There are so many apps, devices, and discussion groups floating around the interwebs these days that it’s enough to make a person wonder if they can really be successful with charting on their own. What app should you use? What discussion board will be most helpful? Can you really do it without some kind of device to back you up?
The most important lesson I want you to learn today is that in order to be successful with the fertility awareness method, all you need is you!
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You don’t need to rely on apps or other people telling you what’s happening with your body — once you learn the method, all you’ll ever need is inside of your own brain and body, and your observations and insights will allow you to be successful with this method.
While there may be some great apps out there (I’ll talk about these in a future post), most of them are not so good and are more confusing than anything. Many of them have predictions about when the fertile phase of your cycle is and when you should expect your period. They may be pretty and look nice, but the truth is that no app can know what’s going on with your cycle more accurately than you can know for yourself (not to mention that most women don’t have a cycle that is exactly like the science textbooks the apps are based on).
As well, far too many women rely on the kindness of strangers in online discussion boards to tell them what is happening with their cycle. It’s lovely that women want to help each other out, and I think having a community of women sharing and learning is a wonderful thing. However, you have to keep in mind that these women have not been trained to teach the method. Some of what they say will be super helpful, but a lot will be repetition of myths and misinformation. In order to have someone look at your chart, and successfully help you interpret it, you would need to have a conversation with her to explain how you observe for mucus, how you define your mucus, what your sensations were like, etc. All in all, there’s no way she can know what your chart actually means simply by looking at an image of it online.
Remember, the key to charting successfully is observing your mucus and keeping track of it daily. It’s as simple as that! No devices required. You will need something to record your observations on, and whether you use paper charts or an app is fine, just remember to trust your own interpretations over that of any device.
If you need support and don’t feel confident interpreting your charts by yourself, ask me! I have been trained on biology and physiology, hormonal balance, holistic health, and charting. Not only can I help you interpret your charts but I can provide advice for improving hormonal health! Working with me will help you gain the confidence you need to be your own mucus maven.
Confused about your mucus? Not sure how to interpret your chart? Sign up for one of our programs and soon you’ll be a mucus maven!
