Making the switch from other birth control methods to the sympto-thermal method

Hey girlies! 

Today we’re chatting about how to make the leap from the birth control pill or another birth control method to the sympt-othermal method of FAM (which stands for fertility awareness methods). This topic is near and dear to my heart because it was something I thought about doing for years but always felt scared to fully take the plunge. 

My story: 

Long story short, I was intrigued by Natural Cycles and this ability to track my cycle each month and use the data to avoid pregnancy. When my prescription for the pill was needing another refill and required at trip to the OBGYN, I decided to give it a try. I ordered the year-long membership and oral BBT thermometer that came with Natural Cycles and dove in. 

Being completely honest, the transition did not go well. I gave it two months before feeling totally overwhelmed and scared of a potentially unplanned pregnancy, so I decided to go back on the pill. This was because at the time, I had no idea how the method actually worked or what tracking my temperature every morning could tell me about my fertility status. It was great that the app gave me red days (fertile) and green days (safe for unprotected sex) to help guide me, but I had no context as to why yesterday was a red fertile day and then today was suddenly a safe green day?! It felt scary and I was doing it totally alone. This was back in 2018 and TBH no one was really talking about these methods yet and most of my friends thought I was a bit cray cray. 

Fast forward a year later, I didn’t give up on this desire to live fully in tune with my body’s natural blueprint but it took me some time to dig deeper on what science this method was using. That’s when I learned about different fertility awareness methods and ended up discovering the symptoms-thermal method. I also reconnected with Melanie (our other co-founder) during this time and we decided to learn the method together! Once I understood how hormonal fluctuations each month change my cervical fluid and basal body temperature patterns, it all made sense. And this was the moment Mel and I realized we wished we had been taught this so much earlier in life. We couldn’t believe that this isn’t just common knowledge shared with all women and that’s how The Natural Blueprint was born. 

The quick science:

In reality, the sympto-thermal method (which we teach in our courses) makes so much sense if you understand the science behind it. It uses daily biomarkers of cervical fluid and basal body temperature to help you identify when you enter and exit your fertile window. Now, we want to point out that Natural Cycles (in 2018) was only using basal body temperature as well as PREVIOUS cycle data to help predict when my fertile window started. This IS NOT the sympto-thermal method and to this day can still cause unplanned pregnancies because algorithms and prediction models may not always get it right. For example, your temperature can be skewed due to a fever but the Natural Cycles app may not pick up on this and could lead to false “safe” days before you have exited your fertile window. 

So what’s the science of the sympto-thermal method?

Let’s break it down in the most simple way. The Symptothermal Method uses real, measurable biomarkers your body gives you every single day. And no, this isn’t guesswork or vague intuition… it’s rooted in science, physiology, hormones, and patterns that are surprisingly consistent once you know what to look for.

Let’s break it down in a way that actually feels fun!

1. What Does “Symptothermal” Even Mean?
1. “Sympto” = symptoms you can observe
2. “Thermal” = your body’s basal body temperature (which is your body temperature at rest)

Put together, it’s a method that combines multiple biological signals to understand where you are in your fertile window each day of your cycle. Instead of relying on an app prediction or calendar math, you’re tracking real-time data from your body.

Biomarker #1: Basal Body Temperature (BBT)

This is your body’s resting temperature first thing in the morning, before you get out of bed, check your phone, or even sit up.

Here’s the cool part: After ovulation, your body produces progesterone, which is a heat-inducing hormone that causes a slight but measurable rise in your BBT. We’re talking about a subtle shift, but it’s enough to confirm that ovulation has already occurred. This is one of the most scientifically reliable ways to verify that your body actually ovulated. It’s important to know that BBT cannot pinpoint EXACTLY when ovulation happened, as the temperature rise will only happen AFTER ovulation occurs and that progesterone rise can vary from person to person.

Biomarker #2: Cervical Fluid

Yes, we’re talking about the fluid that is sometimes referred to as “discharge.” And guess what… while you probably thought it was gross in your teen years, it’s actually one of the most underrated (and wildly informative & important) biomarkers when it comes to fertility. 

Your cervical fluid changes in response to rising estrogen before ovulation. As you get closer to ovulation, it becomes:

• More prevalent
• More watery, slippery & stretchy often resembling raw egg whites 

Why this matters:

• This type of fluid helps sperm survive and travel through the uterus to meet an egg 
• When it comes to tracking, the presence of cervical fluid indicates that your fertile window is open

Basically, your body is literally creating the ideal environment for conception! How cool is that?!

After ovulation? Progesterone (that same hormone that causes our temperature to rise) kicks in and cervical fluid dries up quickly.

It wasn’t until I fully understood the science behind the sympto-thermal method that I felt fully confident implementing it. And you know what’s crazy, once I implemented it and started noticing the amazing biomarkers my body was giving me each month, it reduced ALL stress of avoiding pregnancy because I knew on my own if I was fertile each day or not and wasn’t relying on an app or device to tell me. 

As estrogen rises and ovulation approaches, distinct shifts in cervical fluid can be identified. It’s somewhat subjective, so it takes some training on what’s normal for you but after a few months I could clearly see the transitions and knew myself when I was entering my fertile window. 

Another huge game changer the second time around was that Mel and I supported each other and were able to ask questions about our charts to one another. That’s why, we strongly believe learning this method with support is the best! 

If you’re ready to take the leap and implement a natural method to help you avoid or achieve pregnancy, join our on-demand course today!

P.S - Want to make the switch and not sure how? Check out this guide to learn more...