>> I was wondering if there is any correlation between a mother having problems with low milk supply (despite frequent nursing) and early return of menstruation (baby less than 2 months).  Does anyone have any information on this?  I know that there are some women who have menstruation resume early despite on demand nursing and plentiful milk supply, so is there a way to know if this would have happened anyway, or if it is due to the milk supply issue?<<

Sonya, 
There definitely is a correlation between low milk supply and early return of menses. I see this quite frequently in women with low milk supply, whether primary or secondary. In my personal case, with my fourth baby with suck problems who eventually faltered in growth, the first red flag for me should have been the fact that my postpartum lochia became weekly spotting that stretched from one to two to three to four weeks apart by 4 months. When baby can't do his job well, milk supply drops, hormone levels change, and menses resumes.

But even with moms who apparently have hormonally caused milk production problems, very often they have a concomittant early return of menses. I don't have this quite all figured out yet, but the very thing that prevents them from making lots of milk also seems to result in hormonal drops/changes that lead to return of fertility. One exception is the women with a history of erratic menstrual cycles-- they may not see that return right away with their low supply.

Low supply and early return of menses in a mother who is nursing frequently lets you know that something isn't working right, whether it be on baby's side or mom's side.

Lisa Marasco, MA, IBCLC, FILCA

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