Why This Mom of 2 Ditched Birth Control (and What I’m Doing Now Instead)

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If you told 15-year-old me that one day I’d willingly give up birth control, I probably would’ve laughed. The pill had been part of my daily routine for so long that it almost felt like brushing my teeth. It was something I did without thinking. But after having two kids and spending nearly half my life on hormonal birth control, I started noticing something wasn’t right. My cycles were all over the place I was having random spotting, and honestly, my body just felt… off.  And so began my journey into Natural Birth Control

That’s when I started asking myself the question I’d never really considered: Do I actually need to be on this anymore? Spoiler: the answer was no. So, I began learning to work with my body instead of against it. I found an OB/GYN who practiced western medicine, but who also LISTENED to my concerns without dismissing them right off the bat. Together, we came up with a plan to ditch the pill and utilize a medication-free birth control method.

In this post, I’ll share deeper reasons why I finally ditched hormonal birth control, the method I use now (Hint: it’s the Natural Cycles app), and what I’ve learned along the way.

This post may contain affiliate links from which I receive a commission if you click or make a purchase. This article is for informational and educational purposes only and is not intended to replace medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. See my full policy for more information.

My Decision to Stop Hormonal Birth Control

The Backstory—15 Years on the Pill

I vividly remember the day I got my very first birth control prescription. I was seeing my doctor for horrible migraines associated with my period, along with cramps so painful I’d have to sit down because it was too difficult to walk. Add on the intense acne and nausea, so I was told I was a great candidate for birth control.

I’ll be the first to admit, it was nice having SOME regularity on the pill. Not to mention, the pain seemed to minimize, and so did the intense acne.

But after a while, some of these symptoms came back. As you can probably guess, I was told to try a different birth control because each active ingredient can target different symptoms, so I did.

It wasn’t until I gave birth to my first son and was off the pill post-birth that I began to notice an obvious difference in my cycle. It was heavier, much more sporadic, and incredibly painful. As usual, I was told getting back on the pill was the answer, and since I wasn’t trying to have another baby any time soon, I did.

Menstrual Irregularities That Made Me Question Everything

After my second child was born, I decided I wanted to understand WHY my periods were so abnormal. I had gone down the rabbit hole of learning about PCOS and endometriosis, while I wasn’t convinced I had one or the other, I also just knew what I was experiencing was being masked by taking the pill.

Some of the symptoms I experienced while ON the pill included:

• Missing my period for months
• Nausea
• Excessive Weight Gain
• More intense postpartum mood swings

After stopping the pill, I experienced:

• Irregular periods that would sometimes skip a month, or where I’d bleed for a month straight
• Intense nausea/vomiting
• Intense Mood Swings (the week before my period would start)
• Pain when using a tampon 
• Painful cramps
• Acne along my chin and back

At this time, I was also at my heaviest between having 2 kids in less than 2 years, being on and off birth control, and not prioritizing my eating habits. Which is no surprise, my first doctor along this journey told me that all my issues were likely due to being overweight. While I know I was overweight (I’m a small girl, only 5’2″), I couldn’t help but question if ALL of these issues were truly due to my weight. However, when you’re being rushed out of the door of the doctor’s office, there isn’t much room to converse. So, I decided I’d try to focus on losing weight,

To no surprise, I struggled. I was dieting (which wasn’t a new concept for me at all). I was working out more, getting in more steps, getting more sleep, and the scale was barely moving.

I went back to see a new provider who took the time to listen, run some tests, and then had me come back in to discuss our results. It was such a breath of fresh air to experience that. She explained that some of my labwork came back concerning, mainly that I was prediabetic, had elevated liver enzymes, and some of my hormones came back slightly high, which indicated I have PCOS. 

She said that while losing weight can help and is recommended, it will be difficult due to the abnormalities I’m working against. One option is to go back on the pill to try and manage symptoms, though it’s no cure. The other option is to discuss with a weight loss specialist to see if I’m a candidate for weight loss medications to help me lose the weight, improve my diet, and, in turn, improve my health and menstrual symptoms. If I opt for this path, I’d need to find a way to track my menstrual cycle to keep an eye on my symptoms and prevent unwanted pregnancy.

I happily opted for that path.

Why I Started Exploring Natural Birth Control

I spent days researching the different period tracking apps out there and was torn on which one would be best after narrowing down my final 2 options. So I asked my OB/Gyn for her opinion on the two, and she recommended the Natural Cycles Birth Control App.

One of the biggest reasons why is that it’s an FDA-approved non-hormonal period tracking app that can work as birth control. However, it also has additional features to help with ovulation monitoring, symptom tracking, and even pregnancy and postpartum monitoring.

That’s when I decided to sign up for the Natural Cycles trial and give it a try.

What Is Natural Birth Control?

Before we get too ahead, let’s better understand what Natural Birth Control even is. Natural birth control refers to methods of preventing pregnancy without the use of synthetic hormones or medical devices.

The most common approach is Natural Family Planning (NFP) or Fertility Awareness Methods (FAM), where you track your body’s natural signs of fertility, for example, your menstrual cycle, cervical mucus, and basal body temperature, to identify fertile and non-fertile days.

