What Is The First Period After Pregnancy Like?
Your first menstrual period is a significant milestone during puberty. Your first period after giving birth might feel almost the same. Will it be more painful and longer? When can you expect it to start? And how long are you protected against pregnancy after giving birth? In this article, we try to answer all these questions for you.
One of the best things about being pregnant is not having to deal with periods for several months. By the time you give birth and start warming up to your new role as a mom, you might even forget you've ever had to go through period cramps, bloating, acne, and fatigue each month.
But whether you want it or not, your period will eventually start again. However, it might be a bit different from what you experienced before getting pregnant.
WomanLog
Period Tracker & Calendar
You can track your period using WomanLog. Download WomanLog now:
You can track your period using WomanLog. Download WomanLog now:
Why do periods stop during pregnancy?
Let's put this myth to rest once and for all: you can't have periods while pregnant. You might mistake implantation bleeding or spotting for a period, but it's not the same. Here's why.
Periods stop during pregnancy after an egg is fertilized by a sperm. As the egg implants in the uterine lining, it begins producing the human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG) hormone.
hCG signals the ovaries to stop releasing mature eggs each month (ovulation). Without ovulation, there is no shedding of the uterine lining, which is what causes menstrual bleeding.
Increased levels of progesterone and estrogen during pregnancy also help maintain and thicken the uterine lining to support the growing fetus. The lack of ovulation, combined with the hormonal changes, causes the regular menstrual cycles to stop until after childbirth.
You shouldn't experience any significant bleeding during your pregnancy. If you do, it's important to react quickly, recognize the signs, and seek medical help.
Is it normal to bleed during pregnancy?
Spotting in your first trimester is likely normal. Light spotting may occur around the time you expect to get your normal period, usually about 10-14 days after you've conceived, as the fertilized egg implants in the uterus. It's called implantation bleeding. Up to 25% of pregnant women experience some spotting early on. This is usually not a concern if it's light or infrequent. You might also experience light cramping. That's why many women mistake implantation bleeding for their period.
However, implantation bleeding is different from a menstrual period. It's important to recognize the first signs so that you can get prenatal care as soon as possible.
Implantation bleeding:
- Is light, not clotty like menstrual bleeding during the first days.
- Is more of a pink color or brown, similar to when your period ends.
- It lasts only a couple of hours to a couple of days.
However, if your normal period is very light or if you take hormonal contraception that makes your periods lighter, you might not notice the difference. In that case, if you had unprotected sex and suspect you could be pregnant, you should do a pregnancy test and stop taking your birth control immediately.
Light bleeding can also happen after rough sexual intercourse or a cervical exam. However, such bleeding tends to be very short-lived and light, maybe only a few spots of dried blood.
If you experience heavy bleeding during the first trimester of your pregnancy, it’s a cause for concern.
You should immediately report to your doctor if you're:
- Bleeding heavily
- The blood is a bright red color
- Experiencing strong abdominal pain
- Vomiting or feeling nauseated
- Having a high fever
- Passing clots
- Feeling dizzy
Reasons for heavy bleeding in the first trimester of pregnancy
Miscarriage
Miscarriages are more common than most people think. Around 20% of known pregnancies end in miscarriage. A miscarriage is an unplanned loss of pregnancy that happens in the first 20 weeks of pregnancy. Sometimes people don't even know they are pregnant as a miscarriage might happen very early in the pregnancy and resemble a heavy menstrual period.
Ectopic pregnancy
An ectopic pregnancy is a serious condition where a fertilized egg implants and begins to grow outside of the uterus. The most common location for an ectopic pregnancy is within one of the fallopian tubes, which carry eggs from the ovaries to the uterus.
However, ectopic pregnancies can also develop in the ovaries, abdominal cavity, or cervix. It can cause abnormal bleeding and severe pain. An ectopic pregnancy is an emergency as the fetus can't develop outside the uterus, and therefore such a pregnancy has to be terminated.
Molar pregnancy
A molar pregnancy, also known as a hydatidiform mole, is a complication of pregnancy. It happens in 1 in 1000-2000 pregnancies and is usually detected early on. A molar pregnancy happens when egg and sperm cells join and instead of growing into an embryo, they turn into a benign tumor. There are two types of molar pregnancies: complete and partial. In both cases, the pregnancy isn't viable and often ends in miscarriage.
- A complete molar pregnancy is when there’s no normal fetal tissue. Instead, the placenta develops into an abnormal mass of cysts that resemble a cluster of grapes.
- A partial molar pregnancy is when there’s both abnormal placental tissue and some fetal tissue. However, the fetal tissue is typically malformed and cannot develop into a viable fetus.
