Period Concerns

I would just call to speak to a nurse if I were you. It doesn't seem like any kind of emergency or like there's something "wrong" but better safe than sorry. At least if you call she'd be able to let you know.

Have you stopped breastfeeding? Sometimes that can keep you from having a full on period. If you are at all concerned though you should definitely call your doctor. Even if there isn't anything wrong, it's nice to know how long it might be before things are back to "normal".

Hi, S..

It's not uncommon at all for breastfeeding moms or women on the pill to skip or have very light periods, but if you're concerned, call your doctor's office. The nurse will be able to advise you after getting more information. Hope it all works out.

A.

Hi S.,

What you are experiencing is not anything I would consider abnormal. Homonal changes are occurring naturally in your body (due to the cessation of breast feeding, your body trying to receover from the pregnancy); in addition, you are getting another dose of hormone with the pill. It takes time for your body to adjust to these changes, sometimes months. Also, hormonal changes are not the only thing that can affect normal cycling (lack of sleep, stress, illness, weight gain/loss, etc). I know this not only as a graduate student studying hormones, but also as a mom who experienced this. I was on Depo Provera while breastfeeding. My last Depo injection was July 2006. I am not using any other hormonally based birth control and have had two periods total. I am not really concerned because I know that my body is just reacting to things going on in my life. Give your body time to adjust to the changes. I would contact my physician after another 6 months or so, but that's just me. If it helps you feel less anxious about it, a call to your doctor can never hurt.

Hello S.,

I had my third child back in April and breastfeed for about 6-1/2 months. I got my tubes tied but I just started having my periods again. However, they still are not normal. I use to be pretty exact every 30-32 days and now it's more like 45-50 days inbetween. I've been told that it can take some time to get back on a normal cycle. However, if it continues to much longer I would contact your doctor.

Happy Holidays,
L.

Its normal. If you call your physician they will probably tell you to keep an eye on it and wait for a few more months so your body can "get used to the pill." I had the same issues with my pill ( I was on the one for breastfeeding mothers then switched after I stopped) and the doctor told me to stick it out and if it continued after a few more months I should get on something else. In another month or two my period was basically regular. Hope this helps!
--S.

I nursed for 10 months and started having periods on the mini pill while I was still nursing. They were about 2 months apart and were not heavy at all. After I stopped nursing and was put on the regular pill my periods were very light and did not last very long. They were not regular until a couple of months on the new pills. Hope that can be of some help.

As a matter of fact, I have. I had a little different experience but after I stopped breast feeding, I tried the patch and when I decided I hated the patch, I tried the depo shot. I had a lot of spotting at first. I had two doses of the shot (once every 3 months.) In may of last year, I decided to stop taking the depo shot because I was considering whether I would have any more children and if I was going to have any I needed to get off of it. Anyway...I didn't have a period from May until last month. I kept picking up pregnancy test even though I knew we had been careful...but no. I talked with my doctor and read the depo information and I think my hormones were messed up between the depo and the previous pregnancy. At any rate, I had a full period last month and was rejoicing. So it can be normal, talk to you physician about it for sure though. They know your history and might see something that we do not. My doctor did not seem alarmed when I talked to her.

I never had a period while I breast fed, but I would think since you have stopped now, it should have returned. Call your OB/GYN and just ask, they should be able to help over the phone without making an appointment. He'll/she'll likely want to change the pill you're on, you may be getting too much hormones in this one. Me? I hate the pill and will never go back on, we used other ways of birth control.

That's pretty normal. It takes a while for your body to adjust to all of the changes.