QuestionI gave birth to my first child 8 weeks ago. My initial bleeding after birth ended when he was about 4 weeks old. I have not had menses since and normally before I became pregnant experienced one about every 3-4 weeks. I am breast feeding but also supplementing with formula. When can I expect to start seeing a regular menstrual cycle?
AnswerHi Lynnette,
Congratulations on the birth of your son!
Mothers who exclusively breastfeed night and day with no supplementation will usually see quite a delay in the return of their menstrual cycle, sometimes up to a year or more. However, since you are supplementing with formula, there is no guarantee that your periods won't return much sooner.
A woman's fertility usually returns in stages:
1. Follicular activity without ovulation (With no chance of pregnancy.)
2. Menstruation without ovulation (Although in some rare cases, a woman will ovulate before ever having a first period)
3. Ovulation without luteal competence (After the egg is released, fertilization may take place. During the luteal phase, the uterine lining is prepared for implantation as the egg travels down the fallopian tube and into the uterus. If the uterine lining is not adequately prepared for implantation, the implantation will probably not be successful.)
4. Full luteal competence (In other words, full fertility -- at this point breastfeeding no longer has any effect on your chance of pregnancy.)
Again, since you are supplementing with formula, your body will possibly go through this fertility timeline much quicker. You could see a return of your periods as soon as next month, or in the next few months.
As you can see, I can't give you an exact answer since every woman's body is unique and reacts to breastfeeding differently, however, there are two certainties for your particular circumstances:
1. Your periods will return sooner since you are not exclusively breastfeeding.
2. Your first periods will not necessarily mean you are fully fertile yet, however, it's still wise to track your cycles and look for signs of fertility (cervical mucus and basal body temperature rise).
You might find some helpful information here:
http://www.breastfeed-essentials.com/menstruation.html
Regards,
Anne Marie
