Q: I am 27 years old working woman having one 16 months old daughter. For the last 3-4 months I am not having my periods regularly. Periods used to start but would not last for more that 2 days as compared to earlier when I used to get my periods for minimum five days. This month I got my period after some pain in back and legs, but on the second day, there were just spots which continued on 3rd day as well. On fourth day there was nothing. I got it checked by a gynaecologist who asked me to get my blood test done for checkup of hormonal imbalance, thyroid & ultrasound done. Ultrasound report says that the egg in my uterus has not broken because of which I did not have my period. Can you please suggest me what to do?

A:The amount of bleeding during a period is not important as long as it is not heavy. Scanty periods are seldom because of a serious disease. Heavy periods are a problem. After one baby the ovulation may be a little irregular especially if you are still breastfeeding (even if the breast feeding is occasional). So you do not have to get paranoid and do not need to worry unless there are other signs of hormonal imbalance like facial hair and overweight. Increasingly we are seeing obesity as a major health risk following a delivery. Traditionally a lot of raw sugars and fats are fed to a new mother in the first years or so after delivery (all the ghee and panjeeri/laddoos) “the special nursing mothers’ diet”. You do not need any of them. You may have been told that milk and ghee is essential for you to produce good quality milk for your baby but this is not medically correct and you should have a healthy balanced diet to produce good milk. If you have noticed cows and buffaloes produce pretty good milk by taking grass (their normal diet). I don't know about you but I have never seen a cow drink milk or ghee! And most I have seen produce OK milk. I have seen millions of women in this country become fat because of this mistaken belief and ghee in their diet will somehow improve the quality of milk they pass on to their babies. This leads to new obesity and a significant hormonal imbalance with menstrual problems. If you are one of those who have never been overweight but are now please lose all this “maternity weight” which is not due to maternity but simple overeating (and eating the wrong kinds of foods). Please increase fruits and vegetables in your diet and cut down on raw fats and sugars. If recent weight gain is your problem just losing weight should take care of your current problems.