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Last Updated:
Jan 3rd, 2010 - 00:09:53
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Question
I gave birth to my daughter on October 30, 2007 about 18 weeks ago. I can't remember the exact date of my first period postpartum but I know it was some time late December 2007 or early January 2008. My last period started February 2, 2008. It is March 6, 2008 and I still have not started.
Her father and I have not been using birth control of any kind. I have taken two pregnancy tests since the 4th. They were both negative. Should I be worried or just wait?
Laura
Answer
Dear Laura,
I think understanding your cycle would be the best here.
I assume you did not breast feed because your cycles have resumed.
Before the menstrual bleed there is ovulation, when a mature ovum is released and available for fertilization. The ovum lives up to 24 hours. If there is no conception the endometrium that has been built up for implantation to support the baby is no longer needed and it will be sloughed off after about 2 weeks. From ovulation to menstruation is a very regular part of a cycle. The irregular part of the cycle is from menstruation to ovulation. The length of time here can vary and this is what can make some cycles shorter or longer.
In your case after giving birth it takes a few cycles to resume normal cycling. Sometimes unusual stress can also cause long cycles. The fact that you are not observing for the signs of fertility could certainly also mean that there is no menstruation because there may have been a conception.
I suggest you contact a Natural Family Planning teacher in your area and learn how to recognize and chart your times of fertility and infertility. In this way you and your husband can use this knowledge to choose the times of intercourse to either avoid or achieve pregnancy and eliminate taking chances and the stress of waiting!
Angie Frausto
Angie Frausto as a certified teacher of the Billings Ovulation Method has been teaching this method of natural family planning for 20 years in Whittier, California.
She is the Director and Teacher Trainer of WOOMB Bilingual-Bicultural. Her laboratory research at University of Southern California School of Medicine studies
the cellular interactions causing osteoporosis.
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