One of the huge advantages of pregnancy and lactation, which every woman will appreciate, is that you can temporarily take a break from menstruation. Of course, for everyone, the duration of absence of menstruation after childbirth depends on the characteristics of physiology. For some, the menstrual cycle is restored after a year or more, for others it returns to normal after a couple of months. What influences this and how do periods themselves change?
To understand how and when the cycle is restored after childbirth, it is necessary to delve into the nature of menstruation itself - a physiological process in the body of a woman of reproductive age. The first menstruation marks the beginning of puberty and the restructuring of all systems.
Menstrual flow should occur monthly. The standard cycle length is 21–35 days. The ideal interval between menstrual bleeding 28 days are considered. Regular cycle takes place on the same dates every month with deviations of 1–2 days in both directions.
There are 3 phases of the menstrual cycle:
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During the luteal phase of the menstrual cycle as a result of successful conception corpus luteum begins to produce progesterone until the placenta is formed, which is subsequently responsible for the production of hormones. Hormonal changes are necessary to preserve the fetus. During this same period, a woman experiences physiological amenorrhea, in other words, the absence of menstruation.
The reason why there are no periods during pregnancy is physiology female body. In fact, thanks to such secretions, the egg, which was not fertilized, and the endometrium, to which it should have been attached in the event of a successful conception, are removed. When a woman becomes pregnant, the need to get rid of them disappears.
Do not confuse postpartum bleeding, they are also called lochia, with cycle restoration. In this way, during the postpartum period, the injured surface formed in the place where the fetal membranes and placenta separated is cleaned. This process continues while the internal uterine surface is being restored. This usually takes 30-45 days after a natural delivery and a little longer if there was a caesarean section.
Lochia gradually changes its character. They are most abundant in the first three days after birth. Then their gradual decrease is observed. On days 5–7 they acquire a lighter shade, and after 2 weeks they become mucous. Sometimes there may be blood in the discharge, but it is insignificant. The minimum period of time between the cessation of lochia and the first period after childbirth should be two weeks.
The most frequently asked question among women who have recently given birth is how long after giving birth do menstruation begin. Cycle recovery is very individual, and how long it can last depends on more than one factor. When menstruation begins after childbirth is also determined by the type of feeding.
Breastfeeding has a big impact on how quickly your period can come after your baby is born. The longer a woman feeds her baby with breast milk on demand and without complementary foods, the later menstruation appears. Your period may start after 4-6 months. It is quite normal if they begin only after a year.
The reason for this long delay serves to produce the hormone prolactin. It is responsible for a woman's lactation. The hormone also performs a second function, namely, it suppresses the development of the egg, which is why there are no periods, since there is nothing to come out.
Despite this, breastfeeding is not a 100% guarantee that a woman will not become pregnant again. According to statistics, in 15% of those who give birth, with regular breastfeeding, the menstrual cycle is restored within 3–4 months.
IN modern world Artificial feeding is practiced quite often. Some mothers at will, others, due to certain health problems, stop feeding their baby breast milk. Regardless of what was the reason for switching to formula milk, milk production stops and lactation ends.
As a result, the hormone prolactin also gradually ceases to be produced, nothing inhibits the development of a new egg, and menstruation can start as early as 8 weeks after the cessation of lactation. However, other options are also possible, both earlier and more late start menses.
Another possible option feeding a child - mixed feeding. It consists of alternating breast milk and infant formula. Often this feeding is chosen if a woman does not have enough milk to fully satisfy the baby's needs. Lactation does not end as abruptly as with exclusively artificial feeding, so a woman can expect her period to come within nine to sixteen weeks after giving birth. This period is also due to a reduction in the production of prolactin and the cessation of its effect on the ovaries.
In addition to the question of how long it will take for menstruation to return after childbirth, many are interested in whether this process is affected by how the birth itself took place. Regardless of whether the woman gave birth naturally or she had a caesarean section, the menstrual cycle after childbirth will return to normal in the same way. At breastfeeding menstruation will not come for at least another six months, with artificial – the first menstruation after childbirth can begin in 3 months or even earlier.
A small number of women face the fact that after childbirth, the restoration of menstruation takes a whole year or more. Without other pathological processes, such a long period is also considered the norm, and it has nothing to do with how the baby was born, by itself or through surgery.
