Irregularity in Periods After Pregnancy: Is a sign one should have to worry or not?

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Irregularity in Periods After Pregnancy
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A women having healthy menstrual cycle is a visible sign of a good reproductive health. However, the menstrual cycle of a new mother is disturbed, for a few months after delivery.

Immediately after having the baby, bleeding process occurs for a few days, and then stops. Quite often, there is a considerable gap between after delivery bleeding and the first regular period.

Once the lady passes with the phase of first postpartum period, the menstrual cycle becomes very unpredictable that is they can come earlier or later than usual, for months. This is really a cause of concern for women, and they immediately rush to their doctors for checkup.

Having irregular periods after delivery is perfectly normal, because it  occurs due to various hormonal changes in the body. By the time, the body settles down to it’s usual routine, but the time frame for this settling down process varies from person to person.

Having Irregular Periods Is Normal After delivery?

Firstly this concept should be cleared in your mind that childbirth alters some hormones in the body. Therefore, the hormones that are a source of regular period takes a backseat. It is quite normal for women to experience these changes in the flow of their monthly period, post-delivery. Many factors are in the list when exactly the body gets back to its normal menstrual routine.

What are the Reasons Behind Irregular Menstrual Cycle After Pregnancy?

Reasons of missed periods

As the time passes, a woman’s body goes through a lot of changes, among which the changing levels of hormones is the most important factor. An altered menstrual cycle is responsible for these changes. Some other external factors also play a vital role in the irregularity of period after delivery.

1. Weight

It is natural that women tend to gain weight during pregnancy and this process continues rapidly after few months of delivery. On the other hand, some women lose weight tremendously, due to not having proper diet and sleep. In both cases, their is the great impact of hormone levels in the weight gain and loss of the body. The weight of the mother plays a significant role in deciding the time frame within which she switches back to having a normal menstrual cycle.


Also Read: Problems during Menstrual Cycle | Periods Symptoms | Periods In Pregnancy


2. Breastfeeding the baby

Irregularities in period-breast feeding

Mothers who breastfeed their children tend to get back to the normal cycle much later. The hormone responsible for inducing the secretion of milk from the mammary glands (prolactin) also had a great impact on  the process of ovulation. Therefore, as long as a mother is breastfeeding her baby, the hormone of having a regular period is delayed. Only a successful ovulation culminates in menstruation, and therefore, your periods resume get normal later.

3. Altered Hormone Levels

Harmonies level

An expecting mother’s body starts  to adapt the alteration in the levels of hormones, in anticipation of the pregnancy. These hormones  ate the source of preparing mother’s body  for childbearing, birthing, and breastfeeding.

Unfortunately, the hormone levels do not come back to normal position, right after delivery. Factors like diet, exercise, breastfeeding, sex, and weight decides that when it returns to normal levels. Initially, the menstrual cycle becomes erratic and unpredictable for a few months, until the hormones get back to its normal condition.

4. Conditions before pregnancy

Conditions before pregnancy

If you suffered from conditions such as PCOS (Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome), Hypo- or Hyper- Thyroidism, or any other condition that results in the fluctuation of hormones, you may suffer from the problem of having irregular periods after pregnancy. This is especially if you already faced issues with regularity of your menstrual cycle.

Diagnosis

Diagnosis-of-Irregular-Periods-After-Pregnancy

Diagnosis of irregular periods can be tricky, as many women tend to confuse the initial bleeding with the first period after delivery. The first period after delivery occurs after a typical gap of a few months. An irregular cycle in having the first period is quite common, and the time period for that is four to five months. An irregular menstrual cycle is a sign, a lady should immediately consult a doctor in order to know the exact cause of this irregularity.


Also Read: Home Remedies For Period Pain Especially For Young Girls


Tips to Minimize Irregular Periods

There are a couple of things new mothers can apply in order to fix the problem of irregular periods. Following are the tips of how can you minimize irregularity

1. Exercise

It is, undoubtedly, a frightening task to start out an exercise routine with a new born baby at home. However, pushing yourself to exercise regularly is extremely important to bring the body back to its pre-pregnancy shape. Exercising helps an excellent deal in restoring hormonal balance within the body. It also helps in maintaining your weight, which may be a significant factor to determine about your periods.

2. Healthy Diet

Having a healthy and nutritious diet, post-delivery, is significant in restoring and replenishing the nutrients lost during pregnancy and childbirth. Fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and nuts provide the much-needed micro nutrients for repair and restoration of the body. They indirectly enhance the method of settling down after childbirth, by providing the proper atmosphere to correct hormonal imbalances.

3. Managing Stress

Stress affects the body and therefore the mind. New mothers are subjected to tons of stress thanks to lack of sleep, new responsibilities, and sometimes, an awesome feeling triggered by the new role of motherhood. This directly affects the hormone levels, causing a delay in settling back to normalcy. the most effective way to facilitate the body’s healing process is to stay stress-free and keep worries aside, by taking help from others and discuss them about your worries.

4. Avoiding Contraceptives

Contraceptives interfere with the ovulation cycle and further delay the method of getting back to the regular cycle you can consult with your doctor about other safe contraception options that don’t affect the hormonal balance within the body.

5. Taking Vitamins

Eat legumes, meat, nuts, whole grains, and green, leafy vegetables, for your daily dose of B Vitamins. Ensuring your body is healthy and has an adequate amount of Vitamins can aid the method of regularising menstrual periods.

Conclusion:

Irregular periods are often very frustrating for a new mommy, especially since they are available with a high level of unpredictability. Understanding the various biological reasons behind this very natural and customary phenomenon are often reassuring, particularly for first-time mothers.