When Do I Start Charting After Birth?

Charting your fertility after the birth of your baby can bring peace of mind. Thousands of women has used this method to avoid pregnancy without the use of hormonal contraceptives or devices. They love the convenience of having a professional FertilityCare practitioner guide them though the post-partum period of life.

The best time to start charting following the birth of a baby is 3 weeks post-partum for those breastfeeding and for those not breastfeeding at all, as soon as possible following birth.

For moms who are supplying all the baby’s nutrition through nursing, the first 56 days following the birth are considered infertile. However, it is good practice to start charting once lochia (or bleeding following the birth) stops or at 3 weeks post birth, which ever comes sooner. The first menstrual period usually occurs anywhere from 2 month to 18 months or more post-partum. Ovulation usually returns within the first 3 menstrual cycles.

If you are not nursing or are partially nursing and feeding the baby formula, you will be considered fertile right after birth. The earliest ovulation on record, is 27 days following birth. So, it is best practice to start charting as soon as you are able.

If you have been using the FertilityCare System prior to getting pregnant, your FertilityCare practitioner would love to hear that you gave birth and when! We celebrate new babies! You are welcome to start a new line on your chart and begin charting at 3 weeks post partum. Your FertilityCare Practitioner will want to see you for follow up every 6 weeks until you are back to cycling regularly. This follow up schedule allows for evaluation of your chart and for you to ask any questions that arise.

If you are new to charting or are interested in learning how to chart your fertility, then learning in the last trimester of your pregnancy is the perfect time. If that isn’t possible, arrange to start with the Intro to FertilityCare presentation as soon after birth as possible. The regular follow up schedule will apply until 3 months and then will continue follow up every 6 months until the first menstrual period.

If you are a FertilityCare client of Faith & Hope FertilityCare Center, schedule your first appointment online through our scheduling portal, Practice Better. If you are interested in learning more about FertilityCare, schedule a FREE 20 minute consultation either by scheduling online, calling Erin at 717-256-1812 or email.

Resource: Hilgers, Thomas, Daly, Diane, Hilgers, Susan, & Prebil, Ann, 2002. The Creighton Model FertilityCare System: A Standardized Care Management Approach to Teaching. Book I: Basic Teaching Skills. Second Addition. Omaha NE, Pope Paul Institute Press.