Irregular periods after childbirth when menstruation returns

The period of pregnancy and subsequent childbirth entails large-scale changes that affect almost the entire body in women. Hormones are mainly to blame. They are gradually rebuilding everything from the inside. The usual menstrual cycle also changes.

In pregnant women, the maturation of eggs is suspended; it will recover later, after childbirth. Therefore, menstruation may temporarily not occur during breastfeeding. There is no need to worry; gynecologists call this a period of recovery and restructuring of the body. Perhaps, for the first time after the pause, irregular periods will appear during breastfeeding, then the cycle will improve.

Absence of menstruation during lactation

With the onset of pregnancy, dramatic changes occur in the female body at the physiological level. Throughout the entire period of bearing a child, the concentration of hormones changes periodically. After his birth, the reproductive system, having completed its main work, is now responsible for the production of another equally important hormone - prolactin.

Thanks to this biologically active substance, breast milk is formed. The production of gonadotropic hormones (FSH, LH, LTG) is significantly reduced or blocked completely during the period of breastfeeding.

For this reason, a woman does not have periods or comes a little later. It should also be taken into account that the mucous membrane of the reproductive organ has not yet recovered. This process is slow.

The arrival of menstruation

Why are periods irregular during breastfeeding? Mostly young mothers ask this question, since those women who are already raising a child and are expecting a second one know very well what we are talking about here. Since hormonal changes largely depend on the individual physiological characteristics of the body, it is impossible to name the exact timing of the end of this process.

Usually, nature itself provides that it lasts from 1.5 months to a year. The end of the lactation period is accompanied by the removal of the blockage on the production of sex hormones, and as a result the cycle is restored. As practice shows, this happens 2, 3 and even 6 months after the birth of the child.

There is an opinion among people about the influence of methods of delivery on the appearance of menstruation during lactation. This opinion is wrong, as is the dependence on methods of conception. Neither IVF nor cesarean section contributes to the early appearance of menstruation.

How to understand that recovery has occurred

During the postpartum period, for some time, a woman experiences bleeding that lasts quite a long time. This is not menstruation, but a normal cleansing of the body. When does standard menstrual flow appear:

Period	Cause
From birth to 30 days	Cleansing the body
2 – 2.5 months after birth	Lochia. Normalization of the full functioning of the ovaries and uterus, the entire female body
After 3-6 months	Provided that the woman does not breastfeed her baby, full periods can be expected
10 months – a year or more	Actively breastfeeding your baby
After 1.5 - 2 months	This period is calculated from the moment the baby is either weaned or fed with other food products (eggs, mixtures, purees)
Indefinite term	If a woman has experienced severe stress, physical injury or a serious illness, the first and subsequent periods will occur only after treatment or complete calmness

After childbirth, delay is a completely normal reaction of the body. After all, menstruation does not appear on its own, but thanks to hormones produced by the body. It is impossible to say for sure how long it will take for the background to normalize. This depends on the individual characteristics of the fair sex, past illnesses and operations, as well as psychological mood. Most often, everything drags on for at least six months. Less than 4 months. With normal lactation and feeding in general, after a year or until weaning (if you feed until 2-3 years, then menstruation will appear only after weaning, after about 2 months).

One more thing needs to be taken into account and not be alarmed: the number of days can be increased by several days or, conversely, reduced. So, with a menstrual cycle of 21 days, you can observe 5 days instead of three. And with a cyclicity of 28-30, a reduction from 7 to 5 days.

Any delay is always associated with pregnancy. And even more so after childbirth. In fact, the first few months of discharge occur without ovulation, which means fertilization cannot occur. Although there is a risk, it is minimal and is associated only with the structural features of the woman in labor. There are such incidents that ovulation occurs without the appearance of blood. The reason for this is hormonal imbalance.

It’s better, of course, not to take risks, but to worry about contraceptives in advance. There is no point in waiting for the cycle to fully recover. We should not turn a blind eye to long delays. Especially if you are not breastfeeding. If your first period has passed, and then stopped for 3 or more months, then a trip to the doctor should take place immediately. Because these may be symptoms:

complications after childbirth;
insufficient amount of estrogen;
the appearance of cystic formations;
inflammation of the appendages or uterus;
tumor;
Sheehan's syndrome.

