If you’ve ever wondered how to connect more deeply with your body and understand your natural rhythms, Fertility Awareness Method (FAM) is a great place to start. FAM is a simple, science-backed and natural way to monitor your fertility and overall health. Whether you’re interested in non-hormonal contraception, learning more about your overall health or just gaining some insight into yourself, learning to track your cycle can empower you in profound ways.
What is FAM?
FAM is a daily habit of observing signs of hormonal changes throughout the cycle to identify ovulation - knowing your fertile and non-fertile days with confidence is the overarching “goal” of FAM and to achieve this, it's best to make a habit of noting your observations and having a way of being able to look back at your “data.”
Ovulation is a vital sign of overall health - ideally, it happens each cycle so that our whole body benefits from the hormonal splendour involved. The information that you gather enables you to see your own ovulation pattern and get a sense of whether you’re ovulating regularly, irregularly or if it's missing altogether.
The length of your cycle will be determined by the time when you ovulate and this can fluctuate slightly from cycle to cycle, making those daily cycle observations pretty crucial if you want to have accurate, reliable fertility tracking.
Bottom line?
A cycle tracking habit is two-fold; it involves the physical act of recording the information that you gather each day and it requires you to practise being aware of the changes that happen in your body throughout each cycle.
How does Fertility Awareness Method work?
FAM involves noticing and tracking three key signs of fertility to understand where you are in your cycle. By recognising and identifying certain changes, you can position yourself along the hormonal pattern that is unique to your body.
Cervical mucus: Throughout your cycle, cervical mucus changes in sensation and appearance. Observing these changes can indicate when you’re fertile and when you’re not. During the fertile phase of your cycle, cervical mucus generally becomes thinner and more abundant. You may experience your fertile cervical mucus as clear, watery, slippery or stretchy or any combination of these. Over time, you will see cervical mucus patterns, helping you to determine whether or not ovulation is happening regularly. Knowing how to identify that your body is fertile, means you can make informed decisions about your body.
Basal body temperature (BBT): Your basal body temperature is your body’s lowest resting temperature. By taking your temperature first thing upon waking every day (before drinking water or getting up to wee), you will see temperature pattern shifts if you ovulate. After ovulation, hormonal shifts cause a slight but noticeable rise in our resting BBT, signaling the end of the fertile window. You can use this information to confirm that you have ovulated and you will be infertile for the rest of the cycle.
Cycle Phases: By tracking the length and symptoms of your menstrual cycle over time, you can begin to understand your individual cycle phases - menstrual, follicular, ovulatory and luteal - and become familiar with you how you experience your own unique hormonal ebb and flow.
Who is Fertility Awareness Method for?
FAM is for anyone with a menstrual cycle who wants to learn how to monitor their signs of ovulation and understand their body’s unique patterns and needs. And if you don’t have a menstrual cycle you can still track observations, anything that feels important for you to notice. You may also find it beneficial to tune into subtle “energetic” influences like the phases of the moon or the sun.
Whatever your reason for choosing to learn FAM - health is the bottom line. Knowledge is power and when you are confident with what’s “normal” for your body, you can quickly identify when something feels off. Meaning, you can address potential health issues in a timely way. It also means you can speak to your health provider with confidence and from a solid understanding of your unique bodily experiences.
Why FAM?
The benefits of FAM go far beyond tracking your ovulation. It brings you gifts in the form of:
Body literacy: If, like me, you received a poor education about your body and having a menstrual cycle, then FAM at least gives you a basic understanding of what’s going on each cycle and how to read the signs of your body. From this knowledge, you can make informed decisions about your health and fertility.
Hormone health: FAM helps you tune into potential hormone-related issues like irregular cycles, anovulation (no ovulation) or PMS / PMDD and take action accordingly. For those looking to avoid pregnancy, FAM offers a hormone-free, natural alternative to birth control. When we produce hormones naturally, we receive a vast array of health benefits.
Knowledge for life: It’s low cost or entirely free if you choose to self-teach. There are plenty of resources available to help you learn FAM but I do recommend getting started with a certified FAM educator. This is a relatively small financial investment that will provide you with lifetime knowledge and benefits.
Peace of mind: knowing your cycle means fewer surprises - it takes the randomness out of cyclical changes and instead helps you to prepare for them.
Confidence: so many of us were not equipped with the tools or wisdom to understand our own body (or even talk about it!) FAM helps you to reclaim a powerful respect for your natural rhythms, which is essential in managing your reproductive health with confidence.
Ready to start tracking your cycle?
Starting with FAM can feel overwhelming, but it doesn’t have to be! With any new habit or practise, it’s best to start slow and simple. This makes the habit more manageable and likely to stick. Read my 4 minute read blog for the cycle tracking newbies.
Or read the short version:
Begin by focusing on one fertility sign - cervical mucus. Each day, note down the day of your cycle and what you notice in terms of cervical mucus sensation and appearance.
Over time, as you build confidence in identifying hormonal signs from your body, you can incorporate additional signs for a fuller understanding of your cycle. Or choose to work with a FAM educator like me, and take the mystery out of your menstrual cycle with the support and accountability of certified teacher.
Fertility Awareness Method is more than just a natural alternative to hormonal birth control or a family planning tool - it’s a journey of self-discovery. By taking the first step, you'll soon find yourself mind-blown with the knowledge you learn about your body, and as you nurture a deeper connection with it all, it soon becomes a powerful wisdom that you’ll wonder how you’ve managed without it.
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