When do periods return while breastfeeding

Menstruation - La Leche League International

Menstruation and Breastfeeding

Human beings have known for centuries that breastfeeding affects fertility, and this has been borne out in recent studies. The effects of breastfeeding on fertility vary greatly between individuals. In general though, the more often a baby is breastfed, the younger the baby is, and the less nutrition the baby gets from other sources, the later a person’s periods will resume.

The range of “normal”, is enormous. Some women resume their menstrual cycles soon after giving birth, while other people do not resume menstruating until the baby is weaned (which can be months or years later, depending on how long the baby is nursed). Individual hormonal and physiological differences can play a part as can how frequently the baby nurses. Also, some people have a non-ovulatory period before 6 months postpartum, but do not menstruate again for many months.

According to The Womanly Art of Breastfeeding (p. 364-366), almost everyone who is fully breastfeeding their babies will be free of menstrual periods for 3 – 6 months or longer. This is called lactational amenorrhea. Fully breastfeeding means the baby relies completely on breastfeeding for nourishment and for all sucking needs. Frequent nursing inhibits the release of hormones that cause your body to begin the monthly preparations for a new pregnancy.

Experiencing a menstrual period does not mean that your menstrual cycle has returned permanently and without an accurate clinical test, you won’t know whether or not you ovulated (released an egg and could potentially become pregnant). You are more likely to ovulate and resume regular periods if your baby is going for more than a few hours without breastfeeding (for instance, at night) and your baby is more than 6 months old.

Most breastfeeding mothers will resume their periods between 9 and 18 months after their baby’s birth. Weaning your baby will almost certainly cause your menstrual cycle to return, but most people find that they do not need to wean in order for their cycle to gradually resume. If you want to use this knowledge for purposes of regulating your fertility you may find it helpful to read more about the “Lactational Amenorrhea Method.” The book Breastfeeding and Natural Child Spacing by Sheila Kippley also offers factual information and support on coming to terms with the effect of delayed return of your periods on the timing of growing your family.

More information on this topic can be found at our resource page for Breastfeeding and Fertility.

Once your baby is not nursing for several hours at a time during daytime or at night, it is possible that you will ovulate. Therefore, you could become pregnant. If you suspect you are pregnant, you will want to check with your health care provider. Also, this would be a good time to consider a method of birth control that is compatible with breastfeeding (unless another pregnancy is desired). More information can be found at our resource page for Breastfeeding and Contraception.

DOES YOUR PERIOD DECREASE YOUR MILK SUPPLY?

It is common to have a drop in supply at certain points in your cycle, often from mid-cycle to around the time of your period. It can also be less comfortable to nurse at this time. This is due to the hormonal changes and is only temporary. Our book The Womanly Art of Breastfeeding states that:

“A daily dose of 500 to 1,000 mg of a calcium and magnesium supplement from the middle of your cycle through the first three days of your period may help minimize any drop in supply”.

Birth Control
Breastfeeding and Fertility

Updated January 2021.

What Should You Know About Breastfeeding During Your Periods? What Can You Expect?

Written by Jeffrey Weishaupt

Because of this, you will probably not have your period or will experience only some light spotting while breastfeeding. Meanwhile, some women get their period a few weeks after giving birth, even if they are breastfeeding. Once you start weaning your baby off breast milk, you can expect to get your regular period back.

When Do You Get Your Period After Giving Birth?

The first period after the birth of your child can be as early as five to six weeks. Or, you may not have your period for as long as you nurse your child. Once you stop feeding your baby at night or begin to give them formula or solid foods, your period will return soon.

Your first period after you give birth may be heavier, and you may notice blood clots and have more cramping.

If you think you are losing too much blood or that there are clots, talk to your doctor.

Do Periods Affect Your Milk Supply?

Menstruation can affect your milk supply, especially during the end of the cycle or during your period. This is due to a decrease in prolactin concentration.

At this time, nursing may be uncomfortable, and you might see your baby nursing more frequently due to the decrease in blood supply.

Talk to your doctor about possible ways to increase your milk supply. Drink a lot of fluids and ask your doctor about taking magnesium or calcium supplements.

