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Introduction

When I first learned about the fertility awareness method (FAM), I relied heavily on books. At the time, I was a broke student who was desperate to learn all that I could about fertility awareness and anything generally within the category of body literacy. Over time, I’ve built a decent collection of books on the subjects of women’s health, fertility awareness, PCOS and sexual education. I wanted to use this post to tell you a little bit about the books in my bookshelf, why I chose them and my overall thoughts. You’ll notice that I mention at times that some of these titles are still on my ‘to read’ list – despite not being able to review these yet, I still wanted to showcase them here and then update this post later with my thoughts.

Before we get into this, however, I just want to say that you should always seek the guidance of a qualified instructor before relying on the fertility awareness method as a method of birth control. Of course, many people choose to learn via books but this will naturally lead to a decrease in efficacy vs working directly with an instructor. On a similar note, if you have concerns about your health or well-being, while educating yourself is amazing, it is always important to check in with a suitably qualified health professional.

Fertility Awareness Books (Method-Specific)

This category covers books that are usually used within the fertility awareness community to solidify knowledge of individual methods. They contain rules as well as method guidance. 

Taking Charge of Your Fertility by Toni Weschler

This book was where it all began for me. It holds such a special place in my heart and the hearts of many other women around the world. Some refer to it as a ‘rite of passage’ for those looking to learn a fertility awareness-based method – it is a method in itself (known as a TCOYF method for short). This book contains all of the information you might need to get started with practising FAM as well as helpful pictures and diagrams. Of course, you should always seek the advice of a suitably qualified instructor if you are looking to begin practising FAM as a method of avoiding pregnancy, however, this book is still an enlightening resource. It is quite a hefty book but most women I’ve spoken to seem to devour the content within a short time span. It is a truly informative read.

Justisse Method Fertility Awareness and Body Literacy by Geraldine Matus HRHP

Intended to be used in conjunction with working with an instructor, this short book details the rules of the Justisse method. I purchased this book shortly after finishing Taking Charge of Your Fertility and was wondering which method I’d like to use myself for the long term. I really enjoy the detail on cervical mucus, something I felt confused by in my early days of charting. However, I eventually settled on another method, having learned that Justisse instruction would have been out of my budget at the time.

The Billings Method: Using the body’s natural signal of fertility to achieve or avoid pregnancy by Dr Evelyn Billings and Dr Ann Westmore and The Billings Method: Controlling Fertility Without Drugs or Devices

I’ve grouped these two books together as they are very similar in content, one is just a significantly older version. As above, Billings is intended to be only learned via an instructor, however, these books give a fascinating insight into where the method came from as well as expand upon subjects such as charting after hormonal birth control or learning about the cycle as an adolescent. For me, having these books in my collection was a staple – not just because Billings is a very common method but because much of what we know today in the FAM world is down to the foundations laid by Billings research.

The Garden of Fertility by Katie Singer

Unfortunately, I have not had time to fully read through this title yet. I have an older version (2004) to what I have linked here as I obtained it second-hand. This was a book I really wanted in my collection as it features a few chapters on what can be hazardous to fertility as well as some other interesting sections on healing after loss – something not all FAM books feature.

Women’s Health Books

These books are really useful for helping to identify potential lifestyle changes when experiencing menstrual health issues or just generally looking to optimise wellbeing.

The Period Repair Manual by Lara Briden

Got period problems? This is the book to open. Of course, anyone experiencing issues should begin by seeing a doctor but, this book is also an interesting resource for those curious about supplements and naturopathic remedies. The Period Repair Manual is structured in an easy format with plenty of subheadings so you can easily find what you are looking for at a glance. It covers issues like breast pain, cramps and skin problems with suggestions on how to improve them. Over time, I’ve heard of many women picking up this book when newly coming off hormonal birth control.

Womancode by Alisa Vitti

I personally don’t suffer from Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome (PCOS) but I am aware of the difficulties it can cause. Alisa Vitti, the author, is a sufferer herself and writes about how she reversed the condition through diet and lifestyle changes. She shares this knowledge with the belief that her system can help other women to balance their hormones to improve various issues like low libido and irregular cycles. Overall, it is a very informative read, even if you are not a sufferer of PCOS.

Fertility, Cycles and Nutrition by Marilyn M. Shannon

I bought this book quite some time ago and haven’t had chance to read it yet so I’m unable to give a review. However, I’m really looking forward to delving into further information on cycle-specific nutrition.

Beyond The Pill by Dr Jolene Brighten

This is another book in my collection that is on my ‘to read’ list. Dr Brighten is someone I’ve enjoyed reading content from since my early days of discovering fertility awareness. What drew me to this title was the promise of it being fairly similar to The Period Repair Manual in terms of locating and identifying cycle issues then looking at ways of tackling them.

Social Commentary on Birth Control Options

This category is for the books that I consider to be extremely thought-provoking. They commentate on how, as a society, we view and use birth control options as well as help to provide further information so readers can make informed choices.

The Pill: Are You Sure It’s For You? By Jane Bennett and Alexandra Pope

When I read this, I was newly off the pill and couldn’t believe the information shared within this book. The authors go into detail on the true side effects of hormonal birth control – many of which I wasn’t aware of, despite having researched fairly well alone before coming across this book. I loved that the authors put a focus on being provided with the information required to make well-informed decisions about your own body, something that is often unfortunately overlooked in women’s health.

Sweetening the Pill: or How We Got Hooked on Hormonal Birth Control by Holly Grigg-Spall 

I’d never really read a book I’d describe as ‘hard-hitting’ until I read this one. Grigg-Spall discusses birth control use from the viewpoint of how, in society, it was held on a pedestal for such a long time in terms of improving women’s rights. However, in modern times, its becoming clear that there is so much more to it than that – from the side effects to the juxtaposition of it providing freedom yet affecting health overall. I found this book a little tough to get through at times as it is definitely a very passionate piece of work from the author, however, I believe it’s a piece of non-fiction that the world definitely needed to see.

Books for Teaching Young People

Growing up, there really wasn’t much around in the way of body-literacy-centred reading materials for young people. If there were, I certainly wasn’t introduced to any. This category showcases some really good quality books for the teenage demographic to begin exploring subjects like sex, relationships and cycle awareness. I was inspired to look into this category after seeing several parents, carers and teachers in the FAM/NFP community request suggestions for the best puberty books for girls as well as books that provide a gentle but factual introduction to growing up.

Cycle Savvy by Toni Weschler

If you have a daughter or younger female relative in your life, this book is really interesting. It goes over all of the information a young person might need on their changing body. It also leaves out any information overly relating to sex or using FAM as a birth control method which might be a good thing in some parents’ opinions. Cycle Savvy also introduces the topic of charting the menstrual cycle which, to me, would have been a very new concept had I had access to this book when I was younger. 

Vagina Matters by Svetla Baeva and Raya Raeva

I discovered this book while working with Daye as they stock it. I picked it up out of support for the authors and illustrators for creating such a much-needed publication for young people. It is described as ‘A straight-talking, taboo-breaking educational book about period care, the female body, sex, and all things gynae health’ which is exactly what it is!

If you’re interested in this title, you can use my Daye discount code ambSARAHC at checkout.

Other Interesting Reading

The Complete Guide to Fertility Awareness by Jane Knight

This is a very in-depth book about all things fertility awareness. Thoroughly researched, this book goes into the history of FAM as well as discusses various studies relating to the topic. I enjoyed the academic nature of this book and really respected how all of the information was presented. That being said, the actual writing is very accessible and easy to follow rather than being confusing or convoluted.