After childbirth, the menstrual cycle often undergoes changes. This applies not only to the timing of the usual periods, but also to other aspects of the process. Irregular menstruation before childbirth may then begin to run like clockwork, and, conversely, regular menstruation may go astray. Recovery can cause new sensations, including painful ones. Discharge, its color, and abundance may also change. The reasons why this happens lie in the body and its functioning.
After introducing complementary foods or switching to formula, the start of monthly menstruation is just around the corner. No significant changes are observed in this process. As for the duration of the cycle and the duration of the discharge itself, it remains the same as it was before pregnancy.
Deviations from usual norms may be present in the first 2–3 cycles, until recovery is underway. The interval between bleeding during this period can either decrease or increase, but only slightly. Also, menstruation itself can last only a couple of days or, conversely, last for a week, which also does not go beyond normal. Over time, the cycle and course of menstruation should return to normal. Only if after three cycles it remains irregular, you should go to a gynecologist to find out the cause and eliminate the problem.
At the recovery stage, not only the time frame can undergo changes, but also the nature of the vaginal discharge itself. They can become scanty or abundant. The latter should not frighten a woman if such discharge continues for about a week, and the pads are changed no more than once every 2-3 times a day (but no more than 5). Signs of bleeding requiring immediate attention medical care, are:
In addition to changes in the volume of secretions, blood clots may appear in them. This is also normal and indicates that the process of restoration of the endometrium in the uterus has not yet ended.
The sensations that a woman experienced before and during menstruation before pregnancy can change. As before, the harbingers of bleeding after childbirth are:
It happens that a woman stops experiencing painful and discomfort before and during menstruation. This happens when the hormonal background or the uterus equalizes after delivery and return to previous state contracts less painfully than before.
As for the actual course of menstruation, it may be accompanied by:
If the pain is so severe that painkillers are required, it is better not to delay a consultation with a gynecologist. Possible reason– algodysmenorrhea caused by hormonal disorders.
It happens that menstruation, which begins after childbirth, takes pathological character. This requires mandatory visit a gynecologist, since it will not be possible to restore the menstrual cycle after childbirth on your own without his help.
Among the manifestations that serve as a reason for going to the doctor are the following:
After the birth of a child, new changes continue to occur in the body of a young mother. One of the main changes is filling the breasts with milk to nourish the newborn. But, despite this process, the female body is restored after childbirth.
Regular menstruation is a natural process for every woman. The birth of a child leads to the restoration of normal body functions. Therefore, many young mothers are interested in the period during which the first menstruation will begin.
After childbirth, the uterus restores its previous size within one to two months.
During this period, through contractions, it reaches the parameters in which it was before childbirth. During this time, the woman begins to experience bleeding. They are in no way related to the menstrual cycle, but relate to changes in the uterus. Such discharge is called lochia. After birth, they have a bloody tint, but over time they lighten to yellow-white. During the recovery period of the uterus, the onset of menstruation is not possible.
The onset of menstruation after the birth of a child is possible for each woman at a completely different period.
Restoration of the menstrual cycle occurs earliest in young mothers who have fed their child artificially since birth. In this case, menstruation begins after the uterus returns to its previous size.
Menstruation begins much later when breastfeeding than when breastfeeding. This is due to biological processes in the body.
The hormone prolactin, which promotes milk production, prevents the hormones from returning to action in the ovaries. The normal process of egg maturation during the menstrual cycle does not occur; therefore, other stages, including natural discharge, are not possible.
In most cases, periods begin after a year of breastfeeding. This is explained by the fact that the lactation period is coming to an end, the amount of prolactin decreases, and egg maturation resumes.
If your period begins much earlier or later, then do not be alarmed - this is a normal and natural process. Reasons for getting your period while breastfeeding before a year there may be different processes. Most often they are associated with changes in the child’s diet.
Previously, pregnancy, childbirth and the feeding process were a little different than they are now. Women gave birth naturally, feeding continued long time without feeding.
Modern developments in medicine and technology have led to the possibility of childbirth using cesarean section, artificial feeding, the organization of complementary feeding, the use of hormonal drugs and much more. These and other factors significantly affect the processes inside the body.
Most often, women begin to introduce complementary foods at six months. The amount of milk consumed by the child decreases. This affects hormones and is quite natural. critical days.
Any change in the baby's diet affects milk production. Even giving water to a child.
The harbingers of menstruation during breastfeeding are changes in the lactation process, the presence of complementary foods, recovery hormonal levels.
For most women, the nature of their periods changes. It is different from the menstruation that occurred before pregnancy. The abundance of discharge increases or decreases, there is no pain.