But first of all, buy a pregnancy test. It is possible that you are part of that group of women who ovulated without discharge.

Physiological changes after delivery

What happens in a woman’s body after the baby is born, besides irregular periods during breastfeeding? Immediately after this, a special process is launched - involution of the reproductive organ. During this time, the uterus is restored to its pre-pregnancy state, which usually takes 2 months.

This process affects not only the reproductive organ itself, but also the entire birth canal. The cervix is also subject to restoration, after which the internal os closes. And when the process is completed, the menstrual cycle resumes to its previous state.

At the same time, for some women, the recovery procedure may be delayed, which does not always indicate the presence of pathology and other health problems. As practice shows, a delay in the restoration of menstruation after the birth of a child occurs in 70% of all cases.

Menstruation does not come after completion of breastfeeding

What to do if, on the contrary, there are no periods? Most women know their own menstrual cycle schedule. Considering the past pregnancy, childbirth and a long period of lactation, menstruation comes later, after 2-3 months. However, doctors emphasize: the appearance of menstruation reflects the degree of recovery of the body, its readiness for a possible new pregnancy. The indicator is always individual. There is a time frame, and if your period after the end of breastfeeding is “delayed” for more than the established 3 months, be sure to visit a doctor.

It happens that critical days disappear, there were, but disappeared, or they appeared, but irregularly. A woman should monitor all manifestations of her menstrual cycle. Keep a special diary where you describe the nature and frequency of discharge. When, how long after breastfeeding ended, did menstruation begin, how often. Her observations will later be useful to the doctor.

Possible reasons for the lack of discharge:

regularity of the first postpartum menstruation;
there are gynecological problems;
pregnancy.

Yes, repeated pregnancy is possible, so doctors recommend that spouses establishing intimate relationships use contraceptives. It is impossible to predict when an egg will mature inside a woman’s body, because the usual symptoms of upcoming ovulation will go unnoticed.

Thus, the question of whether it is possible to breastfeed during menstruation has been resolved - it is possible. Doctors, on the contrary, recommend adjusting your diet and drinking special teas to maintain lactation. After the end of the breastfeeding period, critical days soon appear. Their absence is due to many factors, the body “reboots”, processes suspended by pregnancy, childbirth and subsequent lactation are started. Women should monitor changes in their own condition and regularly visit their doctor.

Irregularity of menstruation - normal or pathological?

Irregular periods while breastfeeding - is this normal? The changes that occur in the body of a woman who has already given birth lead to the restoration of reproductive function. But in some cases this is not enough, which leads to an irregular cycle during breastfeeding. Some mothers, unknowingly, begin to worry about this - as if something serious might happen. In their opinion, the absence of bleeding or its rarity is perceived as a sign of a gynecological disease or infection.

There is no cause for concern, because the irregular nature of the cycle in itself for several months after the birth of the child cannot be considered a pathology. Especially when a woman feeds her baby with breast milk, and not with its analogues. As previously mentioned, during lactation the hormone prolactin is produced, which is due to the physiological characteristics of the female body.

Consequently, the absence of menstruation after childbirth during breastfeeding is explained by the fact that the level of “milk” biologically active substance is still very high. Therefore, the production of sex hormones is still at the blocking stage.

How long does a delay in menstruation last after childbirth?

Over the course of 42-56 days, women in labor secrete blood from the uterus, or more precisely, from the extensive wound surface where the placenta was attached. The discharge is called lochia and has nothing to do with menstruation. At first, the lochia is bright scarlet in color, but over time it darkens, and after a few weeks it appears in the form of veins and ichor.

If previously the norm was considered to be the restoration of regulation after two or even three years, now this period has been reduced to 6-12 months. This is due to the lifestyle of modern women and the introduction of various foods into the infant’s diet. In addition, the following factors influence the rapid appearance of menstruation after the birth of a child:

taking hormonal contraceptives;
C-section;
endocrine disorders;
cessation of lactation due to various circumstances;
infant's refusal to breastfeed.

