Breastfeeding and Your Period

Breastfeeding and your period may definitely coincide at some point in your breastfeeding journey. Having knowledge about what to expect during that time can help ease your mind and navigate you when in doubt.

Can your period cause a drop in milk supply?

YES, but it is temporary. Many women routinely find a decrease in their milk supply during the days leading up to their period and/or during the first few days of their period. This should not be a big deal, however, as your usual supply should return to normal as your hormones level out and normalize. In the mean time, try not to stress and drink a lot of water. If you are interested in trialing a couple things to increase your supply during this short time, feel free to check out my post on how to increase your milk supply here.

Does breastfeeding delay the start of your period?

This seems to be different for all women. I know women who didn't start their period for well over a year after birth! I, however, was one of those lucky women who started their period only 12 weeks after birth, despite exclusively breastfeeding. I also know women who started 4 weeks postpartum despite exclusively breastfeeding. All that to say, it CAN delay your period....but it definitely does not work that way for all women. Unfortunately.

Can you get pregnant while breastfeeding?

Some women consider breastfeeding to be a method of birth control....and everyone is entitled to their own opinion and choice for family planning. However, it is definitely possible to get pregnant while breastfeeding, even if you have not physically started your period yet. That being said, I would not personally consider this to be a reliable choice for birth control.

Hopefully you found some of this helpful while breastfeeding your little bundles of joy! Happy nursing! xoxo