Does menstruation affect breast milk?

Newly born babies must drink breast milk or formula. However, after giving birth, the time when menstruation returns varies depending on each mother's physical condition. Some people think that menstruation will affect breast milk because it may lead to a decrease in breast milk production or poorer quality. Breast milk is the best nutritional supplement for babies, but does menstruation affect breast milk?

Will menstruation cause a decrease in breast milk quality?

According to folklore, when a mother is breastfeeding after giving birth, if her menstruation comes, her body will be "dirty" and her milk will contain bacteria, which is not conducive to the growth of the baby, so she cannot breastfeed. This statement is unscientific.

It is true that the amount of breast milk decreases when menstruation comes, and the quality of the protein and fat contained in the breast milk also changes slightly, with the protein content being higher and the fat content being lower. This milk may sometimes cause indigestion symptoms in babies, but this is temporary and does not harm the baby.

Therefore, whether during or before or after menstruation, mothers do not need to stop breastfeeding, nor do they need to worry that menstruation will affect normal breastfeeding.

When does menstruation usually come after giving birth?

When you get your period after giving birth is generally closely related to breastfeeding. If a mother does not breastfeed for various reasons, her menstruation will generally come as scheduled within 1-3 months after delivery.

If you breastfeed yourself, it is hard to say. Menstruation may resume at any time between the 3rd and 18th months after delivery. Generally speaking, the more times a baby breastfeeds and the longer the milk is sucked, the later the menstruation will resume. Once the baby starts to add complementary foods and the mother reduces the number of breastfeeding times, the time for menstruation to resume will be correspondingly advanced. In addition, this is also related to the mother's own condition, rest and recovery, emotional state of mind, nutritional supplements, etc.

Why does my period not come after childbirth?

In the past, I would really let myself go when my period didn’t come, but it’s been too long since I gave birth, so this may be a case of postpartum menstrual disorder.

Irregular menstruation after childbirth is mainly caused by neuroendocrine dysfunction, organic diseases or drugs. Endocrine dysfunction such as abnormal thyroid and adrenal cortex function, diabetes, etc.; organic diseases include local inflammation of the reproductive organs, tumors and developmental abnormalities, malnutrition, etc.; drug factors such as the use of endocrine preparations, etc., all of these reasons may cause irregular menstruation after delivery.

If the mother's menstruation is delayed and she has symptoms such as weight loss, indigestion, chills, fatigue, sexual organ atrophy, low basal metabolism and hair loss, she must go to the hospital for a check-up.