This is because your uterus grows during pregnancy; then it shrinks after delivery although it may remain slightly larger.
The endometrial lining—what is shed during a period—has to remodel itself as it goes through these changes, says Dr. This process occurs with each pregnancy, so you may notice changes in your period after each baby. Your postpartum period may also be heavier if you'd been on hormonal birth control before pregnancy—such as the pill or some IUDs—since hormonal contraceptives thin the endometrial lining.
Generally, most women don't need to go up a size in tampons. With time, using a tampon should feel as normal as it did before. It can take time for your hormones to get back to normal, especially if you're breastfeeding, Dr.
One menstrual cycle might be 24 days, the next one might be 28 days, and then another one could be 35 days. Your cycle should stabilize within a few months or after you've stopped breastfeeding.
You can expect some heavier bleeding and increased cramping with your initial postpartum period. But if you need to change your tampon or pad every hour or more frequently, alert your doctor, says Dr. It could signal an infection, fibroids, or polyps. Also contact your doctor to rule out anemia or a thyroid dysfunction if you experience any of the following: periods that last longer than seven days or contain clots larger than a quarter; skipping a period after menstruation has restarted; spotting between periods; or if yours has not resumed three months after childbirth or three months after you stop breastfeeding.
There are also some hormonal birth control options that are considered safe during breastfeeding. Your doctor can provide the latest updates on specific types of birth control. Progestin-only pills are also safe to use while breastfeeding. Your body is once again adjusting to menstruation. You may experience some of the following differences :. It might also be accompanied by more intense cramping, due to an increased amount of uterine lining that needs to be shed.
As you continue your cycle, these changes will likely decrease. In rare cases, complications such as thyroid problems or adenomyosis can cause heavy bleeding after pregnancy. Adenomyosis is a thickening of the uterine wall. Women who had endometriosis before pregnancy might actually have lighter periods after giving birth. Light periods can also be caused by two rare conditions, Asherman syndrome and Sheehan syndrome. Asherman syndrome leads to scar tissue in the uterus.
Sheehan syndrome is caused by damage to your pituitary gland , which may be the result of severe blood loss.
Mildly painful postpartum periods can be caused by a combination of several factors. They include:. Whether you delivered your baby vaginally or by cesarean delivery , you can expect some bleeding and vaginal discharge after giving birth.
Your body continues to shed the blood and tissue that lined your uterus while you were pregnant. In the first few weeks, blood might be heavier and appear in clots. As the weeks go by, this blood gives way to vaginal discharge known as lochia. Lochia is bodily fluid that can appear clear to creamy white to red in color.
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Bleeding and periods — what can I expect after birth? If you've given birth more than 24 hours ago, contact your doctor or midwife immediately if you notice: blood that soaks more than one pad every 1 to 2 hours a sudden increase in blood or large clots blood which suddenly turns bright red in colour dizziness, weakness or trouble breathing anything else that seems unusual about your post-birth bleeding When will my period return?
Does breastfeeding affect my periods? Will a period affect the taste of my breastmilk? American Pregnancy Association. Gross BA, Burger H. Breastfeeding patterns and return to fertility in Australian women. Danforth DN. Danforth's Obstetrics and Gynecology. Gibbs RS, editor. Ellison PT.
Breastfeeding, Fertility, and Maternal Condition. Breastfeeding: Bicultural Perspectives. Lawrence, Ruth A. Elsevier Health Sciences.
Riordan, J. Breastfeeding and Human Lactation Fourth Edition. Jones and Bartlett Learning. The Womanly Art of Breastfeeding. Random House Digital, Inc. Your Privacy Rights. To change or withdraw your consent choices for VerywellFamily. At any time, you can update your settings through the "EU Privacy" link at the bottom of any page. These choices will be signaled globally to our partners and will not affect browsing data.
We and our partners process data to: Actively scan device characteristics for identification. I Accept Show Purposes. Table of Contents View All. Table of Contents. Post-Labor Bleeding. First Period After Birth. Affects on Breastfeeding. Your Period and Your Baby. Fertility Following Childbirth. Lochia starts out as bright red bleeding. It can be very heavy, and it may contain blood clots. Your Guide to Breastfeeding and Sore Nipples.
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