Heavy periods while breastfeeding should not alarm a young mother. Painful sensations do not occur due to straightening of the uterus after childbirth. Previously, blood flow during critical days was not stable, hampered by the peculiarities of the shape of the organ.
Irregular periods during breastfeeding should not frighten young mothers. The normal process is restored within two to three months from the beginning of the first critical days.
The interval between the first months can be greatly reduced or increased, and the number of days of menstruation itself may also not be stable. This course of menstruation is quite natural; after a few cycles everything is restored to normal. If stabilization does not occur for a long time, you should consult a doctor to identify the causes.
Once your period starts while breastfeeding, it is not recommended to stop the process. natural nutrition baby.
There is a myth about changes in the taste of mother's milk during menstruation.
This opinion is wrong. Milk does not change its properties and remains the same. It is not only possible, but also necessary to continue to feed the child during menstruation.
Some women may experience decreased milk production during their periods. This is a fairly common process associated with the peculiarities of hormonal processes. At the end of the critical days, the amount of milk returns to its previous levels.
A number of young mothers are faced with a situation where they miss their periods when they stop breastfeeding.
Regardless of the overall lactation period, this situation is not something special. As in all cases, this is an individual indicator of the body’s readiness for certain processes. After stopping breastfeeding, your period should appear within three months. If this does not happen, then you should consult a doctor to determine the problem.
Timely contact with a gynecologist allows you to early stages identify and promptly cure most diseases.
Delayed menstruation during breastfeeding can be caused by:
During breastfeeding, there is a possibility of a second pregnancy, even in the absence of menstruation.
Therefore, it is recommended to use any convenient means of contraception. This is due to the inability to clearly predict the beginning of the process of formation of a new egg. Therefore, even in the case when a woman is not ready for a new child on a psychological level, a physical basis may be present. Don't neglect your protective equipment.
To summarize, it should be noted that the presence of menstruation while the lactation period continues is a normal natural process. It depends on a number of features, which are expressed individually for each woman. After the first renewed cycles, the regularity of menstruation during breastfeeding is restored.
Regardless of the method of feeding, the appearance of the first menstruation does not occur before the restoration of the uterus. When breastfeeding a child, menstruation resumes from six months to a year after birth. You should not stop feeding your baby if there is discharge.
The onset of menstruation most often indicates a decrease in lactation and the child’s transition to a mixed diet. The appearance of critical days indicates the restoration of basic processes after childbirth. In case of any long-term deviations, you should immediately consult a doctor for diagnosis and treatment.
Nature has provided all the stages in a woman’s body for favorable conception, pregnancy and birth of a baby. If expectant mother is healthy, then the delivery will be successful, and over time all processes in the female body will be restored. Including menstruation, which you have lost the habit of while carrying a child. The first thing you can observe immediately after the birth of your baby is not menstrual, but postpartum discharge. When does your period actually start after giving birth while breastfeeding? Many inexperienced mothers observe the processes in their bodies in order to understand whether everything is going as it should or should they take more care of themselves? Maybe something is wrong if you haven't had your period for a long time? Or maybe conception occurred while there was no menstruation, but there was ovulation? Let's take a closer look.
There were no periods for nine months while carrying the baby. Then, after the birth of the baby, for some period of time you observed bleeding that occurs immediately from the moment of birth - clots of postpartum blood that drains during the healing and restoration of the uterus. And then any discharge stops.
Lochia (residual discharge of mucus and blood after childbirth) can last from several days to 7-8 weeks, and this is also a normal option. Sometimes they are mistaken for the beginning of menstrual periods. There is an opinion that a new cycle should be counted from the birth of the child, that is, the first menstruation after childbirth should be expected in the same numbers. But this is not true, the start dates of menstruation are very individual. In general, the timing of the onset of the menstrual cycle depends on whether the mother is breastfeeding the baby and what kind of lactation she has.
During postpartum discharge, doctors recommend abstaining from sexual intercourse for the first 6 weeks (1.5 months) after childbirth. Firstly, the organs of the woman in labor must fully recover, and secondly, female organs during this period they are very vulnerable to infection. But if recovery proceeds well, the bleeding will turn from scarlet or bright red to a brownish-brown color and will gradually end. Lochia most often lasts for the first 40 days, but it can last less, 20-21 days.
The hormonal background during pregnancy until the very moment of birth underwent strong metamorphoses, and this continues after delivery. Only if previously the functions of the body protected and ensured the safety and full development of the fetus, now the nursing mother must take care of good nutrition your little one.
