The Basics Of Charting Your Cycle

Fertility Education is a fancy term for teaching people how to chart their menstrual cycle.

Charting is for anyone on the reproductive continuum, however for many - they began charting

their cycle when they were trying to conceive or recently coming off of hormonal birth control.

As a certified Fertility Educator for the past three years, I particularly love sharing the benefits of

charting your cycle when you are Postpartum. Keep in mind: there are many variations of the

Fertility Awareness Method. Today I will be educating on the basics of how to chart with

FEMM: Fertility Education and Medical Management.

Picture this: you are at your six week follow up appointment after having your baby.

Oftentimes your doctor may offer you a prescription for the Pill or encourage you to try an IUD.

While these are options that are readily available - if you do not feel ready to start taking

hormonal birth control or if you want to try something different: perhaps Fertility Charting is for

you! Believe me, I know what you’re thinking: “how will I find the time to do this with my new

baby?” Charting your cycle takes less than 5 minutes a day and provides a clear picture into what

is going on with your hormones. I do recommend exploring charting when you are at least 6-8

weeks Postpartum. Many of my clients have waited to start charting around 6 months and

beyond. Do what works for you!

There are many motivations for choosing to chart your cycle after having a baby. If any

of this sounds interesting to you -- read on to learn about the Basics of Charting your cycle when

you are 6-8 weeks Postpartum and beyond.

Data: Charting with the FEMM App (available on iPhones and Androids) is free, easy to

navigate and protects your privacy. After reading this blog, perhaps you will download the App

and explore. The home screen walks you through each biomarker you can choose on any given

day. When you finish a full cycle (as in: you get your period… “cycle day one” is when you have

obvious menstruation) you can look back at your chart and see a full picture of your hormone

health. It is pretty cool! Keep in mind - when you are Postpartum - it is not always going to look

‘perfect.’ In fact, no cycle is! It is a myth that we ovulate on cycle day 14 and get a period on

cycle day 28.

Biomarkers: The basics of FEMM include understanding what you are charting. For this

charting method, you will keep track of two biomarkers - or ‘signs of life.’ One is your cervical

fluid and the other is testing your luteinizing hormone. By observing these two biomarkers each

day, you get a glimpse into what your hormones are doing. It is important to check your cervical

fluid each time you go to the bathroom. Working with a certified Fertility Educator can really

help you understand your biomarkers and identify them correctly, thus getting a better

understanding of your hormones.

Ovulation: The “main event” of the menstrual cycle is ovulation. By observing and then

charting your biomarkers - you will be able to understand if you are ovulating. When you see

cervical fluid that resembles raw egg white or could be described as slippery - you can mark that

on your FEMM App and know in your mind your body is expressing signs of Estrogen.

LH Tests: The reason FEMM teaches you to track the Luteinizing Hormone through LH

Tests is because it is a helpful indication that you are ovulating (should you get a positive test).

This can be very confirming for someone that is newly Postpartum and not wanting to conceive

again in this time period. Perhaps you took these tests when you were trying to conceive. Using

LH Tests is just another way that you can confirm you are ovulating. From there, you can make

informed choices for your health.

Benefits: The benefits of utilizing this method of Fertility Awareness when you are in

your sacred Postpartum time include: understanding your natural cycle, knowing when you will

get your period and feeling more empowered and connected to yourself. You are in the driver

seat when it comes to the health of your hormones and you gain a deeper understanding of what

you may need in each of the various phases of your menstrual cycle.

Keep in mind, everyone’s Return to Fertility varies after having a baby. Some get their

period at 6 weeks and for others it can take years. Many factors influence this (breastfeeding is

one example of an influencing factor). To find freedom and understanding in this process - I

recommend charting your fertility with FEMM!

Author Bio: Kenzie Radigan is a FEMM Certified Fertility Educator & DONA trained

Postpartum Doula with a Masters Degree in Education. She supports all people on the

reproductive continuum & has a passion for creating empowering workshops for those curious

about charting the menstrual cycle. Join Kenzie for her free virtual workshop on October 12th at

7pm if you would like to learn more about Charting.