Finally, the long-awaited baby pleased his parents with his appearance. Mom is calm and happy, but the next day she is covered with a wave of worries - how to take care of the baby, is there enough milk for him, how to say goodbye to extra pounds and when the first periods after childbirth "will please". We will try to sort out the last question carefully, since it interests almost everyone.
Monthly after childbirth - what explains their absence
Many people often confuse postpartum bleeding - lochia - with menstrual bleeding. In fact, this is not the same thing. At first, the lochia is saturated red, then they darken, and their volume gradually becomes smaller. The mucous layer of the uterus returns to normal within 1.5 months, so much will be disturbed by discharge. If a cesarean section was performed, this period may even slightly increase. The appearance of lohii changes every day, and by the end of the first month only bloody streaks are noticeable in them.
After the birth of the baby, the mommy's organism again undergoes hormonal restructuring, this time the culprit is prolactin. Its accelerated production is associated with the need to saturate the newborn, because it is this hormone that is responsible for lactation. An elevated level of prolactin inhibits the functioning of the ovaries, therefore menstruation after childbirth is absent - the female body has more priority tasks. Once again, you can be surprised and admire the wisdom of nature - the newborn baby so need my mother's attention and useful jelly that conceiving a new life at this stage is simply impossible. Our great-grandmothers did not wean the little babies from their breasts for a long two or three years, and for the entire lactation period they were spared from the invasion of “critical” days.
Monthly after childbirth - when they should be expected
The timing of the appearance of the first menstrual periods after childbirth is affected by many individual causes - frequent stresses, the presence of diseases, hormone levels, and others. However, the main one is the usefulness of lactation. Approximately it is permissible to name the following temporary indicators:
- with full breastfeeding, without additional feeding, menstruation after childbirth is absent for the entire lactation period. An exception may be continued breastfeeding after a year - in this case, the appearance of menstruation is quite possible;
- If mother's milk is sorely lacking and you have to use as an additive, milk mixtures, monthly after childbirth, even when breastfeeding, may appear after 4-5 months. This is due to the decrease in prolactin production and the weakening of its effect on the ovaries;
- artificial feeding - not at all uncommon. Some of the mothers are deprived of the opportunity to breastfeed for health reasons, and some, unfortunately, refuse it on their own. In any case, menstruation after childbirth will occur in one and a half to two months after childbirth, although individual options are possible;
- after a cesarean section, if it passed without complications, the onset of menstruation after childbirth also depends on the baby’s menu - during breastfeeding, menstruation is not expected until the end of lactation or the gradual introduction of complementary foods.
To find out how many after childbirth menstruation begins, it is necessary to take into account other factors - the compliance of mommy with the correct regimen, the presence of a varied healthy food, age, chronic diseases, and emotional state. To this should be added the peculiarities of the organism, therefore no one can name the exact terms of when to expect the first periods after childbirth.
Monthly after childbirth - their duration and permissible intensity
Having decided how many periods after childbirth begin, we will try to find out no less relevant questions - will they be painful, how long can they last and how intense should the discharge be. Most often after the birth of the first child, moms mark the disappearance of discomfort and the establishment of a regular cycle. However, it is possible to determine the correct indicators only three months after the periods after birth have recovered. The first cycles may have some changes, and this is not considered a deviation by physicians - menstruation can cause anxiety with profusion and a longer course than it was before giving birth. However, it is advisable to consult with the doctor so that he denies possible anomalies. Especially you need to hurry to do this if the first menstrual periods after childbirth are accompanied by persistent weakness, unpleasant dizziness, arrhythmia.
Normally, menstruation should be repeated every 21-34 days, the amount of discharge should not go beyond the indicators of 20-80 ml (approximately 5-6 tablespoons), and the duration of the process should be no less than three and no more than eight days. How long the menstruation takes place after giving birth for the first time is completely irrelevant, they are capable of annoying 7-8 days, and can be limited to two or three days. It is much more important that their duration be normalized within two to three months.
Alas, premenstrual syndrome is unlikely to get rid of even after childbirth, but periods after childbirth tend to become less painful. This is due to the location of the uterus and normal conditions for the outflow of blood. However, inflammatory processes or the presence of complications can change the natural course of menstruation, therefore, in case of any deviations, you should consult a doctor.