Can You Get Your Period While Breastfeeding?

Many women do not get their period until they start weaning the baby off breast milk. However, you could have your period a few weeks after giving birth. The timing differs from one mother to another. Irregular periods are also an aftereffect of pregnancy and breastfeeding.

Your period is most likely to resume if your baby no longer requires night-time feeding because they are sleeping for six or more hours. If your baby is feeding less or has started eating solid foods, your period will return soon.

Meanwhile, mothers who keep their babies close, carrying them in a carrier or a sling, are less likely to resume menstruation, as the baby can nurse any time they want.

Can You Breastfeed While You Have Your Period?

When you get your period, you may have sore nipples. Thus, breastfeeding on the first few days of your period may be uncomfortable. Here are some tips to minimize the discomfort:

Try to breastfeed as often as possible, keeping the baby on your breast, as it would help maintain milk supply.
Don't use numbing creams for pain relief. These creams can make your child's mouth numb and make the process uncomfortable for them.
If you're experiencing too much discomfort, talk to your doctor about using an over-the-counter pain reliever.
If nursing is too painful, pump breast milk. It will allow you to have enough milk supply for the time it takes for the tenderness to go away.

If you are breastfeeding while you are having a period, your baby might not want to latch on. That’s due to the change in the taste of breast milk. The chloride and sodium levels increase in milk during your period, and the lactose levels go down.

As a result, the milk is less sweet than usual. It is rather salty.

So, your baby may be fussy, feed less due to differences in taste, or refuse to nurse. Once your period is over, your baby will return to their nursing routine.

Will Breastfeeding Stop Me From Getting Pregnant?

Your period and breastfeeding routine could delay a new pregnancy. Some research shows that most women do not ovulate, or drop an egg for fertilization, for at least six weeks after giving birth.

This period can be longer if you are breastfeeding your child, because nursing works as natural birth control. But you should not solely rely on nursing if you do not want to get pregnant.

Menstruation while breastfeeding | o.

b.®

Why Menstruation Doesn't Come While Breastfeeding

Breastfeeding and menstruation are interrelated. The hormone prolactin is responsible for the production of milk, which prevents the production of hormones in the ovaries ^1.2 . At high concentrations of prolactin in the body, the menstrual cycle ¹ is absent as such. This means that menstruation with HB becomes impossible. It is known that the largest amount of this hormone is produced from 2 to 6 in the morning. With frequent breastfeeding, the body constantly maintains a high concentration of prolactin ^1,2,3 . That is why in women who apply the baby on demand, menstruation during breastfeeding begins later than in those who, from infancy, establish a diet with a long break at night ² .

When the menstrual cycle is restored during breastfeeding

In most lactating women, menstruation resumes in a year or a half after childbirth, in about a third - after 7-12 months ² . Some new mothers start menstruating 3-6 months after giving birth ^2.3, in rare cases - does not come for more than 2 years ³. If during breastfeeding menstruation is irregular for a long time, it is recommended to seek the advice of a doctor.

What determines the timing of the onset of menstruation when breastfeeding

The frequency of breastfeeding. If a woman often breastfeeds a child (every 2-3 hours), a high concentration of prolactin ^1,2,3 is maintained in the body, which inhibits the work of the ovaries. When the baby is supplemented with formula or new foods are introduced, the interval between applications is increased ^2.4 . For this reason, the level of prolactin falls, and the cycle can be restored. If menstruation has already begun during lactation, it is no longer possible to “cancel” it by increasing the number of applications.

From the individual characteristics of the organism. The restoration of menstruation is completely dependent on the hormonal background ² . It is individual for each woman, so the timing of the resumption of menstruation during breastfeeding can vary significantly. They are influenced by hereditary factors, body type, etc.

From the complexity of the postponed childbirth. Injuries and other complications in both mother and child can affect the ability to breastfeed. For example, if the baby was born prematurely and does not suckle milk well, its amount may decrease. At the same time, the level of prolactin falls and menstruation may begin during breastfeeding. Complications in the mother also affect the hormonal background and the general condition of the reproductive system, and hence the timing of the restoration of reproductive function.

