Delayed periods after childbirth while breastfeeding: the main reasons why periods do not appear

Quite often, women after childbirth are concerned about the question of why their periods do not come for a long time. The reasons may be completely different; we will consider them in this article.

• When is absence of menstruation normal?
• The nature of the menstrual cycle during lactation
• When should menstruation resume while breastfeeding? If breastfeeding only
• With mixed feeding

Unplanned pregnancy while breastfeeding

When is absence of menstruation normal?

The absence of menstruation during breastfeeding is not necessarily a sign of any disease. This can happen due to minor stressful situations. Young mothers may experience nervous breakdowns and postpartum depression, which can cause the absence of menstruation. The problem may be reduced immunity, which happens during postpartum recovery of the body. Oral contraceptives can be a problem. They have a significant impact on female hormonal levels, which are directly related to the menstrual cycle.

Common female diseases such as ovarian cysts or formations in the uterine area can also be considered normal. They occur not only in the postpartum period, but childbirth can trigger their development. Any, even the most minor, inflammation of the pelvis can also cause disruption of the menstrual cycle.

Important! Very rarely, cycle failure may depend on the functioning of the pituitary gland (endocrine gland). It prevents the production of prolactin, which can even lead to postpartum bleeding.

The menstrual cycle is also affected by viral or infectious diseases, which rarely do not bring complications to an organism weakened by childbirth.

In the end, a woman’s recovery period may simply be prolonged, which is also considered normal. It even depends on such simple things as sleep patterns and nutrition. There is no need to immediately invent non-existent diseases, but you should still consult a doctor.

Factors influencing cycle recovery

The timing of menstruation certainly worries new mothers. I want to prepare. Of course, breastfeeding a child can extend the “pause” period, but restoration of the cycle also depends on other important factors:

• course of labor (was cesarean, natural birth);
• hormonal imbalances, diseases;
• stress.

Doctors advise new mothers to be careful. The restoration of menstruation for each woman is individual. You cannot worry, make assumptions, or treat yourself. It is important to get enough sleep (if possible), regulate your diet, and avoid stress. The mother's mood always affects the condition of her child. During the first months they feel a strong invisible connection. Pregnancy, childbirth and the subsequent lactation period are natural states that are interconnected. Therefore, it is important to trust your body.

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When should menstruation resume while breastfeeding?

After reaching a certain level of hormones, the reproductive system begins to return to normal. The first sign is the restoration of the menstrual cycle. The recovery period and its duration directly depend on the nature of the feeding process: breast, artificial or mixed.

There is a certain list of points that affect the timing of the restoration of menstruation. These include:

• feeding cycle (if you feed the child only when he demands it, when he is hungry, then menstruation will come in 10–12 months, and with regular feeding - in 7–10 months);
• type of feeding (when formula feeding - 4-8 weeks after birth, when breastfeeding - 12-16 weeks);
• the woman’s phenotype (scientists have proven that in dark women with dark eyes, the cycle recovery occurs faster than in light women).

Did you know? Doctors have set the time for restoring the cycle to 42 days, but menstruation rarely begins after such a period of time.

When breastfeeding only

If only breastfeeding occurs, then the woman’s body recovers at the end of the lactation period. Around 3–4 months of a child’s life, the process of restoring the cycle begins. Some women get their period at this time. These terms are purely individual, due to a number of the above reasons.

With mixed feeding

Just with mixed feeding, the cycle can completely recover by 3–4 months of the child’s life. This is the most common date, although 1–2 months after birth is possible. But these are also purely individual processes. Most often, light discharge begins in the 10th week.

Is it possible to breastfeed during menstruation?

How much does menstruation affect a mother's body? Menstruation will become an obstacle when breastfeeding or should be ignored.

Many women believe that the taste or beneficial properties of their milk depend on the appearance or absence of menstruation. They say you need to wean your baby off by stopping breastfeeding when the usual cycle is restored.

Doctors are sure that the relationship between breastfeeding and menstruation is not so pronounced. Yes, the activity of breastfeeding affects the body’s production of the hormone prolactin and the duration of the “rest” period without menstruation. However, this hormone and the critical days themselves are not interrelated.

