My Experience Using the Natural Cycles App While Traveling
/The Natural Cycles app is an FDA Cleared and CE Marked method of non-hormonal birth control. The app is 93% effective with typical use (98% effective with perfect use) at preventing pregnancy by recording the fluctuations in your basal body temperature and alerting you to use an additional form of contraception or abstain on your fertile days.
Because Natural Cycles uses your precise basal body temperature, it’s fair to be concerned about the app’s effectiveness due to temperature irregularities caused by travel-related stress, anxiety, and jet lag. In my experience traveling while using Natural Cycles, the app has been an essential tool to help me understand the changes in my cycle and my body, and for me has been a 100% effective form of birth control. In my first year of using Natural Cycles, I traveled to 14 countries and crossed time zones at least a hundred times. For some trips, the difference in time zones was not very drastic, but for other trips the difference was extreme: for example, flying from California to Istanbul, Turkey for a 3-day conference and then flying right back to California before leaving again to Mexico City.
In this article, I describe why I switched to Natural Cycles, my experience using the app, tips for traveling while using the app, and include screenshots of graphs and my temperature fluctuations during months of extensive travel. Click on any of the links to jump ahead to a specific section, or simply scroll down to read in full.
Why I switched from hormonal birth control to Natural Cycles
Everyone has their own reasons for seeking alternatives to hormonal birth control methods, and for me, my previous form of birth control was no longer working for me. After using a hormonal method (the ring) for almost ten years, I was instructed by my doctor to stop using it because I was getting frequent migraines. I then tried other hormonal methods like the pill and mini-pill, and each had their own side effects that made me not feel like myself. I found out about Natural Cycles on Instagram, and after reading countless reviews, scouring the internet for any information on user’s past experiences, and asking the advice of my doctor, I decided to try it. And now over a year later, I am so happy I did.
Making the switch from hormonal birth control to Natural Cycles
What I lost –Migraines, depression, and episodic fainting caused by synthetic hormones
What I gained – A newfound, empowering experience of my own body and cycle. For the first time in over ten years, I began experiencing natural hormonal changes like mild mood swings, water retention, bigger boobs before my period, and period cramps.
My experience using Natural Cycles for 1 year
The Natural Cycles app recommends entering your temperature at least 5 days a week, but the more often you enter, the better it gets to know you.
Overall, using Natural Cycles has been a wonderful experience. I’m normally very organized and try to be mindful so it’s been easy for me to remember to take my temperature every single morning, and pack it in my bag every time I travel or sleep away from home. I’ve been using the app religiously and input my temperature every single morning, regardless of if it’s normal or deviating. The app recommends you measure at least 5 days a week, but the more you measure, the better it gets to know you. The better it gets to know you, the more Green Days you get. (Green Days are days the app determines there is no risk of pregnancy, and Red Days are the days the app recommends you use an additional form of contraception, or abstain from sex to avoid pregnancy.)
What do I love most about using the Natural Cycles app? 1. It works. 2. I feel great. It’s been amazing to finally feel like myself. Having been on hormonal birth control for so many years, I had almost forgotten what it was like to experience things like period cramps, mild mood swings, or water retention. Even though I was having “periods” while on hormonal birth control, it wasn’t until I stopped taking them that I realized those “periods” were just bleeding due to an absence of the hormones by body was used to taking. Ever since I switched to Natural Cycles, every period I’ve had naturally has been something to celebrate- and not because it signals that I avoided unwanted pregnancy, but rather that each period is an empowering and miraculous event that makes me proud to be a woman.
Tips for using Natural Cycles while traveling
Traveling while using any form of birth control can have its drawbacks. While using my previous hormonal methods of birth control while traveling, it was always inconvenient to schedule doctor appointments and pharmacy visits, stock up for the amount of time I was going to be away, and make sure it was properly stored within a specific temperature range as is suggested. With Natural Cycles, the only things you have to remember are bringing your thermometer with you (I recommend also having a backup thermometer), getting a good amount of sleep so you can take your measurement every morning, making sure you have an internet connection at least once a day, and remembering to have a second form of contraception like condoms for your “red days”, when the app indicates that you are most fertile.
