Postpartum Periods: Why They Are Infamously Bad (And What To Do About It)

I've heard that the first period after having a baby can be a bit of a rollercoaster. After 9 and a half months of the waiting game (while still breastfeeding), my period is finally HERE! I couldn't be happier! However, as so many other women have shared, my luteal phase truly sucked. Here's the thing...I won't accept that!

As a certified Fertility Awareness and Menstrual Health Educator, I couldn't help but question the norm that postpartum periods are expected to be awful, heavy, and painful. Instead, I want to share WHY postpartum periods could suck (specifically why I think my luteal phase, the phase before your period, was rough) and what we can proactively work on in the postpartum chapter to better support our bodies as they begin ovulating and cycling naturally, again. 

In today's blog, I am going to share about my first period postpartum, break down why it's common for women to deal with raging menstrual phases after having a baby, and provide my holistic tips and tricks to help achieve smoother periods again moving forward! I hope that this blog will be an amazing resource for women to feel their absolute best post-baby as they begin cycling naturally again. We ALL deserve it. 

Quick science lesson about your postpartum hormones..

Here is a graph of your hormones when you are experiencing ovulatory cycles in your reproductive years.

During your pregnancy and postpartum periods (see graph below), your hormones look a lot different than they usually do when your cycles are regular. As you can see, all thanks to high levels of prolactin and oxytocin, you are not achieving ovulation and therefore you are not menstruating for some time post-birth.

• If you do not breastfeed or you are not lactating, your menstrual cycle could come back shortly after your lochia stops around week 6 postpartum.  On average, a nonlactating woman will ovulate with a consequent period somewhere between 45-95 days postpartum (source).
• If you bottle feed or partially breastfeed your baby, you'll tend to start having periods sooner than if you exclusively breastfeed.
• If you're exclusively breastfeeding like I am, the hormones prolactin and oxytocin that remain high for lactation are also responsible for suppressing ovulation. So it is not uncommon to have a missing period for months post-birth while breastfeeding. This is called Lactational Amenorrhea. 

According to Natural Child Spacing and Breastfeeding by Jen O’Quinn:

"Around 7% of lactating women will resume cycling 0–6 months postpartum,

37% between 6 and 12 months,

and 48% between 12 and 24 months;

8% will experience suppressed fertility longer than that."

If you reduce the number of feedings, especially at night when prolactin levels are at their highest, your menstrual cycle could return sooner. For some women, it might not return until you wean off completely. 

At the end of the day, unfortunately, there is no exact timeline for when you can expect ovulatory cycles to return. It appears to be very bio-individual, which is why you need to know how to read your own body's fertility biomarkers and signs so that you're not living in the dark about when your fertility is returning! 

What to expect when your periods return? They may be irregular at first and they could be different from your periods before pregnancy. With time, your hormones will regulate and balance out helping you establish your new patterns and new normal. #bodyliteracyiskey

Let's rewind for a second. I can't say that I was surprised that my period was coming...

Before pregnancy, I was diligently tracking my cycle and period for years! To give you context, I have high body literacy and education in fertility awareness, so I am very educated in terms of reading my body signs and estimating what is going on hormonally based on these biomarkers. My body literacy and tracking experience became so helpful in terms of understanding and navigating my postpartum chapter a little better. Just another reason why we harp on learning about your fertility biomarkers and tracking your menstrual cycle daily (and why we made an entire course on it that has helped thousands of women do the same. Hello, Power of Periodization.) 

Approximately two weeks before my period arrived, my body began subtly communicating with me through certain signals.

Notably, I observed estrogenic cervical mucus (clear, egg white, stretchy up to 2 inches between my fingers, and lubricative) for a few days. This was a clear indication that my body was producing estrogen in ample amounts and was gearing up for ovulation. PSA: It's important to note that ovulation precedes the onset of menstruation in the menstrual cycle. Meaning, if you are not careful, you could get pregnant while postpartum, even if you do not get your period back. You ovulate BEFORE you get your period.