Note! If a woman could not or did not want to start breastfeeding, there is no lactation, female hormones They recover in a few months, then their periods come. The cycle returns to normal pretty soon. As a rule, it does not change compared to what it was before conception, pregnancy and childbirth. But many people note that periods become less painful if earlier. nagging pain in the lower abdomen accompanied the onset of menstruation.
If a young mother chooses to breastfeed, the hormonal levels in the body change again. The production of prolactin (lactogenic hormone that stimulates lactation) begins. Another function of this hormone is to suppress the functioning of the ovaries. And only when the level of prolactin decreases and progesterone begins to be produced, menstruation is restored.
When do periods begin after childbirth if breastfeeding is mixed? If, with artificial feeding, menstruation comes 2 months after the day of birth, then with mixed feeding, a period of 2-3 months is also a variant of the norm. At the same time, in both cases, fertilization of the egg is possible.
Pay attention! The absence of menstruation, if a woman does not breastfeed or does not feed her baby on demand, but only several times a day, may be associated with the occurrence of new pregnancy.
If mixed feeding and pregnancy is excluded, menstruation may come 6 months after birth. It depends on the individual characteristics of the woman’s body. In women who breastfeed only without additional complementary foods, the cycle is restored around the first year of the baby's life.
Normalization of the cycle does not depend on the method of delivery. At natural childbirth approximate recovery time is 2 months in the absence of lactation, 3-6 months with mixed feeding and 9-12 months with complete breastfeeding. During the operation caesarean section the timing of the resumption of menstruation will be the same, and will also depend on the release of prolactin into the blood.
It often happens that as a result of the operation there is very little milk, so the likelihood that when breastfeeding your period will come earlier increases. This is due to hormonal fluctuations.
But each organism is special, and it is possible to predict when menstruation will come after a cesarean section only based on the fact of what type of feeding the baby is on.
If for some reason breastfeeding was not established immediately, but only later it was possible to increase lactation, can menstruation occur while breastfeeding in this case? Yes, your period can come early. And no matter how often a nursing mother latches on to the baby, it is no longer possible to stop the cycle.
A delay in the onset of menstruation with regular breastfeeding can be observed for up to six months, and this is very individual. On normal recovery influences a well-executed diet, rich plant foods diet, healthy routine and sleep, stable psycho-emotional state.
Why can menstruation begin if the baby is breastfed before one year? Normally, menstruation comes at 8-9 months. This is due to the fact that the child grows and develops, goes to bed for a longer time, and replaces breast milk with new foods (complementary foods). That is, this is absolutely normal, simply because the production of prolactin is no longer so intense.
A delay in the onset of menstruation (from 2 to 12 months after childbirth) is caused by the following factors:
As a rule, menstruation does not begin during lactation. Modern mothers introduce complementary foods at 5.5-6 months, and until this age they feed the child on demand, and not according to a schedule. How early and to what extent depends on how long it takes for the cycle to recover.
If a mother chooses breastfeeding according to a regimen, in this case the baby is given breastfeeding less often, which means that prolactin is produced in a smaller volume and ovarian function is enhanced. Once there is enough progesterone, the follicle will mature, then your period will come. And vice versa, if the mother feeds on demand, as well as at night (once or twice), menstruation during lactation is delayed until the end of breastfeeding.
Important! If breastfeeding is mixed due to lack of milk, menstruation may occur irregularly. But normally this can happen within 3-4 months. If the cycle has not recovered over a longer period, hormonal problems or some kind of infection are possible, which is an unprecedented reason to ask your doctor about this.
If the mother was breastfeeding her baby, and her period came a month after giving birth, pay attention to this point. The fact is that this is a rather rare situation, but very unsafe for the health of the woman in labor.
For example:
It is possible that the postpartum discharge lasted 3 weeks. Then came It's a dull pain in the lower abdomen, which can be taken as a harbinger of menstruation. But the growth of the endometrium during this period is physically impossible, which means there is simply nothing to be rejected during menstruation. Will my period start? Obviously not. In fact, a blood clot may form in the uterus, causing inflammation and bleeding. Therefore, if, after the cessation of lochia discharge, new bleeding begins, this is a reason for an early visit to the doctor!