Traveling with your thermometer
To use the Natural Cycles app, you need to measure your temperature with a basal thermometer with a precise reading to .01 decimal places. Natural Cycles offers a thermometer in their webshop, which you can get for free if you sign up using this link. I personally use this basal thermometer that I ordered off Amazon because the volume of the beeping is quieter, which my boyfriend definitely appreciates when I’m taking early morning measurements.
I always recommend having a back-up basal thermometer when you travel in case you lose yours or the battery dies. In my experience, I’ve never been able to find a .01 basal thermometer for sale in a brick and mortar store in California, so I would imagine shopping for one in another country or in a remote area would be difficult and time-consuming.
Managing sleep and stress
In order to get accurate readings of your temperature to input in the app, it’s important to make sure you are getting enough sleep. (The app recommends at least four hours of sleep). Stress, anxiety, excitement, and jet lag are all things that can affect the amount of sleep you get, so managing these and doing what you can to overcome jet lag are helpful for taking your measurements accurately. Some tips that have helped me overcome jet lag are hydrating and exercising before, during, and after a trip; staying busy so I’m not tempted to nap; setting my watch/clocks to the time zone of my destination as soon as I get on the plane; and if I absolutely have to nap, limiting myself to only 20 minutes and setting a loud alarm so I don’t sleep through it. Tips for managing travel related stress include giving yourself plenty of time to plan and pack, and accepting the fact that a few hiccups here and there are inevitable and part of the journey! Click here for a more detailed list of my tips for avoiding and combatting jet lag.
One of the great things about Natural Cycles is that its algorithm can detect any changes to your cycle that may be caused by travel, stress, or lack of sleep, and will give you a Red Day if there is any doubt or possible risk of pregnancy.
The Natural Cycles App needs to be connected to the internet to sync with its algorithm. It will alert you to use protection and will store your data until you connect to the internet.
Connecting to the internet
For the Natural Cycles algorithm to give you an accurate daily status of either Red or Green once you input your temperature, your phone will need access to an internet connection. If you aren’t able to access the internet, the app will store your temperatures and will update your readings once you find a connection, and it’s recommended in the meantime to use a secondary form of birth control like a condom or abstain until the app can sync to its algorithm. Click here for a guide on Staying Connected while Traveling to learn what your options are for maintaining an internet connection while you’re abroad.
Bringing back-up contraception
Because Natural Cycles recommends you use an additional form of contraception on Red Days, I suggest you stock up on condoms before leaving on your trip, or even consider bringing a Plan B pill with you if anything unexpected happens. Having these things handy is helpful if you are traveling to a destination where they can be hard to find or are unavailable. If your back-up form of contraception has an expiration date, make sure it’s beyond your intended length of travel.
Screenshots of my Natural Cycles graphs
I’ve included screenshots of my own Natural Cycles graphs from my first year of use, and have written in the captions which countries and destinations I visited in each month. Despite having traveled extensively, the Natural Cycles app was still able to effectively pinpoint and accurately predict ovulation for each cycle. Though I may have more Red Days in some months due to travel and normal life-related stresses, I have been more than happy with my experience.
If you are thinking about signing up for Natural Cycles, click here to use my referral link for a 20% discount and a free basal thermometer.
Disclaimer- I’m sharing details of my own personal experience in hopes that it can help you make an informed decision if you are considering using Natural Cycles as a form of birth control. I also recommend seeking advice from a trusted professional or care provider in regard to your personal situation. This post is not sponsored in any way by Natural Cycles, and any opinions expressed here are my own. I only share products I use and find helpful, or think could be helpful to She is Not Lost readers. If you have any specific questions about my experience, let me know in the comments!
UPDATE: October 14, 2022
It’s been over four years since I started using Natural Cycles, and I’m happy to report I’m still having a great experience. While Natural Cycles reports a 93% effective rate with typical use, and 98% effective rate with perfect use, it has been a 100% effective method for me personally, even though my full-time traveling lifestyle has an effect on my daily routine and sleeping habits. I’ve written a follow-up to my original feature on the NC Cycle Matters blog, detailing what I’ve learned about myself in the last four years using Natural Cycles and some of my favorite new features they’ve introduced— click here to read it!
Related: Natural Cycles App Reviews: Carina Otero on NaturalCycles.com
Related: Tips for Avoiding Jet Lag from a Seasoned Traveler
