Course curriculum

    1. Welcome to Marquette: The Postpartum/Breastfeeding Course

    2. Course Outline

    1. Monitor Use

    2. Clearblue Tips & Tricks

    1. Breastfeeding Protocol

    2. Breastfeeding Protocol

    3. Key Points

    1. Return of Fertility Instructions

    2. Return of Fertility

    1. Charting Tools

    2. Charts

    1. Resources FYI

About this course

  • $175.00
  • 15 lessons
  • 1 hour of video content

I Had a Baby...Now How Do I Chart??

Congratulations on your baby, what an exciting time! Postpartum can be the trickiest time to navigate your fertility, and we are here to help you!

Marquette provides confidence and clarity while charting in your postpartum period. Mucus observation can be challenging and unreliable postpartum, and temperature doesn't warn you before you ovulate.  Urinary hormone monitoring with Marquette is easy and objective.

Even if you have charted with Marquette previously, POSTPARTUM IS DIFFERENT! This course applies to you if you are breastfeeding, whether or not you have had return of menses. This course also includes email follow-up for a year!

**If you are new to the Marquette Method and breastfeeding, you need to enroll in the bundled option in order to have access to both courses**

Why Special Instructions for Breastfeeding?

Breastfeeding can delay your fertility and cause changes in your cycle even when your fertility does return. Using Marquette while breastfeeding is different than in regular cycles! That is why this course includes: 

  • A refresher on how we use the Clearblue monitor off-label
  • How to navigate your fertility in "Cycle 0" (Before your period returns)
  • What to expect and how to manage your first 6 cycles postpartum, including a breastfeeding taper protocol for women still breastfeeding during return of menses

What if I am Not Breastfeeding?

If you are postpartum, NOT breastfeeding, and have not yet started your period, please email me at [email protected]. You will want the regular cycle instructions once your period returns, but in the meantime there are some things you should know depending on if you are trying to achieve or avoid pregnancy.

Did you know you will ovulate before your first period?

This is why a lot of women get pregnant postpartum without knowing it,
because they think they are infertile if they haven't yet started their
cycle. You will ovulate before your first menses! Hormone monitoring can help you catch that first ovulation before you get your period so you can be confident in whether or not you are fertile.

The monitor tracks estrogen and LH (luteinizing hormone). Ovulation occurs 24-48 hours from an LH surge, and this LH surge is the result of an estrogen rise. If we can catch estrogen rising, we can be warned before that LH surge occurs, and therefore identify fertility returning before you ovulate!

The monitor provides clear, objective data and this method is 98% effective for avoiding pregnancy.

What do I need?

The Marquette Method utilizes the Clear Blue Fertility Monitor and associated test sticks. We have a very specific protocol to help women use this device (off label) even before your menses returns.

As part of this protocol, you will also want some over-the-counter LH strips handy as well.

**All supplies and teaching fees are typically HSA/FSA eligible**

If you need reimbursement code for insurance purposes you can use ICD-10 Code: Z31.89 "Reproductive management, preconception counseling". 



New to Marquette?

If you are postpartum, breastfeeding, and new to the Marquette Method, meaning you have never officially learned Marquette, then you will want to purchase the "bundled course" which includes regular cycle instructions in addition to postpartum instructions. The breastfeeding/postpartum course teaches you with the assumption that you understand the regular protocol for the method.

You are NOT alone

This postpartum course or bundled course includes 1.5 years of access. Renewal options available once that time has lapsed. 

We do not want you to feel alone or in the dark on this journey, and are here to help guide you through the transitions.

Student Feedback

  • "Christy's Marquette Method course was great! I feel so much more knowledgeable and empowered about how my cycle works with spacing children after talking with Christy and seeing her presentation. She was professional yet personal and warm. She is so smart and shares her knowledge well and you understand exactly what she is teaching you. She answered all our questions very well and explained things so that both me and my non-medical background husband could understand the concepts. I would highly recommend learning about the Marquette Method from Christy!"
  • I had no idea that my body would throw out hormones postpartum like practice darts! I really thought that return to fertility would be like pre-baby. This explains so much for my personal experience. I had taken an NFP course pre-marriage as part of our requirements, but it wasn’t very helpful. It was much more geared to achieving pregnancy, but didn’t consider spacing of children or avoiding pregnancy. Though I absolutely love my 2nd and 3rd children, they were unintended because my deliveries were rough and we wanted to space out our kids more (thankfully, breastfeeding kept my cycles from returning for 10-11 months). I chose to change methods after much consideration and my husband being afraid to touch me to Marquette for the hormonal activity clarity, as you mentioned. But I never realized how different the postpartum body was! Your instructions were so clarifying and relieving.
  • I found this course extremely helpful, especially the statistics! I was very stressed before I took this, but I have a lot more peace. It's a little more complicated than regular cycles, but I'm not as intimidated as I was. 

FAQ

  • When should I take this course?

    It is up to you! You are considered infertile for the first 56 days postpartum and most providers do not recommend resuming intercourse for at least the first 6 weeks. You can learn before or after baby comes, whenever you feel most excited to absorb the information (Nice thing about self-paced is you can learn multiple times!) You are able to start charting and using the monitor as soon as you finish the lessons, so whenever works best for you!

  • How long do I have access to the course?

    Once you've enrolled and paid, you'll have access to the course material for 1.5 years from enrollment date. So devour it all in one weekend or take things slow. It's your choice!

  • I've been using the monitor but never actually learned Marquette. Do I need the bundled course?

    Yes! This course is taught assuming you have the baseline knowledge of the official Marquette Method, so if you have never learned Marquette you will want to take the "regular cycles" lessons first before you learn the postpartum/breastfeeding piece.

  • Can I use the older monitor?

    Yes! The older Clearblue monitor works for this method and instructions for both monitors are provided, but the older monitor tends to be much more expensive and most clients prefer the touchscreen.

  • What about the Clearblue Advanced Touchscreen Monitor?

    The "advanced" monitor also has you take a pregnancy test every 14 days. It is the European model and is not FDA approved so if something goes wrong Clearblue does not honor warranty in the U.S. The monitor itself still works for our purposes and uses the same test sticks.

  • Can I use insurance?

    NFP education is covered by many insurances if you submit for reimbursement. I can provide you the ICD-code for NFP education, and you receive an invoice as proof of payment.

  • Is this FSA/HSA eligible?

    Yes! Supplies and education and FSA/HSA eligible. I HIGHLY recommend getting your test sticks on Amazon under "autoship". (Then, if there's a pandemic you still receive them). Postpartum you will use a box of sticks each month.

  • I still have a question, how can I contact you?

    I'd be happy to answer any questions you might have. Send me an email at [email protected]

Meet Your Instructor

Christina Garbus

Instructor, Course Creator

Christy Garbus is a Registered Nurse and graduated with her BSN from Regis University in 2014, masters in nursing education in 2019, and has been teaching the Marquette Method of NFP since 2019. She has hospital experience in cardiac and emergency medicine, and clinic experience in OBGYN and family practice. She was the operations manager and one of the fertility educators at Bella Health and Wellness. A Marquette user herself, Christy talks a lot about her own experience in how this method of NFP has helped her and her husband both achieve and avoid pregnancy in addition to the blessing NFP has been in strengthening their marriage. She lives in Colorado with her husband, Caleb, and two kiddos and loves hosting parties, climbing mountains, and singing in small spaces with echoey walls.