After giving birth, women may not have their period for weeks or even months. The first period after pregnancy can be heavy and last longer than usual. It can be hard to distinguish between postpartum bleeding and menstruation, but the regularity of periods should eventually balance out.
Your first period after pregnancy can be quite abnormal, as your body hasn’t had a period for nearly a year. Note that most women do not have their period after childbirth for several weeks, or even months, after their baby is born. In fact, the average woman sees her period return six to eight weeks after giving birth, although women who choose to breastfeed may not get their period until after weaning the baby. Sure, you can expect to bleed for up to six weeks after giving birth, but this is called lochia and isn’t considered a period. When you finally get your period, it will probably be a little heavy at first and may even last longer than usual, but it should gradually return to how it was before the pregnancy.
It can be difficult to distinguish postpartum lochia from postpartum menstruation, but you should know that the former usually begins soon after delivery. It can continue up to six weeks, but most women find that it subsides closer to three to four weeks after giving birth. Most women don’t get their first period after pregnancy until they’re at least six weeks postpartum, so you’ll likely experience a break of a few weeks between bleeding episodes. On the other hand, if your lochia seems to increase after a few weeks rather than gradually slow down, you should see a doctor, as this could indicate an early period or a postpartum complication.
Once you’re sure it’s indeed your period you’re experiencing, you should be prepared for an unusually heavy flow. This is typically because the body hasn’t had a period that long. In fact, your first period after pregnancy also tends to last longer than your normal period, so be prepared with extra tampons or pads. You might be relieved to know that just because your first postpartum period is heavier doesn’t mean it will always be that way. In fact, many women find that subsequent periods are lighter than usual, although after several cycles, they eventually balance out.
Just as there’s little way to pinpoint when your first period will occur after pregnancy, it’s also hard to tell when your next periods will appear. This is because most women find that the time between periods can vary after giving birth. You may be having a heavy period and then experience no bleeding for a couple of months. Similar to the flow, however, the regularity of the periods should eventually balance out. Of course, if you’re sexually active during this time, a suddenly disappearing period could indicate the need for a pregnancy test.
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