Heavy periods

[Daisysnipey28]

Hi Laura.
I'm breastfeeding my 16 month old but got my period back at 4 months post partum. I'm trying to convince again but my cycles are only 26 days and very very heavy. I'm on day seven and still bleeding. I know that I am low on iron. Are there supplements that you recommend

[Lara]

In your situation (breastfeeding and trying to conceive), it's a priority to get your iron up so please talk to your doctor about that. Good iron chelates include (for example) Thorne iron bisglycinate. Improving your iron could help to lighten periods. It's also safe to try the dairy-free strategy I describe in the podcast as long as you're eating other calcium foods like goat or sheep dairy or maybe taking a calcium supplement.

Finally, a possible explanation for your current heavier and longer bleeds is that your cycles are still anovulatory. ie. that you haven't started ovulating yet after breastfeeding. Do you track your cycles? do you know if you're ovulating? Starting to ovulate (and therefore make progesterone) should lighten your flow.