The Reluctant Earth Mother

I’m on my 4th or 5th period after having Baby 2. Happy to admit that, like many of us, it isn’t my favourite time of the month and I’m not one of those people who are able to embrace the natural wonder of it. Though, I think I would enjoy moon bathing given the chance or maybe that’s just yearning for some alone time.

I was one of those lucky ones who’s “monthly” flow settled into a 2 week cycle as a teenager. Not crippling but it was, you might say, a pain in the nether regions. After 10 years on the progesterone only pill, as oestrogen sends me loopy and my flatmates banned me from consuming that and vodka at uni, then being pregnant, it was a bit of a shock to have periods again. One of the major upsides of pregnancy was not having to deal with it. I know I am not alone with this sentiment.

With Baby 1, I knew they came back earlier than the myths would suggest but I don’t remember what they were like. It was during the hazy shock of being a majorly sleep deprived, first time mum dealing with unacknowledged PPA. They just weren’t the top of my to do list. Baby 2 though, the timing was cruelly unfair. 

After 3 months of exclusive breastfeeding with this dream child, they hit with a vengeance. I’d only just stopped bleeding after birth. I think I lasted about 4 days and during yet another trip to the GP with a newborn, I begged for the pill. After birth, doctors and midwives fling contraceptives at you. 

The pill gave me three months of bliss then I forgot to go back and ask for more, justified by my ambivalence about taking hormones and so they returned. A flood of gummy blood and pain combined with the needs and demands of a 5 month old and a 2 year old is not my idea of fun. The period after that wasn’t so bad and now we’re at the point that I can more or less ignore it, as long as I change my pants regularly. 

A book from 1995 gives all the lovely conflicting information on breastfeeding and the return of periods. It says that they usually return when baby starts weaning or sleeps through the night. Or they don’t. It says periods return when baby starts to suckle less. Or they don’t. It says periods will return depending on a woman’s biochemistry. Or they won’t. What it does say is that periods won’t return until baby is 6 months old. Sucks to be me! (La Leche League International, 1995)

So I think the conclusion is, you get what you get and you have to lump it. 

La Leche League International. (1995). The breastfeeding answer book. 5th ed. United States of America: La Leche League International. pp.33-35.