What should you pay attention to when you have menstruation during breastfeeding?

Nowadays, many women report that they have menstruation during breastfeeding. Many people have studied this question, but it varies from person to person. There are actually many things to pay attention to for women who have their periods during breastfeeding. So, today we will introduce to you what you should pay attention to when you have your period during breastfeeding. Let’s take a look together below.

Things to note when having your period while breastfeeding

1. Postpartum lochia is not menstruation

Normally, after giving birth, a woman will have bloody discharge from the birth canal, similar to menstruation. This bleeding from the placenta implantation site, mixed with secretions such as the decidua, tissue fragments, and mucus remaining in the uterus, is called lochia.

Under normal circumstances, in the first 4-5 days, the lochia is abundant and red; one week after delivery, the amount of lochia gradually decreases and turns brown; after the 10th day, the color becomes lighter, slowly turning from yellow to white, and there is no special smell. Lochia usually disappears 4-6 weeks after delivery. But sometimes a small amount of brown lochia will continue until the first menstrual period after delivery.

Lochia generally does not exceed the amount of menstruation. If the bleeding lasts for more than two weeks, exceeds the menstrual volume or contains blood clots, or the vaginal discharge appears as rotten meat-like tissue or has a foul odor, you should seek medical attention immediately.

2. Common postpartum menstrual abnormalities

Common postpartum menstrual abnormalities include continuous vaginal bleeding and amenorrhea:

First case:

Since the first menstruation after childbirth is usually an anovulatory cycle or is caused by dysfunctional corpus luteum induction, and the ovaries are still not very sensitive to the stimulation of gonadal hormones at this time, various abnormal phenomena are common, such as the continuous dripping of postpartum lochia, occasional irregular and repeated small amounts of bleeding, or bleeding similar to menstruation during the confinement period.

If you are sure that you have not taken any food or medication that may inhibit uterine contractions, and that the examination before discharge from the hospital after delivery did not reveal any conditions that may cause postpartum bleeding, you can ask your doctor during the postpartum follow-up visit. If you experience frequent or heavy bleeding during and after the confinement period, it is recommended that you seek medical attention immediately and receive diagnosis and treatment from an obstetrician and gynecologist.

Second case:

Postpartum amenorrhea is mainly seen in Han's syndrome caused by long-term breastfeeding, postpartum hemorrhage and infection; in addition, excessive prolactin in the body can also inhibit ovulation and cause amenorrhea.

Before delivery, although the concentration of prolactin in the pregnant woman's body is high, it cannot exert its effect due to the influence of estrogen. After the placenta is delivered, the effects of prolactin are enhanced due to the sudden drop in estrogen levels in the body. Generally speaking, prolactin levels will not return to pre-pregnancy levels until two weeks after delivery. However, in the body of a breastfeeding mother, prolactin not only remains at a higher level than before pregnancy, but also increases in response to the baby's sucking.

The above are some precautions about menstruation during lactation introduced to us by professionals, so women should pay attention and take care of themselves according to scientific methods. If women don’t understand, they can read the content above, which will also help us learn how to take care of ourselves. I hope the above content can help everyone.