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Mother's milk will remain invariably useful and it does not matter whether you are menstruating or not. On the contrary, the war needs to be continued. The only caveat is that periodically the amount of milk produced by the body may decrease during menstruation. The taste will remain unchanged. There is no need to worry, just wait out the critical days, feeding the baby if necessary if he is not getting enough. It’s just that the body independently regulates the production of fluid, trying to distribute it in proportion to the processes taking place.

Special lactation teas and increased feeding will help enhance lactation. The mother puts the hungry baby to her own breast more often than usual. At the same time, he adjusts his diet. It is worth drinking more fluids and eating foods that promote milk production.

If you get your period while breastfeeding, it’s not a big deal. The exception is the manifestation of uncharacteristic symptoms listed above. Then mom should visit a doctor. The critical days themselves have an impact, breast milk decreases. However, this is easy to correct using natural means.

Factors that can change the taste of milk for breastfeeding are food, medicines, and the state of the body. Moreover, doctors try to prescribe medications, taking into account the situation of the new mother. If a severe hormonal imbalance is diagnosed, the specialist will individually select medications. So that the features of hormonal drugs improve internal balance without affecting lactation.

Restoration of the menstrual cycle

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.

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.

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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.

What to do if your period is late for a long time

A long delay in menstruation causes unreasonable anxiety in any woman. Before you panic, you should rule out possible causes and take the following steps.

1. Take a pregnancy test . If your period is more than a week late, you can test the level of hCG in your urine. If the pregnancy test is negative, it will only show one line. To obtain more accurate results, you need a personal examination by a gynecologist;
2. Visit an endocrinologist. If a disease such as pituitary apoplexy develops, you need to consult a special doctor. He will order hormone tests. And then, if necessary, further research;
3. Check for other symptoms of any disease . If 5 months have passed after giving birth, taking into account the artificial feeding of the baby, and menstruation has not yet arrived, then the woman should carefully examine the condition of the body. Most diseases of the reproductive system have side symptoms, which can manifest themselves in minor pain, low-grade fever, constant lethargy and fatigue;
4. Visit a gynecologist and undergo a general examination. Every woman must undergo an examination by a doctor for some time after giving birth and pass all the necessary tests. They will show the general condition of the body and indicate the presence of inflammation. And in the absence of menstruation, this procedure is mandatory!

When your period comes after childbirth: features

Marking a date on a calendar or hoping for a specific deadline is pointless. Many young mothers indicate that the cycle improves in the first six months after the birth of the baby, and some wait more than a year. “Everything is purely individual,” doctors explain in this case and assure that there is no need to worry in the absence of accompanying alarming symptoms. It’s just that each body recovers in its own way after such a serious restructuring as pregnancy and childbirth.

The average statistics are that even if periods after childbirth come in the first months, they are sometimes difficult: with pain, increased irritability, and also on an irregular basis. In this case, it is important to pay attention to the duration and amount of discharge.

Normally, menstruation should last 3-7 days, and deviations from these parameters may be a reason to consult a doctor. Periods that are too short or, on the contrary, too long (blood smearing may occur for several days) are evidence of problems with the reproductive system. Similar symptoms are typical for:

• - endometriosis;
• - uterine fibroids;
• - the appearance of neoplasms.

But the intervals between “critical days” may change after childbirth. For example, if previously this period was 20-30 days, then it can be set to 25 days. This is a natural physiological change and is not a cause for concern. The same applies to the appearance of pain at the beginning of menstruation and the strengthening of the so-called “premenstrual syndrome”, which is characterized by:

• - increased irritability;
• - tearfulness;
• - emotional outbursts;
• - depressed mood;
• - dizziness;
• - nausea;
• - insomnia and other unpleasant symptoms.

Often, young mothers complain that periods after childbirth become painful and cause discomfort. This unpleasant condition is usually associated with the unpreparedness of the reproductive system for recovery. If it worsens and interferes with leading a normal lifestyle, then you should consult a gynecologist and undergo an examination. However, such conditions often pass quickly.

The opposite often happens. Women who, before giving birth, constantly experienced pain during menstruation, after the birth of the baby, cease to experience such discomfort. The cycle is regulated and passes without any complications.

