pregnancy, postpartum, & breastfeeding
Pregnant? When a woman is pregnant, there is no need to chart. She is not fertile. This is the perfect time to prepare for the return of fertility after the birth of her baby.
​
Postpartum? After the birth of her baby, a woman’s body will naturally become fertile again – but not right away. There are signs that she needs to look for to pinpoint ovulation.
​
Breastfeeding? When a woman breastfeeds, her body produces prolactin, a hormone that naturally suppresses ovulation. There is an ebb and flow as her body nourishes her baby while continually moving toward the return of her fertility. The natural signs that she recognizes change and develop as the baby grows. During this time, a woman is very in tune to her body, learning the give and take of her hormones, and identifying the signs of ovulation.
Women who breastfeed for more than 12 months during their lifetime have a 28% lower risk of both breast and ovarian cancer. Each year of breastfeeding is associated with a 4.3% decrease in breast cancer risk.
“Simply by charting my mucus signs while nursing my daughter, I was able to understand how my hormones were going up and down. Plus, I knew exactly when my fertility returned and when I ovulated for the first time after she was born!”
~Katie
Take the Next Step in using Fertility Awareness Based Methods (FABMs) during Pregnancy, Postpartum, and Breastfeeding
