After giving birth to my daughter last year, I was eager to recognize the return of my fertility. As a nursing mother, I knew it could take some time before my cycles were fully regulated after pregnancy. Monitoring signs of ovulation can provide clues into whether your body is returning to normal hormonal fluctuations postpartum. In those early months of motherhood, I closely watched for signals my hormones were kicking back into gear.
In this post, I’ll share the 7 signs of ovulation I learned to help detect my body’s transition back to fertility after having a baby. As you continue breastfeeding and bonding with your newborn, you may also notice these subtle cues of recovering fertility. Recognizing ovulation signs can give you greater confidence in understanding your post-baby body.
Common Signs Of Ovulation While Breastfeeding: Navigating Motherhood
In the first year after delivering my daughter, I noticed several signs indicating my hormones were normalizing. Watching for these signals provided reassurance while breastfeeding that my cycle was regulating.
Here are the 7 symptoms I learned to spot during those early postpartum months:
1. Increased Cervical Fluid
One of the clearest signs of ovulation I observed was an increase in cervical mucus. Around the time I ovulate, this discharge becomes wetter, clearer, and more slippery—similar to egg whites. This fertile-quality cervical fluid provides a hospitable environment for sperm to swim upward toward an egg.
As my cycle returned post-breastfeeding, I noticed this egg-white cervical mucus lasting around 5 days. Charting its cycle days gave me confidence I was ovulating again after pregnancy. If you’re wondering if is horniness an early sign of pregnancy or period, take note—sexual arousal also often increases around the time of ovulation. For me, observing my cervical fluid changes was the most reliable indicator I was ovulating after giving birth.
2. Slight Abdominal Cramping
In addition to cervical mucus changes, I occasionally felt minor cramping in my lower abdomen around ovulation after delivery, which could reflect signs of returning fertility while breastfeeding. This mild cramping results from a follicle rupturing to release an egg, even in nursing mothers.
For nursing mothers, you may also feel these dull cramps as your reproductive organs recover their regular function. I noticed this abdominal discomfort more prominently within the first 6 months postpartum. However, observing this ovulation sign reassured me my cycle was progressing.
3. Lighter Bleeding
Within those early months after delivering my baby, I had light sporadic bleeding during my period. This differs from the heavy flow you may expect with a typical menstrual cycle. However, for breastfeeding mothers, a longer period is common.
For me, noticing even minor bleeding and spotting was a sign my hormone production was bouncing back after pregnancy. Don’t be concerned if your first couple of periods postpartum contain irregular light bleeding. Over time, you can expect heavier regular menstrual flow again as your hormones regulate.
4. Increased Libido
Another sign of recovering fertility is a boost in your sex drive. I distinctly remember around 6 months postpartum feeling noticeably hornier approaching ovulation. This ties to rising estrogen levels that peak just before you release an egg.
Higher estrogen increases blood flow to the genitals and heightens sexual arousal. So if you’re wondering if horniness is an early sign of pregnancy or period, take it as a positive fertility indicator! I learned to embrace and enjoy my friskier ovulation moods as reassurance my hormone production was getting back on track.
5. Higher Basal Body Temperature
Charting my basal body temperature also provided confirmation I was ovulating after giving birth. This records your lowest body temperature upon waking up. Around ovulation, your BBT spikes slightly by around 0.4 to 1 degree Fahrenheit. This results from increased progesterone following the release of an egg.
I used an oral BBT thermometer to track this change, registering a noticeably higher reading in my luteal phase after ovulating. While breastfeeding can distort basal body patterns, I still observed this ovulation sign reliably. If you’re looking for simple ways to confirm ovulation after having a baby, regularly checking your basal body temp is helpful.
6. Breast Changes
Monitoring my breasts was another useful gauge for detecting ovulation after delivering my baby. I often felt breast tenderness, fullness, or a tingling sensation around my fertile window. This results from rising estrogen levels before ovulation, which stimulates breast tissue.
Additionally, progesterone following ovulation can contribute to tender or swollen breasts. So if your breasts feel more sensitive or enlarged, take note of this potential ovulation sign. While breast changes might be subtle during breastfeeding, remain alert to any differences.
7. Higher Energy Levels
Finally, I noticed my energy levels significantly lift around ovulation after having a baby. This mirrors other times I’ve felt more motivated and lively right before my period. The rising estrogen contributes to boosting mood, mental clarity, and physical vigor. Losing weight while you are breastfeeding your baby is quite normal and absolutely an added advantage you get after childbirth even without hitting your gym again or going back to your home workout routine.
So if you suddenly feel more energetic during postpartum months, you might be gearing up to ovulate. I enjoyed harnessing this vibrant fertility vibe to tackle exercising, socializing, passion projects, and more. Track if your zeal rises and falls during particular times of the month. An energy spike may indicate your body is ovulating again after pregnancy.
Bottom Line
Monitoring those 7 ovulation symptoms helped me understand my body’s transition back to fertility after giving birth. Recognizing changes in my cervical mucus, cramping, periods, sex drive, BBT, breasts, and energy gave me confidence my cycle was normalizing while breastfeeding. Witnessing these ovulatory signs also made me feel more in tune with my post-baby body.
Now that my daughter is a toddler, my cycles have regulated more predictably. However, those early postpartum months contained lots of fluctuation and adjustment. During the return of fertility, don’t worry if your ovulation timing seems irregular or your symptoms differ slightly. Especially while nursing, your hormonal function may require several months to stabilize.
References
- Aragie, T. G., & Gedion, G. S. (2022). Reproductive Women’s Knowledge on Possibility of Pregnancy after Birth but before Resumption of Menstruation and Its Associated Factors in Ethiopia: A Population-Based Study Using the 2016 Ethiopian Demographic Health Survey.
- Jackson, E., & Glasier, A. (2011). Return of ovulation and menses in postpartum nonlactating women: a systematic review.
