Why don't you have periods for a long time after giving birth? With artificial feeding. Features of menstruation after childbirth

During pregnancy, a woman thinks about the upcoming birth and about the baby being born healthy. But now, this stage is over, and more and more questions arise. In addition to caring for the little man, the young mother is also concerned about the recovery of her body after childbirth. 6-8 weeks after birth, the body recovers. Menstruation usually has not yet begun, and this makes young mothers nervous, who ask questions: why are there no periods after childbirth and when do periods begin after childbirth? To understand these issues, let's learn more about the process of restoring the menstrual cycle after childbirth.

How is recovery after childbirth?

During pregnancy, a woman takes a break from critical days, some period after childbirth also passes without menstruation. But between periods of calm, there is a rather unpleasant recovery phase.
Within 4-6 weeks, bloody mucous discharge occurs - lochia. Except appearance, they have nothing to do with menstruation, although at first they are especially strong and resemble heavy periods. This is determined by the fact that lochia contains parts of the inner mucous membrane of the walls of the uterus, which has already fulfilled its function during pregnancy.

After 7-10 days, the inner surface of the uterus is restored, the discharge becomes lighter, the amount of blood decreases, and the color turns brownish brown.

By day 15-20, the uterine mucosa is restored, the discharge becomes light red, gradually turning yellowish and transparent. They contain cervical secretions and healing products from the placenta.

By 6-7 weeks, the cervix closes, the uterus returns to its pre-pregnancy size, and recovery after childbirth can be considered complete.

Lochia should not cause discomfort. If the discharge becomes bad smell, greenish tint or abdominal pain appears, an urgent visit to a gynecologist is necessary, this alarming symptoms, which may indicate a complication.

Lactational amenorrhea, is it possible to get pregnant while breastfeeding?

After 6-8 weeks, when the mother has already gotten used to new role, her body has recovered, and the child has already sufficiently adapted to life in big world, it's time to remember intimate life. But it is unlikely that at this stage of life any of the young parents are already planning next pregnancy after childbirth, so you need to take care of reliable contraception. Fortunately, nature has already thought through this issue for us.

The most valuable and useful product for a child in the first 6 months of life - breast milk. The pituitary hormone prolactin is responsible for milk production. At the moment of birth of a child, when a strong hormonal surge occurs, it begins to be produced in very large quantities. Prolactin prevents the egg from maturing, ovulation does not occur, there are no periods after childbirth, and pregnancy is impossible again.

To successfully establish lactation, the baby must be put to the breast immediately after birth to receive valuable colostrum and stimulate the nipples, which causes an even greater release of prolactin. The baby should receive breastfeeding on demand, at least during the first days, then real milk will come in 3-4 days, this is the key to long-term feeding and successful natural contraception.

It is believed that a woman cannot become pregnant if the following conditions are met:

  1. Child's age is up to 6 months. This is due to the fact that at 6 months the baby begins to eat complementary foods, therefore, the number of breastfeeding decreases, and therefore the level of prolactin decreases.
  2. Mandatory latching of the child from 4.00 to 6.00 in the morning. At this time, maximum prolactin production occurs.
  3. Feeding on demand.
  4. Exclusive breastfeeding. If a child receives formula at least once a day, the lactational amenorrhea method cannot be considered successful.

Is it possible to get pregnant after childbirth, relying only on the absence of a cycle? Of course yes, no method provides 100% protection against pregnancy. The natural lactational amenorrhea method is considered 85-90% effective, so it’s better not to risk it and add others valid methods protection: condom, intrauterine device, PPA method.

How long after giving birth can you expect your period to start?

Recovery of the cycle after childbirth depends on many factors, the most important among them:

  • frequency breastfeeding;
  • women's hormonal health;
  • child's age;
  • stress and nervous shock.


How long after childbirth menstruation begins, as it turned out, depends on many things. If a woman does not breastfeed, the first menstruation occurs 3-4 months after birth. When breastfeeding, you should not expect them in the first 6 months.

The nature of menstruation after childbirth may change, perhaps the duration or amount of discharge will increase relative to the pre-pregnancy period. If the number of days and volume fit within acceptable standards, then there is no reason to worry. Length normal cycle is 21-34 days, and the duration of menstrual bleeding is 4-6 days.