Breast-feeding

With full and regular breastfeeding, a delay in menstruation is observed for 12-14 months. The recovery period of the cycle is individual, there are no established norms - for some it happens in just a few months, while others do not have periods for a year or even two. In both the first and second cases, the absence of menstruation is normal.

INTERESTING: when do periods begin after childbirth while breastfeeding?

Lactational amenorrhea in nursing mothers indicates high levels of prolactin. The appearance of regula when the baby is fully fed with breast milk after just a couple of months is a feature of the mother’s body, which is caused by the work of the pituitary gland, which regulates the secretion of the hormone.

Artificial feeding

If the baby is fed an adapted milk formula, regulation can begin immediately after lochia, when the injured area on the uterine tissue heals. For some mothers, the first menstruation occurs just 6 weeks after the birth of the baby, in other cases the delay is 10-15 weeks.

The first menstruation is quite scanty. The appearance of copious bright red discharge may indicate uterine bleeding.

Mixed type

When a baby is mixed-fed, menstrual flow usually appears 3-12 months after birth. The sooner a mother stops night feedings, the sooner she will get her period.

Breastfeeding at night is important because this is when prolactin production occurs at its peak. Increasing the frequency of formula feeding also affects the hormone - its amount gradually decreases

The restoration of the cycle with a mixed type of feeding occurs quite a long time, after the appearance of the first menstruation, the second can occur only after 2-3 months.

Factors influencing the resumption of the menstrual cycle

The process of restoring the menstrual cycle goes differently for every woman. Some earlier, others later. As we now understand, during the lactation period a woman definitely does not have periods in the first month - they appear a little later, which should not be regarded as a pathology.

At the same time, this process can be influenced by various factors:

woman's age;
diet of a woman in labor;
How exactly does mom spend her holidays?
complications during childbirth;
hormonal imbalance;
The method of feeding the baby is breastfeeding or using dry formula.

Now the question should no longer arise as to whether irregular periods can occur during breastfeeding. The answer is clear - yes, and this is the norm. But it is worth noting that at first there will be postpartum bleeding, which women perceive as menstruation. In fact, such secretions have a slightly different nature and are called lochia.

This is a consequence of injury to the cavity of the reproductive organ when the placenta is separated. Along with these secretions, the remains of the placenta, part of the endometrium and other no longer needed cells leave the body.

Possible reasons

The first spotting from the vagina appears immediately after childbirth and lasts up to 4-8 weeks. Lochia, the second name for bleeding, is the result of the process of regeneration of the uterus after rejection of the placenta.

Following the end of the cleansing, a period of absence of menstruation begins, the duration of which varies for all women. Sometimes inexperienced mothers mistake lochia for the first menstruation, and when the bleeding stops and new bleeding does not begin, they are sure that they have a delay after childbirth.

Can there be a delay in menstruation after childbirth? Yes, for a complete resumption of the cycle, stabilization of hormonal levels is necessary. On average, this takes about 3 months from the moment of the first menstruation. During this period, discharge is irregular and varies in intensity.

Often, a situation where after childbirth you already had your period, and then there was a delay, occurs as a result of a new pregnancy. It is naive to believe that the absence of ovulation, regular discharge and breastfeeding guarantees a contraceptive effect. If the test is negative, but there is no period, a number of reasons contribute to this.

Why there is a delay in menstruation after childbirth:

gynecological diseases - tumors, uterine and ovarian cysts, endometriosis, inflammation, etc.;
disturbed hormonal levels - hyperprolactinemia, increased prolactin levels not associated with lactation;
Sheehan syndrome, the second name for postpartum hypopituitarism, develops as a result of serious complications during childbirth and the recovery period;
psychological factors - stress, lack of proper sleep.

The reasons for delayed menstruation in most cases still fit into the normal range. We are talking about both the time of the first appearance of discharge after childbirth, and the second menstruation, and the duration of the cycle as a whole.

