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Irregular Periods After Pregnancy: Should You Worry?
A healthy menstrual cycle is a visible sign of a woman’s reproductive health. However, for new mothers-to-be, the menstrual cycle is brought to a halt by the body, for a few months after delivery. Immediately after having the baby, postpartum bleeding occurs for a few days, and then stops. Quite often, there is a considerable gap between postpartum bleeding and the first regular period.
Once the first postpartum period occurs, the menstrual cycle follows a very unpredictable schedule and can come earlier or later than usual, for months. This is a huge cause of concern for women, and they rush to consult their doctors. The good news is that having irregular periods after delivery is perfectly normal, and occurs due to various hormonal changes in the body. With time, the body settles down to it’s usual routine, but the time frame for this process varies from person to person.
Are Irregular Periods Normal After Birth?
First and foremost, it is necessary to understand that childbirth drastically alters some hormones in the body. Therefore, the hormones that ensure a regular period between menstrual cycles take a backseat. It is quite normal for women to experience changes in the frequency and the flow of their monthly period, post-delivery. Many factors come into deciding when exactly the body gets back to its normal menstrual routine.
Reasons Behind Irregular Menstrual Cycle After Pregnancy
From the time of conception, a woman’s body goes through a lot of changes, all alongside the changing levels of hormones. An altered menstrual cycle is a consequence of these changes. Some other external factors also play a role in making your periods irregular after delivery.
1. Weight
Women tend to gain weight during pregnancy and continue to be on the higher side for a few months after delivery. On the contrary, some women lose weight drastically, due to lack of proper diet and sleep. In both cases, the weight directly impacts hormone levels in the body. The weight of the mother is a significant parameter in deciding the time frame within which she switches back to having a normal menstrual routine.
2. Breastfeeding
Mothers who breastfeed their children tend to ovulate much later, post delivery. The hormone responsible for inducing the secretion of milk from the mammary glands (prolactin) also suppresses the process of ovulation. Therefore, as long as a mother is breastfeeding her baby, the hormone remains actively in circulation and prevents the ovulation process. Only a successful ovulation culminates in menstruation, and therefore, your periods resume later than usual.
3. Altered Hormone Levels
An expecting mother’s body starts altering the levels of hormones, in anticipation of the pregnancy. These hormones prepare her for childbearing, birthing, and breastfeeding. Unfortunately, the hormone levels do not spring back to normalcy, right after delivery. Factors like diet, exercise, breastfeeding, sex, and weight decide the pace at which it returns to normal levels. In the bargain, the menstrual cycle becomes erratic and unpredictable for a few months, until the hormones settle down.
4. Pre-pregnancy Conditions
If you suffered from conditions such as Endometriosis, PCOS (Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome), Hypo- or Hyper- Thyroidism, or any other condition that causes or is a result of fluctuation in hormones, you may experience irregular periods after pregnancy. This is especially if you already faced issues with regularity of your menstral cycle, prior to pregnancy.
Diagnosis
Diagnosis of irregular periods can be tricky, as many women tend to confuse the postpartum bleeding with the first period after delivery. The first period occurs after a typical gap of a few months from postpartum bleeding. An irregular cycle following the first period is quite common, and this can last for about four to five months. An unsettled menstrual cycle beyond this period should be taken up with your doctor to evaluate the exact cause of this irregularity.
Tips to Deal With Irregular Periods
There are a couple of things new mothers can adopt to fix the problem of irregular periods and get their menstrual cycle back to normalcy, as early as possible.
1. Exercise
It is, undoubtedly, a daunting task to start an exercise routine with a new baby at home. However, pushing yourself to exercise regularly is very important to bring the body back to its pre-pregnancy shape. Exercising helps a great deal in restoring hormonal balance in the body. It also helps in maintaining your weight, which is a significant factor in determining your periods.
2. Healthy Diet
Having a healthy and nutritious diet, post-delivery, is vital in restoring and replenishing the nutrients lost during pregnancy and childbirth. Fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and nuts provide the much-needed micronutrients for repair and restoration of the body. They indirectly enhance the process of settling down after childbirth, by providing the right atmosphere to correct hormonal imbalances.
3. Managing Stress
Stress affects the body and the mind. New mothers are subjected to a lot of stress due to lack of sleep, new responsibilities, and sometimes, an overwhelming feeling triggered by the new role of motherhood. This directly affects the hormone levels, causing a delay in settling back to normalcy. The best way to facilitate the body’s healing process is to remain stress-free and keep worries at bay, by taking help from others and talking to them about your worries.
