Some users have needed to return to hormonal birth control after using Natural Cycles for a period of time. We understand that different stages of your life may call for different kinds of birth control. We have written some tips below to help you make the transition back from hormonal birth control to using Natural Cycles.
Please keep in mind that you may first (meaning within one or two weeks) experience a withdrawal bleed and that this should be logged as ’Spotting’. Learn more about withdrawal bleeding here.
1. Once you are no longer using your hormonal birth control, and if you are using NC° Birth Control, we recommend that you use protection (such as condoms or another form of barrier protection) each time you have sex until your first period starts and you officially begin your first cycle after the break in the app.
2. Even if your period has not yet returned, we recommend that you start measuring as soon as you have stopped your hormonal birth control (to get into the routine), but that you mark your temperatures as ‘excluded’ until your first period starts. Please keep in mind that you may first experience a withdrawal bleed and that this should be logged as ’Spotting’.
3. Once you get your period and log it in the app, it may look like you had a long cycle that started when you last used the app. Rest assured that this long cycle without any activity is not taken into account for your averages and predictions. When you begin a new cycle with a period entry, the predictions will be based on your past completed cycles. After logging the start of your first period after hormonal birth control, you can measure as usual according to our guidelines and only exclude your temperature if necessary. You can read more about when you should exclude your temperatures here.
4. Lastly, please keep in mind that it can take a while for your first ovulation to occur again, since ovulation is generally inhibited while using hormonal birth control. Your cycle may also be irregular for some time. As an NC° Birth Control user, you can expect to be given an increased amount of red days initially. NC° Plan Pregnancy users can expect to be given more brown days in the beginning.
We welcome you back, and should you have any more questions, please don’t hesitate to contact us here.