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Writer's pictureJahanara Monaf

Period post birth

When your period returns often depends on whether or not you breastfeed. And just like your life after baby, you might find your periods after pregnancy are different.


Your period will typically return about six to eight weeks after you give birth, if you are not breastfeeding. If you do breastfeed, the timing for a period to return can vary. Those who practice exclusive breastfeeding might not have a period the entire time they breastfeed.


So why do women breastfeeding take longer to get their periods again? Typically, women who are breastfeeding don’t get their periods as quickly because of the body’s hormones. Prolactin, the hormone needed to produce breast milk, can suppress reproductive hormones. As a result, it is though you don’t ovulate or release an egg for fertilisation. Without this process, you most likely won’t menstruate. However, whilst conventional medicine belief is that a woman cannot get pregnant, this is not the case with everyone. You can still get pregnant. 


When your period does return, you may notice some changes in your milk supply or your baby’s reaction to breast milk. The hormonal changes that cause your body to have your period may also influence your breast milk.


The first period after your pregnancy may be heavier than you are used to. It might also be accompanied by more intense cramping, due to an increased amount of uterine lining that needs to be shed. As you continue your cycle, these changes will likely decrease.


If your period does return quickly after giving birth and you had a vaginal delivery, avoid using tampons during your first menstruation post-baby. This is because your body is still healing, and tampons could potentially cause trauma.

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