Another important parameter is the amount of bleeding. In a healthy woman they should not exceed 50-150 mg. Deviations from this norm may be symptoms of pathologies.

Irregularity of the menstrual cycle during lactation

Irregular monthly bleeding is a very common occurrence during lactation. Many nursing mothers note that their periods return, then disappear for several months, then start again. The duration of the cycle also remains unknown: sometimes menstruation comes several days earlier than last month, and next time - with a delay of three to five days. If you ask a gynecologist whether this situation is normal, the answer will be positive. It is considered normal for the cycle to improve within four to five months after the appearance of the first menstruation.

However, doctors recommend that after the resumption of menstruation, be sure to come for a routine examination. If the doctor identifies a problem, you can begin treating it immediately, without wasting time and without triggering the disease.

Also, a delay and irregular menstruation cycle may be due to the following reasons:

• pregnancy. Lactational amenorrhea can be a method of contraception, but under certain conditions. However, it does not give a 100% guarantee that a woman will not become pregnant. Very often, another pregnancy occurs precisely during lactation;
• diseases and inflammation of the internal genital organs. After childbirth, complications, infection in the uterus and other reasons are possible when menstruation becomes irregular or is delayed precisely because of pathological changes;
• hormonal imbalance in the female body. Only a doctor can make such a diagnosis after conducting a series of hormone tests;
• neoplasms of the reproductive organs: ovarian cysts, uterine tumors, endometriosis (proliferation of endometrial cells outside the uterus);
• unbalanced diet. During breastfeeding, a woman’s body leaves a huge amount of nutrients and nutrients with milk. If the mother does not eat normally and variedly, the body becomes depleted, causing menstruation to become irregular or disappear altogether;
• psycho-emotional stress: stress, nervous strain, negative atmosphere in the family. All this negatively affects the general condition of the young mother;
• excessive physical activity.

If, after the resumption of menstruation and the allotted time to regulate the cycle, a woman observes that menstruation comes with delays, the cycle gets lost, etc. - this is a reason to urgently go to see a doctor. Perhaps the problem lies in a disease that requires immediate treatment. There is no need to waste time, because the child needs a healthy and happy mother.

Features of menstruation during breastfeeding

The absence of menstruation immediately after childbirth and in the postpartum period is nature’s own concern for the female body. He needs gradual recovery, as well as strength to maintain the life and health of the baby and breastfeeding.

Thus, all useful substances and vitamins are used for milk production and nutrition of the baby, but the onset of a new pregnancy is temporarily blocked. The hormone prolactin is responsible for this “respite”. It is he who suppresses the basic functions of the ovaries and interferes with the ovulation process.

Due to the normal increased production of this hormone, periods after childbirth may be absent for the entire period of breastfeeding. In the absence of associated unpleasant symptoms, this is not a reason to panic.

Prolactin also interferes with the regularity of the cycle when it is restored. Long pauses between periods, long delays and constant disruptions may be the “merit” of this hormone.

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.

• Good nutrition and rest. A young mother must monitor her diet and eat all the substances and trace elements necessary for the body. After all, most breastfeeding women adhere to a certain diet. You should also ensure maximum rest;
• Daily walks in the air. At first, after the birth of a baby, women return to their normal state. To avoid the development of postpartum depression, as well as for the complete recovery of the body, being in the air every day is a prerequisite;
• Moderate physical activity and active mobility. Many young mothers begin to exercise after 2 months. This has a positive effect on the recovery of the body and ensures good health. Therefore, such loads and mobility have no contraindications for a healthy woman in the postpartum period;
• Prevention of nervous stress. Most diseases occur due to a disorder of the nervous system, so it should be carefully protected. No matter how difficult it may be during the postpartum period. There is no need to be upset over trifles and find more harmony in the world around you.

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.

