Breastfeeding menstruation: is it normal?

Nature made sure that the woman recovered after childbirth. On average, this occurs by the end of the second month, when the hormonal and physiological state returns to normal to the level of the prenatal period. During lactation, the hormone prolactin is synthesized , which stimulates milk production and inhibits the maturation of the egg. This is why there is no period when breastfeeding. If menstruation does occur, is it normal?[1]

Can you get your period while breastfeeding?

The female body is designed so that upon reaching puberty in the ovaries, the ovum matures . At first, it is in the follicle, but there comes a moment when it bursts and the cell begins its movement along the fallopian tube into the uterine cavity. At this time, its inner layer - the endometrium becomes thicker, many small vessels appear. This is how the body prepares for pregnancy if the fertilized egg is fixed. If this does not happen, the endometrium simply exfoliates and menstruation begins.

Pregnancy and childbirth violate this order in a woman's body. Its restoration is a hormonal process and each has its own, depending on many factors: physical, emotional, mental state, nutrition.

The production of prolactin depends on the intensity of the feeding. When the baby is not yet supposed to be fed and is fed only with breast milk, there are no periods. As the demand for breast milk decreases, the cycle resumes with mixed feeding. This can happen a few months later, and sometimes even a year after giving birth.

After the end of breastfeeding, if the cycle is completely absent, it resumes after about 1-2 months.

If a woman feeds, and menstruation has resumed, this is not scary, then such an organism, if only there are no pathological reasons, which is worth making sure by visiting a gynecologist.

How to induce periods while breastfeeding?

Sometimes, in connection with a certain diagnosis, for example, a cyst, it becomes necessary to cause menstruation while breastfeeding . The use of hormones will harm the baby, so a less frequent latching of the baby to the breast is the solution. This will lead to a decrease in prolactin, and hence progesterone (the first suppresses the synthesis of the second), which is involved in the regulation of the menstrual cycle.

Does your period affect breastfeeding?

Many women fear that with the onset of menstruation, milk changes its taste and the baby may refuse to breast. No one has proven this yet, and besides, it is influenced by the mother's food, so the baby is used to flavoring shades.

The amount of milk may decrease insignificantly in the first days of the cycle, but then it is restored.

The nature of menstruation can change: soreness disappears or decreases, discharge from abundant becomes scarce. Usually, after a few cycles, everything comes within the same framework as before.

Doctors do not recommend interrupting feeding in any way. For the development and growth of the child, his protection from diseases, it is extremely important to feed on breast milk.[2]

What are the periods when breastfeeding?

In the postpartum period, women have discharge, at first red, then yellowish. This has nothing to do with menstruation, this is how the uterus is cleansed after childbirth. The discharge is called lochia and it should stop in a month and a half.

For each woman, the restoration of the cycle occurs in its own way. It happens that in spite of feeding, menstruation began a month later, and then disappeared again. Irregular periods after childbirth are common. There is no need to be afraid of this, some time will pass and everything will return to normal. Much depends on genetics, lifestyle, woman's age, lactation intensity.

Heavy periods with breastfeeding

With normal recovery after childbirth, menstruation proceeds in the usual order for every woman. But it happens that they become very abundant , lasting a week or more, which is frightening and alarming.

The reason for this may lie in the complications of the birth process, birth trauma, diseases before pregnancy (fibroids, cervical polyps, blood clotting disorders), inflammation, the use of intrauterine contraceptives.

In this case, a woman should definitely contact a gynecologist. The doctor will conduct an examination, send the pelvic organs for ultrasound, prescribe hemostatic (dinoprost, ergotal, ginestril) and iron-containing drugs (sorbifer, fenuls, totem), because large blood loss leads to iron deficiency anemia. Establishing the cause of heavy periods will adjust the treatment taking into account the identified factors.

When breastfeeding, any drug therapy is undesirable, but in this case the life of the mother is at risk. [3]

Pain during menstruation while breastfeeding

As a rule, there are no pain during menstruation during feeding. A hormone is produced that prevents stagnation of blood in the uterus and pain. But there are also exceptions. It is best for a nursing mother not to take painkillers on her own, but to go to the clinic. The doctor will identify the cause of the pain and prescribe a remedy that is not capable of harming the child.

If you don't have the strength to wait for his visit, then you can take a one-time pill that does not contain:

• analgin (pentalgin, sedalgin, tempalgin) - can cause kidney dysfunction, inhibits hematopoiesis;
• citramone - adversely affects the child's liver;
• phenobarbital - depresses the nervous system;
• caffeine - has an exciting effect on the baby;
• codeine - inhibits milk production.

It is best to take no-shpu before the doctor's appointment.

Can you get pregnant while breastfeeding?

The fact that during breastfeeding, pregnancy again came, more than one woman faced. Relying on the myth that it is impossible to become pregnant during lactation, the couple ceases to protect themselves.

Signs of pregnancy in the case when there were already menstruation, is their delay or very scanty discharge. If there were no menstruation, then toxicosis, excessive gas formation, pulling pains in the lower abdomen, watery discharge, and an increase in basal temperature can become signals .

There is an option that the woman will not feel anything at all. A smart solution is to use test strips once a month to determine unplanned conception. This will give the woman a choice: to interrupt it or start preparing for a new pregnancy.

It is important to remember that lactation is not a method of contraception.

Menses after stopping breastfeeding

It is not uncommon for menstruation to be absent throughout even a long period of feeding. In this case, they should recover no more than 2 months after the end of lactation. If this does not happen, you need to see a doctor.

Also, periods that have already been going on may disappear after breastfeeding. One and the second case may indicate pregnancy or hormonal failure.