Milk Supply and Your Cycle: What’s Going On and How to Help
On average, breastfeeding mothers have a later return to menses after birth compared to non-breastfeeding mothers, but it does come back at some point and often impacts milk supply. On average, breastfeeding mothers have their periods return around 6 months postpartum. For some it takes much longer, even over a year or more or until they wean. It all depends on your individual body and hormone levels, along with how much you are nursing or pumping.
When your period does come back, many women experience a temporary dip in milk supply. This is largely due to the hormones estrogen and progesterone coming back on-line with return of ovulation, and these negatively affect prolactin levels temporarily. This can be incredibly frustrating and discouraging, as it feels so much out of your control. But take heart, there are some things you can do to help manage this and press on towards meeting your breastfeeding goals.
Continue feeding on demand — your baby may want to feed more often. They may also wake overnight for feedings, even if they typically hadn’t been. Follow their cues and bring them to the breast to nurse anytime they seem hungry.
Supplement as needed — if your baby is cluster feeding around the clock and just seems constantly hungry, you can offer a bottle of your expressed milk or formula if you’re combination feeding. You’ll want to pump while baby gets a bottle to signal to your body to make more milk, especially if supplementing is a regular occurrence and your goal is to provide exclusively breastmilk. If you desire to combination feed, that’s a great option for families whose goals align with this option.
If your baby is over 6 months old and eating solids, they may be able to take in more solids to off-set any small dip in your milk supply.
Consider Magnesium and Calcium supplements. While there’s no study to prove it (yet), some mothers find adding in these supplements during the week before and during your period — or all month long for simplicity’s sake— can help mitigate some of the dip in milk supply around their cycle. Doses of 500mg of Calcium and 250mg of Magnesium have been suggested — always consult with your personal care provider for individual guidance.
Rest, nourish your body with regular meals and snacks, and stay well-hydrated. There’s no magic food or drink that will solve supply problems, but foods have been used for many years to support milk supply. Foods like oats, flax, barley, coconut water are nice options. You can also consider herbal support, with guidance from a knowledgeable lactation provider.
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Sara