From the presence of chronic diseases of the genital area. Inflammatory and infectious pathologies also affect the possibility of the onset of critical days during breastfeeding ¹ . If menstruation is not restored for a long time, this may be the first symptom of diseases of the genital area. To clarify the cause of the pathology and the selection of treatment, you must consult a doctor.

Is it necessary to interrupt breastfeeding during menstruation

Menstruation during lactation does not affect the quality of breast milk in any way, so there is no need to interrupt breastfeeding. The processes in the mother's body, contrary to popular belief, do not affect the quality of the baby's nutrition ⁵ . On "these" days, milk does not change its taste and does not lose its beneficial properties. It is not required to replace it with a mixture. If menstruation came during breastfeeding, the amount of milk under the influence of hormonal changes may decrease slightly - this is a variant of the norm.

Features of menstruation during breastfeeding

Regularity. In the first two or three cycles, periods during breastfeeding are irregular. They may come more often or less than the standard 28 days ¹ . If cycle failures persist for more than 3 months, you should consult your doctor.

Intensity. If menstruation began while breastfeeding, a woman may notice that the discharge has become more or less than before childbirth. This is due to the physiological changes that have occurred in the body. However, in some women, the intensity of menstruation remains the same ¹ .

Soreness. Many women after childbirth notice that menstruation is no longer accompanied by pain. This is due to a change in the position and shape of the uterus. However, for many, critical days are accompanied by the same discomfort as before. If menstruation occurs during breastfeeding, there may be discomfort in the lower abdomen associated with uterine contractions. nine0013

Using tampons during menstruation while breastfeeding

If menstruation occurs while breastfeeding, a woman can use any hygiene products that are comfortable for her, including o.b.® tampons ⁶ To feel comfortable during menstruation, choose products with optimal absorbency:

o. b.® ProComfort mini or normal are small, thin tampons with silky SilkTouch® surface and tapered tip for even more comfortable insertion ⁶ . The best option for women whose periods during lactation have become meager or moderately intense;
o.b.® ProComfort super or super plus - these hygiene products are convenient to use during regular or heavy periods. Thanks to the spiral grooves FluidLock ^TM (Fluidlock) tampons provide reliable protection against leaks ⁶ .

Literature

V.I. Duda. Obstetrics / studies. - Minsk: RIPO, 2013, p. 70-71, 188-198.
Dzhabbarova Yu.K. Lactational amenorrhea as a method of postpartum contraception // Dzhabbarova Yu.K., Rakhmankulova N.G. / Electronic scientific journal "Biology and Integrative Medicine" No. 5, 2016, p. 54-62.
T.V. Ovsyannikova. Obstetrics and gynecology Gynecology - Topical issues of postpartum contraception / / T. V. Ovsyannikova, I.O. Makarov / Consilium Medicum, No. 02, 2013, p. 18-21.
N.A. Osipova. Obstetrics and gynecology Gynecology - Problems of family planning after childbirth // N.A. Osipova, I.E. Zazerskaya / Consilium Medicum No. 05, 2013.
I.N. Zakharov. The history of breastfeeding: what prevented the natural way of feeding babies from ancient times to modern times? // I.N. Zakharova, I.M. Osmanov / MEDICAL COUNCIL No. 11, 2018, p. 18-26.
Application of o.b.® tampons.

Menstruation after childbirth | Clinic.kg

Menstruation after childbirth

June 30, 2019

A healthy pregnancy and delivery of a healthy baby is a reason for a woman to be proud of herself and her health. An important topic that worries many women after childbirth is menstruation: when to expect it, why the cycle is irregular, is it possible to get pregnant while breastfeeding, and much more. We will analyze the main issues in our article. nine0013

Postpartum discharge

Postpartum profuse discharge in a woman has nothing to do with menstruation - these are lochia, which become bloody from bloody, and then transparent, completely disappearing. After about two months, the uterus and ovaries return to their physiological state and size, which means that the onset of menstrual cycles with the maturation of eggs and menstruation is quite possible. Thus, a woman can expect her first menstruation from the 2-3rd month after childbirth. nine0013

When should my period start after childbirth?

