Question**I have already submitted this question, but I failed to mention that I am EXCLUSIVELY breast-feeding. That may have an impact on the answer to my question.**
My husband and I practice NFP. We had our first child four weeks ago, and I am beginning to chart again. I am still discharging brownish lochia, but it has the characteristics of more fertile mucus. I have not noticed any thermal shift in my temperature readings, but I am unsure how to read the characteristics of the lochia.
1) Are these characteristics of the lochia normal? It is stretchy and wet feeling similar to more fertile mucus, but it is not a consistent blood flow. Rather, it is more individual strands and clots, and is still darker in color.
2) My newborn is not yet on a set sleeping and/or feeding schedule, and we do not get up at the same time every morning. How much will a variance in my temperature time negatively impact the accuracy?
Thank you in advance for your help. My husband and I look forward to a return to intimacy, but we want to be responsible with our choices, and the at-home post partum NFP class was unclear in this matter."
AnswerHi Jessica,
My situation is very similar to yours in that I'm exclusively nursing a 2 month old and just starting to chart again. The postpartum period is always an interesting time for me when it comes to fertility awareness. The signs of returning fertility can be a bit ambiguous esp. when nursing.
As to your questions:
1. Lochia is a combination of blood, mucus and tissue from a healing uterus so it is very normal to see mucus of the type you are talking about. At this point, since you are still experiencing lochia, there's no need to interpret it. The temperatures will have to do for now.
2. It's ok that you're not waking up at the same time. Usually an hour or two difference in the morning will not have a noticeable affect on your temperature. For instance, if you wake up at 5 am one morning and at 7 am the next morning, the reading should be comparable. The rule of thumb is to take it first thing in the morning AND after you've had at least three hours of sleep.
As long as you only have the temperature sign to rely on, you'll only know if you've ovulated in hindsight. But at 4 weeks the likelihood of your conceiving is almost zero. In fact, you're protected like this for at least the first 3 months. Some mothers experience amenorrhea (no periods) for 12 months or more, but that just depends on the woman.
Here are basic rules of thumb for exclusive breastfeeding:
"Exclusive breastfeeding (by itself) is 98-99.5% effective in preventing pregnancy as long as all of the following conditions are met:
1.Your baby is less than six months old
2.Your menstrual periods have not yet returned
3.Baby is breastfeeding on cue (both day & night), and gets nothing but breastmilk or only token amounts of other foods"
So according to the NFP method and your current situation, I would say you have the green light for intimacy. Keep tracking your temps and when your lochia stops totally, be on alert for the fertile mucus sign.
All the best,
Ann S