When your baby is three months old, it is quite possible that your first period will appear, even while breastfeeding. This is a variant of the norm for non-breastfeeding mothers: by three months, all hormones came into balance, and the menstrual cycle was completely restored. This is also normal for those who practice mixed feeding. Prolactin deficiency is a sign for the pituitary gland that it can function in its intended purpose, that is, to conceive and carry a new pregnancy. Progesterone production begins, follicle formation and regular periods begin, which will now become regular.
Pay attention!
If the mother only breastfeeds the baby, the reason why her period started so early may be the following. Mothers who practice supplementing their baby with regular water are doing it in vain. Supplementation can and is recommended when the child is bottle-fed or mixed-fed. Otherwise, by supplementing with water, creating an imaginary volume and a temporary feeling of fullness in the child, mothers simply rest without breastfeeding. Of course, young mothers, inexperienced and often for reasons of losing the shape of their breasts, want to combine both motherhood and the beauty of their forms, but not everyone has a strong enough constitution to do this. Therefore, in practice it often turns out that, without sucking out all the milk, the child does not stimulate greater production of prolactin. This means that less milk comes in, the pituitary gland stops secreting it unnecessarily, and the situation turns out to be approximately the same as with mixed feeding.
If the first period comes after 5 months, this is also normal for breastfeeding, since from this age complementary foods replace part of the volume of breast milk. In addition, the baby is already able to sleep all night without “snacks,” and the absence of night feedings actively reduces the production of prolactin.
It happens that mothers forget about menstruation for a year. If there have been no periods for a year, this can normally only be accompanied by regular, full-fledged breastfeeding. If you have good lactation, and the child is in no hurry to try something new, this is a personal matter between mother and baby, however, if you deliberately delay the introduction of complementary foods in order to delay the restoration of the menstrual cycle, this is a delusion. The child is already old enough not to require night feedings, and prolactin production is most active at night.
If the baby has already been switched to complementary feeding, and the mother continues to breastfeed, menstruation should come within 2-3 months from the date of introduction of auxiliary nutrition. If you have finally switched your child to nutritious food, menstruation will return within a couple of months after stopping breastfeeding. If this does not happen, it is better to visit a doctor and get tested. Possible hormonal imbalance or a failure that prevents the restoration of menstruation after childbirth, but the doctor will tell you whether you should worry at all. After all, the recovery time may depend on heredity, on possible diseases, from other characteristics of the female body.
From the moment a child is born, serious hormonal changes in the body.
Modern couples sometimes plan to use contraception birth control pills because they want to avoid another pregnancy. That is, they return to the contraceptives they used before planning the previous one. But such drugs can change hormonal levels, lead to failure, and this is not useful either for the production of breast milk or for the restoration of the female body after childbirth. But they can provoke irregular periods during breastfeeding. Enough reliable way protection is valid in the first half of the year, but all conditions must be met. If:
then a new pregnancy will not occur. Because after childbirth, the body takes on the important maternal function of feeding the offspring and cannot simultaneously feed and prepare for a new pregnancy. Therefore, the reliability of the method depends on the frequency of feedings, that is, on the full production of prolactin.
Doctors strongly recommend using it to protect against unwanted pregnancy other means, such as a condom or contraceptive suppositories. Hormonal agents are too serious to interfere with the work of nature at this stage. It should be understood that the delay of menstruation naturally depends primarily on lactation, but lactation cannot be used as a method of contraception.
Of course, conscious young mothers, especially those who have experienced motherhood for the first time, are concerned about how and when periods should come during lactation, what discharge looks like normally, so as not to miss important symptom if you need to consult a doctor. Medical assistance will be needed if:
Many young breastfeeding mothers find that their baby is reluctant to breastfeed during menstruation. But it is wrong to think that milk spoils or changes quality during this period. On the one hand, the baby feels that the mother is in more pain because of hypersensitivity nipples, especially if menstruation returned early. But on the other hand, breastfeeding during menstruation requires attention: it is worth strengthening hygiene around the armpits and the breasts themselves. It's not about milk, but about mother's sweat, which changes its chemical composition on critical days. This is exactly what a child may react to. Another important point that can cause a child to be capricious is the amount of milk, which may decrease slightly.
It is necessary to stay on GW, there is nothing unnatural about it. Just foresee the moments because of which the baby may refuse to breastfeed, exclude them and everything will be fine. How do periods affect lactation? It may decrease slightly, but the composition of the milk will not change.
If your period starts, the milk will not disappear. Remember, some women, even when carrying a second child, breastfeed their first child almost the entire pregnancy. The only thing that can affect lactation is if you decide to give up breastfeeding during your period due to sore nipples or the child’s whims.