A pleasant bonus may be the absence of pain and feeling unwell after menstruation, which caused suffering for several years. This fact is noted by 80% of women who have had to take antispasmodics for years.

There is a simple explanation for this. Painful sensations arise due to the incorrect location of the uterus in the pelvic area or its bending. After carrying a child and stretching the uterus to a significant size, its position becomes correct, and the constant volume increases slightly, this helps reduce pain.

An important point that many girls forget about is the principle of the onset of menstruation; the likelihood of being pregnant at this time increases greatly. First, under the influence of hormonal levels, ovulation occurs and only after 10-14 days the first menstruation occurs. It is in this very first cycle that you can become pregnant with a high probability. The couple does not yet know about the restoration of the partner’s fertile function and does not use additional methods contraception.

When to see a doctor

There are situations when you should consult a doctor. For the first time, a young mother should see a specialist after the end of lochia, 6-8 weeks after birth. He will conduct an examination, take tests, say that the woman is healthy and can continue to live a normal life, or prescribe the necessary treatment.

There are a number of cases in which you should definitely contact a specialist:

  • Your periods are too heavy or last longer than 6-7 days.
  • Beginning of spotting soon after lochia. Perhaps part of the placenta remains in the uterine cavity or the mucous membrane is poorly separated.
  • There are no periods yet 3 months after birth if the baby is artificial feeding.
  • Irregular menstrual cycle.
  • Signs of pregnancy if a woman has not yet had her period.
  • If you don't have your period after you stop breastfeeding. This situation indicates hormonal disorders, primarily the hypersecretion of prolactin, without which ovulation is impossible. To restore the cycle, the doctor will prescribe prolactin inhibitors, which will reduce the level of the hormone and the cycle will be restored. The most famous and effective among them are dostinex and bromocriptine.

Restoring the normal menstrual cycle is the key women's health and the health of future children. You should not put off going to the doctor if you have problems associated with irregular or absent periods after childbirth.

While carrying a child, a woman’s body undergoes a lot of changes: the volume of circulating blood changes, the uterus increases in size, hormonal changes occur, etc. After childbirth, it takes some time to return to its normal state. First of all, this concerns the reproductive system, which has undergone the greatest transformations.

Restoring menstruation after childbirth

The presence of menstruation is one of the signs of a woman’s ability to conceive a baby. The discharge represents the exfoliated inner lining of the uterus, which was not useful in the current cycle, and an unfertilized egg is also released with it. If the egg has been fertilized, then it is fixed in the uterus and the zygote begins its development, accordingly, menstruation does not occur.

After the baby is born, the work of the glands internal secretion returns to the state it had before pregnancy. From the moment the placenta leaves the uterine cavity, the process of healing the formed wound, contraction of the organ and its return to the lower abdomen, etc. begins.

During pregnancy, the uterus stretches and increases in size by about 100 times its size. normal condition, and after childbirth it gradually shrinks back

Immediately after giving birth, a woman begins to experience heavy bleeding - lochia, but this should not be confused with menstruation. Lochia is the result of cleansing the uterus of everything that remains in it after pregnancy and labor activity, including pieces membranes baby, blood after the placenta is torn off, and in some cases, particles of the placenta itself.

The endocrine system begins production of the hormone prolactin - it is necessary for the production of milk by the mammary glands and suppression of the ovulation process in the ovaries. The female body needs to feed its offspring, so the possibility of getting pregnant again is temporarily blocked. is strictly individual, depends directly on the method of feeding the child, for this reason the timing may be different.

Artificial feeding

When artificially fed with the help of adapted milk formulas, prolactin production in female body not supported on high level due to lack of breastfeeding by the baby. Thus, the absence of menstruation is not associated with lactation, but is limited only by the timing of restoration of the uterus after childbirth.

