Signs of pregnancy while breastfeeding and no period

If you are breastfeeding your baby, your periods may not return for several months after childbirth. This is because the hormone that causes you to make milk, prolactin, also stops you from ovulating and having your period. If you are breastfeeding day and night, it can be up to a year before your period returns.

Many factors determine when your period will return when you are breastfeeding. These include:

• how often you bottle feed your baby
• the way your body responds to hormone changes
• how often and how long your baby is breastfeeding

If your baby is being fed only using bottles, you may find your periods return shortly after birth.

Your first period after birth

If you breastfeed exclusively, your first period may not return for several months or 1 to 2 years if you keep breastfeeding. If you bottle feed or partially breastfeed your baby, your periods may return as soon as 3 weeks after having your baby.

Once they do return, your periods may be irregular, especially if you are still producing milk (lactating). The duration of your period can also change. It is not unusual to skip a period, or even for it to be a few months before your next one.

When you start reducing the amount of time you spend breastfeeding, your periods should start to return to their usual routine. You may notice some spotting (light bleeding) at first.

If you have irregular periods while breastfeeding, such as continued spotting, heavier than normal bleeding or long cycles, it is a good idea to talk to your doctor because there may be other causes apart from breastfeeding. Your doctor will need to conduct a thorough examination and may need to order some tests to exclude other causes.

If your period has come back, it means that you are fertile again and you could become pregnant, even while you are breastfeeding. Talk to your doctor or nurse about contraceptive methods while breastfeeding.

Does having a period affect breast milk supply?

The return of your period should have little effect on your breast milk so you can continue to breastfeed if desired. Some women find a temporary drop in the amount of milk they produce just before their period starts or for a few days into it, but it will increase again when hormones return to their normal levels.

Your midwife or doctor will be able to give you further advice and information about your periods and breastfeeding.

Not sure what to do next?

If you are still concerned about your breastfeeding and periods, why not use healthdirect’s online Symptom Checker to get advice on when to seek medical attention.

The Symptom Checker guides you to the next appropriate healthcare steps, whether it’s self care, talking to a health professional, going to a hospital or calling triple zero (000).

This is an automatically translated article.

If a woman conceives again within the first year after giving birth, the signs of pregnancy while breastfeeding may go unnoticed. Breastfeeding mothers often experience a number of changes in their body, leading to discomfort and sensitivity, and also will not have a regular menstrual cycle. Sometimes, it can be difficult to detect signs of pregnancy while breastfeeding, so it is important to have knowledge of the issue for early detection and appropriate action planning.

1. How soon after giving birth can a woman start getting pregnant while breastfeeding?

If you don't breastfeed, you can get pregnant again as soon as three weeks after giving birth. However, a review of studies has found that most women don't ovulate until six weeks after giving birth if they choose to breastfeed. Also, if you decide to exclusively breastfeed your baby, it can act as a relative method of birth control for up to six months after birth.
Unfortunately, it is difficult to know when the first ovulation occurs and the mother may not know it has occurred until her first period returns after pregnancy, when she is already fertile. pregnant. In addition, there are a number of options available to help detect ovulation earlier as LH test strips can detect the rise in hormones before ovulation, while basal body temperature measurement may not confirm it. Ovulation has occurred reliably as before.
Therefore, at any time, a woman should always consult an effective method of contraception with her obstetrician both before and after the baby is born. This is a good time to consider birth control options and ask questions about a birth control method that is different from what has been used before.

2. What are the chances of getting pregnant while breastfeeding?

If done perfectly, breastfeeding as a contraceptive can be up to 98% effective. This means that the mother only breastfeeds her baby and only for the first six months. After this time, the chances of getting pregnant increase rapidly.
Of course, this is different for every woman and while for some it may take longer for ovulation to resume. At this point, the possibility of pregnancy occurs is easy.

