Curious About Periods After Childbirth - What Is Normal?

Updated on April 01, 2010
L.L. asks from Summerville, SC
7 answers

I am curious about how the "return" to menstral cycles has gone for other women. I was somewhat irregular when I first started my period as a teen and slowly got on a steady cycle that I kept until pregnancy. After the birth of my daughter, I breastfed for 9 months, and had my first period about one month after my last pumpiong session. I then had a 30 day cycle, a 33 day cycle and I am now on a cycle that is on day 34 and no sign of a period (and a neg prego test). Is it normal to experience irregularity in your cycles when they first resume? How long has it taken other women to "level out"? I am not on any kind of birth control as it makes me an emotional train wreck and we want a 2nd child so we were not to worried about avoiding pregnancy. We were planning on starting to work on kiddo number 2 in the next couple of months, but I don't really want to do that if there is something to be conserned about. I don't have many mama friends, so I just don't know if this is completely normal or something to be worried about.

Thanks for sharing your experiences ladies!

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S.F.

answers from Santa Barbara on

Completely normal! I was from age 15 on exactly a 28 day cycle, unless under major stress, but I could plan my life around it- and I did. But- after our first son, the cycles became longer and were irregular until I got pregnant a few months later. Now I have stopped breastfeeding sweet number 2 about 4 months ago, and my cycles have fluctuated between 28-35 days. I am guessing it took about a year to get me here, and it's probably going to take a year to get me back to my normal rhythm!
All the best,
S.

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J.Z.

answers from Seattle on

It is absolutely normal for varying days between periods. I started about 9 months after my son was born (let me say there was no warning whatsoever, just a nice big gush!) and my periods now range anywhere from between 22 days to 31 days between cycles. I think I have even had a few 32 or 33 days cycles thrown in too ... of course I always think maybe I'm pregnant when that happens, but so far no go. I think once a woman's body has given birth and your hormones have vastly fluctuated and changed, it's more normal to have a varying cycle rather than the standard 28 day cycle. So don't worry .... you're body is just adjusting to all the changes you have gone through. If you are concerned, I recommend talking to your gynecologist or physician, but I'm sure he/she will say the same thing. Your body is just getting used to a "new" cycle. Good luck to you.

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N.F.

answers from Seattle on

100% Normal. I didn't even keep track of my cycles after my first born because they were just crazy. Haha there were times where I wished I was pregnant because it was so out of whack. I asked my doctor and was told that our hormones are still going up and down trying to get back to normal and until then, irregular periods were the outcome and could last up to a year. Bummer I know, but I started taking birth control to help regulate, which it did. If you're trying to conceive again soon, then all you can really do is let nature take its course.

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B.B.

answers from Nashville on

breast feeding causes these off periods, perhaps you are not getting enough nutrition, or try BC.

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J.C.

answers from Anchorage on

Some woman never are truly regular, and always vary by a few days. It is normal, especially as your hormones are trying to level off after birth and breast feeding.

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A.H.

answers from Boston on

Its very normal to be irregular. Even on birth control it took a while for me to become regular after my daughter was born, I think about 6 months. Everyone is different, but don't think there's something wrong with you because your period isn't regular yet, its only been 3 months. I used to joke to my doctor that my period shows up whenever it feels like it.

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G.T.

answers from San Francisco on

My son was born in May and breastfed. My periods resumed in January. Then the next ones end of March. Then May and June and in July I got pregnant again. So, nothing regular for at least a year.
My daughter will turn 1 this week-end and I'm still waiting for the "regular"cycle to resume (which should because I just began birth control pills)

Don't worry. Very normal.

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