1St Period While Breastfeeding for 10 Months.

oh my gosh... I was the same!! It does get better tho. I breast fed for a yr without a period. It's been 4 cycles now and it gets better.

I have had the same experience with all 3 of my kids...as I continued to get my periods it slows down, after maybe 3 months. Don't worry...I have to double protect..pad and tampon and I still leak...but it does normal out after time.

Mine came back after 6 months so you are lucky to have went so long without one.....my was absolutely horrible, I dont think I bled that much after giving birth and I went to see my OB and he said it was normal because of the length of time I went without a period and it would regulate itself in a few months......needless to say its been 7 months and hasnt and I have stopped breastfeeding so I was put on the shot to try to regulate it and it seems to finally be working.....you are suppose to not have a period while on the shot and I have them but they are only 5 days in length once a month so I am a lot happier......I really wouldnt worry unless it keeps happening like it did to me. Good luck!!

I did the same thing with both my girls, but i don't remember it being any heavier than before. I did have problems remembering at first to go to the restroom to check. I got so use to just going all day without making any trips to the restroom and I would mess up my clothes that way, but not because I was heavier than normal.

then again your body does change with each pregnancy. If it doesn't end in a normal time frame. Or you start to feel really run down, I would call your Gyne.

i have heard of the first postpartum period being a doozy for some women. i believe if you're soaking through a pad in under an hour, a call is probably wise just to check what the doc thinks, but otherwise it's probably just your system in overdrive starting to work its way back to regular cycles and they should calm down to less awful levels in a few months. hopefully.

I had the exact same thing happen to me. 10 months of no period, then niagara falls! Think about it, you haven't had a period in 19 months, there will be lots of tissue that needs to shed. My first one was horrible, the next one was a little better, then the ones after that were back to normal. It may take a few cycles to get back to "normal". If it doesn't get better, then you should call your OB. Good luck!

totally normal. it will even out and get way better! be patient!

After all three kids, my lovely periods came back when they started cereal at 4 months. (Except after my second, because I got pregnant before the first period.) I know that the first three after my son was born (3rd child) were horrid. Mood swings, fatigue, cramping, bloating, and such a heavy flow that I was even leaking with a tampon and heavy overnight pad. Of course, like I said I hadn't had a period between two pregnancy, so I assumed that it was just making up lost time. It has been 7 months and things are finally getting to what I would call "normal" bounds - although I am having more rougher periods now than before the kids were born. Think it was just one more lovely thing that pregnancy changed. You might call the doctor, but chances are if you wait it out, you should return to normal in a month or two.
Good Luck!

The same scenerio happend to me. No worries! You are not bleeding to death...its just our crazy bodies! After a couple cycles my period seems to getting back on track. My daughter is 12 months old now, and when I stopped nursing the first few periods were horrible too. Best of Luck!!

Your body clock has been reset. Expect it to be bad for a few months.

It's always wise to check with your doctor if you have concerns, but I think they will tell you that all is okay. When I finally got my period after each child, I have four and breastfed them all, it was always a shocker! Heavy periods, clots still being passed, etc. It got worse with each child. Now at 45, the first few days of my period are still very heavy, I feel like I am almost homebound or need to get to a bathroom every hour or two to change or else it's a disaster. Oh, the joys of being a women! Congrats on the new baby! But put in a call this morning, if nothing else, it will make you feel better to have feedback from a trained professional.

It definately never hurts to call your OB with questions like that just to make sure everything is ok. I'll tell you, though, that my first couple periods after my baby were very heavy as well. My mom suggested that it's because now your body is in baby making mode and so your uterine lining is extra rich to support any possible life that my happen in. I also got my period after only three months of around the clock breastfeeding--go figure! Guess I'm fertile! Lol

Hi A.,
I got my first period after breastfeeding for 8 months, and it was REALLY heavy. My periods before were pretty heavy, but not like this. It lasted a whole week too! I'm sure you are fine, but call the doctor anyway, just to run it by them. It will get better :)

My exclusively breastfed son was 11 months when I got my first period and it was horribly heavy and long (like 2 weeks straight). My Ob-Gyn said it was normal, but if I became dizzy or light headed at any time, to make sure I contacted them to rule out anemia. About a week later, I became pregnant with my 3rd child. Surprise!! Talk about being fertile! Good luck, I hope it all works itself out.

I've breastfed three kids for just over a year and I had the same thing happen around 8-12 months. After a few periods, they seemed to be less heavy and not as painful.

You're describing exactly what happened to me. I was totally freaked out because my first period after giving birth was so unlike anything I'd ever had before! I did call my OB and they reassured me that it was normal, but I can totally understand why you were concerned. By all means, if it will make you feel better, call your OB.

I had my first period also after 10 months of breastfeeding and it was probably 4 days and not too heavy, but the one after that was 8 days and extremely heavy. Now at month 14, my periods are starting to regulate themselves again. I wouldn't worry too much.

yep, unfortunately, normal. Your body hasn't shed the lining for at least 9 mos (when you stopped bleeding post baby) and it has a lot of stuff in there to get rid of. It will work out in the next year. ((sorry, didn't want to say months, cause it can be up to a year to get back to normal)

N.

Hi A.! My doctor told me it is very normal for women who've given birth to have much heavier periods afterwards. Your uterus never goes 100% back to where it was, it remains a bit larger. As a result, there is more surface area for your lining to cover. This results in there being more lining to shed, thus the heavier periods.

Also, your hormones are still getting back to normal, even 10 months later. I had a couple of periods where I literally changed a super tampon every 15 minutes for 2 hours. I thought I was dying! I saw my doctor and he explained that this was because my progesterone levels dropped more quickly than normal.

Pregnancy does crazy things to our bodies, doesn't it?! If you are worried, you should definitely consult your doctor. You never know for sure what's going on, and it will probably put your mind at ease. Seeing my doctor about it definitely helped me! Good luck! And as the people at Always like to say, have a happy period. Yeah, right! : )

Just got my second period myself & still need the jumbo size pads. With this being my 4th I can tell you that it will get better.
Also wanted to add that one of the best things about this sight is to be able to ask other moms like ourselves anything including stuff like this, though this isn't a medical site there certainly is a "HEALTH & MEDICAL" section; so shame on Gina for saying: "Way too much information".

I found myself in a similar situation, though I got my period full blown when my son was 14 months. Anyway, it has been horrible. I have not had my period since becoming pregnant and now it is so heavy and I have horrible cramps. It takes me back to high school. It is completely normal, though you may experience possible anemia as a result during that time. Try to get as much calcium with magnesium as possible. It stinks but a lot has to be attributed to hormones.

Normally while you are breastfeeding, you don't get a period. But since it is so heavy, I would definitely call your doctor.

You should call, to double check, but I remember after my second son the periods were extremely heavy for a while. They did go back to normal, but it took months. Sometimes it's fibroids, but it could just take a while to get back to normal after restarting.

Hi A.,

Is it possible that you were p.g. and miscarried? It might be good to go to the drs. Maybe your due for your pap anyway..

good luck,

D.

My periods changed a lot after my kids. I have two very heavy days that are sometimes a little scary, but now I know to expect them. Do what you feel is right. But know that your body had changed a lot and you have gone a long time without a period. good luck!