Babies, Hormones, and Life

*** Warning — womenly things discussed in this post. Not for the quesy 🙂 ***

I have been debating writing this post for over a month now. Since I have not been able to find a lot of information that I can actually understand regarding what happens to a woman's body after having a baby, I thought I would write about my personal experience. The debate comes from that fact that I am not 100% sure I have my problem fixed yet. Mr. Fab‘s wife really made me feel like I should talk about this. She works for an OBGYN's office and told me that this is one of the most common reasons women call. I am not alone yet I had no idea I wasn't alone in my problem.

What is the problem? Well, everyone should know that having a baby completely messes up your hormones. While you are pregnant, you are a hormonal mess. After your pregnant, you still are a hormonal mess. I'll be honest, I didn't feel back to myself till Madison was about 18 months old. Let me tell you what happened after having Madison and then after having Will. I'll let you know what I have tried so far. If you also have gone through this, let me know. I would love to do a follow up post on ideas for new moms of things to try. Most of all, they need to know they aren't alone.

I don't think I ever suffered from Post partnum depression. That being said, there shouldn't be a stigma still attached to those three words. However, when you have people like Tom Cruise coming out and stating that you should just take a couple a vitamins to cure this, you know you are fighting a losing battle against society. That is where a lot of my hesitation came about writing this post. I have a hormonal issue that I can't help, but I know somebody out there is going to tell me its all in my head.

After having Madison, I chose to go the route of not being on any birth control (I was also nursing). This allowed my hormones free reign on my body and that they did. Even though I was nursing, my menstrual cycle started up again about 3 (aff) weeks after giving birth to her. My first menstrual cycle last about a month. This should have been my first tip off that something was out of wack. However, first baby and you really don't know what your body is doing. What started as a month menstrual cycle quickly turned into a huge mess for my life. It slowly turned into me getting my cycle every two weeks and lasting a week. By the time it was at its worst, I was having my menstrual cycle for three weeks out of the month, having a week break, and then three weeks of fun again. At this point, I went to the doctor. In hindsight, I should have went way sooner. I had to be put back onto birth control. My mood swings were also so out of control revolving around my cycle that I was put on PMDD medication. I ended up only staying on it for a couple months due to the cost. It did help though.

I thought this was an over and done with situation. When I went off my birth control to get pregnant again, my hormonal issues had cleared up. Our first try at getting pregnant ended in a miscarriage. However, last October, I got pregnant again and had a son in June. Little did I know, this was all going to start again. Again, even though I was nursing and on the minipill, I got my menstrual cycle back 3 (aff) weeks after having Will. I then proceeded to have it every two weeks. I saw the writing on the wall right away this time. I contacted my doctor, and we started trying to fix this before it got out of control again. We started with the minipill and then tried Ortho Tri Cyclen Low. That was the worse thing for me. Not only did it not stop my menstrual cycle from happening every two weeks, it made me more moody than I already was. I wanted to be anywhere than here — Outer Banks, space, Mars. Anything was better than here. I have to thank Kat and Elizabeth for getting me through that. I told them what was going on and how desperate I was feeling. I knew what was causing it, but that sure does not make you feel better. I got into contact with my doctor and now I am on Yaz. It seems to be doing the trick for now. I have been on it almost a month. My monthly cycle is not occurring every two weeks. The only time I felt the hormonal mood swings was the day I forgot to take my pill. Other than that, it has been good.

What did I learn that I think needs to be passed on? If you are having these issues or post partnum depression symptoms, please see your doctor. That is what they are there for (plus until we get this figured out, my doctor is giving me free samples, so it isn't costing me $30 each time we make a change). A hormonal imbalance is not going to correct itself without a little help. Don't wait till it is out of control. Also, instead of dealing with it on your own, make sure your support system knows what is going on. If you can't tell your support system, let a few trusted friends know what is happening. The main thing to remember is that you are not alone.

