We were curious about how many of our users use Tempdrop to catch their first postpartum ovulation. It turns out quite a few, and that's saying a lot!
Postpartum fertility awareness is not as straightforward as charting with regular cycles. If you haven't already, read our introduction to fertility tracking when postpartum and breastfeeding.
Lactational Amenorrhea
The long and short of it is when a mom is exclusively breastfeeding, called ecological breastfeeding (EBF), lactational amenorrhea sets in. Lactational amenorrhea is the period when ovulation is suppressed because the baby is fed exclusively with breastmilk.
This is typically 6 months in the United States based on official recommendations on when to start solids. During this time, the mom is considered infertile, and as a birth control method, this is called the lactational amenorrhea method (LAM).
LAM is considered 98% effective with regular use and 99.5% effective with regular use. If you're curious about using LAM (ecological breastfeeding + FABM method rules), make sure to seek out a reputable resource or work with a fertility instructor.
One of our users, Michelle E., had her first postpartum period at 4 months even though her baby was exclusively breastfed! It's all the more reason to incorporate the sympto-thermal method into your practice of ecological breastfeeding if you'd like to properly use LAM as a form of natural birth control.
The Activation of Postpartum Ovulation Hormones
In general, the theory goes that once solids are introduced at the 6-month mark (earlier elsewhere), ovulation hormones start activating, and many women find that their cycles are irregular, long, and difficult to chart.
On top of that, postpartum mamas are typically waking up throughout the night to tend to their babies, making traditional temping with a basal body thermometer impossible. Of course, that's where Tempdrop comes in.
Worn overnight, Tempdrop takes the stress and guesswork out of fertility awareness and generates smoother fertility charts even in situations where women are waking up frequently to soothe their babies.
First Postpartum Ovulation
Where postpartum fertility charting used to be impossible, now postpartum moms can gracefully switch from trying to conceive (TTC) to trying to avoid (TTA) with one wearable fertility thermometer.We asked 6 of our users how they caught their first postpartum ovulation with Tempdrop and here's what they told us.
1. LeAnna
- How long have you been fertility tracking?
- What were you using before Tempdrop to track temperature?
- How long was it before you had your first postpartum ovulation/period?
- What fertility indicators were you monitoring in addition to temperature?
- What app are you using?
- Has tracking been challenging in any way?
Apparently pregnancy opened up dormant cervical crypts and now I have more mucus than before! Which is cool but I'm experiencing more of different types so it has been like learning all over again.
- Do you have any tips for tracking postpartum?
Be consistent with your cervical mucus checks and temping. When in doubt, consider yourself fertile. And get a Tempdrop!
- Are you now using Tempdrop TTA (trying to avoid pregnancy?)
Yes.
2. Eliane M.
"I used Tempdrop since my second son was born. He is now 13 months old and I'm still breastfeeding. So my circles are still irregular. But, thanks to Tempdrop, I know exactly when to expect my period. And its just perfect that with Tempdrop I can use the sympto-thermal method even if I wake up several times during the night."
- How long have you been fertility tracking?
I began 11 months ago with fertility tracking. Two months after my second son was born.
- What were you using before Tempdrop to track temperature?
I began to track temperature with Tempdrop.
- How long was it before you had your first postpartum ovulation/period?
8 months before my first postpartum ovulation/period.
- What fertility indicators were you monitoring in addition to temperature?
Cervical mucus
- What app are you using?
- Has tracking been challenging in any way?
Tracking helps me to know exactly where I am in my cycle and to see how long the cycles are. It’s also interesting to see other symptoms that show you for example that you will have the period in 1-2 days.
- Do you have any tips for tracking postpartum?
With Tempdrop you don’t need any tips. But I found it good to begin early with tracking so that I knew in these 8.5 months that even without a period, I’m not pregnant again and just not ovulating because of breastfeeding.
- Are you now using Tempdrop TTA (trying to avoid pregnancy?)
3. Michelle E.
- How long have you been fertility tracking?
I've been practicing the sympto-thermal method for 9 years as taught by the Couple to Couple League.
- What were you using before Tempdrop to track temperature?
An oral basal body thermometer.
- How long was it before you had your first postpartum ovulation/period?
For this baby (and only one I’ve used Tempdrop with), it was 4 months. (First two were 6.5 months and 5.5 months.) I exclusively breastfed all 3 and no solids introduced before 6 months.
- What fertility indicators were you monitoring in addition to temperature?
Cervical mucus
- What app are you using?
- Has tracking been challenging in any way?
Spotting postpartum for almost the entire time made tracking a little challenging but, for the most part, the signs were pretty clear. I didn’t have any mucus to speak of until ovulation.
- Do you have any tips for tracking postpartum?
In order to avoid pregnancy effectively, watch signs like mucus and temperature spike carefully and follow a specific NFP method (and know the method properly by taking a class).
- Are you now using Tempdrop TTA (trying to avoid pregnancy?)
Yes.
4. Chloe H.
"I caught my first postpartum ovulation at 16 months thanks to Tempdrop! I love my Tempdrop!"
- How long have you been fertility tracking?
6 years
- What were you using before Tempdrop to track temperature?
An oral basic basal thermometer.
- How long was it before you had your first postpartum ovulation/period?
16 months
- What fertility indicators were you monitoring in addition to temperature?
I was also monitoring cervical mucus with the Creighton Method.
- What app are you using?
- Has tracking been challenging in any way?
- Do you have any tips for tracking postpartum?
I highly recommend Tempdrop for tracking postpartum temperature, when sleep can be so disturbed. I also recommend finding an instructor for mucus tracking.
- Are you now using Tempdrop TTA (trying to avoid pregnancy?)
Yes
5. Mary C.
"I definitely used Tempdrop to help chart my first PP ovulation. Lifesaver. :) Thanks!"
- How long have you been fertility tracking?
I've been fertility tracking for just over 5 years now.
- What were you using before Tempdrop to track temperature?
Before Tempdrop I was using an oral basal thermometer.
- How long was it before you had your first postpartum ovulation/period?
With my oldest, it took 10 months before my first period. With my second, the one I used Tempdrop for, it took 8 months.
- What fertility indicators were you monitoring in addition to temperature?
In addition to temperature, I was monitoring cervical mucus, both appearance and sensation.
- What app are you using?
Now that I'm using Tempdrop I've been using OvuView, but interpreting myself.
- Has tracking been challenging in any way?
- Do you have any tips for tracking postpartum?
Get an instructor if you haven't had one before, and start early, well before your fertility returns, so it's easier to see a basic infertile mucus pattern.
- Are you now using Tempdrop TTA (trying to avoid pregnancy?)
I am currently TTA.
How has your postpartum fertility charting experience been? Did you catch your first postpartum ovulation with Tempdrop? Comment below!