Hi everyone,

I'm just after some advice from ladies in a similar situation to me. It's been almost 4 months since my baby daughter died a week old. Since then my periods haven't returned and it is on my mind. It's not worrying me cos I want to get pregnant right away but I do want the choice and to know fertility will return. My doc says wait 6 months before I worry but that's easier said than done. Has anyone tried anything that helps restore fertility and balance to cycles after birth? Thanks in advance xx

Hi Steph, I am also four months out. I had my first period about five weeks ago but haven't had one since. When it did happen it was the heaviest I've ever had so that was a bit of a shock. My doctor also said that it might well take six months to settle back to a normal cycle. It is annoying though as it feels like something to show that your body is at least recovering even if nothing else is. I haven't tried anything to help but would be interested to know if anyone has.

The same thing happened after my stillbirth ten months ago. They said my cycle may return in 6-8 weeks. Riiiiight. After four months and nothing they checked my prolactin which was still really high, so I got to take bromocriptine to get that back to normal. Then still nothing, so they put me on provera to get a withdrawal bleed...nothing again! My body basically up and quit ovulating. Finally 5.5 months later I got AF and conceived that cycle, only to miscarry. I got pregnant immediately after the miscarriage and am currently 7.5 weeks. This is all just to say 1) maybe see if your doctor will check your hormone levels to see if there is something that can be done, especially if prolactin is still high you will not ovulate. After the provera did nothing I scheduled with a reproductive endocrinologist and they gave me a comprehensive workup. I even got to see how my ovarian reserve was doing and 2) you are not alone. I felt like such a freak for not only having a stillbirth but then not having a normal physical recovery from the stillbirth. I had read so many stories of people getting pregnant so quickly after stillbirth and feeling frustrated that that wasn't me and it couldn't have been me even if I had wanted it to be because my body would not cooperate.

When I lost my 2nd son at 34 weeks, it took me some months to have normal cycles. Since I startedproducing milk I had to take bromocryptine too... twice!
Because I was advised to wait 2 years, I started my regular pill... which was a very very lowdose. Needless to say that the pill didn't work on controlling my cycles... possibly because of my being very emotionally unstable, so I had to change to a higher dosage.

You are not alone in this, our emotional (des)equilibrium plays a huge part in regulating cycles and hormones.

Gentle congratulations to you mom2htb

Thanks for replying ladies! I feel reassured that it's not just my body letting me down but maybe it's sort of normal in our situation. I will ask the doc for a prolactin blood test too! Thank you! P.s fingers crossed for your rainbow KE I wish you so much luck!!

Oh gosh I've just re-read these posts for reassurance and realised I got the wrong name on my last post, I'm SO sorry KE! I'm such an idiot! I do have some advice a couple of weeks on now tho. I've still had no bleeds but I've started acupuncture and reflexology and it appears to be getting things normalising CM wise so maybe that's worth a try. It focuses on balancing hormones and stress so I think that's quite positive. X