Operation caesarean section

After this procedure, the restoration of the menstrual cycle proceeds in the same way as in the case of natural childbirth. Unless this period after surgery can be increased due to the fact that the operation requires a special approach to rehabilitation.

At the same time, some women experience irregular periods after childbirth during breastfeeding, which is associated with stitches and severe stress that the body experiences. Postpartum bleeding in this case occurs in the 3-4th week and is more profuse.

Pathological terms

The time limits for the onset of menstruation after the birth of a child are wide. But still, a long delay that does not fit into the accepted framework. This indicates the possible development of a pathological process in the mother’s body.

How long can a period be delayed after childbirth?

In women who do not breastfeed, menstruation begins 3 months after the birth of the child, sometimes immediately after the end of lochia. In lactating mothers, the delay in the cycle after childbirth is longer and depends on the frequency of putting the baby to the breast and the time of introduction of complementary foods.

After breastfeeding ends, discharge usually appears after 4-6 weeks. If this does not happen, it is recommended to check the level of prolactin in the blood. Elevated levels of the hormone indicate developing hyperprolactinemia.

Sometimes the time for the resumption of regular bleeding in non-breastfeeding mothers also shifts upward and is not a deviation from the norm. But, if 5 months or more have passed after birth, and the baby is not breastfeeding, you should contact an antenatal clinic.

A delay in the second period after childbirth for more than two to three weeks with a negative test is not a reason to consult a doctor only if you are lactation. The average cycle length range for a non-breastfeeding mother is from 20-21 to 30-35 days.

You should not postpone a visit to the gynecologist when your period is 3 months late; by this time the cycle is restored in most cases. The dynamics of the duration of discharge as a whole is important. If the third period after childbirth is delayed more than the second, then it may be caused by inflammatory processes in the pelvic organs.

Chronic diseases

If during the period of bearing a child, for various reasons, a woman continues to have any disease in a chronic form, then after the birth of the baby, relapses cannot be ruled out. The restoration of the menstrual cycle is strongly influenced by endocrine disorders. In particular, this is hyperthyroidism against the background of increased production of thyroid hormones, as well as hyperprolactinemia.

In addition, other diseases can add fuel to the fire - endometritis, diabetes, kidney disease and a number of others. Obesity should not be discounted either.

When you should not hesitate to visit a doctor

Irregular periods after childbirth while breastfeeding are not in themselves a cause for concern, but if the onset of periods is accompanied by unpleasant symptoms, then you should be wary. Most likely, this indicates a malfunction of the body or the development of a disease.

The list of signs, if present, should immediately contact a specialist:

sharp and nagging pain in the lower abdomen;
the discharge itself is a bright scarlet hue, sometimes mixed with dead tissue, accompanied by an unpleasant odor;
burning and itching in the bikini area;
obvious discomfort or pain when urinating.

Timely examination makes it possible to establish the presence of pathology, including its provoking factor. Compliance with the appropriate course of treatment, as well as healthy sleep and rest, avoiding stress - all this contributes to the rapid recovery of the female body after childbirth. And the irregular periods themselves during breastfeeding will become balanced.

In addition, during the first year of his life, the child is still connected with his mother physically and emotionally. Therefore, the main thing for a woman is to ensure peace for herself, which will ultimately benefit both.

Reason to see a doctor

The attending physician monitors the course of important periods in the patient’s body. He watches how the body recovers and, if necessary, prescribes medications or adjusts the menu. Usually, mothers of newborns visit pediatric specialists, especially in the first months. You also can’t neglect your own health. Some mothers note that strange spotting occurs that looks like regular menstruation. Experts reassure: this is a sign of natural healing of the uterus. You can get by with simple measures without panicking. The full restoration of menstruation is a long way off, this is lochia.

