First Period after Delivery

Your first menstrual period after childbirth depends on how you nurse your baby. The time, duration and flow of first postpartum menstrual cycle vary between a breastfeeding mother and a bottle-feeding mother. There is no way by which you can predict your cycle but learning beforehand about what it would be like will make it less confusing.

When to Expect It

Most of the women usually get it within three months after childbirth. However, keep in mind that duration varies from woman to woman, especially in those who breastfed. Some breastfeeding mothers do not menstruate even after six months of weaning. If you don’t breastfeed and haven’t got your period even after three months of childbirth, see your doctor at the earliest. You may be pregnant again. If you suspect so, verify it with a home pregnancy test.

First period after delivery is Often:

• Heavier than normal periods
• Longer than normal periods
• Painful than your previous cycles.

With so much of time passed between the last period and first postpartum period, it is normal to have heavier and longer period. After this, your body will re-establish the normal menstrual routine and subsequent cycles will be similar to your periods before pregnancy.

What it Indicates

Experiencing your first postpartum period indicates that your body has started ovulating normally; however, this doesn't necessarily mean that your monthly cycles will be regular. Normal ovulation can be disrupted by breastfeeding, resulting in periods in every few weeks, every two months or every six months. No one can really predict its time of occurrence. If you are experiencing the same situation while you are breastfeeding, it is perfectly normal and will become regular after you've stopped breastfeeding.

Misconceptions

Bleeding right after giving birth is commonly mistaken as your first postpartum period.  It is postpartum bleeding. Postpartum bleeding is a result of extra fluid, blood and tissue associated with pregnancy. This bleeding continues for around four to six weeks. Once it stops, your body prepares itself for first period after delivery, which you’ll be experiencing in a few weeks.

Another common misconception is that breastfeeding prevents pregnancy. In fact, breastfeeding provides only about 60 percent protection from pregnancy, thus, you have chances of conceiving again in a few weeks or months after delivery.

Watch for any unusual symptoms:

• Large blood clots
• Excessive bleeding, you are changing three to four pads during a day
• Extreme pain that gives a lot of trouble.

The aforementioned symptoms could be a sign of an infection, tubal pregnancy or retained placenta.

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