep it simple - start small and you’ll build confidence over time.
It is important to understand that when using FAM to avoid pregnancy, like any other birth control option, there is no 100% effective method other than abstinence. The beauty of FAM is that it’s really down to you, each day you can make informed choices about your body and your health - how empowering!
Learning FAM was a game changer for me. Guesswork transformed into trust, knowledge into wisdom. It has changed the way I perceive myself and my connection to the world, helping me to feel better. Awareness is a skill that can lead to many health benefits. If you’re interested in personal discovery and growth, this is a relatively simple (and cost-effective_ habit to support that.
Your FAM essentials
Starting out, here’s the essential:
Cycle tracking app: digital apps offer convenience - noticed some fertile mucus whilst you’re out? Popped into Marks and Spencer loos to check? Your phone is likely to-hand at most times, making a cycle tracking app a great choice for those who are on-the-go and out and about during the day.
Paper charts may offer a different experience. Perhaps a slower, more grounded moment to record your observations, after all, some people just prefer hand to paper.
The important bit is to pick the one that feels most natural to you. Which one do you think will be most accessible and easiest to do on a daily basis. (Remember - this exercise can be as short as you like, it’s just about getting your observations and cycle day noted down).
Here are the optionals:
Basal body thermometer (BBT): Measure your waking temperature each morning. A slight rise in temperature after ovulation can help confirm that ovulation has occurred. It is important that temps are taken as soon as you wake - before you get out of bed, use the toilet or drink anything.
Journal: Recording your emotions, energy levels and lifestyle factors like sleep or stress can give you additional insights into your cycle’s flow. A journal offers more space for details, anecdotes and other information that may feel important for you to note down. Again, to practise FAM, only a few key words are needed to record your cervical mucus observations.
Consider what would feel easy to integrate into your daily routine, so tracking feels less like a chore and more like a simple, self-care habit.
Prioritise one observation focus:
Due to hormonal activity throughout the menstrual cycle, there is a one time event where an egg is released from the ovary and for a finite time, your body is fertile. That moment is called ovulation.
There are several key signs of fertility, the primary one being changes in cervical mucus, the sensation and appearance. It may take a few cycles of tracking to confidently identify them. For those who experience irregular cycles, it may take longer. It might be overwhelming to track every sign at once from the get-go, so consider starting with the one most important biological sign of fertility - cervical mucus.
Starting out, here’s the essential:
Cervical mucus (CM): Notice how its consistency and appearance change during your cycle. Typically, mucus becomes increasingly thinner and more abundant when you’re approaching your fertile window, often characterised as slippery, clear and/or stretchy - or words to match that effect. Keep it simple. Note down what you feel and what you see.
Here are the optionals:
Basal body temperature (BBT): Begin tracking your temperature first thing in the morning. Try to take your temp at the same time each day. A consistent daily reading will help you recognise patterns over time, so expect this to be a 3 month minimum commitment to see results. It’s secondary to CM because BBT is best used to confirm ovulation. After ovulation, the hormone progesterone is produced in high amounts, creating a warming effect on the body. You cannot use BBT alone to practise FAM - it is effective as a secondary biomarker to help you decide confidently whether or not you have ovulated.
Focusing on one sign allows you to build confidence and develop a consistent tracking habit. You can add more observations in time, but chances are you’ll refine the language that you use to identify changes in mucus as these bodily shift becomes second nature. The more information you collect, the more detailed picture you’ll have of your cycle patterns and the more informed you are about your health.
Record Your Observations Daily
If I haven’t laboured the point enough, here it is again: The goal of cycle tracking isn’t just to collect data, it’s to understand your unique patterns. Each day, take a few moments to:
Note any changes in your cervical mucus.
Log your morning temperature (if you’re tracking BBT)
Reflect briefly on how you feel physically and emotionally, along with any factors (like stress or sleep) that might influence your cycle.
Over time, these daily check-ins will help you notice regular patterns in your cycle, making it easier to identify your fertile and non-fertile phases.
Learn to interpret your data
After a few cycles of tracking, you’ll start to see clear patterns. Here are a few basics to look for:
Fertile window: The day when cervical mucus changes in sensation and/or appearance is an indicator of your body getting ready to ovulate. This change is due to rising estrogen levels, which happens in the first half of the cycle after menstruation. Once you notice this change, the fertile window is considered open - you are potentially fertile. The fertile window closes when the mucus changes again - back to dry or an unchanging mucus type.
Ovulation confirmation: A sustained rise in BBT usually signals that ovulation has taken place. This can bring added peace of mind, alongside CM patterns.
Rest of the Cycle: Depending on your cycle length, the days when you notice temperatures dropping is an indicator that you’re heading towards menstruation, if an egg has not been fertilised.
As you become more familiar with these signals, you’ll gain valuable insights into your reproductive health.
Go on - a little cheeky plug…
Consider guidance from a FAM educator
While self-tracking can be very informative, many beginners benefit from the extra guidance of a FAM educator. A certified educator can help you refine your tracking techniques, offer personalised insights and boost your confidence as you learn to interpret your cycle data. It also helps you to stay accountable and keep the habit going!
My top tip…
Start small and be consistent
Cycle tracking in itself is a journey of self-awareness and discovery. Tracking to understand your fertility requires dedication and commitment - especially if you are using FAM as a hormone-free option for birth control.
By starting with simple, daily observations and gradually expanding your tracking methods, you can develop a deeper understanding of your ovulation patterns. Whether your goal is to improve your overall health, manage fertility, or simply feel more connected to yourself, FAM offers a holistic and empowering approach.
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