For each organism individually, scanty periods or heavy ones, pass quickly or last a long time. It is worth paying attention to this only if the cycle has returned to normal, and then the discharge becomes scanty from month to month, and this continues for more than 3 months. Then this could be a sign of endometritis.
1.5 months after birth, lochia stops, and then menstruation normally begins at 2-3 months. The delay may be affected by poor regimen and poor nutrition, chronic diseases And postpartum complications, stress.
Missing periods while breastfeeding is absolutely normal until you stop breastfeeding. If after completion of breastfeeding the cycle does not recover within 2 months, this is a reason to consult a doctor.
If your period starts and then disappears again for several months, it may be a malfunction of the ovaries. Perhaps you are taking hormonal drugs or have had a serious illness viral disease, you need to find out the reason from your doctor.
Childbirth is always stressful for the female body. But several weeks and months pass, and the young mother’s body begins to gradually adapt to new conditions. Lactation is improved, a fundamentally new way of life is built. And the new mother wonders: when does her period begin after giving birth while breastfeeding? After all, menstruation is a constant companion for women of childbearing age.
Childbirth is always accompanied by the process of placenta rejection. This is a very “bloody” matter because it causes damage to the capillaries. Bleeding after separation of the placenta can last a whole month or even a month and a half. Such discharge is called lochi. Menstrual cycle This has nothing to do with it, this is a phenomenon of a completely different order. How long does it take for full periods to begin?
In the very first moments after the birth of a child, the female body begins to produce prolactin. The main role in the production of the hormone is played by the pituitary gland, a part of the brain. It is prolactin that is responsible for the production of the baby's first food - breast milk. And it also inhibits the onset of menstruation (blocks the maturation of follicles during lactation). This period of rest of the female reproductive system is called postpartum amenorrhea or lactational amenorrhea. This phenomenon is observed in all women who breastfeed their babies not on time, but on demand. How long amenorrhea will last depends on several factors:
It is breastfeeding that influences the pituitary gland so that it begins to produce prolactin. But it is this hormone that determines how long after childbirth menstruation begins during guards. If the mother begins to put the baby to the breast less than 7-8 times a day, prolactin levels begin to decrease. Consequently, the onset of menstruation becomes more and more likely.
Periods after childbirth while breastfeeding - when do they start? It all depends on the subtleties hormonal system specific woman. And also on the characteristics of breastfeeding, which she practices. Does the mother feed often (when the baby wants) or rarely (according to a schedule)? Does the baby give water? Does he supplement with formula? All these points affect the timing of the first menstruation.
So when do “they” start? Here are the options:
A month after giving birth. Sometimes lochia, instead of stopping, by the end of the 30th day begins to be released with greater force. This phenomenon is often mistaken by women for early menstruation. Such cases are very rare, but nevertheless occur in medical practice.
In two to two and a half months. If a woman immediately switched the baby to formula, then with artificial feeding, menstruation comes quickly.
In three to four months. Menstruation with breastfeeding after four months is the norm and indicates good functioning of the pituitary gland of the nursing mother. This situation also occurs when the mother switches the baby to a mixed diet, that is, the baby eats both formula and breast milk at the same time, or when breastfeeding is curtailed completely.
In six to eight months. The most common time period during which the resumption of menstruation is observed during guarding. Most infants switch to complementary feeding, therefore, they ask for breastfeeding much less often, mainly before bed. Lactation gradually begins to decline, hormone levels tend to the previous “pre-pregnancy” levels. Sexual hubbub stimulates the production of eggs and provokes menstruation during breastfeeding.
When the baby turns one year old. Many mothers of one-year-olds begin to menstruate, even if lactation continues in full.
It happens that menstruation does not come until complete lactation with long-term breastfeeding (one and a half years or more). And they start a couple of months after the last application.
And all these situations are absolutely normal.
So when does your period start when breastfeeding after childbirth? There is no correct and unambiguous answer. It all depends on the intricacies of lactation and the female body.
During menstruation, some mothers may feel that their milk supply has decreased slightly. The baby at the mother's breast sometimes becomes nervous because the milk flows slower than usual. Fortunately, this decline does not last long - literally the first 2-3 days after the start of the first menstruation after childbirth.
Subsequently, the amount of milk returns to normal and lactation improves. For most children, however, such changes may go completely unnoticed. As a rule, at the beginning of the first menstruation, the child is old enough and is on complementary foods. This compensates the baby for some lack of breast milk.
