Luteal phase symptoms are pretty unique and different from the rest of your cycle. And honestly — it can be a little stressful to think about! Lots of women take note of their symptoms during this phase. The symptoms can be similar to pregnancy symptoms, so knowing your status is super helpful. Choosing to postpone sex for now is a great strategy to feel confident in your health.
But whatever your status is, you deserve to feel comfortable and prepared. Maybe you’ve had a conversation like this:
Damani: Hey Dominique! Can I ask you something about tracking my cycle? You’re still doing that, right?
Dominique: Of course! Yeah, I am. What’s up?
Damani: I’m curious about how to do it. I want to know where I am in my cycle and what my hormones are doing. I’m tired of feeling caught off guard by it. Any tips?
Dominique: Oh definitely! Tracking your cycle is super helpful. It’s great you want to know your body better. Do you know the basics of the menstrual cycle?
Damani: Kind of? There’s like different phases, right?
Dominique: Yup! There are four main phases.1 Menstrual, follicular, ovulation, and luteal. Luteal phase symptoms (like PMS) aren’t fun, but each phase has different stuff going on with your hormones.
Damani: Okay, cool. How do I start tracking it?
Dominique: Start by marking the first day of your period. That’s Day 1 of your cycle.1 Track how long your period lasts and how you feel each day. You can do that on your phone or your calendar. Or you can use an app if you want, but you don’t have to. After your period, you enter the follicular phase. That leads up to ovulation.1
Damani: And what about after ovulation?
Dominique: That’s the luteal phase. It’s after ovulation and before your next period starts. Your body prepares for a possible pregnancy during this phase. If an egg and sperm don’t meet, your uterus sheds its lining as your period.2
Damani: Oh, interesting! What do you feel during the luteal phase?
Dominique: I feel more emotional and get mood swings. This is the phase that ends with getting your period1 — and it’s when a lot of women get PMS.3 Yeah, luteal phase symptoms can be annoying! My boobs hurt sometimes. And sometimes I feel bloated. It’s probably because of the hormone changes.3 Some of these symptoms can seem similar to pregnancy symptoms.4 But since I’m not sexually active right now, I’m always confident that I’m not pregnant.
Damani: I have some of those symptoms too. Ugh! Have you found any good ways to deal with it?
Dominique: I try to eat well, exercise, and manage my stress.5 Knowing it’s coming helps me handle it better though. You can predict it by tracking your cycles over a few months.
Damani: Got it. So, knowing my phases can help me feel more prepared and understand my body??
Dominique: Exactly! It’s ALL about understanding your body. When you know what’s normal for you, you can spot changes and feel more in control.
Damani: Thanks, friend. This really helps. I’ll start tracking from my next period.
Dominique: Anytime, Damani! You’ve got this. And if you have more questions, I’m here.
Damani: Thanks! I feel better about this already.
Luteal phase symptoms and you
It’s wonderful that you’re interested in learning more about your menstrual cycle, especially the luteal phase symptoms. That’s taking control of your health. It’s understanding your body, which is a big step towards self-empowerment.
The luteal phase is a part of your menstrual cycle that happens after ovulation and before your period starts.1 To put it simply, it typically happens from around day 14 to day 28 of your cycle, assuming a 28-day cycle. Everyone’s body is different though. For some women, their cycle is a little shorter or a little longer.2 That’s why it’s helpful to measure the length of yours to know what’s normal.
During this time, your body is gearing up to support a possible pregnancy. If no pregnancy happens, your body prepares to shed the uterine lining. And voila! You’ve got your period.
You might notice some unique luteal phase symptoms in your body and emotions. These changes are perfectly normal. They happen to most women.
Some common luteal phase symptoms include:
– Bloating: You might feel puffier than usual due to water retention.
– Breast tenderness: Your breasts could feel sore or more sensitive.
– Sleep and appetite shifts: You might feel hungrier or crave certain foods, and your sleep patterns could change.
– Emotional shifts: Many women experience mood swings, irritability, or feel more emotional during this time. Be easy on yourself. It can be difficult.3
Managing your luteal phase symptoms
These symptoms are often grouped under what we call PMS, or premenstrual syndrome.3 They can be a bit annoying, but there are ways to manage them:
– Dietary choices: Eat a balanced diet with plenty of fruits, vegetables, and whole grains to help. What you eat really does make a difference. You don’t have to do anything drastic like calorie deficit or trending diets. Just try to be particular about getting in those vitamins and minerals! Some women find that reducing salt, caffeine, and alcohol helps reduce PMS symptoms.3
– Lifestyle tweaks: Exercising can actually improve your mood and help you be less tired!3 Even a short daily walk can make a difference. You don’t have to do anything crazy.
– Stress management: Stress can make PMS symptoms worse.3 Try to find time for relaxation and activities you enjoy, like reading, listening to music, or spending time with friends. Whatever fills your cup.
Some symptoms of PMS, like fatigue, breast tenderness, and mood swings, can also be early signs of pregnancy.4 If you think you might be pregnant, it’s a good idea to take a pregnancy test to know for sure. ThriVe+ offers no-cost pregnancy tests, so you can easily find out. Luteal phase symptoms can be confusing at times. And on top of that, our bodies change over time! Some women find that the length and intensity of their cycles change.2
Sometimes symptoms can surprise us. That’s okay- you don’t have to have the answers to everything right away. You’re not crazy! You have the power to track your symptoms so that you’re the expert on your body. Talk to your doctor if you start experiencing symptoms like intense pain or heavy bleeding.
At ThriVe+, we’re your women’s health BFFs. We’ve got passion for empowering women with medically accurate info. Why? You deserve to feel confident about your sexual health and your future. We believe that when you know more about your body, you can make better decisions for yourself.
P.S. Remember, understanding your cycle is a journey, and every step you take is a step towards knowing your amazing self even better!
