# Breastfeeding, IUD, and AF ? & Spotting! Normal?



## Mrstattedup (Apr 24, 2002)

Well my daughter's 13 months already..but since birth my period has been a littkle wack! I bled for about 3 months straight after Janae's birth..after three months..I eventually stopped..but since then I've been spotting...1-3 days long..here and there..once or twice a month..sometimes every two months! Is this normal? I haven't called to ask my Ob-Gyn..which BTW she's all Pro-Breastfeeding and Loved the Fact that I Breastfed through my pregnancy and tandem nursed! When I spot..I do get the regular symptons..PMS? backacke! cramping! bloating! (my cramps were severe the first couple of months now that I recall~I don't cramp like I used to anymore) if at all!







but that is a good thing though..because they used to make me wanna cry sometimes!
just wondering if anyone else w/an IUD and Breastfeeding dealing w/the same thing and is this normal? I got the 5 yr one..
Thnx in Advance!


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## LauraWV (Aug 23, 2004)

I got the Mirena IUD at my 6 week post partum appointment, and I kindof hate it... mostly not because it's uncomfortable, though it is, but because I just hate the thought of it in there bothering my wonderful, obedient uterus.

Anyway though, yeah I have the weirdest spotting, and I'm never even sure if I have my period or not. I've only had to use a pad like one time in the last 2 months, so who knows if or when my period has ever happened. I also get cramping at random times, pretty much every other day or so.

I just hate not knowing or being able to figure out what's going on in there, and I've seriously considered just getting it taken out altogether, and going with some simple barrier method instead. Seems like such a waste though, since this one's good for 5 years, and already paid for.


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## nonconformnmom (May 24, 2005)

When you say you have spotting once a month or once every two months, is that in _addition_ to a regular period flow? Or instead of? I've had a Mirena IUD twice, both times while breastfeeding, and after the 3rd month post-insertion I had spotting once a month _instead_ of a period flow. After about 8 months, I had no bleeding whatsoever (I continued breastfeeding through 13 months.)

Maybe the hormones are just getting adjusted and your body may be transitioning into no-bleed cycles. This is common with the Mirena. The bad news is you have several months of uncertainty about how much, if any, bleeding you'll have at any given time. The good news is, after those several months, things should even out and you may not have bleeding at all.


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## mama2silas (Oct 22, 2003)

I got the Mirena at my 6-week postpartum appointment and had it for about 15 months. No spotting, no periods, no nothing. But 2 days after having it removed, I got a period.

I wasn't expecting a period with the IUD though -- breastfeeding, IUD, and PCOS. What is surprising is getting normal periods since getting the IUD removed. Never had that before!


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## SouthernMommaOf2 (May 31, 2005)

Just wanted to say thanks for a post like this. I am a breastfeeding mother who is going to be getting the Mirena IUD for the first time next week and I was a bit curious how it affected other breastfeeding moms.


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## Noelia430 (Aug 6, 2003)

I have a Mirena IUD and I bled for about 3 months straight after getting it in (13 weeks pp). My son is now 28 months and still nursing quite frequently and I have very mild spotting from time to time and no "real" periods. The spotting doesn't even occur on a regular monthly basis, it just kind of happens every few months or so.


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## Parthenia (Dec 12, 2001)

What's PCOS?







:
I have the Mirena (the non-hormonal one, right), got it 2-3 mos post partum-- can't remember which. I did get a little spotting after insertion, and a little more a month ago, but that's it. IIRC, according to the package insert, the spotting and bleeding are normal.


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## LauraWV (Aug 23, 2004)

Just wanted to clarify, after re-reading my post, that by "uncomfortable" I did not mean that it continues to be uncomfortable now, only that it was very uncomfortable to have inserted, and I had pretty strong cramping for several hours afterward. Just wanted to be clear...

And also, Mirena isn't completely non-hormonal. It releases progesterone into your uterus, and it isn't supposed to get into your bloodstream, thus it isn't supposed to affect you very much, hormonally.


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## Mrstattedup (Apr 24, 2002)

Very Like LauraWV explains~yeah I have the weird spotting, and I never even know for sure if I'm having a period or not.. and I only use Pantiliners! so I always question if I just had a period or not?.. I also got cramping at random times too, and at first were severe!!!! but now I've come to realize I don't even cramp anymore..and my spotting is now less and less!..

When I say spotting once a month or once every two months~that's it..there's no regular flow..and I spot once or twice for a day!
I just figured it had something to do w/my Breastfeeding and yea maybe the hormones trying to adjust and my body may be transitioning into no-bleed cycles..I dunno!

I didn't use any BC w/my son..my AF didn't return until my son started sleeping at 15 months..and at 16 months I got pregnant! so after having my daughter..and getting an IUD..everything is so different!

I don't know anyone else w/an IUD AND Breastfeeding..(or just any one Breastfeeding period)! but I'm glad this is all Normal~but not Normal..if you know what I mean! The point being~I'm not Alone!







Thank You! Thank You!!


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## Parthenia (Dec 12, 2001)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *LauraWV*
And also, Mirena isn't completely non-hormonal. It releases progesterone into your uterus, and it isn't supposed to get into your bloodstream, thus it isn't supposed to affect you very much, hormonally.

I then have a paragard, which is hormone free, and I have had a little spotting. So maybe it is the not the progesterone, but the IUD itself?


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