Why switching to paper charts (with a journal) enhances Fertility Awareness
- Carmen Fourie
- Mar 1
- 8 min read
I've tried it all—apps, freehand journaling with my own prompts, and basic paper charts. But now, I’ve landed on what I believe is the perfect solution: a paper chart that combines a journal and reflection section. Here’s why it’s become my go-to.
Where it started
Like most people when I went off the Pill and started tracking my cycle, I used an app. Without considering that there may be better alternatives, I continued to use an app for 1.5 years until my struggles with my hormonal health drove me to explore other options.
Upon leaving the gynecologist's office on the phone to my cousin filled with frustration and despair at once again hearing 'it isn't worth' attempting to address my PMS naturally and 'there is nothing I can do except go back on the Pill' - I was introduced, for the first time, about the concept of living in sync with our cycles. Specifically, the work of Alisa Vitti and her book "In the flo".
It launched my deep dive into hormonal health, women’s well-being, and fertility awareness. Beyond that, it ignited a journey of intentional reflection: tracking my cycle, noting how my choices shaped it, and purposefully nurturing my health and well-being, with my cycle as a constant guide.
To support this intentional reflection, I ditched the app I’d been using to track my cycle and turned to a freehand journal. Each day, I logged my cycle day, symptoms, new insights about my cycle, and health efforts—both those I was trying and others I planned to start. This freehand journaling worked beautifully for years, evolving as I refined and streamlined my full-page daily reflections. I kept it up through pregnancy, even jotting notes the day I gave birth and for a year postpartum. I’d share my cycle day and basal body temperature on Instagram Stories daily, too. But when I paused to check in with myself, I realized this extensive journaling had become a habit—rooted in years of routine rather than need—and that something simpler would serve me better now.
So, I switched to a downloadable paper chart I printed out. It was undeniably efficient and gave me a clear visual of my cycle, but I soon felt limited—I craved space to record more, like tweaks to my health and well-being efforts, reflections on mood and focus, and other details the chart couldn’t hold. I could scribble notes on the back, sure, but I longed for something neat and organized. The paper chart left me restless, yet I had no desire to revisit the freehand journal. Then a friend’s message lit a spark—she asked if she could use the chart I’d made. That was the push I needed to design my own hybrid: a tracking chart with a built-in journal.
*If the journal is not available in your country you can download a digital version from my shop.
Designing my own tracking chart with a journal felt like a breakthrough—tailored to my needs, it balanced efficiency with the depth I craved. Yet as I refined this system, I couldn’t help but reflect on why I’d abandoned apps in the first place. What started as a personal frustration grew into a broader realization: for many women, these digital tools, marketed as empowering solutions, often fall short of truly supporting our unique hormonal journeys.
The limits of Digital: Why Apps Fall Short for Women
First, a quick disclaimer: I’m not here to bash period tracking apps entirely. I get their appeal—they’re a simple, accessible tool for women to log data and visualize their cycles with ease.
But here’s the catch: the very thing that makes apps so appealing—their ease—can also be a drawback. For a year and a half, I dutifully logged my basal body temperature daily and checked the app’s tiny calendar to guess when my period might arrive. Yet I wasn’t truly reflecting on my cycle. The app’s prompts made it effortless to record data—like tapping an icon for cervical fluid—but that convenience kept me, and I suspect many women, from deeply engaging with the information. I rarely even glanced at the notes I added.
Instead of tuning into the ebb and flow of my cycle’s phases, I found myself detached—tapping prompts while the app churned out predictions for ovulation and my next period. It wasn’t until I deepened my fertility awareness later that I saw the truth: many of those app-generated ovulation dates were off. For anyone relying on them to avoid pregnancy or conceive, that inaccuracy could be a big issue.
P.S. This over-reliance on apps—rather than building our own cycle knowledge—is exactly why Fertility Awareness gets a bad rap as a natural contraception method.
Sure, it’s worth noting that apps can misjudge ovulation and other predictions—they’re just crunching past data, after all. But for me, the real dealbreaker was how little I learned about female fertility or my own body while using one. Much like when I was on the Pill, I was outsourcing awareness, looking outward instead of inward to truly know how my female body functioned and to appreciate the gift of my cycle.
It was only when I stopped using an app and I sat with a blank page in front of me did I really begin to understand how female fertility works, and in particular the rhythm of my cycle. I basically went back to square one and found books and other resources to guide me with information, and a blank journal to reflect on how that information played out in my cycle.
Fertility Awareness Resources Recommendation List coming soon - Check back
Now, I get it - I'm an intense person (I see this as a positive attribute). I don't think most women need to read multiple books and do such extensive journaling to understand their cycle. But I do think that the simplicity of an app is just a bit too simple to really cultivate our fertility awareness.
Why your period tracking app might be holding you back
Limited Reflection and Engagement:
Apps often reduce tracking to quick taps and pre-set prompts, which can disconnect users from truly understanding their cycles. Instead of fostering curiosity or self-awareness, they turn a personal journey into a mechanical checklist, leaving little room for deeper insights about symptoms, phases, or patterns.
