Learn How to Chart Your Menstrual Cycles

Charting is about observing the shifts in your physical and emotional rhythms, understanding your fertile signs, and uncovering patterns unique to you.

More than knowing when your period will arrive—charting helps you interpret how your hormones guide your energy, moods, and overall health throughout the month.

Fertility Awareness Methods (FAM) refers to a set of practices used to determine the fertile and infertile phases of a menstrual cycle.

Let’s explore how you to chart with the lens of The Well Method (sympto-thermal method) to observe your body’s cues and discover your unique cycle patterns.

What Does It Mean to Chart Your Cycle?

Charting your cycle is the practice of recording daily observations that reveal patterns in different inner seasons of your menstrual cycle.

This can include:

• Cervical fluid patterns— texture and consistency changes to signal fertility.
• Basal body temperature (BBT)— a small rise indicates ovulation.
• Cervical position— another marker of fertility.
• Physical or emotional changes— energy levels, mood, or symptoms such as cramps or bloating.

By recording these signs, you create a map of your body’s natural rhythms that can help you:

1. Understand your fertile window for conception or natural birth control.
2. Recognize hormonal imbalances and irregularities.
3. Feel more connected to how your body communicates its needs.

Unlike simply tracking your period, charting brings awareness to how every phase of your cycle unfolds, helping you understand your body on a deeper level.

Observing Cervical Fluid

Cervical fluid is one of the most reliable indicators of where you are in your cycle.

As your hormones ebb and flow, cervical fluid changes texture and consistency—giving clear signals about your fertility and hormonal health.

Here’s what to look for:

1. Dry or Sticky Fluid

• When It Happens: Immediately after your period ends and before ovulation.
• What It Means: During this phase, estrogen levels are still building, and you’re in a less fertile state.
• Observation Tip: You may feel dryness or notice small amounts of sticky fluid that doesn’t stretch.
• Charting: This is baseline, recorded as /.

2. Creamy or Lotion-Like Fluid

• When It Happens: As estrogen rises in the follicular phase, closer to ovulation.
• What It Means: This type of fluid signals your body is preparing for fertility.
• Observation Tip: Creamy fluid feels smooth or lotion-like and is an early sign that ovulation is approaching.
• Charting: This is fertile fluid, recorded as f.

3. Clear, Stretchy, and Slippery Fluid

• When It Happens: During ovulation, at your peak fertile window.
• What It Means: This egg white-like fluid enables sperm to travel easily—signaling your most fertile days.
• Observation Tip: Stretch the fluid between your fingers; if it stretches without breaking, this marks your peak fertility.
• Charting: This is super fertile fluid, recorded as F.

Cervical fluid gives you real-time information about your cycle—you just need to know how to observe it.

Steps To Charting (The Well Method)

Cycle Mapping is a Fertility Awareness Based Method (FABM) used to chart bio-markers and track fertility.

Step 1: Take morning temperature

BBT is your body’s resting temperature, which slightly rises after ovulation due to progesterone.

• How to Chart: Take your temperature at the same time, first thing in the morning before getting out of bed, using a reliable digital thermometer.
• What to Look For: A 0.5–1 degree Fahrenheit rise after ovulation indicates the fertile window has passed.

By layering BBT data alongside cervical fluid patterns, you create a comprehensive understanding of your cycle phases.

Step 2: Observe Daily

Each day, check for cervical fluid:

• When using the bathroom: Do this at least 3 times a day. Pay attention to how it feels when wiping. Is it dry, sticky, creamy, or slippery?
• Manual check: Gently observe cervical fluid by collecting it with clean fingers.

Consistency is key—by checking at the same time every day, you’ll start noticing patterns.

Step 3: Use Tools to Track Your Observations

1. Digital App:
   Read Your Body allows you to log cervical fluid, basal body temperature, mood changes, and more all in one place. There is a template for The Well you can download.
2. Paper Chart:
   If you prefer pen and paper, download this chart, print it out, and start recording your observations.

Choose what feels intuitive for you, and focus on building a habit of daily tracking.

Step 4: Build a Routine

Consistency is what makes charting effective.

The best way to build this habit is to anchor it to existing morning or evening routines:

• Morning Routine: Take your BBT and record cervical fluid observations at the start of your day.
• Evening Reflection: Use a journal or app to note symptoms, moods, and any fluid changes you noticed throughout the day.

The key is making charting feel easy and automatic, like brushing your teeth.

What You’ll Learn From Charting

After a few months of consistent practice, you’ll start noticing trends that reveal a deeper understanding of your body.

What Patterns Might Emerge?

1. Fertile Window: Cervical fluid transitions pinpoint when you’re most likely to conceive—or when to avoid pregnancy naturally.
2. Cycle Phases and Energy Shifts: Recognize how your energy levels, mood, and focus shift across inner seasons.
3. Irregularities: Spot occasions where ovulation is delayed or absent, and when cycles are shorter or longer than usual.

Potential Red Flags to Watch For

Noticing irregular patterns can signal hormonal imbalances or other deeper issues.

Examples include:

• Consistently dry cervical fluid, which may reflect low estrogen.
• Abnormal spotting or unexplained cycle length variations.
• A lack of clear ovulation markers (e.g., no temperature rise or peak cervical fluid).

If these signs persist, your charting data can guide important conversations with a healthcare provider.

To Wrap Things Up

Charting your menstrual cycle is about more than just fertility—it’s a way to connect with your body, recognize its rhythm, and use that knowledge to support your well-being.

Start small—over time, you’ll feel more confident in understanding how your body works, how to respond to its cues, and how to align your self-care with its natural flow.

Your cycle is a guide, not a mystery—let Cycle Mapping, help you unlock its wisdom.

Start charting, it’s time to tune in.