If you are breastfeeding, you may ovulate as early as 10 weeks after giving birth. Your period would then start two weeks later, around 12 weeks after giving birth. Or it may be over a year before you start ovulating again, and your periods return.
The return of your period should have little effect on your breast milk so you can continue to breastfeed if desired. Some women find a temporary drop in the amount of milk they produce just before their period starts or for a few days into it, but it will increase again when hormones return to their normal levels.
It's usually only the 2-4 days leading up to your period and the first 1-2 days after your period starts that you will notice a drop in your milk supply. Some mothers notice a slight decrease from the time they ovulate until their period arrives, though this is less common.
It's completely normal for women who breastfeed exclusively to have their first postpartum period six weeks after delivery or a year or more later — even 18 months after giving birth. If you're breastfeeding some of the time, you might see your period return sooner.
A. Yes, certain foods can make the period flow heavy, these include coffee, dairy and beetroots.
Breastfeeding while on your period is perfectly safe for you and your baby. Your breast milk is still healthy and nutritious. But hormone changes leading up to your period can affect your milk and feeding pattern for a few days.
They both have a distinct smell and begin as a dark red, heavy discharge. Lochia and menstrual blood are similar in that the bleeding subsides before going away. The biggest difference between the two types of discharge is that lochia lasts much longer. A typical period lasts about one week.
How long do first periods after delivery last? Most women return to their normal cycle soon after giving birth. If your period was 'normal' prior to pregnancy, it will occur every 21 to 35 days post pregnancy, while the bleeding may last anywhere between 2 to 7 days.
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.
During the first four weeks postpartum, you will notice a pink-brown discharge called lochia. This is totally normal. Even though it might look like a period, it isn't – just the natural process of your uterus shedding blood, mucous, and tissue after you've given birth. Just be sure to wear a pad and change it often.
Your first period can come anytime between two and 12 weeks after delivery. For most women, it happens between six and 12 weeks. If you exclusively breastfeed, your period will likely be delayed until you give your baby solid food and other forms of milk.
Can Your Period Start and Stop While Breastfeeding? It is completely normal for periods to start and stop while breastfeeding. It all depends on how often you breastfeed. The more often you exclusively breastfeed, the less quickly your period will return to normal.
Your milk supply may drop the week before your period starts and then rebound thereafter. Moms may notice decreased pump volumes or softer breasts during this time. Remember, you can't go wrong feeding the baby on demand at the breast.
Once breastfeeding stops, the milk-making cells in your breasts will gradually shrink, making them smaller in size. Some women say their breasts look or feel empty at this stage. As time passes, fat cells will be laid down again in place of milk-making cells, and you might find your breasts regain some fullness.
Getting your period is a clear sign of returning fertility while breastfeeding. If the egg is released and you bleed, you can expect ovulation to follow as well. If you don't want to get pregnant again so soon after giving birth, start using some other form of birth control.
It may be heavier. You may have more or less cramping than you had before. Your periods may be irregular, especially if you are still breastfeeding sometimes. At first, you may have some more clotting in your periods than before.
“Periods may return for some as early as three weeks after delivery, but I would say typically the first menstrual cycle is somewhere between four and six weeks out for patients that choose to not breastfeed but it could also be longer,” she said.
Postpartum bleeding (lochia) Postpartum bleeding called lochia is a normal part of your recovery after birth. At first, it'll look and feel like a heavy period, but after a few days, it should subside to some light spotting.
Brace yourself…the first period after giving birth is typically heavier than normal because there is extra blood in your uterine lining that needs to be shed. You may enjoy easier periods due to physical changes in the uterus and cervix, although some folks experience stronger cramps.
You will burn some stored body fat, but your body protects some fat for the purpose of breastfeeding. Many women don't lose all the baby weight until they completely stop nursing.
Learn more about how breastfeeding can not only impact fertility and getting your period, but also your milk supply and your baby. Lochia starts out as bright red bleeding. It can be very heavy, and it may contain blood clots. After a few days, it will start to slow down and turn pink or lighter in color.
“The first four to six weeks are the toughest, then it starts to settle down,” says Cathy. “And when you get to three months, breastfeeding gets really easy – way easier than cleaning and making up a bottle.
“A newborn feeding can take 20 to 40 minutes, but by the time they get to be three months old, they often cut way back on feeding duration,” says Nancy Mohrbacher, IBCLC, FILCA and author of Breastfeeding Answers Made Simple: A Guide for Helping Mothers.