This period depends on the type of feeding of the child: natural or artificial. Breast milk is produced under the influence of the pituitary hormone prolactin. The level of estrogen does not increase, therefore, when breastfeeding, menstruation begins, on average, 2 months after childbirth, more often when feeding “by the hour”. But there are times when some nursing women do not have periods for a year, and for some, they can recover in a month and a half after childbirth. On average, the onset of menstruation with breastfeeding varies from 3 months to six months. nine0013

How long do periods last after childbirth?

Often the first menstruation is quite heavy. There may be strong discharge, menstruation with blood clots. If you have to change the pad every hour, you should seek help from a doctor: this may be a symptom of bleeding that has begun. Subsequent periods usually become normal. In other cases, in the first months, women have irregular spotting. This is typical for breastfeeding, when prolactin synthesis gradually decreases. nine0013

Reasons for the slow recovery of the regular cycle

Each woman has her own individual period for the restoration of the menstrual cycle. This is determined by the activity of the production of hormones of the sex glands, the pituitary gland, the state of the immune and reproductive systems as a whole. There are a number of reasons for this that affect the body in the postpartum period:

features of the individual hormonal background;
hereditary factors;
nature of the birth process;
peculiarities of uterine restoration.

What to do if the menstrual cycle becomes irregular:

In the first months of the postpartum recovery period, do not panic. In most cases, this is the norm. For each woman, the normalization of the cycle occurs individually, usually during the first months of the resumption of menstrual bleeding. Irregularity is more common in nursing mothers. nine0076

It takes about 2 months to restore the normal function of all organs and systems. Balance in the endocrine system comes later, especially if breastfeeding is used. Therefore, a woman can feel completely healthy, but she will not have a period.

Observe the irregular cycle only after 3 cycles. This may be due to an inflammatory process, endometriosis or a tumor of the genital organs. A delay in the second period is not dangerous, unless it is associated with a second pregnancy. nine0076

Menstruation after caesarean section

Menstruation after caesarean section is restored in the same way as after normal delivery. During lactation, periods do not come for six months. Against the background of artificial feeding from the maternity hospital due to the lack of nipple stimulation (which activates the synthesis of oxytocin, which contracts the uterus), recovery may be somewhat slower, plus there is still a scar on the uterus. Therefore, the restoration of menstrual function may occur a little later, for several weeks. nine0013

Cycle after a pathological course of pregnancy or childbirth

After termination of a missed pregnancy or abortion, the first menstruation occurs within 45 days. If this does not happen, the woman should seek help from a gynecologist. To exclude such causes of amenorrhea as the remaining part of the fetal egg in the uterus or inflammation, 10 days after the termination of a frozen or normal pregnancy, an ultrasound scan is necessary.

Pathologies of menstruation, what to pay attention to and immediately contact a specialist:

Sudden cessation of postpartum discharge is a sign of a bending of the uterus or endometritis, accumulation of lochia in the uterine cavity - lochiometers.
Scanty periods for 3 or more cycles. Perhaps they are a symptom of hormonal disorders, Sheehan's syndrome or endometritis.
Irregularity of menstruation six months after its restoration, interval between bloody discharge for more than 3 months. Most often associated with ovarian pathology. nine0076
Excessive bleeding for 2 or more cycles, especially after a surgical delivery or abortion. They are often caused by the tissues of the membranes remaining on the walls of the uterus.
The duration of menstruation is more than a week, which is accompanied by weakness, dizziness.
Abdominal pain, fever, bad smell, discoloration of vaginal discharge - a sign of a tumor or infection.
Spotting before and after menstruation is a likely symptom of endometriosis or an inflammatory disease. nine0076
Itching in the vagina, an admixture of curdled discharge is a sign of thrush.
Bleeding twice a month for more than 3 cycles.

Is it possible to get pregnant?

The most common myth is that a woman cannot get pregnant if she is breastfeeding a baby. The fact is that the process of ovulation, the first after childbirth, is formed before the onset of the first spotting, and it is she who, with unprotected intercourse, can lead to an unplanned pregnancy, and a woman will give birth to the weather.