Postpartum Uterine Changes: What to Expect After Childbirth

Question
I had my first baby 12/2/07 and have been breastfeeding him. He feeds on demand and sleeps with us. I have not had a period since I got pregnant. A few months ago i started to notice my uterus was feeling 'full'. This past month it is practically the size it was post-pregnancy. I find that occasionally during the day I do feel 'tightening'. I took a pregnancy test and it came back negative... could this just be gas? Also... before I truly considered pregnancy I noticed my 'birth canal' was feeling 'warm and wet' and have gotten spasms here and there in that area sort of like orgasms. I have really looked over my stomach region and it is definately not the stomach, it is above the pubic bone.

Answer
Dear Cj,

Most literature I've seen says that women who are breastfeeding exclusively have less than a 5% (about 1-2%) chance of conceiving (unless menstruation has resumed). However, the more a breastfeeding woman supplements her infant with formula, the more likely she is to ovulate and thus become pregnant. This can occur even when no regular menstrual cycle occurs. So, if you are supplementing your baby with formula or other foods, you DO have a chance of ovulating. When a menstrual cycle does occur, the chances of pregnancy are obviously much higher because that means that you are definitely ovulating.

The "full" or bloated feeling that you are having could be related to a variety of things. There is absolutely no way to determine what might be the cause from this forum, but if it continues or becomes uncomfortable, I would suggest reporting it to your doctor. The vaginal spasms that you refer to could simply be some irritability of the tissues there due to mild inflammation or another cause, such as impending ovulation - as discussed above. If you begin to note any unusual vaginal discharge or foul odor, you should report those symptoms to your doctor.

In the meantime, if you suspect that you might be starting to ovulate again, you should consider protecting any sexual activity if you do not wish to conceive another pregnancy again right away.

I hope this has helped you and answered your question. I wish you well.

Brenda