With artificial feeding, the timing of the onset of menstruation does not depend on lactation and is limited to the period of restoration of the reproductive system

After the birth of a child, the process of involution of the uterus begins - it descends, contracts, takes on its previous shape and size, and the pharynx closes. At the location of the placenta during pregnancy, after its release, a wound surface remains, which requires time to heal. In general, it takes from 6 to 8 weeks to restore the organ and build up a new endometrium (internal lining) (this is the period for which women in labor are recommended to be in sexual rest mode). After restoration of the lining of the uterus, subject to artificial feeding, the process of ovulation begins, and menstruation begins. The norm is considered to be from 6 to 16 months.

Mixed feeding

If a child does not have enough mother's milk, he is given supplementary feeding - adapted milk formulas are added to the diet. In such a situation, the baby suckles at the breast, but in a much smaller volume than with completely natural feeding. Accordingly, prolactin production cannot be at a high level, and the cycle is restored within a period of 3 months. The norm is the absence of menstruation for up to 9–12 months, no more.

Breast-feeding

Natural feeding means that a woman constantly needs milk for her baby; accordingly, the body will maintain its production as long as the baby stimulates it with his sucking. Active production of the hormone prolactin blocks ovulation, and a condition called lactational amenorrhea occurs (absence of menstruation due to breastfeeding).

The duration of lactational amenorrhea can vary from 3 months to 2 years, and depends on a combination of conditions:

  • frequency of breastfeeding. Feeding at the baby's request, and not according to a schedule, supports the production of prolactin and active milk production, accordingly, delays the restoration of the cycle;
  • general state maternal health;
  • availability of complementary foods in the baby's diet. After 6 months, even with completely natural feeding, the introduction of complementary foods begins - introducing the baby to adult food in small doses. The process is associated with a decrease in the baby's need for mother's milk, feedings become more rare, and the production of the hormone prolactin decreases, which makes it possible for ovulation and menstruation to begin.

When breastfeeding, the hormone prolactin is produced in large quantities, which blocks ovulation and menstruation may not occur throughout the entire period of feeding the baby.

Thus, the norm for the absence of menstruation while breastfeeding is from 3 to 24 months, and in the absence of disturbing symptoms, a woman should not worry if her cycle has not returned quickly.

After my first child, my first period came after 7 months, when I completely replaced one feeding. But they were not yet regular. After 2 months, when I completely replaced another feeding, the next ones came. But the regular ones haven’t really recovered. Because I breastfed until 10 months. And when the first one was 1 year 2 months old, I was already pregnant. With the second it was a little worse, but approximately according to the same pattern. True, he ate the breast worse, I alternated feeding, then fed again, but it started about the same, after about 6-7 months.

Lily

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Reasons for missing periods after childbirth

Besides natural cause absence of menstruation - restoration of the uterus and hormonal changes when breastfeeding - prolonged amenorrhea may have other sources, including pathological ones. These include:

  • hormonal imbalance affecting estrogen production;
  • cystic formations in the ovaries;
  • infectious diseases of the reproductive system;
  • severe stress, constant psychological stress;
  • tumor formations in the organs of the reproductive system or in systems responsible for the production of hormones (pituitary gland, thyroid, adrenal glands);
  • poor nutrition;
  • complicated childbirth, third or more pregnancies.

New pregnancy

Even despite breastfeeding, the cycle can recover very quickly, which means there is a possibility of new pregnancy. You should not completely rely on lactation as a method of contraception, so if you have had unprotected sexual intercourse and the cycle does not recover for too long, you must first ask yourself whether pregnancy has occurred again.

If your period does not come after childbirth long time, it is worth thinking about the possibility of a new pregnancy

All my friends were absolutely sure that while you were breastfeeding, it was impossible to get pregnant. But all their beliefs were refuted by the data of my ultrasound after childbirth - already 3 months after natural delivery, the ovary was ripening dominant follicle, and the possibility of conception was absolutely real.

When to see a doctor

A woman after childbirth should carefully monitor her condition in order to notice a deviation from the norm in time. The reasons for contacting a gynecologist should be:

  • prolonged absence of menstruation (more than 2 years with natural feeding and more than 4 months with artificial feeding) or, conversely, their early appearance;
  • severe pain in the lower abdomen;
  • discharge with a pronounced unpleasant odor.