Nuances when restoring menstruation

A woman’s menstrual cycle after childbirth changes and is no longer similar to the one she had before pregnancy. In this regard, you need to take into account some nuances:

1. There is no need to take contraceptives until the frequency and regularity of the discharge is fully established.
2. Changes in mood, nervousness and anxiety when getting your period are normal and associated with hormonal fluctuations.
3. Repeated pregnancy without menstruation while breastfeeding is unlikely, but possible. In this case, the woman can choose only one thing: give birth to a child or continue breastfeeding.
4. Following the principles of a balanced diet is the key to quickly restoring your cycle.
5. Physical exercise is advisable, but not too active. Heavy loads will cause bleeding.
6. You can take hormonal medications to normalize your periods only as prescribed by a gynecologist or endocrinologist.

Restoration of the cycle and regular frequency of menstruation is a signal from the female body that it is ready for a new pregnancy. There is no need to rush the return of menstruation; the body itself will restore its reproductive functions. However, alarming symptoms cannot be ignored; the sooner a woman consults a doctor, the higher the likelihood of a full recovery.

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

Features of the cycle during the feeding period

Lactation and menstruation are complex, interconnected processes of the female body. This connection has certain characteristics, and even prejudices.

During the first time after childbirth, a woman may experience postpartum discharge (lochia), which is not related to menstruation. The discharge is the remains of the mucous membrane of the fetal tissue and is observed during the first 4-6 weeks after birth.

When breastfeeding (especially active), a woman may not experience menstruation for a year. This phenomenon is considered normal, is not a sign of pathological disorders, and is also not a reason for refusing to feed your baby breast milk.

When to see a doctor

Hormonal changes in the body, postpartum stress, complications after pregnancy and childbirth can lead to various pathologies in women's health. A visit to the gynecologist should include the following conditions:

• severe pain with a large amount of discharge or, conversely, a small volume with an unpleasant odor and brown color;
• reducing the duration of bleeding to 1–2 days, or if menstruation has not ended 7 days after the start;
• temperature increase;
• spotting before and after menstruation;
• menstruation coming 2 times a month for 3 cycles;
• irregular periods 6 months after their onset, the time interval between cycles is more than 3 months;
• feeling of itching in the vagina and cheesy discharge;
• if menstruation does not come 2 months after stopping breastfeeding.

It should be remembered that a small amount of discharge in the first 2-3 cycles is not always a pathology. In this condition, it is important to assess their condition. An unpleasant odor and unusual color of blood are a sign of an infectious disease or even a tumor.

Heavier periods than before birth in the first cycle are usually considered normal. But if the amount of discharge does not decrease by the second and third cycle, then this may be a consequence of a poorly cleaned uterus after childbirth. There is a high probability that there are still particles of the placenta on its walls.

Cycle regularity when feeding with formula

When a woman, guided by her own considerations, immediately switches her newborn to formula, menstruation is restored on average after 7 weeks. If both methods of feeding are combined - natural and artificial, then the first menstruation will come in 5 months.

Perinatal complications (sepsis, bleeding) affect long-term recovery, but the method of birth (natural birth or cesarean section) does not affect menstruation in any way.

Irregular periods after childbirth with artificial feeding should become normal within 3 months after their recovery. If after the third menstruation the cycle is still disrupted, this is a signal of the presence of diseases.

You should also urgently contact a gynecologist if a woman has the following symptoms:

• delay longer than 5 months without objective reasons;
• duration of menstruation over 8 days;
• heavy menstrual bleeding, accompanied by severe pain in the lower abdomen;
• blood clotting occurs during menstruation;
• physiological or bloody discharge from the vagina has a previously unusual smell or color.

Should you sound the alarm if your period is late?

Doctors explain that the method of delivery (natural birth or the birth of a baby using surgical intervention) does not affect the timing of the resumption of the menstrual cycle, provided the baby is breastfed. Those. a young mother who gave birth to a child by cesarean section, who puts the baby to the breast on demand, does not skip night feedings, introduces complementary foods no earlier than six months and continues breastfeeding can count on the resumption of the menstrual cycle eight to twelve months after birth.

One should not rule out the possibility that menstruation will begin one and a half to two years after the arrival of a little person in the family. This is also a variant of the normal process of restoring reproductive function.

The method of delivery does not in any way affect the timing of the resumption of menstruation. However, after surgery, the body needs more time to recover, so a young mother is recommended to visit an obstetrician-gynecologist two to three months after giving birth, six months and a year. The doctor will conduct an examination, do an ultrasound to assess the condition of the uterine scar and take the necessary tests. These are necessary examinations to exclude inflammatory and other pathological processes in a woman’s reproductive organs.