Monthly after childbirth - when medical help is important
After the birth of the baby, despite the quite understandable lack of free time, we must not forget about our health and ignore the visit to the gynecologist. It will help assess the size and condition of the uterus and ovaries, will tell you how many after childbirth menstruation begins, will determine the presence or absence of signs of trouble. A visit to the doctor without delaying the visit is necessary in the following cases:
1. Too abundant first menstruation after childbirth - this symptom is capable of indicating endometrial hyperplasia, hormone dysfunction, endometriosis. If a single gasket lasts less than two hours - you should recognize the presence of bleeding.
2. Spotting with an unpleasant smell soon after the termination of lochia signals the presence of residues of the ovum in the uterus.
3. Extremely scarce menstruation after childbirth or their complete absence 3 months after the end of breastfeeding - an increased level of prolactin, which by this time should have already decreased, can be the cause.
The lack of regularity, too abundant or, on the contrary, scanty discharge, the presence of additional symptoms are serious reasons for going to the doctor.
Monthly after childbirth absent - can not be protected?
You can, if you do not mind the birth of another baby. Many married couples, relying on the absence of menstruation after childbirth, were surprised to find that there was a long-term pregnancy. The fact is that ovulation occurs two weeks before the appearance of the first menstrual periods after childbirth and does not report on the process even in secret. As a result, the egg is fertilized, and the absence of menstruation is attributed to hormonal changes by a young mother. Later, the determination of the presence of pregnancy plunges young parents into a real shock, because the mommy's body is not yet ready for new trials. To fully restore it, it takes at least two years, so it is advisable to plan the birth of the next baby in the light of this circumstance.
Monthly after childbirth - causes of violation of the cycle
For three months after the first menstruation after childbirth, there is no need to worry about the cycle irregularity. But only if you are reliably protected during intercourse. Otherwise, the delay does not hurt to make a pregnancy test. If two or three months have passed since the appearance of the first menstrual periods after childbirth, and the regularity of the cycle has not improved, or there are abnormal symptoms, one of the reasons may be Sheehan syndrome or postpartum hypopituitarism. The disease occurs as a result of heavy bleeding after childbirth, the presence of peritonitis or sepsis. The causes of Sheehan's syndrome can be hystoses, which manifested themselves in the second half of pregnancy with severe edema, protein content in the urine and high pressure. As a result of necrotic changes in the pituitary gland, a disturbance occurs in the restoration of the cycle - menstrual after childbirth are either absent or have the appearance of spotting. The disease is accompanied by headache, excessive fatigue, hypotension, small swelling.
Hyperprolactinemia, an increased level of prolactin, is another cause of poverty or lack of menstruation after childbirth. The disease occurs due to lack of thyroid function or the presence of a benign lesion - prolactinoma (pituitary adenoma). Both diseases are treatable, but they require a timely visit to the doctor. Therefore, it is not necessary to discuss with your girlfriends how much menstruation goes after delivery and when they start, but rather get professional advice and expert advice.
Monthly after childbirth - is it possible to continue breastfeeding
Many years of research by specialists all over the world have convincingly proved that prolonged breastfeeding is not only useful for the baby, but also helps mom to solve many of her own problems. Ideally, the baby can regularly enjoy a luxurious mother's treat for up to two years and be reliably protected from various infections. But menstruation after childbirth can occur during breastfeeding, and many moms do not know whether to continue breastfeeding.
It is possible and even necessary, experts believe, one does not interfere with the other. It is difficult in this case to predict how much the monthly flow goes after childbirth and what their intensity will be, but the unstable first cycle will surely recover within three months. Introducing complementary foods, the number of attachments to the chest should not be reduced. On critical days, the nipples become more sensitive; warming them after feeding and a light massage of the neck help to remove discomfort. The baby also shows a slight anxiety associated with a little obstructed excretion of milk. Changing the breast during feeding, you can avoid this inconvenience.
The dates of arrival of the first menstrual period after childbirth are purely individual. Therefore, do not worry if your girlfriend's first periods after childbirth have already begun, and you have not even signs. Another indicator should not be compared - how long the monthly period goes after childbirth, here too everything depends on many individual factors. But if you notice one or more of the signs of trouble described above - do not delay the visit to the doctor, take care of your health. After all, now you have a crumb who needs a healthy mom so much!
