The Basics of Charting Your Cycle: Postpartum Edition
Fertility Education is a fancy term for teaching people how to chart their menstrual cycle. Charting is for anyone on the reproductive continuum, however for many - they began charting their cycle when they were trying to conceive or recently coming off of hormonal birth control. As a certified Fertility Educator for the past three years, I particularly love sharing the benefits of charting your cycle when you are Postpartum. Keep in mind: there are many variations of the Fertility Awareness Method. Today I will be educating on the basics of how to chart with FEMM: Fertility Education and Medical Management.
Picture this: you are at your six week follow up appointment after having your baby. Oftentimes your doctor may offer you a prescription for the Pill or encourage you to try an IUD. While these are options that are readily available - if you do not feel ready to start taking hormonal birth control or if you want to try something different: perhaps Fertility Charting is for you! Believe me, I know what you’re thinking: “how will I find the time to do this with my new baby?” Charting your cycle takes less than 5 minutes a day and provides a clear picture into what is going on with your hormones. I do recommend exploring charting when you are at least 6-8 weeks Postpartum. Many of my clients have waited to start charting around 6 months and beyond. Do what works for you!
There are many motivations for choosing to chart your cycle after having a baby. If any of this sounds interesting to you -- read on to learn about the Basics of Charting your cycle when you are 6-8 weeks Postpartum and beyond.
Data: Charting with the FEMM App (available on iPhones and Androids) is free, easy to navigate and protects your privacy. After reading this blog, perhaps you will download the App and explore. The home screen walks you through each biomarker you can choose on any given day. When you finish a full cycle (as in: you get your period… “cycle day one” is when you have obvious menstruation) you can look back at your chart and see a full picture of your hormone health. It is pretty cool! Keep in mind - when you are Postpartum - it is not always going to look ‘perfect.’ In fact, no cycle is! It is a myth that we ovulate on cycle day 14 and get a period on cycle day 28.
Biomarkers: The basics of FEMM include understanding what you are charting. For this charting method, you will keep track of two biomarkers - or ‘signs of life.’ One is your cervical fluid and the other is testing your luteinizing hormone. By observing these two biomarkers each day, you get a glimpse into what your hormones are doing. It is important to check your cervical fluid each time you go to the bathroom. Working with a certified Fertility Educator can really help you understand your biomarkers and identify them correctly, thus getting a better understanding of your hormones.
Ovulation: The “main event” of the menstrual cycle is ovulation. By observing and then charting your biomarkers - you will be able to understand if you are ovulating. When you see cervical fluid that resembles raw egg white or could be described as slippery - you can mark that on your FEMM App and know in your mind your body is expressing signs of Estrogen.
LH Tests: The reason FEMM teaches you to track the Luteinizing Hormone through LH Tests is because it is a helpful indication that you are ovulating (should you get a positive test). This can be very confirming for someone that is newly Postpartum and not wanting to conceive again in this time period. Perhaps you took these tests when you were trying to conceive. Using LH Tests is just another way that you can confirm you are ovulating. From there, you can make informed choices for your health.
Benefits: The benefits of utilizing this method of Fertility Awareness when you are in your sacred Postpartum time include: understanding your natural cycle, knowing when you will get your period and feeling more empowered and connected to yourself. You are in the driver seat when it comes to the health of your hormones and you gain a deeper understanding of what you may need in each of the various phases of your menstrual cycle.
Keep in mind, everyone’s Return to Fertility varies after having a baby. Some get their period at 6 weeks and for others it can take years. Many factors influence this (breastfeeding is one example of an influencing factor). To find freedom and understanding in this process - I recommend charting your fertility with FEMM!
Author Bio: Kenzie Gugino is a FEMM Certified Fertility Educator & Certified Postpartum Doula (DONA) with a Masters Degree in Education. She supports all people on the reproductive continuum & has a passion for creating empowering workshops for those curious about charting the menstrual cycle. Follow along for upcoming workshops to help you learn more about your cycle!