Inaccurate Predictions:
Most apps rely on algorithms using past cycle data or population averages to predict ovulation and periods. For women with irregular cycles—or even regular ones affected by stress, diet, or travel—these guesses can be off, risking missteps for those avoiding pregnancy or trying to conceive.
Over-Reliance on Technology:
Leaning on an app can erode confidence in reading your body’s natural signals, like cervical fluid or basal body temperature shifts. This external focus mirrors the detachment of hormonal birth control, sidelining the empowerment that comes from self-knowledge.
Missed Nuance:
Standardized prompts (e.g., "light flow" or "mood swings") can’t capture the full spectrum of your experience—subtle energy dips, unique symptoms, or lifestyle impacts. Without space for freeform notes or reflection, you might overlook critical connections between your cycle and well-being.
Privacy Concerns:
Many apps collect and store sensitive data (period dates, symptoms, even sexual activity). Check the privacy policies or potential data sharing of the app you're using.
These downsides don’t just make apps less effective—they can quietly distance women from their bodies, reinforcing a cycle of dependence rather than empowerment.
Note: I get that some women use apps thoughtfully, reflecting on their cycles with intention. For them, it’s just a handy way to store data and see their cycle at a glance.
If you choose to use an app to track your cycle, I highly recommend turning off all predictions. In my experience, having the app share ovulation and period prediction throws off even women who have tracked for a long time and are fairly confident in their tracking.
Another reason to go physical even in (or especially in) a digital world
The Fertility Awareness Journal and Chart I created it designed to be used as a physical tool to record and reflect. Using a pen and paper.
Why would I suggest going physical in a digital world?
To put it simply - because I think it aligns better if our intention with Fertility Awareness is part of our broader focus on health & wellbeing.
When we track our cycle, we take our Basal Body Temperature (BBT) first thing in the morning. If you choose to record it first thing in the morning, that means picking up your phone as a way to start your day. While I know this is a common habit, this isn't a good way to start the day.
Relying on a phone app just piles another task onto our screen time—and I’m certain we’d all benefit from dialing that back a bit
I began using a physical journal long before my daughter came along, but now I’m keenly aware of what she sees in my relationship with my phone. I want her to see me spending less time glued to a screen—and more time tracking my cycle, jotting notes in a way she can notice. I hope she grows up seeing this—maybe even joining me to fill out the chart if she’s curious—as a natural part of life, a quiet ritual women do to tune into their bodies. With a physical book I write in daily, she can witness it, even participate if she wants to.
Reflecting and improving our fertility awareness
Over years of tracking my cycle, I’ve learned we often get stuck in a short-term, day-to-day mindset. Yet when we deepen our fertility awareness and align our lives with our cycles, we gain something beautiful: the ability to be present while carving out time and space for life to unfold in the most fitting phase - we live in harmony with the female cycle that typically spans across a month, rather than the masculine cycle that runs on a 24 hour clock.
Beyond that, I believe it’s also valuable to look past a single cycle—comparing them, spotting patterns, and embracing the bigger picture across months.
That’s why I designed a physical journal with clear visuals: a cycle overview table and chart for each cycle, so you can flip between them effortlessly. But what sets my journal apart is something unique—a cycle comparison chart that lets you see patterns emerge across multiple cycles at a glance
My journal isn’t just a chart—it’s a tool to deeply connect with yourself and elevate your fertility awareness.
My recommendations for elevating your fertility awareness
Whether you use my journal or not, here are a few things I recommend to improve your fertility awareness:
Use a paper chart and not an app
Do not use a Bluetooth thermometer that automatically updates your BBT, rather use a digital ordinary thermometer and reflect on the temp you see
Reflect on your cycle at the end of a cycle and make some notes about it
Compare cycles to each other and make notes of any patterns or outliers you notice
If you're new to the female cycle - write down the name of the cycle phase you are in when you're in it as a way to cultivate that awareness
Remember to track at least two primary fertility markers along with secondary fertility markers
Explore More Resources
Dive deeper with a course and a 1:1 session with me
If you’re ready to strengthen your connection to yourself, I’m thrilled to introduce Coming Home to Yourself, an incredible course I co-created for women. I designed all the cycle-tracking modules myself, blending my expertise into a program that’s rich with insights on nutrition, lifestyle, nervous system health, female emotions, and beyond—everything you need for a holistic approach to well-being.
I have many videos on my YouTube channel that cover various aspects of Fertility Awareness and loads of other free tips.
Conclusion
My journey with cycle tracking has been a game-changer—moving from apps and freehand journals to a paper chart that truly fits my life.
It’s not just about tracking; it’s about understanding myself deeply and living in sync with my body. Whether you’re just starting out or looking to refine your own approach, I’d love for you to join me.
Check out my Fertility Awareness Journal on Amazon, explore more insights on my YouTube channel, and let’s take this step toward well-being together—grab your chart today and start listening to what your cycle has to say!
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