Breastfeeding can inhibit ovulation and can serve as an effective method of contraception postpartum. You must be exclusively breastfeeding, be within the first six months following your delivery, and not have had your period. The chance of getting pregnant is lower during breastfeeding; however, women can still become pregnant.
We recommend that you start measuring roughly 4-5 months after giving birth while breastfeeding full-time (exclusively), and 1-2 months after giving birth if you do not breastfeed full-time.
Until your first ovulation is confirmed, Natural Cycles will show you red (for Prevent) or brown (for Plan) days before giving green days. This could mean a couple of months depending on your body. If you start measuring while breastfeeding, you will see your first ovulation and will know when to expect your first period.
The first few cycles after pregnancy may be irregular, so keep measuring while your body is working to get back to regular.
We recommend that you measure your temperature after the longest stretch of sleep you usually get during the night, regardless of when you wake up, and that you measure instantly upon waking up - which means before tending to your baby. Try to find a routine for your measuring that works for you and your family, and measure before moving around in bed.
What you can do if the thermometer beep disturbs the family:
Please turn off the thermometer after the first beep in the morning, and turn it back on whenever you are ready to start your day. The value is shown for roughly 2 seconds, so please make sure that you have the lights on and are prepared to read it quickly before turning it back on. This can be re-done as many times as you wish, as long as you turn it off before it flashes onward to start measuring again.
This information is provided for educational purposes only and is not intended to replace the advice of your healthcare professional. Please consult your healthcare professional for more information.