Irregularity of the menstrual cycle after childbirth should not become a cause for concern only if it is observed in the first 4-6 months after resumption.

The cycle after childbirth is restored gradually, and the timing depends not only on the condition of the body, but also on the type of feeding the baby used. With artificial feeding, the recovery period is minimal (from 6 weeks to 4 months), and with breastfeeding it can take up to 2 years.

There are no periods during pregnancy. Every woman knows about this. Things happen in the body that contribute to the development and growth of the unborn baby. The pregnancy hormone is actively produced. It is he who is responsible for the normal bearing of the child.

And then, after 9 months, birth occurs. There is another hormonal change in the woman's body. But only this time nature made sure that another hormone was actively produced -. People usually call it the “milk hormone” because it is prolactin that stimulates milk production. At the same time, this hormone suppresses the production of hormones in the ovary. Consequently, the egg cannot mature, which means there is nothing to come out of the ovary (no ovulation). As a result, menstruation does not come again. And this state will last as long as progesterone is actively “working”, that is, milk is produced. Lactation continues as long as the woman breastfeeds the baby.

How ideally everything is harmonious. Just a few years ago, this is exactly what happened to every woman. Our grandmothers and great-grandmothers calmly breastfed their children until they were three years old and completely forgot about annoying periods. Today there are several norms. The onset of menstruation after childbirth is precisely the case that has several options, each of which is “normal”.

When does your period start after childbirth?

Based on the above, it is easy to guess that the onset of menstruation after childbirth depends on breastfeeding. In order for prolactin to be actively produced, a woman must breastfeed her baby at any time of the day or night (on demand). The more often the better. Only in this case your period will not come. But as soon as lactation decreases, prolactin production drops, which means that periods are restored again.

And now about the norms and deadlines. IN Lately, as already mentioned, there are many “normal” periods. This is because every woman’s body is individual, and besides, modern “technology” ( hormonal drugs for contraception, medicated birth) sometimes violate what Mother Nature intended and established.

Early and late onset of menstruation

Early is the onset of menstruation 6-7 weeks after birth. However, it is not a pathology. Most likely, menstruation will be restored so early in those women who, for some reason, have given up breastfeeding. Or the baby is fed mixed. IN the latter case The first menstruation will appear 2-3 months after birth.

Many women believe that postpartum discharge is their period. However, this opinion is erroneous. Bloody discharge from the uterus after childbirth is called lochia. They appear due to the fact that when the placenta is separated from the walls of the uterus, a wound is formed on the same walls, which bleeds for several weeks after birth. In the first days, the lochia is bright red, quite abundant and may have clots, then they become brown and less abundant, and by the end of the 6th week they disappear completely.

Sometimes menstruation does not come for a whole year or even more. If the child is fully breastfed, then there is no reason to worry.

The nature of menstruation after childbirth

It is believed that the menstrual cycle will be fully restored after the first 2-3 menstruation and will become regular. If this does not happen, contact your gynecologist. The cause of irregular postpartum menstruation can be inflammatory processes of the internal genital organs, endometriosis, tumors of the uterus and ovaries and many other pathologies. The reason for the “non-occurrence” of menstruation may also be repeat pregnancy, because breastfeeding is not a method of contraception.

Usually the first periods after childbirth are heavy. This phenomenon is very natural and normal if menstruation lasts no more than a week. However, if such periods are accompanied by dizziness, weakness, and rapid heartbeat, then you should consult a doctor.

After childbirth, it is possible to change the duration of the menstrual cycle and the duration of menstruation itself (blood discharge). The normal menstrual cycle ranges from 21 to 35 days, the period of discharge is no more than 5 days and no less than 3. Any deviation is a reason to consult a doctor. Menstruation should not be long and heavy, nor short and scanty. Excessively long periods may indicate uterine fibroids.

Many women are interested in whether the pain of menstruation will change after childbirth. Everything is individual in this matter. After all, pain during menstruation can be caused by various factors. For example, if painful sensations arose due to the bending of the uterus, then most likely after childbirth the pain will subside, because thanks to birth process the uterus acquires normal position. However, there are other causes of painful periods: inflammatory processes after childbirth, strong contractions of the walls of the uterus, general immaturity of the body, inflammation of the uterus and appendages.

