Irregular Periods after Pregnancy

The regular periods or the 28 days menstrual cycle is the sign of a healthy reproductive system of any woman. When you get pregnant there will be no periods for nine months. I really enjoyed the periods free for 9 months. But just after your delivery you have to face heavy postpartum bleeding which can be last for up to one month also. However, the heavy bleeding normally continues for one week and after that, if you will bleed then it will be in a very small amount or it will be totally clean. You will experience the gap between the postpartum bleeding and your first periods. The gap can be of one month or one year. This depends on the body of a woman.

This gap is normal and you don’t have to worry about your first periods. Even though if your first periods have come then also it’s not necessary that the second will come on time. This is natural and you don’t have to take tension till at least for one year. This happens due to the hormonal changes in the body and will settle down within one year of your delivery. If after one year also you are facing the problems then do consult with your doctors and get the solution.

Why periods are Irregular?

The periods after delivery have not come on a regular basis because the woman’s body goes on with so many changes and our hormones also keep on changing. The changes all over the body make the periods to change their monthly dates. Apart from internal change, there are many external changes which have also become the reason for irregular periods. Check out:

• Weight: During and after pregnancy, the women face tremendous changes in their weight. Either the weight increases so much or there will be weight loss due to weakness in the body. In both cases, the hormonal level of the body gets impact and affect the menstrual cycle.
• Breastfeeding: The breastfeeding moms have not to worry about their irregular periods because the hormone which is responsible for the secretion of the milk also suppresses the menstrual cycle and ovulation. Give some time to your hormones to adjust in your body and function regularly for your periods.
• Ovulation: Due to pregnancy, delivery and heavy bleeding, you don’t ovulate so soon. The formation of egg needs some time to be ovulating which results in irregular periods.
• Emotional stress: Sometimes your stress level also makes your periods irregular. However, this is not the major cause after delivery but many women have to face critical situations which made their life stressful. The stress affects your hormones which in turn gives you the irregular periods.
• Birth control pills: Many couples start using the birth control pills to do the perfect planning just a few months after the delivery. These pills have the advantage of not getting pregnant but on the other hand, it has many side effects also. one of the reverse effects is the irregular periods.
• Thyroid: In case if you have thyroid then you can experience the ups and down in your periods after delivery. Kindly consult with your doctor and keep checking your thyroid whenever recommended by the doctors.
• Changing Lifestyle: In many cases, it is seen that women experienced the effect in their menstrual cycle whenever their lifestyle had been changed. This is not the cause for most of the women. Rarely some women face this type of irregularities.
• Sleeping: The irregular sleeps gives you irregular periods. Try to sleep at least 8 hours a day. However, with baby, it is not possible but takes a nap when your baby sleeps.

Tips to deal with the irregular periods

The irregular periods are natural but still, there are many ways which will help you to maintain your menstruation cycle monthly. You can adopt some of the things in your daily life for normal periods as like you were before pregnancy. Check out:

• Exercise: Exercise is very good and the best way to stay healthy. However, after delivery and taking rest for a long time, it becomes difficult to exercise daily. But you have to push yourself for regular workouts. The exercise helps in restoring the hormonal level in the body. Exercise is also good in losing your postpartum weight which is also a serious cause of irregular periods.

• Diet: Try to eat healthy foods as much as possible. The women body goes under many changes during pregnancy and delivery process. Add fruits, vegetables, green leafy things and whole grain cereals in your diet for some time. This will provide the natural nutrients to your body and settle down the hormonal imbalances.
  

• Stress-free: As we have discussed earlier that stress also imbalance our hormones and results in the irregular periods. So try to stay stress-free. As we all mothers can understand that this is not possible but at least we can try it to be healthy.

• Avoid birth control pills: The contraceptives pills or birth control pills are very dangerous for health. They imbalance our hormones. It is better if you do your check up from doctors and take a suggestion for better birth control options.

• Avoid Alcohol: Avoid the intake of alcohol which is not good for health. It imbalances the hormones which can be the reason for the irregular periods.
  

• Avoid smoking: As like alcohol and drugs, smoking also kills balanced hormones and results in irregular periods.
  

• Take supplements: You can intake the supplements of vitamins, calcium and iron which is very essential for women bodies during pregnancy and even after delivery. This will make your body internally strong and balanced hormones.