You should consult a doctor if:

The postpartum discharge that started suddenly stops. Perhaps endometritis has developed or a dangerous bend of the uterus has occurred. Sometimes lochia itself accumulates inside the uterus in large quantities. Having discovered this, the specialist diagnoses lochiometry.
If menstruation after breastfeeding is scanty, and several cycles occur, the natural hormonal balance may be disrupted, endometritis or another disease has developed.
Menstruation arrived as expected, six months after the mother completed breastfeeding, but irregular periods or a long time interval (several months) are completely absent. There may be disturbances in the functioning or condition of the ovaries.
Menstruation, on the contrary, is profuse, accompanied by severe pain, perhaps there is part of the unreleased membrane remaining inside the uterus.
The discharge is profuse, painful, unusual in color and has a strange smell. Perhaps an infectious disease or malignant neoplasm is developing in the body.
Spotting is a sign of an inflammatory disease.
Menstruation is accompanied by strange thick, curd-like discharge, and itching is felt - most likely some pathogenic microflora (candidiasis) is growing inside the vagina.
Active feeding, menstruation arrived, without supplementation or introduction of complementary foods.

You should definitely notify your doctor if your period comes unexpectedly, is accompanied by uncharacteristic symptoms, or looks strange. Stop breastfeeding until a specialist makes a diagnosis.

Is there a reason to stop breastfeeding?

Over time, breastfeeding a child is gradually replaced by eating a different kind of food, as we all usually do. As a result, a decrease in the concentration of prolactin occurs in the female body, which in turn results in a gradual restoration of the menstrual cycle, and the body begins to function as before. At the same time, the level of progesterone and estrogen increases.

Judging by a number of reviews, irregular periods during breastfeeding serve as a good reason to switch the child to external food. This is usually associated with certain concerns - some mothers are inclined to believe that due to an increase in sex hormones, the quality of milk may deteriorate.

But there is no compelling reason for quickly stopping the usual lactation procedure during the period when menstruation begins. Medicine has proven the fact that the amount of sex hormones in breast milk is small and they do not pose a danger to the child.

In this regard, you don’t have to worry about menstruation that has already begun - there is no danger here at all. In other words, it is up to the woman to decide when to stop breastfeeding. Here you should mainly rely on your well-being, emotional state, as well as the needs of the child. The periods themselves should not be taken into account!

Condition correction

Even healthy women have problems with their body. Therefore, if there is a delay in discharge for 2 weeks, perhaps this is only the result of stress, for example, a child’s illness. But you cannot confirm or refute this on your own.

A long first delay in discharge, that is, when menstruation does not begin for a long time, is sometimes associated with a hormonal imbalance. Prolactin is produced by the pituitary gland, and disruptions in its functioning affect the stability of the functions of the woman’s genital organs. In addition to determining the level of the hormone prolactin, other tests are also needed, in particular thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH).

Hyperprolactinemia is characterized not only by the absence of menstruation, but also by a decrease in their number and shortened duration. The situation that requires attention is when your period comes after childbirth, and now it’s delayed again. The condition of HRT is corrected with estrogen-containing drugs.

A difficult postpartum period, namely heavy bleeding, sepsis, and peritonitis subsequently contribute to the development of Sheehan syndrome. The enlarged pituitary gland suffers from a lack of blood, and its cells begin to die. But, in addition to menstruation, such women in labor also lack lactation, or suddenly stop in the early stages. Therapy is aimed at replacing missing hormones.

The described pathologies are treated and diagnosed exclusively by a doctor. Fortunately, they are rare, but delayed menstruation associated with endometriosis, cysts and other gynecological problems is a common occurrence. Following the rules of hygiene after childbirth and regular monitoring by a doctor plays an important role.

Timely seeking medical help is the key to successful treatment of any disease. Therefore, if you have the slightest doubt about the regularity of your cycle, it is better to consult a doctor and calm down.

On average, a woman’s body recovers completely within a year after childbirth. The hormonal levels gradually return to normal, and the work of all internal organs returns to their previous mode. Quite often there is a delay in menstruation after childbirth, but its causes are not always positive changes in the body.

A woman after childbirth should carefully monitor changes in her body and know the reasons for certain changes. A delay in menstruation may well be present after childbirth, but it is still worth finding out the reason for its occurrence.