If pain during menstruation after childbirth can stop, then premenstrual syndrome it's almost impossible to get rid of. To this day not fully studied causes of PMS, although there are many different versions. However, the symptoms are the same for every woman: irritability, Bad mood, tearfulness, soreness and swelling of the breasts, some swelling, pain in the joints and lower back, headache, insomnia and so on. At least one of the signs of PMS is observed before almost every menstruation.

Personal hygiene

The use of tampons and regular pads (with absorbent mesh) is possible only after the menstrual cycle has been completely restored. Under no circumstances should you use by specified means immediately after childbirth with lochia. Tampons interfere with the free flow of blood, which is extremely important in postpartum period. But the mesh on the pads can irritate the injured mucous membrane, especially if a woman has postpartum sutures. Also recommended for lochia frequent toilet external genitalia, but without “intimate” gels. You can use baby soap. Gaskets should be selected with a smooth surface and changed every 3-4 hours. During the period of lochia it is also unacceptable unprotected sex, to avoid entering the open uterus possible infections. Doctors recommend abstaining from sexual intercourse altogether for 6 weeks after giving birth.

Summing up the results about menstruation after childbirth, let us once again draw your attention to when you should immediately see a doctor:

  • menstruation does not occur within 2 months after stopping breastfeeding;
  • too abundant and long lasting bleeding(more than 7 days, blood loss is more than 150 ml.);
  • the presence of large clots in the blood, bright red color of discharge;
  • pain in the uterine area;
  • discharge with an unpleasant pungent odor;
  • general deterioration of the condition, especially during menstruation.

Remember also that the restoration of the menstrual cycle after childbirth depends on many other factors: psychological condition woman who has given birth, inadequate rest, stress, overwork, poor nutrition, Availability birth trauma, general health after childbirth. All this, one way or another, affects the recovery of “critical days”. But the future health of the young mother depends on how menstruation returns.

Especially for- Tanya Kivezhdiy

Young mothers are always interested in when their periods begin after childbirth. During the restoration of the cycle, it may change in length; periods often take on a different character, intensity, duration, and become more or less painful than before pregnancy. This is often the norm, but in some cases a consultation with a gynecologist is required.

Bleeding in the postpartum period

Postpartum bleeding, or lochia, is the cleansing of the wound surface that forms at the site of the separated membranes and placenta. They last throughout the recovery period inner surface uterus.

At this time, the uterus is especially vulnerable to infection, so you should regularly change sanitary pads and monitor the nature of the discharge. They are maximally expressed within 3 days after birth, and then gradually weaken.

Sometimes such discharge completely stops within a day. This occurs due to blood retention in the uterine cavity (), which leads to an increased risk of infection. In this case, the help of a doctor is necessary.

Normal cleansing of the uterus after the process natural birth lasts from 30 to 45 days. After surgical delivery, this time may increase due to scar formation and longer healing.

How to distinguish menstruation from bleeding after childbirth?

Lochia gradually changes its character. By the end of the 1st week they become lighter, after 2 weeks they acquire a slimy character. Within a month, an admixture of blood may appear in them, but its amount is insignificant. Usually a woman easily distinguishes this process from menstruation. At least 2 weeks should pass between the cessation of lochia and the beginning of the first menstruation. If in doubt, it is better to consult a gynecologist or at least start using barrier contraception, protecting the uterus from infections.

Start of menstruation

There are no periods during pregnancy. It's natural defense mechanism preservation of the fetus, which is regulated by hormones. After childbirth, the restoration of the woman’s normal hormonal status begins. It lasts for a month if breastfeeding is not started.

When should your period start after childbirth?

This period is determined primarily by the type of feeding the child: natural or artificial. Breast milk production occurs under the influence of the pituitary hormone prolactin. It is he who suppresses the growth of the egg in the ovary during lactation. The level of estrogen does not increase, therefore, when breastfeeding, menstruation begins, on average, 2 months after birth, more often when feeding “by the hour.”

