Prolonged post natal bleeding and BF

[summer rain]

With several of my boys I have experienced on and off spotting or even red bleeding for up to around 10 weeks after the birth. With my youngest though he is over 12 weeks and there is no sign of it stopping. It's not all the time but stops for a week or two then returns with a vengeance. Yes I always have it checked and the bleeding is usually linked to benign cervical cell changes also known as ectropion and it's more of a nuisance than anything. It's not heavy enough to be a period and is mostly like little brown bits with the occasional heavier more red bits. It really gets me down and while I don't blame BF for this,

I am avoiding taking the one thing that I know from experience will help, 50mg of b6 a day-because it can lower milk supply and while that was a risk I was willing to take when my second youngest was almost two I am not willing to take that risk with a 12 week old baby. Also using hormone based contraceptives to help it isn't recommended for me either, even those generally considered ok for BF. Anyone know of any other solutions I can try? I am getting a bit sick and tired of this as I have this type of spotting in the first 3-4 months of every pregnancy as well, miraculously it's never made me anaemic but it's not nice nonetheless xx

 

[NurseSooz]

My bleeding came back with vengeance at 10 weeks - it was because I was on my feet for 6hrs. Have you tried a day with your feet up or a day in bed with bubs?

Could it be that your bleeding from birth has stopped and then you've had your first period?

Are you on the mini pill or contraceptive injection? It can cause spotting.

Cervical erosion can cause bleeding bit should be cauterised if it continues.

Is your smear up to date? You can now have one as you're enough postnatal.

Sorry that's not much help!

 

[summer rain]

Thanks for the advice. Unfortunately not being on my feet at all isn't an option as I have five kids under the age of ten all at home. I try to stay off my feet as much as possible because I have mild prolapse and being on my feet makes symptoms worsen but complete bedrest isn't possible. OH is self employed and I literally get to see him when he isn't sleeping or working for only a few hours a week so he cannot help out much either. Am up to date with smear tests, am not due another one for over a year. I've been told I can have the ectropion cauterised but if the hormonal factors that make it flare up recur then it could recur as well because the cells can come back-is this true?

It's definitely not my period as the type of bleeding is completely different and my period with all but my eldest has returned at 10-11 months after the birth. I don't go near any form of hormonal birth control even including mirena because it can make this problem worse judging from past experience, so it's not that. I've had various tests and scans in the past testing for hormonal imbalances or visible symptoms of this such as cysts and all have turned out fine but it has been theorised that low progesterone causes this and when I took b6 at high doses it vastly improved things but I'm just not willing to risk my milk supply at this stage. Last time I took it, it didn't seem to have any implications on milk supply but my son was much older then, so hard to tell xx