A molar pregnancy is also an emergency and has to be treated as soon as possible. The treatment involves surgically removing the molar tissue from the uterus and monitoring hCG levels to ensure all molar tissue has been completely removed. In rare cases, it can develop into cancer. Your doctor will also advise you to avoid getting pregnant for at least six months to a year after treatment to ensure hCG levels return to normal.
Bleeding later in pregnancy
While some women experience occasional spotting during pregnancy and give birth to a healthy baby, heavier bleeding, enough to soak a pad, is not normal after 12 weeks of pregnancy. It can be a sign of placental issues like placenta previa or placental abruption.
Preterm labor can also cause bleeding during the later stages of pregnancy. Preterm labor is considered when you go into labor before the 37th week of pregnancy. You should immediately go to the hospital if you're experiencing regular contractions, a sudden gush of fluid from the vagina, or bleeding. Preterm labor requires special care, as the baby and mother are more likely to experience complications.
Bleeding after giving birth
While your period won’t start right away, you’ll experience vaginal bleeding after delivering your baby. It’s completely normal as your body needs to heal after pushing the entire human being outside of your body. Bleeding after giving birth, known as postpartum bleeding or lochia, is a normal part of the postpartum recovery process as the body expels the remnants of pregnancy from the uterus.
After childbirth, the placenta leaves a wound the size of a dinner plate inside your uterus. Regardless of how you delivered your baby, it takes around 6 weeks for your uterus to get back to its original size and heal the wound that’s left after giving birth. During this time, you are likely to experience bleeding.
In the beginning, it might be heavier, resembling your menstrual period. Bright red blood and small clots are normal during the first days after delivery. Try not to move too much or lift too heavily as it might cause you to bleed more. In the final weeks, the bleeding should become more infrequent, light, and brown in color.
However, very heavy bleeding after childbirth can be a sign of postpartum hemorrhage. Go to the hospital immediately if you:
- Bleed heavily beyond 3 days after the delivery
- Soak more than one sanitary pad per hour
- Pass big blood clots
- Feel dizzy and weak
- Have a fever and chills
Your first period after pregnancy
As much as you might not want your period to start after a long break, it'll eventually return at its own pace. Most women get their first periods after giving birth in 4-6 weeks. It might take longer for your period to arrive if you breastfeed your baby. Breastfeeding delays your period because of prolactin.
This hormone stops your reproductive cycle, so you don't ovulate or have your period for a while. In fact, if you continue to breastfeed your baby exclusively, your period might not return for the entire duration of breastfeeding.
How is the first period after pregnancy different?
It's hard to tell what your first period will be like after giving birth. Many women notice changes in duration, symptoms, and flow. However, most of the changes in your period and cycle should be temporary and eventually return to what they were before you got pregnant.
Here's what you can expect:
- The first few periods are typically heavier than pre-pregnancy periods because of the uterine lining buildup during pregnancy.
- You might notice more clotting as the uterus sheds its thickened lining.
- Menstrual cramps can be more intense in the first few cycles as the uterus contracts back to its normal size. However, some women, especially those suffering from dysmenorrhea (very painful periods), might experience temporary relief as cramps are milder for them.
- Cycles are often irregular for several months postpartum before settling into a normal pattern again.
- Periods may last longer than the normal 3-7 days in the first few cycles after pregnancy.
- For breastfeeding moms, periods can temporarily affect their milk supply.
Can I use a tampon or menstrual cup after giving birth?
Avoid using tampons and menstrual cups until you are cleared during your 6-week postnatal check. Even if you don't experience pain, your uterus still needs time to heal properly. Tampons and especially menstrual cups create a vacuum, which might cause old wounds to rupture.
At the same time, your reproductive organs are more susceptible to infections that are more likely to happen if you're using tampons and menstrual cups. It's better to use pads, menstrual panties, or similar hygiene products during your first period after giving birth.
When can I get pregnant again?
After giving birth, it's recommended to avoid sexual intercourse for at least 6 weeks to let your body heal completely. However, many women experience sexual dysfunction for the first year after vaginal delivery. When you feel ready to have sex, but not ready to get pregnant again, you should use some type of birth control.
You can get pregnant after giving birth as soon as your period starts, 4-6 weeks after delivery. Many women use breastfeeding as a natural birth control method, but it's not always reliable. According to Planned Parenthood, when done perfectly, it has a 98% success rate. But that means you nurse your baby at least every 4 hours during the day and every 6 hours at night, and you exclusively feed them breast milk. If you occasionally use formula, you should use additional birth control to prevent unplanned pregnancy.
It takes time for your body to get back to normal
Pregnancy and childbirth are some of the most strenuous experiences your body goes through in a lifetime. They change your physical and mental state. Your body needs time to come back to where it was before, with some things never being the same. We hope this article gave you a better idea of what to expect when your first period happens and to be prepared.
Download WomanLog now:
