Another Postpartum Secret
January 13, 2007 by kate baggott
Filed under Health
This is another one of those posts containing information gleaned only from conversations with other mothers. You have been warned. Read on at your own risk.
Extended nursing can mean your period won’t return for several months after you give birth. I went without for 7 months after my first child was born and almost a year after the second was born. I have heard other women go without a period for up to 18 months after giving birth.
The secret biological truth is, the longer you keep your period away, the heavier the blood and the longer the flow for the first few cycles when it does return.
A non-mother asked me, “Are you sure it’s heavier and lasts longer? Maybe you’ve just forgotten what it was like because it has been so long.”
Yes, I am sure. The number of days and the number of pads used is much higher. What has your experience been?
My experience was the opposite. I nursed for 22mths, had no period for 12mths and all periods after were fantastically short and light. In fact, for the first 2 years PP, my periods were 3 days long. A heavy first day, a medium second day and a light third day and done! It was wonderful! Throughtout the third year PP, they started to get a little longer and some light cramping returned, but nothing unbearable.
I’m pregnant again now and enjoying the early months of my 1-2 years without a period (which I’ve read is actually good for your body, but I can’t recall exactly why.)
Ah Mamaloo, that’s the problem with anecdotal medicine. As soon as you make an observation, someone has the opposite experience. Should we take a poll?
Mine are wackier, heavier, and longer once they do return. No fun!
Revka- Not at all.