Some experts tend to believe that menstruation indirectly affects taste mother's milk, which is the reason the child refuses to breastfeed. However, there is no confirmed data on this - according to most doctors, menstruation does not in any way affect the taste and smell of breast milk. Consequently, the reason for the baby’s anxiety at the mother’s breast is not at all connected with the onset of menstruation, but is caused by other reasons.
The first periods after childbirth during breastfeeding can be anything - heavy or weak, prolonged or two days. This is all normal. You should be wary only if the discharge is too abundant, resembling uterine bleeding, or if the delay lasts longer than three weeks.
The length of the cycle for guards is also not immediately established. Setting up your menstrual cycle is a purely individual matter. Usually the cycle returns to normal within 3-4 months after the end of lactation. But if a nursing mother had an irregular cycle before pregnancy, she may encounter similar problems after breastfeeding ends. Peculiarities birth process (natural delivery or by caesarean section) do not play a role in the situation of establishing menstruation.
Many girls pay attention to the fact that menstruation during breastfeeding has become less painful than before - the stomach no longer aches, and the general state of health has changed. Perhaps the reason is that the uterus, which was bent before pregnancy, returned to its normal position after childbirth. Also, some mothers notice that the menstrual cycle has become somewhat shorter than usual.
And although the onset of menstruation is very individual process, in some cases you will have to see a gynecologist:
Many mothers believe that it is impossible to get pregnant during lactation because the eggs do not mature in the body. Reassured by this fact, young mothers do not consider it necessary to use additional funds contraception. However, it has been scientifically proven (and confirmed by practice) that pregnancy during breastfeeding in the absence of menstruation is quite possible. Proof of this is many cases, as a result of which children of the same age appeared in the family.
If menstruation begins while breastfeeding, this does not mean at all that there will be no more milk and it’s time to switch the baby to formula. The amount of breast milk depends little on menstruation. Consequently, a mother can feed her baby until she deems it necessary to stop breastfeeding or until the milk disappears spontaneously. The menstrual cycle has nothing to do with this process.
Menstruation signals that the reproductive system is in order. The presence of discharge indicates a woman’s ability to have children; it is by this discharge that girls predict many processes in the body (for example, the onset of ovulation). At the same time, it is useless to guess when the first menstruation should begin after childbirth. A young mother should relax and enjoy the process of breastfeeding. Nature will take care of the rest of the physiological processes of the female body.
With the birth of a child, a woman’s life changes, and her body experiences numerous stresses and changes. Gradually, the reproductive system is restored and again becomes capable of pregnancy and childbirth, which is signaled by the appearance of menstruation. During breastfeeding, it scares many mothers, so it is important to understand what exactly is the concept of normal, and whether restoring the cycle can harm established breastfeeding.
After the baby is born, normally after 4–6 weeks, most young mothers stop bleeding and begin a period of rest. reproductive system. At this time, the egg in the ovaries does not mature, therefore, menstruation does not occur. Breastfeeding plays a major role in this process, during which significant production of the hormone prolactin occurs. It stimulates milk production and suppresses ovulation. There is no clear concept of the norm regarding the timing of the resumption of menstruation, but there are boundaries, and they are very stretched - from 4 weeks (1 month) to 18–20 months (1.5 years).
Some mothers confuse postpartum discharge (lochia) and menstruation, but these are completely different things. Menstruation is the shedding of the endometrium in the absence of a fertilized egg in the current cycle, and lochia is the release of all excess from the uterus that remains after bearing a child and childbirth.
Recovery of the cycle depends on the organization of the breastfeeding process itself:
Often, with regular lactation on demand, the first ovulations occur after six months, because it is at this time that complementary foods begin to be introduced, and the frequency of breastfeeding is reduced. If your period starts early, then a young mother should consult a doctor just in case to rule out the following problems:
I feed on demand, only guards, without even water, supplementary feeding or bottles, day and night. And now my period has arrived, my little one is only 5 months old.
Julia
https://www.baby.ru/blogs/post/87211760–32216313/
After the first birth (and even before the birth I hanged myself, everything hurt so much), and after 2 births I don’t even notice that the months are coming, I just change the pads. After the first birth, they arrived at exactly 4 months, meaning my daughter was born. After the second one they arrived after 7 months. There were also no complementary foods, but hello!
