The return of the menstrual cycle in a nursing mother is an individual process. In some, the discharge begins three months after birth, in others, the cycle is not restored until the end of breastfeeding.
Menstruation during breastfeeding does not go due to the influence of the hormone prolactin, which produces milk. When the level of prolactin decreases, they are restored.
Please note that after childbirth, the first time a woman has spotting. They are not menstruation and stop 1-1.5 months after the birth of the child.
When do they start
According to statistics, in 80% of nursing mothers, the menstrual period resumes with the end of lactation. The appearance of discharge depends largely on when you weaned the baby from the breast. However, do not expect them to start the very next day after the end of the GW. The first menstruation usually occurs after 6-8 weeks.
Consistency and stability are established within two or three cycles. Irregular periods while breastfeeding in the first two months is normal. During this period, they may arrive earlier or later. However, if in two or three months the regularity of the discharge has not improved or there is no menstruation at all, you should consult a doctor.
If the critical days came earlier, there is nothing to worry about. Often this is due to the introduction of new complementary foods. And with mixed feeding, they often begin within six months after the birth of a newborn.
Causes of the onset of menstruation with HB
- Mixed feeding (even if you just give the baby some water);
- The introduction of complementary foods;
- Rare breastfeeding;
- Mom does not follow the feeding schedule;
- Violation of the production of prolactin;
- Taking medications (especially hormonal drugs);
- No night feedings.
Menstruation and lactation - compatible concepts?
Menstruation does not come after the end of breastfeeding
As mentioned earlier, after the end of lactation, the menstrual cycle resumes after 1.5-2 months. However, if they are gone for more than two months, then this is a reason to be examined by a gynecologist.
There are several reasons for this behavior. It can be hormonal disruptions, diseases or the onset of a new pregnancy. Remember that the absence of menstrual flow during breastfeeding does not guarantee that you will not get pregnant again!
Restoration of the cycle for each woman takes place individually. In one mother, it begins 3-4 weeks after birth, and in the other, only two years later. As a rule, menstruation comes when the process of milk production is completed.
Menstruation during lactation does not indicate pathology or disease. This is a normal process with the introduction of complementary foods or mixed feeding. If you do not feed your baby at night and give milk on call, and not on schedule, then this is also the reason.
Menstruation while breastfeeding does not affect the taste, quality and quantity of milk! And they do not require the completion of lactation.