Only a doctor can answer all the young mother’s questions and conduct a comprehensive examination, if necessary.

After surgical delivery, the process of complete restoration of the functions of the reproductive system is influenced by the type of feeding of the child:

• when establishing lactation immediately after childbirth, while still in the maternity hospital, and continuing breastfeeding on demand constantly, menstruation may appear over a long period of time: from several months to one or two years;
  

  Based on reviews from mothers who gave birth to children via cesarean section, for many, the first menstruation after childbirth begins from the moment complementary foods are introduced to the baby.

• if the child is fed both breast milk and a special adapted formula, the mother observes the onset of menstruation three to four months after the woman is discharged from the hospital;
• in the case when the mother is unable to breastfeed the baby or does not want to do so, i.e. the lactation process does not start, the menstrual cycle can be restored six to eight weeks after birth. The thing is that the body does not produce prolactin, so nothing slows down the work of the ovaries. The cycle resumes immediately, the egg matures and ovulates, and the reproductive function begins its work.
  

  Doctors warn that if your period does not come eight to twelve weeks after discharge from the maternity hospital, you should urgently seek advice from a women's doctor.

Results

The arrival of menstruation during lactation often becomes a frightening factor for women. After all, it is generally accepted that this should not happen until breastfeeding is completed. Some mothers assume that a new pregnancy has begun, and their periods are heavy, painful and different than before. The cause may be a bending of the uterus, which is a common occurrence in primiparous women, although after childbirth the defect should be eliminated.

The period of restoration of the menstrual cycle after childbirth is different for each woman. Normal if it settles 2 months after stopping breastfeeding. Otherwise, it is better to immediately consult a doctor if your periods are protracted, which should alert you. There may be 2 reasons - a new pregnancy or a gynecological disease. The second case is a reason when, of course, one cannot delay in undergoing an examination or prescribing a course of treatment.

First menstruation

After cutting the umbilical cord, all the forces of the organs are used to return to the pre-pregnancy state, which is why menstruation does not come immediately. This period takes approximately 8 weeks.

1. From the first day to 8 weeks, the uterus regains its former state and becomes smaller. Involution of the organ or reverse development begins. Its speed depends on age and many associated circumstances.
2. Lochia discharge lasts up to 6 weeks. At first it is scarlet blood due to internal injuries, but over time the color becomes lighter. This is where the involution ends completely.

What are the first menstruation? Before conception, severe pain in the lower abdomen may have been observed due to the natural curvature of the uterus. After being released from the fetus, the organ straightens, which does not cause such unpleasant spasms as before. The nature of the cycle changes, it becomes more accurate, without disturbances.

When lactation stops, ovulation occurs after about 2 months. In this case, the first cycle is anovulatory, when the ovary does not release an egg. Let us repeat that you should not set out to speed up the process, or worry too much about the fact that your periods do not return too soon after childbirth.

When is the best time to see a gynecologist?

In addition to a scheduled visit to your gynecologist, you should contact an additional person if the following symptoms occur:

1. Severe pain during premenstrual syndrome.
2. Blood volume exceeds 140 ml. The pad is not enough for 3-4 hours. And vice versa, too scanty discharge. Both of these options are cause for concern.
3. Strong odor from the vagina.
4. Exacerbation of other ailments.
5. Depression.

Read also: Diarrhea after childbirth in women: causes, treatment

Will menstruation become regular immediately?

The first periods after breastfeeding are often irregular and unstable. In some women they are abundant, in others, on the contrary, they can be scanty. There can be quite long intervals between them. This is especially true in those cases when a baby, who has almost given up breastfeeding, suddenly begins to breastfeed more often again.

Hormonal levels after feeding are usually restored within 2-4 cycles. At this time, the menstrual cycle is gradually restored. This process can be compared to trying to start a car - the engine starts and stalls, stalls again and again, and so on until it finally starts. Likewise, the female body, during feeding and after completion of breastfeeding, makes attempts over and over again to restore the cycle, until it fails - until estrogen and other hormones outweigh prolactin.