Heavy Period

Definitely ask your doctor if you are really worried, but I promise you that what you described sounds real normal. It can take months to get your period and your body back to normal, you just don't hear that much about it. Maybe it is a little embarrassing, but that's silly right, because most of us have been there and done that already.

Tips for in the mean time: drink lots of water and eat healthy foods (I know it sounds like a no brainier but it's easy to forget stuff like that with a new baby), get some exercise (this is not always fun or easy but it can help), ask your doctor when to be concerned (the doctor can tell you what is normal and what may be of concern, this way you can watch yourself and feel empowered about your health), and finally, get some rest. That last one is nearly impossible sometimes but do your best. Your healing is going to take a good long while so help your body along as much as possible.

Just as an afterthought I wondered if you were breastfeeding? Sometimes wacky periods come with the territory, sure there are plenty of women who had lighter periods or no periods while breastfeeding, but I was not one of them. Everyone is different.

You might want to call and talk to a nurse at your Dr office just to be on the safe side, but this does sound normal. Your body is getting back to normal.

Hi S.,

I had a c-section in May, and got my period about 6 weeks after that. Extremely heavy, as you described, and were never heavy before I was pregnant. I did call my doctor out of concern. They said that it was probably normal, but that if I was soaking a pad every hour for more than three days, there might be a problem. My next one came about 2 1/2 weeks later, but since then they have been coming a little farther apart, are a little shorter each time, and there is less clotting each time. Still way heavier than before I was pregnant, but a little more manageable. The first couple of times I felt like I couldn't even leave the house! Keep track of your dates - if they are starting to "normalize" you are probably fine. My sister in law continued to have periods every two weeks up to two years after her 3rd child was born, and the doctors determined it was due to a hormonal imbalance, which they tried to correct with birth control pills. So definitely get checked out if you're not seeing any indication of them getting back to normal.

It could be a hormonal imbalance...you should call your Dr.