What to Expect from Your First Period after Pregnancy

As you will get nine months freedom from your periods, you need to make sure the menstrual cycle is working fine after pregnancy. The first menstrual period you get after pregnancy is generally different from the ones you used to get before pregnancy.

A normal period after pregnancy typically returns in about six to eight weeks after giving birth. The time of first period varies depending on whether you are breast-feeding or not. In few cases women do not get their periods throughout the time when they are breast-feeding. In rest of the cases periods might return after a couple of months irrespective of whether they breastfeed or not.

Breast-feeding women don’t get their periods soon after the pregnancy due to the hormonal imbalance. Prolactin hormone that is required to produce breast milk can suppress the production of reproductive hormones in the body. As the level of reproductive hormones gets suppressed, ovulation will not happen and thus the eggs are not released for fertilization. Without the process of ovulation a woman won’t be able to menstruate.

If your period returns quickly after having a vaginal delivery, your doctor might recommend you to avoid using tampons during the first menstrual period after pregnancy.  Using tampons during the first menstruation period can cause trauma because your body is still in a healing stage.

Changes in Menstruation Period Post Pregnancy

As there is nine months gap for the menstruation period to return, your body needs time to heal and prepare itself for the next menstruation. The following differences are experienced in the first menstruation post pregnancy:

• Mild or severe cramping
• Blood clots
• Heavier flow
• Flow that seems to stop and start

What to Expect from the First Menstruation Period Postpartum

Postpartum is generally a phase when you body will shed blood and certain tissues that lined up your uterus during pregnancy. Vaginal delivery or a caesarean section both can lead to some bleeding and vaginal discharge after you delivered the baby.

In the first few weeks the bleeding will be heavier or in the form of clots. As the weeks progresses the vaginal discharge called lochia starts releasing. Lochia is a creamy white colour bodily fluid that generally gets released after the bleeding.

Lochia will be released for about six weeks. This is the time your period might take to return, if you are not breast-feeding. In case if you experience the following signs you must consult the doctor:

• Soaking more than one tampon or pad every hour
• Sudden and severe pain accompanied with bleeding
• Sudden high fever
• Heavy bleeding for more than seven days.

If you are facing any issues postpartum you can consult the postnatal care services provided by the skilled practitioners for mother and baby care. The postpartum care services can help in early healing post pregnancy. The postnatal care Bangalore also offers best postpartum care services.  You can contact Sangopan- postnatal care Hyderabad for further assistance.