can you have a period while lactating?
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Most breastfeeding mothers will resume their periods between 9 and 18 months after their baby's birth. Weaning will almost certainly cause a resumption of the menstrual cycle, but for most women is not a necessary condition, just a way to accelerate the process.
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Don't mistake post-partum bleeding for a menstrual period. It may take several weeks or even months for normal menstruations to start back up after you have a baby. If you are breastfeeding, it will take longer. However, breastfeeding will not cause a significant change in the normal progression of postpartum lochia.
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Yes, breastfeeding does delay ovulation and, consequently, your ability to get pregnant. But ovulation is still possible within months of giving birth — especially if the baby is not solely breastfed at least every four to six hours.
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Many moms don't have a period for months (or at all) while breastfeeding. But a lapse in your cycle doesn't mean you can't get pregnant. Remember, ovulation occurs before you get your period. It's possible for you to ovulate and then get pregnant before you ever see your period.
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Cycles without ovulation are most common during the first six months postpartum. For other mothers, the first menstruation is preceded by ovulation – a longer period of lactational amenorrhea increases the likelihood that you will ovulate before that first period.
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Can you get pregnant while you're breastfeeding? The simple answer is yes. Although breastfeeding offers some protection from ovulation, the monthly occurrence where you release a mature egg from one of your ovaries, it is possible to ovulate and become pregnant prior to getting your first period.
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Most nursing moms won't get their periods for the first three to six months, with many getting their first period at about nine or more months after baby's birth. Some women can conceive sooner, while others begin ovulating later.
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Usually, women who are not breastfeeding ovulate sooner after giving birth than women who do breastfeed. However, a woman's first ovulation cycle might occur before she gets her first postpartum period. This means that it is possible for a woman to get pregnant before menstruation begins again.
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The first postpartum period may be heavier and more painful than those before pregnancy, or it may be lighter and easier. Some women have their first postpartum period shortly after lochia, while others may wait many months, especially if they are breastfeeding.
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This is especially true if you're breastfeeding. According to the Cleveland Clinic, most postpartum women will have a “normal” menstrual cycle of 21 to 35 days with bleeding that lasts 2 to 7 days.
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Spotting is normal while breastfeeding, so don't waste your time worrying about it, but as always, never be afraid to talk to your OB/GYN about any issues!
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Breastfeeding can hold off the return of your period and therefore your ability to get pregnant again for a while. For many women, the ability to get pregnant returns once breastfeeding is no longer exclusive. By six months, your child will start eating solid foods and may also be sleeping through the night.
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Many women normally experience sore or tender breasts right after they ovulate and until they get their next period. Some of these women may turn out to be pregnant while many others will get their period and are not pregnant.
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When a woman is pregnant, she does not continue to ovulate and will not have a period. Menstruation only occurs when a person is not pregnant. Although it is possible for women to experience some bleeding during pregnancy, this will not be due to their menstrual cycle.
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In time, your body will settle back into its pre-pregnant state. Depending on how long you breastfed for, it might even be two or more years since you had a normal period! After two or three cycles you will be a lot closer to feeling more like “your old self.” Hang in there.
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When will my period return? Your period will typically return about six to eight weeks after you give birth, if you aren't breastfeeding. If you do breastfeed, the timing for a period to return can vary. Those who practice exclusive breastfeeding might not have a period the entire time they breastfeed.
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That can mean you might not see a period for at least six months — and for some women, even longer! When it does make a cameo, expect it to be heavier, crampier and more erratic for the first few cycles. If you aren't breastfeeding and you still haven't gotten your period, it may be completely normal.