Periods awful since baby was born, is breastfeeding the cause?

[Pinkmalinky]

Had my baby 8 months ago, he’s still mostly breastfed with the odd bit of food.

My periods started up again when he was 6 months old. The first period was completely normal for me, lasted five days and was fine. Second period lasted for twelve days and was very heavy for the majority. This period is on day two and again, is ridiculously heavy. I’ve never suffered with heavy periods so this is new to me, I’m soaking through pads and having bad cramps.

Should also note that my period came on CD40 this time, was CD34 last time so they’re irregular and erratic in that sense too... Is breastfeeding to blame or is this relatively normal for postpartum periods?

It can be normal for periods to change after having a baby, I don't think it's related to breastfeeding.

I breastfed for two years, and my periods were also awful when they returned at around 9 months. I'd previously had very light periods with minimal cramping, they floor me with the pain now no last a week. I stopped breastfeeding a year ago and so far no improvements to report I'm afraid.

I had the same, flooding and going on for a long time. I put up with them for four years and eventually consulted a gynaecologist who put me on a short course of tablets which put everything right. I wished I'd gone before, now don't know why I didn't. It was just a hormone imbalance, quite often happens after a pregnancy.

I think this is normal for the first few periods and nothing to do with breastfeeding. My periods after my first were quite heavy (the first few much more so), but they have stayed heavier than they were pre babies (first is 6 now!). But I now also have a copper coil which itself causes heavy periods.

Is it worth a trip to the GP to check for a hormonal imbalance then or is it just something I’ll have to deal with now? I’m struggling because I’ve luckily had many years of fairly light, very regular periods and now this . Much sympathy for women with heavy periods, it sucks.