I've tracked my girlfriend's cycle since February. What changed between us
I built Yuni, and since February I've used it every day to track my girlfriend's cycle. Before that, it felt like all we did was fight. It doesn't feel that way anymore, mostly because I now know her phase before I open my mouth.
How a period tracker for boyfriends knows her phase
Yuni works out her phase from the day her period started and the length of her cycle. When a new period starts and gets logged, the prediction moves with it. It's a forecast, but it keeps correcting itself against real dates. Since February the phase on my screen has matched how she feels every time, and her period hasn't caught me off guard once. I like knowing in advance.
She doesn't have to use the app for this to work. You can enter the day her period started yourself, and if she uses Yuni too, you can pair and her logs come through.
Checking her phase from my phone, all day
I look at the Yuni widgets several times a day. The lock screen shows which phase comes next and in how many days, and the home screen widget shows her phase, the day of her cycle and a short tip for today, without opening the app.
Before I bring something up, I already know what kind of days she's having, and I don't start heavy conversations at the wrong time. We have fewer arguments out of nowhere because of that.
What I do when my girlfriend is on her period
If you're not sure she's on her period at all, how to tell if she's on her period covers the signs. With the widget I don't have to guess. I do the dishes myself. I know ahead of time that we won't have sex these days, so I don't expect it. And I give her space, so I don't end up in the line of fire.
How I handle my girlfriend's PMS
Every morning during her PMS I bring her a glass of warm water, and she appreciates it. For the longer version of what PMS is and what helps, there's a PMS guide for boyfriends. Without the app I wouldn't always know it's PMS. Now I see it on the widget and do it. The rest is the same as during her period: I give her space and stay out of the line of fire.
Her good days: dinners out and planning trips
On the days she's feeling up and good, usually her follicular and ovulation days in the app, we go out for dinner. That's also where I moved our trip planning. Planning a trip together was always hard for us, because we want different things from a trip, and on her good days we actually agree. If you're new to this, I'd begin here. It's the easiest thing you can do.
When I think it's about me
She'd seem distant, and I'd assume it was me or us. Now I check her phase first, and it often explains it.
Rating our day from 1 to 5
Every day I rate how the day went with her, from 1 to 5. It takes two seconds.
How did today go?
The main screen has a chart with my average rating for each phase, and the link is clear: on her good days, I'm happier too. Once a week you can get a short report that sums it all up in a couple of paragraphs. I think this is the biggest thing the app gave me. I can see we're getting better, instead of living with the feeling that we only fight.
My average day, by phase
ExampleThe notifications I kept
Yuni can send a lot of notifications, and for me it was too many. I kept only the phase-change ones, and I read the tips in the app when I open it. If it's too much for you too, you can turn them off in settings.
My cheat sheet, phase by phase
Her period
Dishes are on me. No sex expected. I give her space.
Her good days
Dinners out and trip planning.
PMS
Warm water every morning, and space.
- Her period: I do the dishes, don't expect sex, and give her space.
- PMS: warm water in the morning, and space.
- Her good days: dinners out and trip planning.
- Any day she seems distant: check her phase before deciding it's about me.
Questions about tracking your girlfriend's cycle
Can I track my girlfriend's period if she doesn't use the app?
Yes. You enter the day her period started and Yuni works out her phases. If she uses Yuni too, you can pair and her logs come through.
How do I know what phase she's in?
I use the widget. Her phase and the days until the next one are on my phone all day. How the phases fit together is in how to know where she is in her cycle.
What should I do when my girlfriend is on her period?
For us it's small things: I take over the dishes, don't expect sex, and give her space. During PMS I add warm water in the morning.
How accurate is it?
It's a prediction from her period start and cycle length, and it corrects itself when a new period is logged. Since February it hasn't been wrong for us.
What should I build next? Tell me in the comments
I build Yuni from what the people using it tell me is missing. A few things I keep thinking about:
- Would you rather rate the day several times, one thing in the morning and another in the evening, instead of once? I check the widget all day, so I would.
- What would you want the widget to show besides her phase, the day and today's tip?
- If you use the web app on Android or a laptop, what's missing compared with the iPhone app?
- What would you want to do in the app together with your partner?
Write it in the comments below, even one line is enough. I read the comments myself, and that's how I decide what goes into the next update.
Join the conversation
Picked from suggestions
Writing first comment here just to start conversation with you guys :) Happy to see your feedback ideas and suggestions 🙌