Key takeaways:
- The majority of respondents were breastfeeding postpartum, but 73% of them struggled and many would have liked more support
- Most respondents got their period back within the first year after giving birth, with 26% having their first period postpartum within the first three months
- 45% of respondents had sex within the first three months of giving birth and condoms were the most common method of birth control
Gathering insights about different experiences during the postpartum period can be valuable for both healthcare providers and new mothers who are navigating this special part of life. With this goal in mind, the NC° Research Team put together a user research survey that included questions about birth and postpartum experiences related to feeding, menstruation, sex, and use of birth control.
The survey was sent to Natural Cycles users who had given birth in the last 6-24 months and had consented to their data being used for research purposes. The analysis presented here is based on responses collected from 2,989 users in the US and UK between April 2022 and January 2023.
The survey showed that the most common delivery method was vaginal birth — 61% of the respondents gave birth this way, while 26% reported they had a C-section. The vast majority of births took place in hospitals (87%) and most were without complications (79%). When asked how they felt about the medical assistance they received, 84% of respondents were happy with the assistance given during the delivery itself, but for the postpartum period, this number was lower — only 61% felt supported during this time.
When it came to feeding, 88% of respondents reported that they breastfed (either exclusively or partially). However, 73% of those breastfeeding struggled. Additionally, 75% of the group who experienced difficulties while breastfeeding said they would have liked to have more support. It’s also worth noting that half of the respondents who didn’t breastfeed at all tried to do so but stopped because it felt too painful or complicated.
The return of the menstrual cycle and fertility after birth is another area that may spark questions for many new mothers, and it’s linked to how the baby is being fed. This analysis showed that 26% of the respondents got their first period back within three months of giving birth. Most got their period back within the first year (though this also depends on how you feed your baby) — this was the case for 79% of the group who were breastfeeding, 92% of the group who were pumping, and 90% of the group who were formula-feeding their babies. In short, this suggests that those who breastfeed are more likely to get their period back later.
Within the first three months of giving birth, 45% of the respondents had sex for the first time. Condoms were the most commonly used birth control method when starting to have sex again after birth, and 48% of respondents reported that they used this method.
These results are from a group of NC° users and we recognize that they may not reflect everyone’s experience. However, the analysis still highlights something important: it’s crucial for healthcare providers to offer enough — and personalized — support for new mothers during the postpartum period to help them navigate this chapter of their lives with confidence.
Since this survey was completed, Natural Cycles has released a dedicated postpartum experience in the app — NC° Postpartum — to support Cyclers in their physical and mental recovery after birth. NC° Postpartum features daily check-ins, customizable trackers that include pains, emotions, sleep, baby feeding, and more, as well as educational content and community insights.
Summarized by
Freya Eriksson