Recognizing this cervical mucus served as a proactive signal, letting me know that if my body did achieve ovulation, then I would shortly enter the luteal phase, and then and ultimately lead to the return of my period and therefore, my menstrual cycle. *reminder: your cycle's phases are in this order: menstrual, follicular, ovulatory, luteal.

Shortly after the presence of cervical mucus disappeared, I noticed the infamous luteal phase symptoms arrive:

• raging mood swings
• bloating
• water retention
• and bad acne.

As soon as I experienced these biomarkers and symptoms, I had a hunch that my body was trying to achieve a full menstrual cycle again. It also showed me how much my body needs extra support right now.

Why is this my first cycle post-baby so hard? Why is it usually hard for the majority of women we speak to?

I  have a hunch that the majority of women who deal with bad luteal phases and first periods during the postpartum chapter are due to a classic case of an imbalance between estrogen and progesterone in their luteal phase. There are A TON of lifestyle factors and habits that can throw these two hormones into a tizzy.

My body is trying to do its job by regulating...but it's facing some obstacles and unsupportive habits that I have developed as a NEW MOM. Where do I begin?

1. sleepless nights *consistently 
2. caffeine reliance to get me through the day (NOT just coffee! Tea, hot chocolate, etc.)
3. dehydration (always breastfeeding and sometimes falling short in terms of refilling my cup or getting in electrolytes)
4. living in fight or flight mode - Not only to keep my baby alive and thriving but also stressing about all of the other adult responsibilities and a laundry list of to-do's that I have. *This causes us to burn through minerals at a crazy rate!
5. poor nutrition due to lack of appetite and hectic schedule
6. gut health issues (that I am now proactively working on with the Kale Diagnostics team! *Mention BALANCEDBEYARS to get exclusive benefits if you sign up with them) 

It's also worth noting, that after giving birth we are in such a depleted state that if we are not taking care of ourselves with our diet and lifestyle to replenish everything that we have lost, we are setting ourselves up for a really hard postpartum experience (and therefore can be hard periods when they return!) 

Can you see now why it's no wonder our bodies could be in mayhem post-birth?

Dang, being a mom is hard and takes a toll on our bodies...but the beauty is that we can do something about it. We're here to help you be proactive and flip the switch! There are so many things in OUR CONTROL that can help us thrive during our postpartum years. The key is to start implementing foundational work immediately (and we teach you alllllll of that in-depth inside of our program, too.)

How can we proactively support our bodies to achieve smoother periods postpartum? 

Here are KEY AREAS that we would suggest focusing on:

1. Nervous system relaxation (lowering stress)
2. Blood sugar management (through diet & lifestyle)
3. Increasing important minerals (like B vitamins, magnesium, omega-3s, calcium, and iron)
4. Support gut health & microbiome
5. Increase lymphatic drainage & elimination 
6. Sleep as much as possible

Here, let me show you my little game plan to support my body as it begins to naturally cycle again :) I hope these ideas help. Please share with us and tag @balancedbeyars if you were inspired by this post! Let's help friends and family know that they can be proactive in terms of supporting their cyclical bodies during the postpartum period, too. 

My Postpartum Game Plan for Smoother Periods

• Track fertility biomarkers and cycle more closely every single day
  • What I'm currently using:
    • Oura Ring (measures sleep and syncs with Natural Cycles so that I can start learning about my body temperature patterns moving forward) in combination with Natural Cycles (tracking fertility biomarkers and period data) *This app will help me understand my future ovulation window patterns. Keep in mind, that the Oura Ring & Natural Cycles connection does not provide Basal Body Temp readings. More on that here* 
      • Alaina & Julie use TempDrop to measure their BBT to help them identify their ovulation window patterns.
    • Phase Board (tracking my emotional and physical wants and needs as I am cycling naturally again) and also Daily Journal (our digital download journal to help you track daily by putting pen to paper, especially when you're new to tracking!)
• Hydrating with electrolytes & minerals
  • I put a pinch of Redmond's Sea Salt into my water or LMNT Packets! *shop through our link to get FREE packets with your order!
  • Coconut water
  • Adrenal Cocktails - Build-Your-Own recipe here
  • Bone broth - Our favorite is FOND Bone Broth (code BALANCEDBEYARS) and Kettle & Fire (code BALANCEDBEYARS1) 
  • Herbal tea
• Go decaf more often, especially in the luteal phase
  