For many young mothers, this period extends to six months or more, especially when feeding “on demand.” Very in rare cases While continuing to breastfeed, even periodically, women note that they have not had periods for a year, and sometimes longer. In such cases, you need to regularly use contraception, and if necessary, take a pregnancy test. You should also consult your doctor to rule out hyperprolactinemia.

With artificial feeding from birth, the duration of the cycle is restored in a month to a month and a half. At this time, and occurs, so a new pregnancy is possible.

When a child only eats breast milk, all this time the woman may not have menstruation. In this case, the first menstruation after childbirth will begin during the first six months after the end of lactation “on demand” or the introduction of complementary foods. However, this is not necessary, and even during breastfeeding, menstruation may resume.

With mixed feeding (from a bottle and naturally) restoration of menstruation develops faster, within 4 months after childbirth.

How long do periods last in the postpartum period?

Often the first menstruation is very heavy. Can be heavy discharge, menstruation with blood clots. If you have to change the pad every hour, you should seek help from a doctor: this may be a symptom of bleeding. Subsequent periods usually become normal.

In other cases, women experience irregular spotting in the first months. This is typical for breastfeeding, when prolactin synthesis gradually decreases.

Additional factors affecting the speed of restoration of the normal cycle:

  • difficulties in caring for a child, lack of sleep, lack of help from relatives;
  • unhealthy diet;
  • the mother is too young or has a late birth;
  • concomitant diseases (diabetes, asthma and others), especially those requiring hormonal therapy;
  • complications after childbirth, for example Sheehan syndrome.

Menstrual cycle changes

Irregular periods often persist for several cycles after childbirth. These changes do not have to be permanent. Within 1-2 months, the cycle normally returns to prenatal characteristics or changes slightly in duration.

  • Scanty periods can normally occur during the initial 2-3 cycles, especially if mixed feeding is used.
  • During the first cycles after childbirth, on the contrary, some women experience heavy periods. It could be normal occurrence, but if menstruation does not become normal in the next cycle, you need to consult a gynecologist.
  • The regularity of menstrual flow is disrupted, that is, the cycle is disrupted.
  • Painful periods may occur, even if the woman never complained of pain before pregnancy. The reason for this is infection, too much contraction of the uterine wall. In most cases, on the contrary, painful periods before pregnancy become normal. This is caused by the normalization of the location of the uterus in the body cavity.
  • Some women develop or its precursors: nausea, swelling, dizziness, emotional changes before menstruation.

Causes of postpartum menstrual changes

A delay in menstruation after childbirth appears under the influence of changing hormone levels:

  • secretion of prolactin in the pituitary gland, which helps secrete breast milk and suppresses ovulation;
  • suppression of estrogen production under the influence of prolactin, which leads to irregular menstruation or their complete absence during breastfeeding (lactation amenorrhea).

When a child feeds only on mother’s milk, and “on demand”, and not “by the clock”, and a woman does not have periods for six months after giving birth, this is the norm.

After the onset of menstruation, it is advisable to start using contraception. Although breastfeeding reduces your chances of conceiving, it is still possible. For example, if your period started after childbirth and then disappeared, the most probable cause This is a repeat pregnancy. It should also be remembered that ovulation occurs before menstrual bleeding begins. Therefore, pregnancy is quite possible even before the first menstruation. If a woman is concerned about why there is no menstrual bleeding for a long time, she must first do home test for pregnancy, and then consult a gynecologist. You may need to consult an endocrinologist.

You should not stop breastfeeding after your menstrual cycle appears. Menstruation does not change its quality. It happens that these days the child does not eat well, is capricious, and refuses to breastfeed. This is usually due to emotional disturbances in a woman, her worries about the quality of feeding.

During menstrual bleeding, the sensitivity of the nipples may increase, and feeding becomes painful. To reduce such sensations, it is recommended that before giving the baby the breast, massage it, warm it, and apply it to the nipples warm compress. It is necessary to keep your breasts clean and axillary area. During menstruation, the composition of sweat changes, and the baby smells it differently. This may be another reason for feeding difficulties.