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Lisa Martin

In April 2006, Lisa began blogging to stay connected with distant relatives and friends. As she delved into blogging, she discovered the potential to assist others by sharing her experiences. Lisa has actively engaged in numerous exclusive media ventures. Notable among these are her participation in events such as the Sony Mommy Bloggers Event, the Pampers Mommy Bloggers Event, the Epson Event in Chicago, the Stouffers Event, a memorable yacht excursion with Lands End, collaborations with 1-800-Baskets, an exclusive tour for bloggers by Mrs. Prindable’s, partnerships with Hallmark, PopCap games, Chicago Cubs Mastercard Priceless Events, and Rug Doctor. In addition, she has collaborated with Nutrisystem on a weight loss initiative, teamed up with Buick and Chevy, and served as a brand ambassador for Sprint. Lisa's collaboration portfolio also extends to Disney, where she has participated in press trips for significant movies such as Frozen, Guardians of the Galaxy, McFarland USA, The Good Dinosaur, The BFG, and Cars 3. Notably, for projects like Frozen, The BFG, and Cars 3, she was granted the privilege of walking the red carpet and conducting interviews with celebrities. The impact of Lisa's blog has gained recognition, with The New York Times referencing her content. Moreover, she has been featured in interviews by respected publications such as the Southtown Star, The Chicago Sun Times, and inside.

This Post Has 18 Comments

  1. Marsha

    Aww, that sounds all really useful. I'll keep it in mind when the time comes for me to get married and have kids, lol.

  2. MyStarbucks

    What we go through for the most thankless job in the world is beyond me but there is something to be said for those sweet little angels when they look up at you and smile that makes it all worthwhile.

    I didn't have it too bad with my first three kids but my last one really put me over the edge. Every time she would cry, which was a lot, I would break out into a cold sweat. My doctor put me on an anti-depressant and I will never go off again. It calms my nerves and keeps me sane with the chaos of life and my hormones.

  3. Kat

    I'm glad that you are feeling better now. 🙂

  4. Malin

    Great post. I have always wondered what can happen after the baby is born. It's not like your body is going back to normal…

  5. Hopeful Spirit

    I applaud you for having the courage to post about your experiences. Your words will help many other women. I send you cyber-hugs and blessings!

  6. Jason A Clark

    I saw this article posted on BloggingZoom.com and thought I would check it out. My wife and I had our first baby only six months ago. As far as I know my wife hasn't had the kind of problems you describe but I've heard of many women who have. It's good that someone such as yourself is writing about it and sharing your experience with others. Good luck with everything.

  7. Lisa

    Thanks 🙂 That's why I wrote this. I figured if I was going through it there were others too.

  8. Wisconsin Mommy

    I had such a similar experience. I got my period a month to the day from when my son was born even though I was nursing exclusively. That began the fun – irregular hellish periods, mood swings, I did actually have a mild case of PPD. It was a few years before everything evened out again. The joys of childbirth, huh? Good thing the rewards are so great!

  9. mel6636

    I researched this topic, happy to see your post. My son is 14 months and I thought "there's no way I can still be having mood swings this bad". I nursed for 10 months, then on a pill – changed pills to Ortho Tri-Cyclen because it was the same one I was on before my son was born. I've been on it for a couple months now. Periods didn't have anything to do with it, I don't think. After reading your post, I wonder if ortho tri-cyclen can act different with your hormones than it did before pregnancy??!! A lot of other factors contribute to my mood, but how I react to those things is what gets me…. my poor husband… :^(

    Thanks again for sharing your experience.

  10. Lisa

    Keep trying different pills. It think there are about 16 out there :). I think your hormones do change after having a baby and that's why it is important to stay in contact with your OBGYN and make sure they know what's going on.

  11. Melissa

    Hey…great Blog…I have been bleeding for about 7 weeks (son born Jan. 26) with only a three day break…It seems a bit abnormal, so I am going to my OBGYN this Tuesday…I cry alot get upset really easy…it's worse than when I was pregnant…but I love my baby and am not unhappy…just really hormonal…I wonder if my husband thinks I am nuts…lol…Your blog really helped…thanks.

    Melissa

  12. DIANE

    IM 20 YEARS OLD SUFFERING FROM POST PARTUM DEPRESSION.IT STARTED WHEN MY BABY BOY BECAME 2 MONTHS NOW HE 5 MONTHS AND I STILL HAVE IT ITS VERY HARD TO DEAL WITH BUT MIND OVER MATTER

  13. kimberly

    i had jsut had a baby and i didnt get my period til it was time for my six week check up. i started taking birth control and i am fixing to be on my period for 2 weeks and its only getting heavier. i am anemic and not taking iron at all. i feel upset all the time scared mostly but i am 16 and i think that it just affected my youth! my fiance and i were already engadged and graduated before we found out about her. so i constantly stay upset about my life being over. i have no friends to help me through this. when i saw your blog i was happy you answered one of my questions. i hope everything works out okay with you!

  14. Nan Swindle

    btw… infertility is not always a women's issue, a large number of men are also diagnosed with below average semen counts (like in my case – it was my husband) that categorise them as infertile but fortunately we were able to deal with it and have get pregnant…

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