What happens to your PCOS after you have a baby?

I’ve been wondering about this and doing a little research on it for awhile now. From what I have read, it seems to vary widely from one woman to the next. I will share a few of the things I have noticed personally during this postpartum period, in relation to PCOS.

Weight:

Losing the 15 kg (33 lbs) I gained during my pregnancy was a gradual process. Soon after I delivered via C Section, I lost around 6 kg (13 lbs), and the rest of the weight fell off by around 6 months. Breastfeeding has probably helped me to keep the weight off. I don’t exercise, but I am pretty active during the day and try to eat healthy for the most part.

Breastfeeding:

Breastfeeding was definitely a challenge at the start. I had low milk supply for the first few weeks which may have been due to PCOS. It settled down eventually and I was able to exclusively breastfeed for 6 months, albeit the first 3 weeks when I had to resort to formula. I am very thankful for this.

Hair:

Hair growth on my face and body had reduced during pregnancy, but its back now with a vengeance. Meanwhile, the hair on my head seems to be steadily falling out.

Periods:

Nope, no periods in sight at 8 months postpartum. I’m not sure whether this is due to breastfeeding or PCOS. I know many of you will think that this is a lucky thing, but it worries me. I actually am always happy when I get a natural period, because it happens so rarely for me.

Around 4 months postpartum, I had some persistent pelvic pain on my left side, so I had an abdominal scan done to confirm the cause. It ended being nothing but a muscle pull, but interestingly, the technician informed me that there were still multiple cysts in my ovaries. So. no, your ovaries don’t magically become cyst-free after delivery. Bummer.

What has been your postpartum experience  with PCOS?