4. Avoiding Contraceptives
Contraceptives interfere with the ovulation cycle and further delay the process of getting back the normal menstrual cycle. You can talk to your doctor about other safe birth control options that do not affect the hormonal balance in the body.
5. Taking Vitamins
A deficiency in certain vitamins, such as Vitamin D, and B Vitamins can hamper menstrual cycle, so get yourself tested, and ensure that you take supplements or eat food high in these vitamins, if you are, indeed, deficient. You can get your fill of Vitamin D by letting the morning rays of the sun soak into your body, or including dairy products in your diet. Eat legumes, meat, nuts, whole grains, and green, leafy vegetables, for your daily dose of B Vitamins. Ensuring your body is healthy and has an adequate amount of Vitamins can aid the process of regularising menstrual periods.
Irregular periods can be very frustrating for a new mother, especially since they come with a high level of unpredictability. Understanding the different biological reasons behind this very natural and common phenomenon can be reassuring, particularly for first-time mothers.
Also Read: First Period After C Section Read more
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Six Tips to Know if you are Fertile
Changes in the cervical mucus, raised basal body temperature, mood swings and abdominal cramps are some of the signs that can certify that you are fertile. There are many women who may not be aware of facts about fertility. Here is a guide on how to tell:
From the knowledge of your periods, to the days of ovulation and diseases that can cause infertility, a woman must be aware of all the elements that can contribute to fertility. These can be a major indicator for successful conception, and should be a part of every woman’s basic knowledge.
1. Regular Periods
You are ovulating normally if your menstrual cycle lasts for 28 to 35 days. Having a regular cycle is a good sign of being fertile as it is safe to assume that your hormones are working properly, and your uterus has a normal blood lining.
2. Tracking Ovulation Cycle
Apart from knowing about your cycle length and predictability, it is good to be able to predict your ovulation days. This is basically helpful for those who are trying for pregnancy. Note that you may ovulate for 14 days before your next period in case you have a 28-day cycle. On the other hand, those who have a 32-day cycle are likely to ovulate on the 18th day. If you are not able to track it on your own, you can use an ovulation predictor kit (OPK) to determine when you will actually ovulate.
3. Charting BBT (Basal Body Temperature)
Taking your basal body temperature first thing in the morning, even before you get out of the bed, is a good way of tracking your ovulation. Your BBT usually dips by half a degree about 24 hours before you ovulate, and it again spikes by a half or one degree after you ovulate.
4. Observing Cervical Mucus Changes
As your body gears up towards ovulation, estrogen and other hormones affect the cervical mucus produced by the vagina. The mucous becomes abundant, more watery, clear and slippery in texture. It can take place starting anywhere between one week to two days prior to ovulation. If you become a pro at observing these changes in cervical mucus, you can take a pretty good guess as to when you will ovulate.
5. Having Normal Weight
If you are overweight or underweight, you may be at the risk of having fertility problems, though the chances of pregnancy still prevail. If you are overweight, the excess body fat disrupts the balance of hormones needed for ovulation and embryo development. On the other hand, if you are underweight, your body is on an energy-conserving mode to keep the rest of the body functioning, further holding off the ovulation. It is recommended for women planning for baby to have an ideal weight for successful conception.
6. No Fibroids, Endometriosis or STDs
Nowadays, fibroids and endometriosis are problems that are commonly found in women. Pelvic pain or extremely painful, heavy, or long periods are symptoms of fibroids or endometriosis. Though fibroids or endometriosis increase the risk of infertility, your doctors can advise you about the treatments available to help you conceive.
Pelvic inflammatory disease (PID) caused by any sexually transmitted disease (STD) can put you at the risk of infertility. Get tested for STDs sooner than later. If you are not affected by any of the conditions mentioned above, you can safely assume that you are most likely fertile.
The tips here should help you and your partner in planning a baby. Focus on the solution by addressing the problem you may have with your fertility. Do not allow everyday tensions to create stress for you and partner, as stress can play a major role in reducing the chances of conception for women. Follow the tips here, eat well, stay happy and visit a specialist in case of fertility problem and you may soon have a healthy smiling baby in your arms. Read more
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Malabar Pathiri
Pathiri is a classic and traditional dish of the Muslims in Kerala and also an imminent part of the Malabar cuisine. It is considered as the perfect dish for breaking the fast during Ramadan. It is also known as Ari pathiri (rice pancake) and there are many other variants to it. The combination of pathiri and chicken curry is irresistible and can be served for breakfast as well as dinner.
