Top 5 Signs of Ovulation After Giving Birth: Postpartum Health

When do you ovulate after giving birth?

The postpartum whirlwind can make life extra hectic, and it’s easy to lose track of where you are in your menstrual cycle. Just like every woman is unique, so is the healing period postpartum, which means there’s no set answer to when you’ll start ovulating after birth. Women who are breastfeeding will generally ovulate later than those who aren’t, but it’s important to note that this doesn’t necessarily work on an individual level.

So, how soon can you ovulate after birth? On average, non-lactating women will begin ovulating between 45 and 64 days postpartum. In some cases, women can ovulate as little as 25 to 27 days after delivery. It’s also common to experience a few menstrual cycles without an egg release, called anovulatory cycles, as your body kicks back into gear.

Top 5 signs of ovulation after giving birth

Ovulation after pregnancy is a natural part of your menstrual cycle and shows that your body is healing normally. While it’s easy to miss the first ovulation after birth due to being focused on your little one, there are common signs of ovulating postpartum that you can keep an eye out for.

Increased basal body temperature

Your basal body temperature is the lowest your body temperature goes while resting. A common question is how to know if you’re ovulating postpartum, and monitoring your basal body temperature is a great tool. For many women, ovulation causes a small but measurable increase in their body temperature, which you can use as a sign to determine if ovulation is occurring. However, please keep in mind that there are factors other than ovulation that can increase your body temperature and, consequently, BBT. Therefore, this method is not fully reliable.

Cervical mucus changes

While we can’t give you a set answer to the question, “How long after birth do you ovulate?” your body may do a good job of letting you know through cervical mucus. That’s right, your cervical mucus can help you decipher when you’re ovulating. Hormone fluctuations throughout your cycle, particularly with estrogen and progesterone, cause changes to this useful fluid.

Before and during ovulation, you’ll notice it’s thin and slippery, like egg whites, not only making sex more enjoyable but also aiding in conception. If you used fertility tracking to get pregnant, you’re very familiar with how ovulatory cervical mucus looks. Postpartum ovulation discharge should look identical to preconception, making it easier to monitor.

Ovulation pain

Ovulation pain, also called mittelschmerz, may impact one in five women. Ovulation pain postpartum can be completely normal, affecting one side of your lower abdomen as a follicle within the ovary ruptures and a mature egg is released. Some women worry that they’ll experience painful ovulation postpartum, but it shouldn’t hurt any more than it did before you gave birth. Ovulation pain after pregnancy can be a sharp pain or cramping on one side of the abdomen for a few minutes to hours and can last from 24 to 48 hours.

It’s common for postpartum ovulation pain to switch sides every month, depending on which ovary releases the egg. While mild to moderate ovulation camps postpartum is normal, if you experience severe painful ovulation after pregnancy, you should contact your doctor.

Sore or painful breasts

Ovulatory breast pain, sometimes called cyclic mastalgia, is a very common symptom of ovulation. If you are not breastfeeding and notice your breast feels sore or painful and have accompanying symptoms like the ones above, it may indicate ovulation.

Increased libido

An increased libido is a biological response to ovulation that helps ensure conception occurs. When ovulation occurs, there is only a short 24-hour window to get pregnant, which is why you may notice yourself hyper-attracted to your partner. If you’re up for it, take advantage of your increased sex drive and have some fun; just be sure to use contraceptives since you could become pregnant if you do ovulate.

Can you ovulate postpartum without a period?

Along with the question, “When do you ovulate after having a baby?” we also get asked if you can ovulate without getting a period. And the short answer is, “Yes,” you can ovulate postpartum without menstruating.

The reason for ovulating without a period is pregnancy. You may ovulate without knowing it, have unprotected intercourse that results in pregnancy, and voila!

It’s common for doctors to get the question, “How soon after giving birth do you ovulate?” from their breastfeeding patients since it can be tricky to pinpoint. The reason is that when you breastfeed, your body can stop ovulating, which is why some women use it as a form of birth control. While it can work, you have to be careful because you never know when ovulation will start again, and you could become pregnant.

Signs of ovulation while breastfeeding, but no period, are the same as the signs of ovulation after stopping breastfeeding: mild cramping, cervical mucus changes, increased libido, and breast tenderness.

Tips on tracking ovulation after pregnancy

Now that we know the answer to the question, “When do you ovulate after pregnancy?” Let’s go over some helpful tips you can use to keep track of ovulation and stay informed on each phase of your menstrual cycle.

Use a hormone or period tracker

While it’s common to wonder, “When do you ovulate after giving birth?” you don’t have to simply guess where you are in your menstrual cycle. A hormone or period tracker can be a great way to monitor your cycle and postpartum symptoms. If you haven’t started menstruating, an at-home hormone tracker is an excellent tool since it uses urine tests to tell you your hormone levels. Once you start your period, a period tracker can give you insights into where you are in your cycle.

Take ovulation tests

“When do you ovulate postpartum?” is one of the most common questions we receive, and ovulation tests can give you the answer. They work like pregnancy tests, using urine to tell you if you have elevated hormone levels and ovulation is about to occur.

Track your cervical mucus

Now that you know what ovulatory cervical mucus looks like, you can use it to track where you are in your cycle. If your mucus looks like egg whites, there’s a high chance that you’re ovulating.

Monitor your basal body temperature

Taking your temperature when you wake up in the morning after sleeping at least three hours will give you the most accurate results. If you notice your numbers are slightly elevated, about 1/2 degree or less, you could be ovulating.

Be aware of any abdominal pain

During the first ovulation after birth, painful cramping could come as a surprise, but as long as it’s mild and lasts less than 24 hours, it shouldn’t be a cause for concern. However, if you are worried, it’s always best to consult your doctor.

After giving birth, it could take a while for your menstrual cycle to go back to normal. While knowing when you’re ovulating can be tricky, if you know what to look for and use the right tools, you should be able to decipher the code and gain a better understanding of which phase of your cycle you’re in. The Hormona app makes it easy to track your hormonal health by offering comprehensive insights that make it easier to understand how your body works.

FAQ

Are you super fertile after giving birth?

There’s no scientific evidence showing that you’re more fertile after you give birth. In fact, while breastfeeding at least five times a day, women may find it harder to conceive until they discontinue.

How do I know if I’m ovulating while breastfeeding?

You can identify ovulation by monitoring changes in your cervical mucus, abdominal cramping, increased basal body temperature, breast tenderness, increased sex drive, and changes to your breastfeeding patterns.

When do you start ovulating after birth?

While every woman is different, you’ll typically start ovulating between 45 to 95 days after giving birth.

How long after delivery will a pregnancy test be positive?

You can receive a positive pregnancy test up to three weeks after delivery, depending on the level of hCG left in your body.

Do ovulation tests work postpartum?

Yes, while it can be challenging to determine when ovulation starts, ovulation tests will work postpartum.