  • Caffeine depletes our bodies of magnesium. Magnesium has been shown to reduce bloating & breast tenderness, helps to build progesterone (happens after ovulation), reduce PMS-related anxiety and sleeplessness, and is effective for period pain & migraines.
• Coffee AFTER breakfast (and combined with collagen & full-fat milk)
  • Download our FREE Caffeine Cycle Strategy here! 
• Adding in more nutrient-dense meals with bioavailable nutrients: 
  • like organic grass-fed steak, and beef, omega-3-rich fish like salmon, healthy fats like grass-fed butter and avocados, fruits, and complex carbohydrates like potatoes and veggies. Nutrient-dense meals provide essential building blocks for hormone production, contributing to a healthier postpartum period
• Increasing specific vitamins & minerals (to name a few)
  • Adrenal Cocktails: These drinks provide a combination of electrolytes, vitamin C, and potassium, all of which are essential for adrenal health
  • Omega-3s: Incorporate fish oil (I love WeNatal's Omega DHA+), flaxseeds, and chia seeds for hormonal balance. Omega-3s support hormone production and inflammation reduction, contributing to a more balanced postpartum experience. 
  • Magnesium: Load up on magnesium from leafy greens, cottage cheese, nuts, and whole grains. Magnesium aids muscle relaxation and stress reduction, essential elements for hormonal harmony in the postpartum period. I also supplement with Mitigate Stress (code BALANCEDBEYARS)
  • B-Vitamins: Fuel up on organic pasture-raised eggs, red meats, desiccated liver (code BALANCEDBEYARS) or organ complexes, and dark leafy greens for an energy kick. B vitamins combat fatigue, providing the energy needed to navigate the demands of postpartum life with more ease.
  • Prenatal/Postnatal (I use WeNatal) 
• Nervous system relaxation techniques:
  • 30-min sauna sessions (we use Higher Dose's Sauna blanket - code BALANCEDBEYARS) at least 3x per week
  • Meditation daily (we use our Energy Healer's guided meditations - Medigraytion)
  • Keeping my body warm with baths, warm foods, and herbal teas
  • Walking and low-impact exercise, like pilates and strength sessions
  • Hugging my husband, dog & baby for that oxytocin hit

• Supporting Detoxification & Elimination: A clean detoxification process supports the liver, aiding in hormone elimination and reducing the impact of imbalances.

  • Water with electrolytes, herbal teas or tinctures, and antioxidant-rich foods. 
  • Daily BMs
  • Lymphatic drainage techniques like castor oil packs, dry brushing, rebounding

• Gut Health: Happy gut, happy hormones. A healthy gut promotes proper nutrient absorption, ensuring the body has what it needs for hormonal balance.

  • Being intentional about digestion: chewing food slowly, eating without distraction, taking deep breaths so you're not eating in fight or flight.
  • Incorporate bone broth, fermented foods (sauerkraut, pickles, yogurt)
  • ARMRA Colostrom (code BALANCEDBEYARS)
  • Gut gummies with gelatin

• Quality Sleep: Quality sleep is the linchpin for hormonal balance, fostering a healthier, more regulated postpartum experience.

  • Prioritize rest
  • Create a sleep haven where you feel safe and relaxed
  • Make sure you're wearing blue light blocker glasses and ditch screens before bedtime
  • Establish a bedtime routine and stick with it
  • Wind down activity: 
    • Bedtime yoga
    • lay on an acupressure mat  (code BALANCEDBEYARS)
    • read a good book
  • Incorporate Magnesium:
    • Baths 
    • Magnesium rub (code BALANCEDBEYARS)
    • spray all over your feet (code BALANCEDBEYARS)

*This is not medical advice. PLEASE consult with your doctor or work closely with a practitioner to give you a unique protocol. Please use this information as inspiration and not law. 

Motherhood is a wild ride, but armed with body literacy, nourishment, self-care wisdom, and a good night's sleep, we can be ready to show up as super mommas daily!