Irregular periods

What to do if your menstrual cycle becomes irregular:

  1. In the first months of postpartum recovery period no need to panic. In most cases, this is the norm. For each woman, normalization of the cycle occurs individually, usually during the first months of the resumption of menstrual bleeding. Irregularity occurs more often in women who breastfeed.
  2. It takes about 2 months to restore the normal function of all organs and systems. Balance in endocrine system occurs later, especially if breastfeeding is used. Therefore, a woman may feel quite healthy, but at the same time she will experience a lack of menstruation.
  3. Emphasize on irregular cycle follows only after 3 cycles. This may be due to inflammatory process, or a tumor of the genital organs. A delay in your second period is not dangerous unless it is associated with another pregnancy.

If you have any doubts, it is better to consult a gynecologist, get diagnosed in a timely manner and begin treatment.

Cycle after pathological pregnancy or childbirth

Menstruation does not return immediately after a missed pregnancy. Only some women experience regular bleeding within a month. In most cases, hormonal imbalance that led to termination of pregnancy causes cycle irregularity.

After termination of a frozen pregnancy or abortion, the first menstruation occurs within 45 days. If this does not happen, the woman should seek help from a gynecologist.

To exclude causes of amenorrhea, such as the remaining part of the fertilized egg in the uterus or inflammation, 10 days after the cessation of frozen or normal pregnancy you need to undergo an ultrasound.

First menstrual flow then begin within 25 to 40 days after its completion. If they started earlier, it's probably uterine bleeding which requires seeing a doctor. A delay of more than 40 days also requires consultation with a gynecologist. If the disease has caused severe stress in a woman, the norm is to extend the recovery period to 2 months.

Menstruation after surgery is restored in the same way as after normal birth. During lactation, periods do not come for six months. With artificial feeding, there is no period for 3 months or even less. Both during physiological and during childbirth by caesarean section In a small proportion of women, the cycle does not recover within a year. If no other pathology is detected, this is considered normal.

In the first few months after the death, intrauterine pregnancy or cesarean section, the cycle may be irregular. Subsequently, its duration may change compared to the previous one. But normally it is no less than 21 days and no more than 35 days. Menstruation lasts from 3 to 7 days.

Pathology of menstruation

Sometimes bleeding that begins in a woman after childbirth is pathological character. In this case, you should not wait several cycles for them to normalize, but immediately consult a doctor.

  • Sudden termination postpartum discharge- a sign of bending of the uterus or accumulation of lochia in the uterine cavity - lochiometers.
  • Scanty periods for 3 cycles or more. Perhaps they are a symptom hormonal disorders, Sheehan's syndrome or endometritis.
  • Irregularity of menstruation six months after its restoration, a break between bloody discharge more than 3 months. Most often accompanied by ovarian pathology.
  • Too much heavy bleeding for 2 or more cycles, especially after surgical method delivery or termination of pregnancy. They are often caused by the tissues of the membranes remaining on the walls of the uterus.
  • The duration of menstruation is more than a week, which is accompanied by weakness and dizziness.
  • Abdominal pain, fever, unpleasant odor, color change vaginal discharge– a sign of a tumor or infection.
  • Spotting before and after menstruation is a likely symptom of endometriosis or an inflammatory disease.
  • Vaginal itching, impurity cheesy discharge– sign.
  • Bleeding twice a month, persisting for more than 3 cycles.

In all of the above cases, the help of a gynecologist is needed.

Sometimes, despite a woman’s apparent health, menstruation required deadline she doesn't get any. This may be a symptom of a childbirth complication - Sheehan syndrome. It occurs when heavy bleeding during childbirth, during which it sharply decreases arterial pressure. As a result, the cells of the pituitary gland, the main organ regulating the function of the reproductive system, die.

The first sign of this disease is the absence of postpartum lactation. Normally, in the absence of milk, menstruation appears after 1.5-2 months. However, with Sheehan syndrome, a deficiency of gonadotropic hormones occurs. The maturation of the egg in the ovary is disrupted, there is no ovulation, and there are no menstrual bleeding. Therefore, if a woman who has given birth does not have milk, and then her cycle does not recover, she urgently needs to consult a doctor. The consequences of Sheehan syndrome are adrenal insufficiency, which is accompanied by frequent infectious diseases And general decline the body's resistance to various stresses.