Plotnikova Veronica
https://deti.mail.ru/forum/v_ozhidanii_chuda/rody/mesjachnye_posle_rodov_kogda/
It was 11 months later. after childbirth. More painful and more abundant than before. For the next 4 months, it also poured out of me incredibly - this has never happened before. It seems to be getting easier now, a year has already passed.
MamArina
http://eka-mama.ru/forum/part16/topic157601/
During the restoration of the cycle during breastfeeding, the nature of menstruation may differ from what is usual for a woman, and may not bring any surprises at all. Let's consider the main parameters of menstruation after childbirth:
Symptoms of the first and subsequent periods after childbirth remain typical - allowed nagging discomfort lower abdomen, some general weakness. Itching, fever, severe pain, large volumes of discharge should be a reason to consult a doctor. The cycle is restored gradually, and normally its duration should reach the accepted values - from 21 to 34 days. 
Painful sensations during menstruation can greatly overshadow the condition of a nursing mother, therefore, the use of medications is allowed to relieve them
If the pain causes significant discomfort, it must be relieved, since the stress associated with pain is a direct threat to breastfeeding. With the doctor's permission, it is allowed to take painkillers, for example, Ibuprofen (Nurofen), No-Shpa (Drotaverine), Paracetamol (Panadol, Efferalgan).
A woman’s cycle after childbirth is restored gradually. Typically, the discharge acquires normal volumes and frequency within six months. The situation is considered normal when, after the resumption of menstruation, they disappear again for some time - this is possible in the following cases:
You should not expect regularity in the first few cycles after childbirth, regardless of the timing of their onset, since for full recovery A woman's reproductive system takes time. Usually 2-3 periods are irregular. If the interval between discharge exceeds 3 months, then you should consult a doctor, as this may indicate inflammatory process, hormonal imbalance or new pregnancy.
State lactational amenorrhea(lack of menstruation while breastfeeding) is quite insidious. The first ovulation may occur unexpectedly and without obvious symptoms, so you should not rely on lactation as a method of contraception. There are many stories heard when a woman finds out that she is pregnant again 3 months after giving birth, and this is a big test for the body.
Lactation and menstruation are compatible concepts, but many mothers worry that the appearance of discharge will negatively affect the feeding of the child. It is important to understand that when the cycle resumes, the amount of milk will decrease slightly, and the baby may behave restlessly and linger longer at the breast. Such changes are associated with hormonal fluctuations. They do not pose any danger to natural feeding - after 2–3 days the situation returns to normal.
Most often, nursing mothers are concerned about the question of whether menstruation affects the taste and quality of milk. There is no need to worry about this, since there is no scientifically proven data on such a connection.
Experts say that it is not only possible, but also necessary to continue breastfeeding when menstruation resumes - this combination does not create any contraindications.
Both my daughters and I got our periods 2 months after giving birth. From the first, there was no less milk. From the second - I notice that a day or two before the start and during menstruation, yes, less. But then it returns to normal again. About the taste - try it yourself, as for me, the taste does not change one iota. It becomes bitter when you stop feeding it - then it, as they say, “burns out.”
Anna
http://www.komarovskiy.net/forum/viewtopic.php?t=13269&start=15
My period came too. This didn’t affect me in any way and my daughter sucked like she sucked))) So I calmed down and I think that there’s nothing scary here anymore)))
Lidusik
https://deti.mail.ru/forum/nashi_deti/kormim_grudju/mesjachnye_pri_kormlenii_grudju_chto_delat/
I, too, started to disappear around 3-4 months. I was gone for half a year, and my first period came only three months later - so everything is individual. And to maintain lactation there is Lactagon, I haven’t tried it myself, but they say it helps, and in the first months I had tea with milk (very warm, almost hot). In general, periods and milk are not connected in any way. My friend fed her child until she was one and a half years old (!!!) and there was a lot of milk, she even expressed it because... a child at this age no longer needs so much - there is other food, but her period came much earlier! Also about half a year.
Lion cub R-r-r-meow!
https://forum.mytischi.ru/index.php?/topic/50694
The restoration of menstruation during breastfeeding can last from one month to two years, and none of the extreme options is considered a pathology. It all depends on the specific conditions for organizing the breastfeeding process. In most cases, the discharge returns with the introduction of complementary foods and is the same in nature as before pregnancy. There were no changes in the taste of breast milk during menstruation - its production may decrease slightly, but will soon recover again.
Hello! My name is Alena, 25 years old. For many years I have been dealing with issues of family, health and raising children. I have a higher psychological and economic education.