Serves
Preparation Time
Cooking Time
4 People
5 - 10 Minutes
30 - 35 Minutes
Ingredients
3 cups rice flour
3 cups water
2 tbsp oil
1/2 cup coconut milk (optional)
Salt to taste
Method
Step 1
Roast the rice flour on low heat until the colour changes from white to creamish. While roasting, keeping mixing constantly or the flour might get burnt.
Step 2
Once the flour cools, sieve it using a fine mesh.
Step 3
In a pan, boil water with salt and 1 tbsp of oil.
Step 4
When the water boils, lower the flame and add rice flour little by little. Stir continuously or else the flour may stick to the bottom. Keep stirring for 10- 15 seconds.
Step 5
Switch off the flame. Allow it to cool a bit and start kneading the dough. The pathiri would be softer if you knead the dough when its hot.
Step 6
Once the dough gets soft, start making small lemon-shaped balls from the dough.
Step 7
Flatten these balls with a chapathi roller to make thin pathiris, similar to chapathi.
Step 8
You can apply little oil on both the sides to avoid sticking or you can also dust some rice flour over the pathiris.
Step 9
Heat tawa, and place the rolled pathiri over it.
Step 10
Turn over the pathiri after 15 - 20 seconds. Keep pressing it with a flat spoon else, the pathiris will start puffing. Cook for another 30 - 40 seconds and flip over. The pathiris should remain white in colour.
Step 11
Transfer the cooked pathiri to a plate and repeat the same for the remaining dough.
Step 12
You can soak these pathiris in coconut milk for few minutes before serving.
Step 13
Pathiri serves best with non-vegetarian curries like chicken, mutton or fish.
Nutritional Information
Calories
563 K cal
Proteins
7.7 g
Fats
15.6 g
Carbohydrates
96.6 g
Cholesterol
0 mg
Sodium
49 mg
Potassium
171 mg
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Live and let live! That is the marriage matra in my life. Enjoy with your life partner ☺️
Patience, understanding and respect for partner are basis for strong foundation of marriage! Most importantly not forcing your ideology on other and living in our own unique way is important for Happy married Life. Me and my husband stick to this principle and are enjoying our marriage. After baby we take out time to enjoy the moments we can spend together. After being a mum it's tough to lend an ear to what is happening around us. It's important to catch up from time to time as partners or friends and empathize with challenges we face individually . The words we speak to each other are very important in maintaining a good healthy environment at home.
There have been times when patience run out, it's necessary to take out "Me Time", dwell upon what's going on, how to amicably resolve the issue. Venting out is essential to a relationship but it should be for both partners to mantain a balance.
Be sure to live and enjoy small moments that make relationship wholesome!
Break into dance on your favourite song,
Smile to each other.. whenever you catch a glimpse, it could be a cheeky one, flirty one , a cute one.. surprise each other, have a fight like kids. Do stuff that adds zing to daily humdrum life.
Even if there are misunderstanding, fights or silent phases, make sure to clear it out with your partner because when you look at a bigger picture, we are going to live together for rest of our lives. It's necessary to be mature and understanding. Life is too short for huge fights over small things.
It's also very necessary to be smart in a relationship, to be able to handle tricky situation.
A relationship is also about give and take and it's really important to give more than what you take from a relationship. Also make sure that you convey your thoughts clearly to your partner. Silence will always confuse and create more misunderstanding.Open and clear communication is also a mandate for a happy fruitful marriage. Read more
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How the Kangaroo Method Helped Increase my Baby's Weight
My baby is a preterm baby. She weighed 2.2 kgs at birth. We brought our baby home after spending 11 days in NICU and she weighed 2 kgs. Our main motto, which was given by the doctor, was to increase her weight. He advised a few things to improve her weight - one was to breastfeed her well and more than that, to burp her timely. Without burping her, I was told to not lay her down. The other thing was not to let her cry, as it will be a loss of energy to her. I was also advised to give her towel bath until she reaches 3kg.