There is also the opposite problem - . This condition is caused by increased production of prolactin in the pituitary gland after the end of lactation. This hormone inhibits the development of the egg, causes anovulation, and disrupts the normal thickening of the endometrium in the first phase of the cycle. Its excess leads to the absence of menstruation against the background of ongoing milk synthesis.

The main causes of hyperprolactinemia are pituitary adenoma, gynecological diseases, polycystic ovary syndrome.

When a woman is healthy, her cycle returns normally. To avoid possible failures, you need to follow some simple recommendations:

  1. To give the body the opportunity to quickly restore the synthesis of hormones, you need to eat well. Lots of fruits, vegetables, whole grains and water, combined with regular physical exerciseeffective method recovery hormonal balance. The menu should include dairy products, cottage cheese, and meat. After consulting with your doctor, you can take multivitamins for nursing mothers.
  2. Not to accept . They can change hormonal background, and cause unpredictable cycle changes. If a woman is sexually active, it is better for her to use condoms or other non-hormonal methods of contraception.
  3. Organize your routine as efficiently as possible. If your baby doesn't sleep well at night, you should try to get enough sleep during the day. You should not refuse any help from your loved ones. good physical state women will help her recover faster.
  4. In the presence of chronic diseases (diabetes, pathology thyroid gland, anemia and others) it is necessary to visit an appropriate specialist and adjust the treatment.

After childbirth

Any pregnancy is a serious stress for the body. During this period, a woman undergoes radical changes: hormonal instability, physiological changes, psychological stress. After the baby is born, the mother’s body needs some time to full recovery. This is why irregular periods may occur after childbirth. A woman’s body needs peace and rest. The first menstruation - lochia - occurs immediately after childbirth and lasts approximately forty days. During this time, the body manages to get rid of the child's place and cleanse the uterus. Then the lochia disappears.

With artificial feeding

If a woman does not breastfeed her baby and does not have periods after childbirth, an acute decrease in immunity may occur. Usually, with artificial feeding, the mother returns to the normal rhythm of life within a couple of months. But we shouldn’t forget that everyone’s body is purely individual: some people don’t worry that their periods disappeared after childbirth, because many women in their family had similar situations, others are trying to find out the reasons for this imbalance. Some have to wait a year or a year and a half for menstruation, despite not breastfeeding. Even the most experienced doctor will not be able to predict when your cycle will return. It depends on many factors.

For breastfeeding mothers

If a woman feeds her baby with breast milk, and does this at least every three hours, she will not have a period for six months. Then everything depends on how feeding will proceed. If six months after the birth of the baby he is transferred to artificial feeding, menstruation may occur several months after the cessation of lactation. Also, many mothers try to breastfeed their baby naturally for a year and a half after birth. If there are no periods after childbirth with this type of feeding, this is the norm. After this period, the cycle may not be restored for five months. Now we can conclude that if there is no period after childbirth, this is not a cause for concern and is not considered a disease.

Cycle recovery

Sometimes doctors can observe a picture: a woman artificially feeds her child, but has not had her period after giving birth for a long time (five to seven months). This may indicate the presence of serious hormonal imbalances. Sometimes even healthy woman may get sick while breastfeeding. The baby, along with the milk, draws all the vitamins from the mother, which results in a decrease in immunity and an increased risk of contracting some disease. Very often, a year after giving birth, mothers are diagnosed with polycystic disease and other diseases, which can result not only in cycle disruption, but also in complete obstruction. fallopian tubes, which can lead to infertility and, as a result, absence of menstruation. Such cases are not uncommon in our country. Therefore, it is better to take care of yourself. First of all, a woman should undergo a medical examination by a gynecologist immediately after the cessation of lochia. Next, a second round of doctors should be done after stopping breastfeeding. There is no need to neglect your health. Lack of menstruation requires a serious approach. Be sure to get your hormones tested and consult a specialist. It would be a good idea to ask the mother about her cycle recovery after childbirth. Take the course medicines, if the gynecologist deems it necessary. If you consult a doctor in a timely manner, your cycle can be established within a couple of months.



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