The first period you have postpartum can come as a bit of a shock. It’s like we forget that periods even exist after 9 months of pregnancy and how many weeks or months postpartum.
Postpartum periods seem to appear out of nowhere and are often really full on.
Why is this?
Well, heavy and long periods are really common in the first few cycles when your period returns postpartum as you don’t always ovulate (despite getting a period) which means you don’t have progesterone, which is essential to lighten your periods.
The first few cycles are usually irregular too with different cycle lengths ranging anywhere from 20 to 45 days. Keeping an eye on your cervical fluid can give you clues on your periods likely arrival which can make things feel a bit more predictable.
Postpartum thyroiditis can often trigger heavier periods and should be looked into if you’re also experiencing other thyroid-related symptoms (like tiredness, constipation, brittle hair and nails, brain fog). Although I’m sure you will agree that many of those symptoms have a lot of similarity with postnatal fatigue/general motherhood exhaustion!
What can you do to help your cycles regulate?
Making sure you’re getting the rest you deserve (which I know is sooo damn tricky in motherhood!), eating nutrient dense food and having daily strategies to calm your nervous system can all help.
Get in touch if you’d like a chat to brainstorm other ways to help your periods get back on track.
