Each woman should pay special attention and care to her health. That is why in this article I want to talk about when the period should go after childbirth, what they can be and what a woman should expect from this natural process.
Lochia
Some women mistakenly believe that for the first time,
menstruation after childbirth occurs immediately after the process of the appearance of crumbs in the world. But this is not at all! Do not confuse lochia - abundant secretions that cleanse the woman’s body, namely the uterus and the birth canal, from various residues, with menstruation. This process is of a completely different nature. As for these secretions, in the first week after birth they will most likely be quite plentiful, mainly red, in the second week they will darken to brown, then they will gradually lighten until they completely disappear. This process can last from three weeks to one and a half months. Over the entire period, a woman will lose an average of 300 ml of blood. No need to be scared if at first small clots will come out with secretions, this is normal.
Postpartum period
It's no secret that the process of bearing and giving birth to a baby is a complex biological process that requires a maximum of energy and health from a woman’s body. That is why after giving birth a woman needs a certain amount of time to relax, and nature has foreseen this. If a young mother breast-feeds her baby, which is natural and necessary, such a special female hormone as prolactin is actively produced in her body, which promotes lactation and does everything to prevent a new pregnancy. This, so to speak, is a natural contraceptive. And until the woman has ovulation and menstruation, a new pregnancy is simply impossible. However, do not rely too much on the action of this hormone. After all, a huge number of different factors come into operation here. So, it is important that mom feed the baby as often as possible (no less than every two to three hours), do not take long breaks in feeding even at night. Otherwise, the prolactin level is insufficient to protect the lady from an unwanted pregnancy. This is especially true for the period when mothers begin to introduce complementary foods, and the child needs much less milk to saturate than before.
Breastfeeding and menstruation
Understanding when the menstruation should go after childbirth, each woman is simply obliged to know that it is not at all necessary to completely complete natural feeding. That is, even if a young mother breastfeeds her baby, she may sooner or later menstruate. Do not be afraid, this is a normal process, which in no way affects lactation and only indicates that the body has recovered and is ready for a new conception.
If the birth is natural
So, we answer the question of when the menstruation should go after childbirth. On average, this happens six months after the birth of the baby, but can take up to 10-12 months. At any time during this period, menstruation can begin. However, this applies only to those women whose babies are fully or partially breastfed. If the child is an artificial person, the period may begin much earlier for the mother. When do menstruation after childbirth appear with this scenario? Usually this happens 1.5-3 months after the baby is born. A special case is various complications during childbirth and a difficult period of recovery of a woman’s body after the birth of a child (however, provided that the child is completely breast-fed). In this case, menstruation can begin no earlier than the second or third month after childbirth.
Artificial birth
And when should the menstruation come after childbirth, if the baby was born using a cesarean section? In this situation, it is necessary to take into account various factors, but it is worth noting that this does not affect the timing. That is, such women should be guided by the same figures as mothers who gave birth on their own. Months after artificial birth will begin on average six months after the birth of the baby.
About the norm
So, when there are menstruation after childbirth, we figured it out. Now it is worth paying attention to the process itself, to sort out all the nuances. It must be said that the first menstruation will be quite plentiful. Do not be afraid, this is a normal state of things. It is explained by the fact that in the uterus there may be mucous residues that did not have time to go out with the lochia, all this will leave the body during the first menstruation. If a woman's discharge lasts no more than a week and is not accompanied by symptoms of anemia (palpitations, dizziness, and general weakness), do not worry. In another case, it is better to consult a doctor.
Anxiety symptoms
Having figured out what happens to the body after childbirth, how the periods go and what they can be, it is also worth discussing in which cases it is necessary to start being anxious. So, you need to seek medical help if the following symptoms are present: too much bleeding of a scarlet, bright red color; if too large clots are observed in the discharge; spotting has a sharp unpleasant odor; menstruation is accompanied by various pains in the uterus, dizziness and weakness. All these troubles can indicate the presence of an infection in the body or provoke anemia.
About pain
Many women are wondering if pain during menstruation after childbirth remains. Note that the first discharge will be associated with stronger pain than usual. However, this state of affairs will not last long, and subsequent menstruation should no longer be so painful. But, again, it is worth remembering that everything depends on the woman’s body. Some ladies say that after childbirth pain before menstruation and during them is practically not observed, in some, the discomfort, on the contrary, intensifies. This is all individual, and there is no criterion to give averaged indicators on this issue.
About the cycle
It happens that a woman has passed her first menstruation, but the second menstruation after delivery does not occur. "Delay and pregnancy!", - many think. However, this is far from always the case. Again, I want to remind you that while a woman gives a baby a breast, the level of prolactin in the body can change, then letting menstruation begin, then eliminating this possibility. That is, if a child ate a little period of mother’s milk, and a lactation crisis occurred , menstruation can begin, because the level of prolactin in the body decreases sharply. However, after a while the baby can change his mind and again begin to often attach to the chest. Here, menstruation may be delayed - this should not be afraid, this is quite possible. As for the general figures, the full cycle should be restored approximately three to four months after the onset of monthly menstruation. If this does not happen, you need to seek the advice of a gynecologist. However, it is worth remembering that while the mother feeds the baby with breast milk, various malfunctions can be observed, and this will not always mean certain problems with women's health.
Personal hygiene
Having figured out whether the menstruation goes after childbirth, it is worthwhile to dwell on such an important point as the
personal hygiene of a woman, especially during critical days. As for the personal toilet in the
first month after the birth of the baby, here the young mother should be extremely careful not to bring any infection into her body. At this time, it is necessary to abandon all sorts of auxiliary means, washed only with clean water. At first, it is better to even use boiled water. Also, until the full restoration of the normal
menstrual cycle, women are not recommended to use pads, especially perfumed ones, and tampons (the same applies to hygiene products during lochia). So, you need to find alternative methods. Alternatively, menstrual cups are suitable, which are safe for use during menstruation and do not harm the female body, as the pads do. In extreme cases, you can use gaskets with a smooth smooth surface, which must be changed every 3-4 hours, regardless of the time of day. Also, during spotting, a woman is recommended a frequent toilet of the female genital organs. It is best to do this every time you change the gasket, so you can avoid infection. In addition, it is necessary so far to abandon various gels for intimate hygiene, it is better to use ordinary baby soap.