I sincerely followed his advice. I fed her breast milk every 2 hours and it used to take half an hour to burp her. When we visited the doctor after 15 days, we crossed our finger when he weighed our baby. But there was very slight weight gain. Then the doctor asked me if I am doing the 'kangaroo method'? I was shocked, as I listened to the term 'kangaroo method' for the first time. My bad luck that the doctor didn't tell about the kangaroo method while discharging my baby from NICU.
So, I asked him what is the kangaroo method. He explained that female kangaroos have a pouch to carry their babies. They protect them until they become capable of living outside the pouch. In the same way, I have to wrap my baby on my bare chest so that my baby and I have skin to skin contact. This kangaroo method really helps baby to preserve her energy. The energy required to maintain body temperature is supplied by the mother's skin. This helps in the improvement of her mental health too.
When I held her up closer to me for the first time, she felt so relaxed, she slept well listening to my heartbeat. I felt good cuddling her. Whenever she cried aloud, I used to carry her and hold close the kangaroo style and she used to get calm soon. I followed the kangaroo method every day for 2 hours twice or thrice. When we visited the doctor after 15 days, we were waiting to see her weight. Then we saw that the kangaroo method had really helped. She was weighing 2.8kgs. She reached 3kgs in the next few days. We were happy that now we can give her a good bath.
Disclaimer: The views, opinions and positions (including content in any form) expressed within this post are those of the author alone. The accuracy, completeness and validity of any statements made within this article are not guaranteed. We accept no liability for any errors, omissions or representations. The responsibility for intellectual property rights of this content rests with the author and any liability with regards to infringement of intellectual property rights remains with him/her. Read more
Akifa Tahreem has added a new answer
Expecting Mom due in 7 months
11 hours ago
Q. hello doctor, I'm 3 weeks pregnant. can we sleep on our belly or which side We can sleep on during pregnancy...
Akifa Tahreem
Mom of a 7 m old boy
9 hours ago
A. no you can't sleep in your tummy
Dr Laxmi Chavan-Sawant has added a new answer
Trying To Conceive
8 hours ago
Q. @ask_the_expert
#ask the expert
I am having pcod problem.
when should I check pregnancy test at home?
Dr Laxmi Chavan-Sawant
Ayurvedic Gynaecologist
6 hours ago
A. If you have missed your periods you can wait for one week more and then do a urine pregnancy test to know about the pregnancy result and consult with your doctor according to the result for medication
Dr Priyanka Kalra has added a new answer
Trying To Conceive
8 hours ago
Q. I am having pcod problem.
At which day should I take pregnancy test
Dr Priyanka Kalra
Obstetrician and Gynaecologist
5 hours ago
A. after 2 weeks. do ultrasound n necessary tests after consulting a specialist. without proper check up we can't advise or help you.. Avoid shirt cuts when it comes to health if mother n baby. ok.
Dr Laxmi Chavan-Sawant has added a new answer
Trying To Conceive
7 hours ago
Q. I am having pcod problem.
when should I take pregnancy test?
Dr Laxmi Chavan-Sawant
Ayurvedic Gynaecologist
6 hours ago
A. after missed your periods you can wait for one week more ,then you can do a urine pregnancy test to know about the pregnancy result and consult with your doctor according to the result for medication
Dr Laxmi Chavan-Sawant has added a new answer
Trying To Conceive
7 hours ago
Q. I am having pcod problem.
but having regular cycles below 35 days. some time it will extended upto 40 days.
so when should I take pregnancy test at home?
Dr Laxmi Chavan-Sawant
Ayurvedic Gynaecologist
6 hours ago
A. If you have missed your periods you can wait for one week more or else you can do a urine pregnancy test to know about the pregnancy result and consult with your doctor according to the result for medication.
The best treatment to have Regular periods is by having a healthy lifestyle with regular daily walking or jogging along with mild exercise and meditation whenever possible. as medications will only act till you are taking them
Dr Ghouse has added a new answer
Expecting Mom due this month
4 hours ago
Q. Done my first routine blood test ..it shows thyroid border line.its my 6 week running as per USG.
but prior to that my thyroid level was always normal I did check up every year and got it normal .this time it shows borderline high in 6 week pregnancy.
is it something to worry.plz guide
Read moreDr Ghouse
Paediatrician
3 hours ago
A. it is better to follow your doctors advice for treating the thyroid deficiency. if there is no relief it is better you see your doctor for proper examination particularly physical examination if there is need for doing investigations to find out the problem and treatment ok
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