Dấu hiệu mang thai đang cho con bú có thể xảy ra ở một số phụ nữ

3. How to detect pregnancy while breastfeeding?

The signs of pregnancy while breastfeeding are often the same as those of a previous pregnancy. They are classified based on how well they can predict a woman's pregnancy.
3.1.Presumptive signs of pregnancy These are signs of pregnancy while breastfeeding that have a low suggestive value due to their high subjectivity when only the mother herself can feel the signs. These include:
Breast tenderness, sensitivity Decreased milk production Frequent fatigue, lethargy, drowsiness Frequent urination Morning sickness Morning bleeding Vaginal bleeding pattern “pregnancy bleeding” 3.2. Possible signs of pregnancy These are signs of pregnancy while breastfeeding that can be observed by someone other than the mother herself. Therefore, these signs are more reliable than the conjectures above, including:
Fetus palpation through abdominal wall Braxton Hicks contractions – noncyclic uterine contractions Signs Chadwick – darker color change of vulva and vaginal area Goodell's sign – adnexa becomes softer due to increased circulation and local vascular distribution Hegar sign – isthmus is softer on physical examination vagina Laboratory evidence: urine dipstick, blood beta HCG measurement, and ultrasound showing a cyst in the uterus 3.3. Certain signs of pregnancy Certain signs are safe signs say the woman is pregnant. If a nursing woman has one of these signs, you are 100% pregnant. To date, only three diagnostic signs of pregnancy have been recognized by medical professionals:
Fetal heart rate is separate from maternal heartbeat Detecting fetal images via ultrasound Monitored fetal movements intended to feel

4. Can a mother continue to breastfeed while pregnant?

There are absolutely no fixed rules about breastfeeding while pregnant, but make sure the mother is getting enough nutrients. During this period, the mother should consume enough calories for herself, for the nursing baby and for the developing fetus. However, breastfed babies may begin to refuse breast milk during the first few months of pregnancy. This may be because the taste of breast milk changes. On the other hand, the mother's milk supply may also decrease, causing the child to refuse to continue breastfeeding and the decision to wean the baby will soon be made.
On the other hand, some women can still breastfeed during pregnancy. Depending on the mother's own feelings and the milk supply can meet both quantity and quality, the mother can choose to take care of the baby growing up with exclusively breast milk along with nurturing the fetus in the womb. . However, breastfeeding will always take precedence.

Dấu hiệu mang thai đang cho con bú tùy thuộc vào bản thân người mẹ

5. Contraceptive options while breastfeeding

Hormonal contraceptives continue to be a reasonable option for women who are breastfeeding. According to the evidence reported, it is completely safe for mothers to use hormonal methods, as they will not hurt themselves, the infant or affect breast milk supply.
To implement family planning, a woman can start using injections, implants, IUDs or some birth control pills right after giving birth. After consulting a professional, a woman can have an implant or an IUD inserted at the hospital or during a postpartum health check. Super-effective devices and IUDs last for several years. After applying these methods, a woman does not have to do anything (such as remember to take one pill a day) to avoid the possibility of an unwanted pregnancy and can give her full attention to her care. small child.
However, it should be noted that during the first 3 weeks after giving birth, do not use methods with estrogen hormone such as the pill, patch or IUD. After 3 weeks, the woman should be able to start any of these methods.
In addition, other non-hormone birth control options are male condoms, female inner condoms, diaphragms, and cervical caps. If you've used a diaphragm or cervical cap in the past, wait until your first postpartum physical visit to start using it again. Most doctors recommend that you don't put anything in your vagina until this first checkup. On the other hand, for these tools to be effective, it is sometimes necessary to change to a new size for a better fit.
Finally, the absolute method of contraception is tubal ligation (also known as sterilization) after birth. This is a permanent method, so only for women who are older and absolutely do not want to have more children.
In summary, the signs of pregnancy while breastfeeding can be difficult to detect at this stage; At the same time, if you are busy taking care of young children and you have irregular periods, the signs of pregnancy while breastfeeding are even harder to detect. Therefore, although breastfeeding is a safe method of contraception, it is not a complete option. Therefore, whenever you suspect that you are pregnant or breastfeeding, you should consult an obstetrician as soon as possible for advice and appropriate decisions.
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