Childbirth is a complex and responsible process for every woman. During the postpartum period, the young mother experiences spotting for some time. After 3 months have passed after giving birth and menstruation has not occurred, the problem of its absence should be identified. The following reasons are identified:

Ways to restore the menstrual cycle

Often, after the onset of the first period, the second one is in no hurry to come. As a rule, the regularity of a normal cycle varies from 21 to 35 days, plus or minus a week. After childbirth, this interval may differ, but its equalization can occur after 3-4 cycles, which is the norm. If even after this period of time regularity has not occurred, this is a good reason to contact a specialist.

Timely seeking medical help will prevent the situation from worsening. To bring your irregular menstrual cycle back to normal while breastfeeding, you can help your body regain its strength faster after giving birth. A number of useful recommendations will help in this matter:

provide a proper and balanced diet;
vitamin complexes will be very useful;
physical activity is not prohibited, but it should be dosed;
ensure control of hormonal levels;
avoid stressful situations;
Drinking regularly should not be underestimated.

If you follow these tips, the condition of the female body (in particular the reproductive organs) will be improved. Just keep in mind that positive dynamics can be seen after a month or a little longer.

Physical exercise

The issue of physical activity in the postpartum period is constantly discussed. Women are not recommended to overuse physical exercise in the first 2–4 months after childbirth. Next, if your doctor does not limit sports activities, you can take a closer look at your figure.

However, when menstruation arrives, it is recommended to reduce strength loads. This doesn't mean you need to give up daily exercise. This means that you should not overexert your body so as not to cause excessive bleeding. On menstruation days, you can engage in gentle sports such as yoga, light jogging, stretching, etc.

For the good of the cause

The best option for restoring the cycle with irregular periods after breastfeeding is swimming, yoga, Pilates. Therapeutic exercise combined with massage procedures will also not hurt.

Often women experience postpartum depression, which negatively affects the nervous system. To eliminate psychological discomfort or nip its occurrence in the bud, you can contact a psychologist. In addition, herbal teas or light plant-based sedatives will bring significant benefits.

In addition, in order to avoid disruption of microcirculation in the groin area, it is necessary to select underwear correctly. Breastfeeding women should give preference to appropriate bras (there are special products for the lactation period), as well as panties made of natural fabric. This will avoid squeezing the blood and lymphatic vessels.

Following simple advice, as well as the recommendations of the doctor who managed the pregnancy (if any), will ensure the restoration of the regularity of the menstrual cycle.

Preventive measures for delay after birth of a child

A delay in menstruation is not always a sign of serious abnormalities or diseases. Each woman’s body is individual, and the menstrual cycle can improve at different periods of time.

It happens that after a full examination, no serious reasons for the absence of menstruation are found and the woman is completely healthy. Therefore, to restore the regularity of menstruation, you can follow a few simple rules.

It is worth summing up some results at the end and saying that before consulting a doctor due to a delay in menstruation, you need to study all the manifestations of symptoms in advance. If they are sufficiently alarming, then only a qualified doctor will make the correct diagnosis and prescribe quick, effective treatment.

Features of hygiene after childbirth

Some women experience certain difficulties in choosing hygiene products after giving birth. During the period of postpartum discharge, it is best to purchase special postpartum pads or absorbent underwear. And after irregular periods during breastfeeding return to normal, you can give preference to the usual means.

A useful thing would be a menstrual cap made of medical silicone. It is used in the same way as a tampon, and the service life can be up to 5 years. Such a device is beneficial from an economic point of view, has hypoallergenic properties and, in addition, the amount of blood loss can be measured.

It is also important to take into account that during menstruation, hygiene products must be replaced every 3 hours! This precaution has a reasonable justification, since blood is, in fact, a favorable and nutritious environment for the development of pathogenic microorganisms. And they are the main causative agents of various inflammatory diseases of the genitourinary system.

Since after the birth of a child the woman’s immune system is still weakened, neglect will further aggravate the situation and will inevitably lead to more serious consequences.

In addition, during “special days” it is necessary to wash yourself more often than usual. Such regular gentle care will help maintain normal vaginal pH levels.