FAM 101 - Part 1 - Tools
FAM 101 - Part 1 - Tools
If you've stumbled into the world of fertility awareness, welcome! This process can be just as daunting as it is exciting. That's why I'm creating a FAM 101 blog series where I'll go over fertility awareness with you as a beginner.
The FAM 101 series has four parts:
Part One: Tools of Fertility Awareness
Part Two: What We Chart & The Fertility Signs
Part Three: Charting Your Data Accurately
Part Four: Interpreting Your Data
Let's get started with the basics.
What tools do I need to properly perform the fertility awareness method?
You have a choice to perform fertility awareness entirely analog or with the helpful use of digital technology
You will need a basal body thermometer. This is an oral thermometer that reads to the 100th degree (.00) and is used to take your waking temperature. I prefer thermometers that have an LED screen, and that record your temperatures, the date, and the time of the recording, so you aren't burdened with charting first thing in the morning. If you prefer an analog thermometer, you may use a glass one that reads to the 100th degree. These thermometers should not cost more than $30 US Dollars. Some are marketed to connect directly to your phone, but adds an unnecessary cost to performing the method.
You will need a chart. The chart is where you will accumulate your menstrual data to be analyzed. This can come in the form of a fertility awareness app or an analog fertility awareness journal. The purpose of the chart is to keep track of your cycle days & monitor the changes in your body through your observational data & the data from the use of the thermometer. Charting apps are convenient, but your data is now shared with the company & sometimes sold to advertisers or used for research. Beware of chart predictions & only use apps that allow you to switch this feature off. App predictions are highly unstable and not used as a part of the fertility awareness method. I use the Kindara app. In an effort to create more resources for your journey into FAM, I also designed and published a paper charting book which is available for purchase here. Paper charts can also serve as a back-up for your digital data, or serve as good hands-on practice for learning to chart.
That's It. The method can be performed successfully using just these tools.
Additional tools for performing the fertility awareness method
If you so choose, you may employ the use of additional tools to corroborate your fertility window.
Ovulation predictor kits are urine tests which measure luteinizing hormone, and are a good indicator that ovulation is impending. The short spike in the hormone occurs 2-3 days before ovulation, and is responsible for pushing the egg out of the ovary. These test can be incorrect for a number of reasons and are not a reliable primary predictor of fertility, and thus are an additional corroborative tool.
Fertility monitor technology can also be useful. Sometimes these monitors measure luteinizing hormone and estrogen, as well as take in information about basal body temperature & your previous cycle length. These technologies are helpful for beginners, but are not to be relied upon as a primary fertility awareness tool. Only you can properly interpret your data, the app can only further confirm your findings. Again, I stress that app predictions are, in my experience, unreliable. Your body is not a clock
That's it for FAM 101 - Part One - Tools!
Check back next time for Part Two, where we'll go over what we observe and chart in the fertility awareness method. This includes your fertility signs, as well as secondary fertility signs, and other health data of your choosing.