Should I be concerned about 31 day cycle?
Question
I gave birth to my son 9 and a half months ago. I had post partum bleeding afterwards. Then my period resumed when he was five months old. One came 24 days later and then another one came 26 days later. I am now on day 31 and I have taken 3 hpts and each gave a negative result. Is it possible for me to be pregnant and it’s just too early to tell? How much longer should I wait before going to the doctor? I am also breastfeeding my son. Please help!
Thank you for your time, Mary
Answer
Last Updated: December 2, 2013
It is not unusual at all for cycle length to vary by a week or so, especially in the first few cycles of return to fertility during breastfeeding. You will feel much more in touch with what your body is doing if you learn to observe and chart the signs it produces. In fact, this will enable you to know when you are fertile, and within a day or two when to expect your next menses. It is easy to do, and with competent instruction is the most effective family planning method you can utilize to either achieve or avoid a pregnancy. I think you, like most women, will find it very empowering to not have to guess what is going on, as you become an expert of your own body.
Sheila St. John
Sheila St. John
Answered By:
Sheila St. John
Sheila St. John is the Executive Director of the California Association of Natural Family Planning, coordinating the non-profit’s education and advocacy efforts throughout the state. Initially attracted to NFP as a healthy, effective method for planning families, drug, device and surgery free, her passion for NFP has grown over the last 42 years as she has journeyed with the over 900 couples she has personally instructed in its use, and been privileged to witness its role in overcoming infertility, women’s health, and the transformation that occurs in lives of men, women, and families, when we embrace God’s design for love and life.
