The question that worries almost all new mothers: "How long after giving birth do periods begin?" This is not surprising, because it is the menstrual cycle that, as a rule, is a guide to the state of women's he alth. We propose to understand in more detail the topic of when menstruation should begin after childbirth, and find answers to the most common questions of young mothers.
Is Lochia the same as menstruation?
It is worth starting the discussion of the topic with the discharge that appears after childbirth. Many equate them with very heavy periods, but they are not!
Such spotting is called lochia. They occur due to the wound formed as a result of separation of the placenta on the wall of the uterus. Unlike menstruation, lochia will not stand out for several days, but for about 5-8 weeks. During this time, their numberwill gradually decrease, and the color will become almost transparent.
Why doesn't my period start right away?
During pregnancy and childbirth, the female body undergoes a serious restructuring and begins to function in completely different conditions. Before the menstruation begins, he will need to fully recover. This will be followed by the regulation of the hormonal background, its return to the "pre-pregnancy" state. Only after this will the first menstruation after childbirth begin. There is no rule for when this should happen. Each case is unique, and timeframes can vary from two months to a year or more.
No period means you won't get pregnant and don't use contraception?
How long after giving birth, menstruation begins will depend on several factors, which we will consider a little later. Is it possible to get pregnant during the absence of menstruation?
Many are convinced that this is impossible before the first critical days. But this opinion is wrong! First, let's remember what "menstruation" is. This is bleeding that is caused by the rejection of the uterine membrane if the mature egg was not fertilized.
What conclusion follows from this? Ovulation occurs before the first period begins. It is impossible to predict when this will happen. This means that unprotected intercourse can coincide with the period of maturation of the egg, and as a result, pregnancy will occur before the onset of the first menstruation after childbirth.
Therefore, if the plansnew parents do not include the birth of another toddler, you should not refuse to use contraceptives. By the way, condoms are best for a woman who has recently given birth. You will have to forget about various hormonal drugs, spirals and other means for a while.
Does the recovery of the cycle depend on the type of delivery?
It has long been proven that the way a baby is born does not affect the duration of the body's recovery. But it is worth considering that during a caesarean section, the uterus is injured much more, which means that the menstrual cycle after childbirth can recover a little later. But these terms will not be so significant.
The only exceptions are cases of complicated childbirth, after which bleeding, sepsis, endometritis or other serious illnesses were observed. All of them noticeably slow down the recovery of the uterus, as a result of which the first menstruation will come much later than the deadlines stipulated by the norms.
Now it's time to answer the most important question of the article: "How long after giving birth do periods begin?" Please note that all times quoted are approximate only. In addition, the onset of the first menstruation depends on many internal and external factors.
When will my period start if the baby is breastfed?
Restoring the menstrual cycle is closely related to breastfeeding. During the lactation period, the amount of prolactin in the body increases significantly. But this hormone does not respondjust for milk production. It stops the cyclic processes in the ovaries, as a result of which ovulation does not occur, which means that menstruation also does not occur. The main goal of the body now is to feed the baby. It is to this that he directs all his strength, preventing a new conception.
New mothers need to know that the production of prolactin depends on how often the baby is applied to the breast. And this applies not only to the daytime, but also to the night! This information will also be needed for those who want to establish breastfeeding and achieve sufficient milk production. You just need not to refuse the child in nightly attachments and in no case replace the breast with a bottle, especially at night.
Period after childbirth with breastfeeding begins when the amount of milk decreases. This usually happens with the start of the introduction of complementary foods, when the baby is 6 months old. The first period may begin after at least one feeding has been completely replaced by adult food.
It is also not uncommon that menstruation after childbirth during breastfeeding does not begin until the end of lactation. If a woman is not worried about anything during this period (pain, unusual discharge, and so on), then there is absolutely no reason to panic.
Should I feed or not if my period started?
No matter how strange it may sound, many young mothers ask a similar question. Of course, you don't have to stop breastfeeding! The only thing to consider is that duringmenstruation may slightly decrease the amount of milk. True, this problem is very easy to fix. It is enough just to put the baby to the breast more often.
Many have noticed that during menstruation, a child may begin to refuse breastfeeding or eat very poorly. Some experts explain this by a change in the taste of milk, while others are sure that the matter is in the increased work of the sweat glands. Therefore, during critical days, mothers need to shower more often, put the baby to the breast at every request.
When will my period start if the baby is mixed-fed?
If for some reason there is not enough breast milk and the baby is supplemented with formula from the first weeks of life, the critical days will begin much earlier than in the previous version. When should menstruation begin after childbirth in this case? This happens after about 5 months, although there are small deviations from this norm.
When will my period start if the baby is formula fed?
How long after childbirth does menstruation begin if the mother has chosen artificial feeding for the baby? In such a situation, the first ovulation can occur after 9 weeks, which means that the critical days will come after 11 weeks. But the average value, which is called by experienced gynecologists, is 3 months. This is how long it will take the body to restore hormonal balance after childbirth in the absence of lactation.
What external factors can affect cycle recovery?
To restore menstrual functionmany external factors also influence. That is why women are advised to devote enough time to sleep and rest, take various vitamin complexes, do not refuse walks in the fresh air, avoid stress, eat well, and so on.
Thus, it will be possible not only to quickly restore cyclic hormonal activity, but also to establish lactation (if this is still relevant).
What periods can be considered "normal"?
In most cases, the menstrual cycle after childbirth is restored very quickly. Periods come regularly, have normal duration and intensity, the woman no longer suffers from severe pain, and so on.
Although there are some deviations from the norm: an increase or decrease in the cycle, scarce or, conversely, more abundant discharge, and so on. Note that with regards to the duration of the cycle and the menstruation itself, there are some generally accepted norms that gynecologists are guided by:
- Menstruation should be between 4-6 days.
- Menstrual bleeding should be repeated every 21-34 days.
- Discharge should not exceed 80ml (about 6 scoops).
What can a deviation from one or several points of the norm indicate? Let's figure it out.
If your period is delayed or "disappeared"
It also happens that menstruation after childbirth disappeared. If a woman is still breastfeeding, there is nothing to worry about. Irregular periods after childbirthstay for 2-3 months. You just need to remember that soon the cycle will get better, and critical days will come when needed.
But if there is any suspicion, it is better to consult a gynecologist and undergo a diagnosis. In some cases, irregular periods after childbirth may indicate hormonal imbalances. If this is true, the doctor will prescribe a special treatment that will help to cope with the problem.
Delayed menstruation after childbirth may be associated with the onset of pregnancy. In particular, it is worth considering for couples who have refused to use contraceptives.
Change the number of allocations
Scanty periods after childbirth or, conversely, too much discharge in many cases indicate the presence of serious diseases. For example, an excessive amount of blood is released when:
- endometriosis;
- endometrial hyperplasia;
- adenomyosis.
And meager periods can indicate an increased level of prolactin in the blood. This is also a reason to visit the gynecologist immediately.
When to run to the doctor?
Women who have given birth wait for their period to be sure that everything is in order with their he alth. But there are a few signs that should alert you.
It is necessary to seek medical help in cases where during menstruation there are:
- too abundant discharge, in whichthe need to change the gasket occurs every hour or more often;
- change the color of the selection to scarlet (bright red);
- bad smell;
- discharge did not stop or at least did not decrease after a week;
- blood clots;
- deterioration of general well-being, fever.
All of these signs can indicate postpartum hemorrhage, so don't put off seeing a doctor.
And finally…
If a young mother is breastfeeding a toddler and feels great at the same time, do not worry about the lack of menstruation. Sooner or later they will start.