Unlike the old-school rhythm method, which relies on a simple calendar count, fertility awareness methods work by observing your actual cycle patterns and symptoms in real time. This makes them more adaptable and often more effective when used correctly.

How Effective Is Natural Birth Control?

With perfect use, Natural Cycles birth control tracking is up to 98–99% effective at preventing pregnancy. This means you follow the app’s guidance exactly by taking your temperature daily, logging data, and avoiding unprotected sex on fertile days. With typical use or not following guidelines to a T, the effectiveness is closer to 93% due to missed or incorrect tracking.

Understanding the Difference Between “Perfect Use” and “Typical Use”:

• Perfect use means being consistent and precise every single day.
• Typical use reflects real life—missed mornings, forgetting to log data, or occasionally taking a risk on a fertile day.

Knowing these key differences can help set realistic expectations before switching and also help you understand if the natural cycle tracking would work for you.

When Natural Birth Control Might Not Be the Best Choice

On that note, if avoiding pregnancy is critical, if you travel frequently across time zones, or if your cycles are highly irregular, you may want to pair this method with another form of contraception for added protection. 

For me, my husband had recently had a vasectomy, so pregnancy prevention wasn’t at the top of my list. It was more so for me to better be able to track and understand my body’s cycle each month.

Why I Chose the Natural Cycles App

How the App Works (Tracking Body Temperature & Cycle Data)

The Natural Cycles app uses a highly sensitive algorithm to analyze your daily basal body temperature and menstrual cycle data. You start by taking your temperature first thing in the morning using a basal body thermometer and logging it in the app. Then, you get a personalized prediction of your fertile days and non-fertile days, making it easier to avoid pregnancy naturally or know when to try for a baby.

Why It’s Hormone-Free and Works With Your Body

After years of relying on synthetic hormones to control my cycle, I wanted something that would let my body’s natural rhythm take the lead. Natural Cycles is 100% hormone-free, so it doesn’t interfere with your ovulation or your natural menstrual cycle. It simply helps you understand and work with your body’s fertility signs.

For instance, after being off birth control for 7 months (in combination with using a GLP-1 to help me with weight loss and improving my health), I began noticing a specific pattern to my period developing. What was once a very irregular cycle started to turn into a 3-day cycle with clear signs and symptoms before its onset, which I was able to efficiently track thanks to the Natural Cycle Tracking App.

Plus, when I had a follow-up with my doctor, I could easily show her my app with all of my logged data, making it easy to discuss any concerns and improvements I was noticing.

Is Natural Cycles FDA Approved?

Yes! Natural Cycles was the first birth control app to be FDA cleared in the United States and is also CE marked for use in Europe. This means it has undergone rigorous testing to ensure safety and effectiveness when used correctly.

Can Natural Cycles Track Irregular Periods or Pregnancy?

Natural Cycles can be used if you have some cycle irregularity, but it may take a bit longer for the algorithm to learn your unique patterns. While it is not designed to diagnose pregnancy, it can detect signs of possible pregnancy by identifying an extended period of elevated BBT and will prompt you to take a test if needed.

Now that you know more about the Natural Cycle Tracking app…let’s also talk about some key things to keep in mind before you make the switch.

Things to Know Before Switching to Natural Family Planning

Consistency Matters (This Means Tracking Every Day)

Your basal body temperature should be taken at the same time each morning before getting out of bed, consistently. Consistency is key to keeping this kind of app’s algorithm accurate, so skipping days can throw off your fertile window predictions.

If possible, you should use ovulation strips on suspected ovulating days to confirm whether or not they come back positive.

By being consistent with your tracking, you’re guaranteeing yourself a more successful family planning method that can prevent unwanted pregnancies, help you conceive, and better understand your menstrual cycle.

It’s not 100%

While this method can be incredibly accurate when tracked and followed consistently, it’s important to know that it isn’t a 100% guaranteed birth control solution. Meaning, if you accidentally skip a day, maybe you mislog your data, or have irregular periods that are difficult to track, you could run the risk of getting pregnant.

Since using this app wasn’t primarily for me to prevent pregnancy, I weighed out the remaining pros and cons of using traditional oral contraceptives and felt like it was a good choice for me. Make sure to make a pros and cons list for yourself, discuss with your healthcare provider, and even with your partner.

You’ll also love this article: Best Leakproof Underwear For Moms (that’s NOT a diaper)

The Bottom Line on Natural Birth Control

My Honest Take After Switching

While Natural Birth Control may not be the right choice for everyone, it’s been a game-changer for me. It gave me back control over my body and taught me so much about my cycle and fertility.

It helped me pinpoint windows where I was experiencing more mood swings, indicating I may need to supplement with some B6 or chasteberry during this time (according to my doctor). It helped me recognize windows of exhaustion and sleepiness, indicating I should prioritize rest and slowing down during those times.

Questions to Ask Your Health Care Provider Before Making the Switch

• Do I have any health conditions that could make natural methods less effective?
• How regular do my cycles need to be?
• What should I do if I miss a day of tracking?
• Are there any medical risks to stopping the pill, specific to my health?

After using the Natural Cycle tracking app for close to 3 years, I can definitely say I recommend it, but do you think it could be right for you? Jot down the questions above and chat with your healthcare provider about them today!

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