Is Spotting While Breastfeeding Normal?
If you’re a new mother, you’ve probably been introduced to the joys of breastfeeding. What started out as painful and uncomfortable soon feels normal. While you’re dealing with breastfeeding, you might also begin to wonder about your period. When will it come back? Will it be the same?
Your period will most certainly come back postpartum, but before your menstrual cycle completely gears up, you might find yourself dealing with spotting. Is spotting while breastfeeding normal?
As always, before we answer your question, let’s give a little background on breastfeeding and your menstrual cycle. While many might not be aware of it, your menstrual cycle is directly affected by breastfeeding. If a woman plans to only use formula on their newborn, their period can return as soon as one month. If a woman plans to breastfeed, this can actually delay the return of their period.
Prolactin is a hormone exclusive to women. It is responsible for breast milk production. While prolactin increases the production of breast milk, it can also prevent a woman’s body from ovulating. To put it into simpler terms, breastfeeding can stop and delay the return of your period. It might take a month for your period to return if you are using formula, but if you are breastfeeding, it can take six months up to a year for you to see your first postpartum period!
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And now it’s time to answer your question! Although it might take a while for your period to start up again, is spotting while breastfeeding normal? The answer is YES. For the period after giving birth, a woman’s hormones are constantly fluctuating and attempting to return back to “normal.” While you wouldn’t be having a full period, spotting during this time is common.
After your first few months of breastfeeding, you might notice the signs that your period is returning. This is in no way a marker to show that you should stop breastfeeding! You should note that breastfeeding and your period are inversely proportional.
This means that during the first few days of your period and the days leading up to it, you should expect that your breast milk levels will be lower. This is nothing to be alarmed about! As you get further into postpartum, your period will return naturally and eventually your body’s prolactin levels will decrease, leading to the end of your breastfeeding.
Now that you know that spotting while breastfeeding is normal, what can you do about it? Wearing a tampon every day for six months requires a lot of focus – focus that could be dedicated to your newborn! Wearing pads is the bulkier alternative which is why we recommend our Ruby Love Period Underwear. It’s as easy as putting on your underwear in the morning, and you never have to spend your time or energy worrying about spotting through your clothes!
Motherhood isn’t a walk in the park! You might spend the majority of your days (and nights) tired and on autopilot, but your period isn’t something you should have to worry about! Spotting is normal while breastfeeding, so don’t waste your time worrying about it, but as always, never be afraid to talk to your OB/GYN about any issues!
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