Nine months of pregnancy surely must be a nice break from your monthly periods, while you must have enjoyed it but now as your baby is born you must be wondering how soon your monthly cycles will return. Here is the complete guide about all the essential information which you require.
Menstruation

When Will My Periods Start After My Baby Is Born

There is nothing that can be said precisely, for each woman and each pregnancy is different. Normally, it is noted that for non-nursing moms periods may return anytime between 6-8 weeks, with 45 being the average. For moms who are breastfeeding, the break may be a longer.

  • If you are a breastfeeding mom: If in case you are nursing your baby exclusively then the chances are that you will remain period free for a longer period of time. Breast feeding can delay your period even up to one year especially when you start to wean your baby completely. Usually in majority of the women monthly cycle resumes again after six months once the interval between two feeding times start to increase. This also holds true for women who supplement formula in the nights or the baby starts to sleep the entire night from an earlier age. However, the return of periods can be different for every women depending upon the situation and the body type
  • If you are not breastfeeding: If your baby is on formula diet then chances are that you will start menstruating after three months of your delivery. You may even experience it much earlier than this if your baby is exclusively on formula feeding. If you do not get periods after 3 months when you are not breastfeeding, you should consult your doctor. In short the less often you feed your baby, the sooner your period may come back
How Different My First Postpartum Period Will Be?

Your first postpartum period after having a baby definitely will be a lot different than the normal one as your hormonal levels are still adjusting to get on track. You can expect your first period to be a case of just spotting or a heftier flow full of blood clots. The cycles can he heavy or lighter, and may even be irregular for some months to come.

  • Spotting:Your period starts to return when there is a change in your baby’s breastfeeding habits especially when he starts on solids and thus breastfeed less. During this phase women often report a “spotting” – an irregular period in which few spots of blood may occur. Usually these kinds of periods denotes that soon your regular periods will start to come. In many cases women will just experience the one time spotting and then nothing for two-three months, it can be due to hormonal changes occurring inside your body

    • Monthly periods

  • Blood Clots:Usually after having baby women experience a heftier flow full of blood clots as their first period but don’t worry it is not a precarious situation which needs special medical attention. You can just treat it as a temporary beginner’s situation. However if your blood clots don’t start getting less even after seven to eight days of your period and you still are changing five to six pads a day then you should go and consult your doctor
Can I Get Pregnant If I Am Breastfeeding?

Please keep in mind that your fertility period starts even before you actually receive your first period, this means that the ovulation inside you occurs about two weeks before your first period begins, which makes you fertile to conceive a child during this time. The body releases the first egg post having a baby before your actually menstruate. So just don’t be totally dependent upon breastfeeding as a contraceptive measure as it only provides you the half protection which can turn into an unsafe condition without giving you a prior intimation or sign. So if in case you don’t want to get pregnant with another child back to back, then it’s better to use some contraception when you resume your love life.

What Contraceptives Can I Take After Having A Baby?

If in case earlier you were using pills as a contraceptive method then please be informed that taking estrogen pill while you are breastfeeding your child is contradicted. So it’s beneficial to take the advice of your concerning doctor before popping any pill inside your body. If you are not breastfeeding but are worried that you may forget to take a daily pill with everything else going on with your life than you may opt for an IUD for a long term benefit. After having baby it’s important to be informed about all the choices you have for contraception and then choose one wisely with the help of your doctor. Read more on the subject here.

After child birth, your periods can be irregular for one year with either heavier or lighter flow than before. If your periods have become irregular even when you are not breast feeding you should go and consult your doctor for medical advice.