After the long-awaited birth of the baby, the mother’s body begins to change, hormonal adjustment occurs. The
hormone prolactin, which is responsible for the production of milk, which blocks the production of hormones by the ovaries, is actively produced. Accordingly, the egg does not ripen, and menstruation does not occur. This should continue until breastfeeding lasts. However, this is ideal, but in reality, menstruation during breastfeeding is far from rare. It depends on various factors:
- Lactation With its decrease, the production of the hormone prolactin decreases and the menstrual cycle is restored. If you do not regularly breast-feed your baby or if you are short of milk, and you are forced to switch to mixed feeding, expect the onset of menstruation.
- Interventions of modern technology. Hormonal drugs as contraception, drug birth leave their imprint on the woman's body.
- The individual characteristics of the body.
If you intend to breastfeed the baby for as long as possible, first find out everything about breastfeeding from your doctor, as well as read specialized literature.
Following the rules of breastfeeding will help to avoid various problems, such as
stagnation of milk, inflammation, etc., as well as to extend the period of breastfeeding, which will provide your baby with everything necessary for health and proper development.
Menstruation should not be confused with breastfeeding with lochia. Lochia is a postpartum blood discharge that disappears about a month after giving birth.
The menstrual cycle is fully restored during the first two to three menstruation, if this does not happen, consult a doctor. An irregular menstrual cycle can indicate various inflammatory diseases of the genital organs, so you should not postpone the visit to the gynecologist. Also, too abundant discharge (if the first menstruation lasts more than a week) is not the norm, as, however, are meager periods. When breastfeeding, some mothers note some additional inconvenience when menstruation resumes: for example, nipple sensitivity during PMS (making feeding difficult). This problem can be solved with a warm compress on the chest before feeding.
When the child is six months old, the time will come to think about the first feeding.
Breastfeeding of a baby is discussed with a pediatrician, in each case only a doctor can advise what to start introducing into the baby’s diet without violating and without weakening breastfeeding.
Remember that menstruation does not affect breastfeeding in any way, the baby will eat as much as before. But the periods themselves during breastfeeding are sometimes irregular, can appear and disappear, do not panic about this until the feeding is completely stopped. However, it will not hurt to see a doctor.
Health to you and your kids!