Your body goes through several changes before and during pregnancy. The changes will continue after you have delivered your baby. These changes will slowly help your body come back to normal, and one of them is your periods after pregnancy. The first menstruation after pregnancy for each woman can vary. Some may experience that several months later while some women may have periods one month later after giving a baby. The first period may feel a bit difficult, but you should prepare yourself mentally for this.

When Will You Have Your Periods After Pregnancy?

Bear in mind that there is no definite time for the arrival of your first period after pregnancy. The general rule is, women will have her first period after pregnancy 6 months or later if she breastfeeds exclusively, but the period will come from 45 days to 7-9 weeks if she bottle feeds.  However, certain things will help you make a guess.

Nursing Moms

One simple way to avoid dealing with premenstrual syndrome, buying tamponsand coping with cramps is to breastfeed your baby, day and night. Breastfeeding can keep your periods at bay for at least six months or even longer.It also works the other way round.Breastfeed your baby less often and your period will arrive soon. If your baby sleeps through the night and you do not get a chance to feed them, or you are supplementing with formula, the chances are that you will have your period in less than six months. However, just keep in mindthat it is not always guaranteed that your period will take more time to arrive if you continue to breastfeed. Exceptions are possible.

Non-Nursing Moms

Things can be different on periods after pregnancy for non-nursing moms. If you are not breastfeeding and are 'formula-feeding' your baby, you are more likely to experience your first periodwithin three months of delivery. In fact, you should talk to your doctor if you are not nursing and your period does not arrive within 3 months after delivery, which may be due to certain complications such as amenorrhea or other issues.

As for the Fertility

When it comes to fertility, remember that you can still get pregnant soon after delivering a baby, even if you have not had your postpartum period. You get your period about 10-14 days after ovulation, which means you may already be fertile and ready to conceive even before you witness your period.

Some women become pregnant on their first cycle and do not witness any period between pregnancies, which makes it difficult to determine the accurate due date. Therefore, it is a good idea to talk to your doctor and ask about the best birth control method after your first pregnancy, even if you have not experienced menstruation after pregnancy.

What to Expect from Periods After Pregnancy

Thanks to the hormonal changes in your body after pregnancy, you are going to experience more discomfort in periods after delivery. This will continue for some time until your body returns to its post-pregnancy state. You may also experience spotting in between periods after delivery.Here are something more to expect from your periods after giving birth to your baby.

1. Duration

The very first period of after pregnancy may last longer than a normal one. It may take about 5-7 days to finish. Some women have even confirmed that their first period after pregnancy continued for three weeks. Talk to your doctor if your period lasts much longer than usual.

2. Use of Tampons

Another issue you may face during periods after pregnancy is regarding the use of tampons. With your vaginal muscles becoming weak, your cervix may dip down further than normal, and this makes it difficult to use a tampon. Do Kegel exercises after pregnancy to restore the strength of your vaginal muscles.

3. Blood Clots

Many women have complained about experiencing blood clots when they have their first period after pregnancy ends. That is not always due to a complication. It usually means your body is trying to heal from the inside. If the condition persists for more than a week or so, you should speak to your doctor.

Other Women's Experience

Worse Than Before

"My periods changed dramatically after delivery, which was told to be due to the fact that I had been on the pill in my sexually active teen years. It is also explained that the period I had while on the pill was not a natural period. It was in fact withdrawal bleeding from synthetic hormones. With all these conditions, I was experiencing extremely heavy period post-baby. I was slightly overweight as well, and my doctor said that might have played a role in making me experience heavier than usual periods."

If you are experiencing the same or finding your periods disruptive, you may consider going for a surgical procedure called endometrial ablation. It helps lighten or even makes your period go away for good. Just opt for this option if you finish having babies.

Going Rogue

"I was not like most women whose period bounce back to regular 28 days after delivery. Mine was more erratic; in fact, it still is. My doctor says my body needs more time to settle. Some also informed me that issues like badly managed weight, thyroid abnormalities, and stress can also lead to a wonky cycle."

Getting Easier

"I think I was the lucky one because my period did not become worse after pregnancy. In fact, it was the other way round. It might be because I was an endometriosis sufferer. My doctors said that so many structural issues caused by endometriosis improve when the tissue, the ligament and the adhesions relax during childbirth. High levels of progesterone also limit the amount of estrogen, which reduces excessive growth of uterine cells. Whatever it is, I just love it."

When to Worry

While it is common to have erratic periods after pregnancy, you may want to see your doctor if the condition persists for long. It could be due to a problem such as molar pregnancy, a thyroid disease or an infection. If you have extremely heavy bleeding that makes you change a pad in less than an hour or you notice large blood clots, take a medical visit immediately.