While cleaning up the saved notes on my phone, I chanced upon a note where I jot down my monthly period - start date, duration, symptoms and end date. I started the note after I gave birth to my daughter who just recently turned 3 last month. It was when I had my first period back that I decided to do this because I noticed a difference in the amount of flow plus of course the fact that I have PCOS and the best way to prepare for the next pregnancy is to track my period and follow doctor's orders. The note is long already but I plan to continue it to monitor my reproductive health in my own little OC way. I might probably create a chart out of the data I gathered.
So anyway, the main reason why I decided to write this blog post is really to bring in the open a topic that is rarely discussed. There are so many reading materials about breastfeeding, newborn care and losing weight after giving birth but I feel like the resources for menstrual health is not enough. I hope someone more knowledgeable than me could come up with a write-up that would help equip moms especially the first-time mommies who might be in shock to experience a heavier flow after giving birth.
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YOUR PERIOD AFTER HAVING A BABY
After your period stops for several months after giving birth (especially when you breastfeed), your period after having a baby will return with a vengeance! Yes, vengeance it is, not because I could not find any other word, but because it will really come back with a bang. I was really inconvenienced when I had my period back. Add to that the fact that we were traveling in Europe that time and they don't carry the brand that I really like best when my period is heavier than usual. Looking back, I wish I had bumped into https://www.knixteen.com/ so I could have told my period to shut up as well. Hahaha! The period-proof underwear line though was made for teens but maybe I could have added that to my period arsenal to ward off leaks and stains.
For starters, I don't like using tampons and I haven't tried using the menstrual cup. Therefore, I'm still stuck to what I am used to using - the sanitary pads. I needed more than six to seven pads to survive the day when I have my period (at it's heaviest flow) after having a baby. Before I had Summer, I only needed around four to five pads within a 24-hour cycle.
I can attribute my heavier than prepregnancy flow to my pill intake. Maybe my lighter period before was suppressed by the pill when I'm off it. I've yet to discuss this with my OB-Gyne to confirm but I'm quite positive this is the reason. It could also be because I gained weight after I gave birth. If we put on weight, we produce more estrogen in the fat cells of the body, and this can influence how long and heavy our periods are. The other factor that can cause heavy, painful periods that having nothing to do with childbirth and everything to do with just being a woman, includes uterine fibroids or polyps.
I know that my hormone-level is out of whack especially after experiencing hyperemesis gravidarum while I was pregnant so I believe it could be the number one cause of the sudden gush of flow as well. Damn hormones! Haha! I consulted my OB-Gyne about this change and she assured me that there is nothing to worry about and that I should just monitor my period regularly. She also advised me to take anti-anemia medicine because supplementing with iron is often necessary for women.
I guess I just need to give my hormones some time to get back in the groove.
I feel that this topic is normal and should be openly discussed. It should not be treated as taboo by the society at all. I'm actually researching as early as now on how to educate my daughter about menstrual health as soon as she is ready to absorb such information. I would not want her to fear and feel ashamed of her period in the future.
How about you? Did your period return with a vengeance too?
So anyway, the main reason why I decided to write this blog post is really to bring in the open a topic that is rarely discussed. There are so many reading materials about breastfeeding, newborn care and losing weight after giving birth but I feel like the resources for menstrual health is not enough. I hope someone more knowledgeable than me could come up with a write-up that would help equip moms especially the first-time mommies who might be in shock to experience a heavier flow after giving birth.
YOUR PERIOD AFTER HAVING A BABY
After your period stops for several months after giving birth (especially when you breastfeed), your period after having a baby will return with a vengeance! Yes, vengeance it is, not because I could not find any other word, but because it will really come back with a bang. I was really inconvenienced when I had my period back. Add to that the fact that we were traveling in Europe that time and they don't carry the brand that I really like best when my period is heavier than usual. Looking back, I wish I had bumped into https://www.knixteen.com/ so I could have told my period to shut up as well. Hahaha! The period-proof underwear line though was made for teens but maybe I could have added that to my period arsenal to ward off leaks and stains.
For starters, I don't like using tampons and I haven't tried using the menstrual cup. Therefore, I'm still stuck to what I am used to using - the sanitary pads. I needed more than six to seven pads to survive the day when I have my period (at it's heaviest flow) after having a baby. Before I had Summer, I only needed around four to five pads within a 24-hour cycle.
I can attribute my heavier than prepregnancy flow to my pill intake. Maybe my lighter period before was suppressed by the pill when I'm off it. I've yet to discuss this with my OB-Gyne to confirm but I'm quite positive this is the reason. It could also be because I gained weight after I gave birth. If we put on weight, we produce more estrogen in the fat cells of the body, and this can influence how long and heavy our periods are. The other factor that can cause heavy, painful periods that having nothing to do with childbirth and everything to do with just being a woman, includes uterine fibroids or polyps.
I know that my hormone-level is out of whack especially after experiencing hyperemesis gravidarum while I was pregnant so I believe it could be the number one cause of the sudden gush of flow as well. Damn hormones! Haha! I consulted my OB-Gyne about this change and she assured me that there is nothing to worry about and that I should just monitor my period regularly. She also advised me to take anti-anemia medicine because supplementing with iron is often necessary for women.
I guess I just need to give my hormones some time to get back in the groove.
I feel that this topic is normal and should be openly discussed. It should not be treated as taboo by the society at all. I'm actually researching as early as now on how to educate my daughter about menstrual health as soon as she is ready to absorb such information. I would not want her to fear and feel ashamed of her period in the future.
How about you? Did your period return with a vengeance too?
