By Alli Coiro, RN-BSN, CFCP
Question: I am currently breastfeeding and have not started my period yet. Should I be charting?
Answer: Yes.
When a woman is breastfeeding, “normal” return of cycles is remarkably variable! It is important to know that you can ovulate before your first postpartum period returns (AKA you can achieve pregnancy before your first postpartum period). That being said you should:
- Resume tracking your cycle
- Follow up with your NFP teacher
- Connect with your spouse and continue discerning how God is calling you to plan your family
- If applicable, learn a method of NFP for the first time!
As your body adjusts to new hormonal rhythms postpartum, each woman’s breastfeeding experience is different. It can even vary in postpartum experiences with different children for the same woman. The hormone interactions can be impacted by how long baby is sleeping at night, how well baby nurses, introduction of food to baby, and a myriad of other factors. Some women will not resume ovulation and menstruation until they are completely finished nursing and others may be fully breastfeeding on demand and get their cycles promptly back at 3 months postpartum. And of course, the majority of women fall somewhere in the middle.
There is no one-size-fits-all answer to breastfeeding and cycle tracking.
God created women beautifully and uniquely – which YES, even manifests itself in this regard! NFP methods account for this nuance because they are tracking biomarkers observed by the woman according to protocols. Natural family planning methods work effectively because they account for personalization and accuracy in identifying ovulation.
Ask for help!
Being in a perpetual “pre-ovulation” phase for an undetermined length of time can be confusing and a tricky time to navigate, but your NFP teachers are there for you! They want to ease the confusion and give you peace of mind as you chart postpartum and discern family planning. Reach out today!
Do you have a question you want answered? Let us know! Email our office at stlnfp@archstl.org or send us a message on Facebook or Instagram.
Alli Coiro is a wife to Vince and mother to three sweet, rambunctious boys (5, 3, and 1). She is a registered nurse and certified Creighton Model FertilityCare Practitioner with a passion for empowering and educating women and couples about goodness of their fertility. She serves as the Director of the Office of Natural Family Planning which she calls the perfect bridge of medicine and ministry. In her free time she loves watching and playing sports with her family, cooking for a dinner party, and playing board games.