If you’re a new mother, you’re probably wondering when you’ll get your first postpartum period. It’s a big deal, and it raises a ton of questions. How long until your period comes back? What do you do if it’s slow to reappear? What type of menstruation protection should you use? If you’ve got questions like these, Mme L’Ovary’s here to put your mind at ease.
What is postpartum menstruation?
While you’re pregnant, your menstrual cycle goes on hiatus. When it comes back after you give birth, it’s known as “postpartum menstruation.”
It might take anywhere from a few weeks to several months after childbirth for your menstrual cycle to kick back in. Every mother is different, meaning every mother gets her postpartum period at a different time, and that includes breastfeeding mothers – you might get it before you’re done nursing, or it might not come back until after.
But be careful not to confuse menstruation with lochia, which is bleeding that comes on the heels of childbirth. It can have a heavier flow as the days go on, but it’s got nothing to do with menstruation! It’s actually blood, tissue, and bacteria related to pregnancy and childbirth.
How long after childbirth until your period comes back?
There’s no fixed period when it comes to your period! It comes back at a different time for each and every mother, whether they’re breastfeeding or not. But even though there’s no guaranteed return of arrival, there are still some average benchmarks you might want to be aware of. Just don’t stress if they don’t describe your experience!
- On average, women who’ve decided not to breastfeed see their periods return 6 to 8 weeks after giving birth.
- Breastfeeding can definitely delay the return of your period, but it doesn’t always. If you’re a breastfeeding mother, your period might not come back while your baby’s still nursing, even if that takes a year. If you’re not breastfeeding, your period will likely come back a few months after labour.
And as noted, these timelines will vary from person to person. Don’t stress if those benchmarks don’t describe your experience. And if you’re stressing, we totally get it. Motherhood isn’t easy, and it never hurts to speak to a specialist.
Heavy flow, irregular cycle: The postpartum period can be a real roller coaster
The first menstrual cycles after childbirth might be very different from the periods you had before pregnancy, so don’t be surprised if your period is longer, heavier, or more painful than usual. Your cycle might take a while to get back to what it was, so be patient! Your body just went through a whole pile of enormous changes.
Finally, beware of popular misconceptions! It’s quite possible to ovulate even before the return of your first period after giving birth. If you don’t want to get pregnant during your postpartum, consider protecting yourself with a contraceptive method suited to your needs. Natural contraceptive methods are also available.
Which type of menstrual protection should you choose for your postpartum period?
When your first period returns, you can use any kind of menstrual protection you want! Since menstruation after childbirth can be very heavy, postpartum panties are the ideal choice.
Mme L’Ovary is all about offering maximum comfort to each and every menstruating person. If you gave birth via Cesarean section, we’ve got some styles of high-waisted period panties that feature a higher elastic band so you won’t chafe your scar.
Plus, menstrual panties are particularly well suited to heavy flows. They also offer incomparable comfort during a time when your body’s still dealing with a lot of stress. And here’s the best part: not only will your reusable period panties help you in early motherhood, you’ll be able to use them for years to come.
