Yes, it's very common for periods to be heavier, more painful, and irregular after breastfeeding, especially the first few times, because the uterus sheds extra lining, hormones fluctuate, and it's adapting back to pre-pregnancy conditions. While some find periods easier, others experience heavier flow with more blood clots and cramping due to the larger uterine cavity needing more shedding, but it usually settles down.
Breastfeeding also plays a role in postpartum menstrual changes. Exclusively breastfeeding can suppress ovulation and delay the return of your menstrual cycle after giving birth. However, when your periods do return, they might be heavier than usual due to hormonal fluctuation.
For most Mum's, the first period after giving birth and stopping breastfeeding is heavier, with increased bleeding and cramping. Whilst this can be quite uncomfortable, it is completely normal.
If you exclusively breastfeed, your period will likely be delayed until you give your baby solid food and other forms of milk. As your levels of prolactin – the hormone that helps your body produce milk – increase, your levels of estrogen and progesterone decrease.
Menstruation after birth usually occurs early in women who do not breastfeed and do not breastfeed regularly. Menstruation in the first cycles after birth may be heavier and more irregular, and pain may increase due to uterine contractions and stimulation from breastfeeding.
The "4-4-4 rule" for breast milk is a simple storage guideline: fresh milk is good for 4 hours at room temperature (up to 77°F/25°C), for 4 days in the refrigerator (39°F/4°C or colder), and up to 4-6 months (or longer) in a standard freezer (0°F/-18°C). It's a handy mnemonic, though some organizations like the CDC recommend up to 6 months in the freezer and the AAP up to 9 months, with deeper freezers offering even longer storage.
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.
The return of your periods should have little effect on your breast milk. So, you can continue to breastfeed if you would like to. Hormonal changes with your menstrual cycle (periods) may affect how your baby wants to feed. This may affect your breast milk supply.
The timeline varies for each woman, but generally, it takes a few months for hormones to stabilize. After around six months, most women experience more stable hormone levels, with your body adapting to the demands of motherhood and hormonal fluctuations becoming less pronounced.
The postpartum menstrual cycle may vary from 24 days to 28 days in the next period, and then 35 days. Your menstrual cycle should stabilize within a few months, or after you stop breastfeeding. Therefore, irregular periods after giving birth can be normal and you should not be too worried in this case.
Rule #2: The Breast Milk Storage Guidelines.
The 4-4-4 Rule. Or the 6-6-6 rule. Basically, breast milk is good at room temperature for 4 or 6 hours, in the refrigerator for 4 or 6 days, and in the freezer for 4 or 6 or 12 months. Different professional organizations have varying recommendations.
In some cases, runny period blood may be a symptom of an underlying menstrual disorder or gynecological condition. Conditions such as menorrhagia (heavy menstrual bleeding), polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS), or uterine fibroids can cause changes in menstrual blood consistency and flow.
For most people, the first period after giving birth and stopping breastfeeding is heavier, with increased bleeding and cramping. This is a normal part of the process, navigating it however, can have its challenges.
Bleeding is redder and heavier just after breastfeeding or expressing milk, as breastfeeding makes the womb contract . However, the overall amount of blood will be the same if breastfeeding or not. Stronger 'afterpains' cramps might also be felt while breastfeeding.
Foul-smelling lochia and signs of abnormal lochia
Lochia usually has a fishy odor similar to menstruation. However, if the lochia has an unusual odor or strange odor, it may be due to an infection in the uterus or an infection due to a tear in the perineum during childbirth.
Immediately after delivery
However, the stream of labor hormones will take a nosedive in the days following delivery. Here's why: Progesterone and estrogen: Delivery of your baby and placenta will trigger a sharp drop in both of these hormones during the early postpartum period.
For this reason, the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists considers postpartum care to extend up to 12 weeks after giving birth [2] and calls these 12 weeks the "fourth trimester." Some investigators have considered individuals to be postpartum for as long as 12 months after birth.
In reality, the third week might be the hardest week postpartum, since everything seems to feel “normal,” but so much is happening at the same time. This being said, the third week will be an important week to focus on your mental health.
Experiencing your first period after breastfeeding
Often, this first cycle is heavier than usual, with a more intense flow due to hormonal fluctuation. You may also experience different amounts of cramping than you did previously, as well as more clotting in your periods than before.
If you are breastfeeding while you are having a period, your baby might not want to latch on. That's due to the change in the taste of breast milk. The chloride and sodium levels increase in milk during your period, and the lactose levels go down. As a result, the milk is less sweet than usual.
Your first postpartum period is likely to be really heavy. This is due to changes in the uterine lining post-pregnancy. You typically have increased uterine lining during pregnancy, which means more to shed during your postpartum periods.
Some women experience heavier, longer or more painful periods after having a baby. These changes may relate to a larger uterine cavity causing more endometrium (mucous lining the uterus) to shed. For some women, however, their periods improve.
Call your doctor now or seek immediate medical care if: You have signs of hemorrhage (too much bleeding), such as: Heavy vaginal bleeding. This means that you are soaking through one or more pads in an hour.
See a GP if: heavy periods are affecting your life. you've had heavy periods for some time. you have severe pain during your periods.