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The return of menstruation after childbirth can vary from 2 months to 1 year, depending on whether the woman is breastfeeding the baby or not.
For women who breastfeed exclusively, menstruation can come only when the baby stops breastfeeding, which usually happens around the first year of age. For those who choose not to breastfeed, menstruation can come in about 2 months after delivery, but still, it is normal for it to be unregulated initially.
The bleeding that occurs during the first 45 to 56 days after delivery is not considered menstruation, as it does not contain any eggs and is due to the exit of the structures that lined the uterus, as well as remains of the placenta, being scientifically called loci.
See when to worry about postpartum bleeding.
When will the first menstruation come after childbirth
For women who take continuous contraceptive use, there should be no menstruation, although sporadically minor vaginal bleeding may occur during the month.
For women who do not use hormonal contraceptives, menstruation will depend only on how breastfeeding is done:
How is breastfeeding | When menstruation will come |
Does not breastfeed | 2 months after the baby is born |
Breastfeed and bottle feed | 3 to 4 months after the baby is born |
Breastfeed exclusively | 6 months to 1 year after the baby is born |
The longer the baby suckles, the more distant the first menstruation will be after delivery, but as soon as the baby starts to decrease feedings, the woman's body reacts and she can ovulate, with menstruation coming soon after. A popular belief is that menstruation decreases the amount of breast milk, but the opposite is true, because the less milk a woman produces, the greater the chance of ovulating and that menstruation will come down.
Common changes in menstruation after childbirth
Menstrual flow may be slightly different from what the woman was used to before becoming pregnant, and there may be changes in the amount of blood and color.
It is also normal for menstruation to be irregular, coming in greater or lesser amounts for 2 or 3 months, but after that period it is expected to become more regular. In case of doubt, consult the gynecologist.
When to use contraception again
As the first ovulation after childbirth is unpredictable, the woman must adopt a contraceptive method between 10 and 15 days after birth, so as not to run the risk of becoming pregnant again.
If the woman chooses to use the contraceptive, she should start taking it 10 to 15 days after delivery, even if she does not have sex, due to the withdrawal period. Learn more about contraceptive use while breastfeeding.