How long menstruation after birth

You may be able to get pregnant as little as 3 weeks after the birth of your baby, even if your periods haven't started again yet.

Read about sex and contraception after birth. Page last reviewed: 24 April Next review due: 24 April Home Common health questions Pregnancy Back to Pregnancy. Here's what you need to know. Back to Top. In This Article. Continue Reading Below. Read This Next. Postpartum Recovery Timeline. View Sources. March of Dimes, Postpartum Hemorrhage , March First Year.

First Year Groups. Go to Your Baby's Age. Please whitelist our site to get all the best deals and offers from our partners. Your Baby's Vision Development. Others find that the blood is a different color, that there are more clots than usual, or that cramps are more intense. Among women who do not breastfeed or who breastfeed on an irregular schedule, menstruation tends to return more quickly. A analysis of six previous studies found that most women got their first periods between 45 and 94 days after giving birth.

One study in the review found that the average first period happened at 74 days postpartum. The main factor affecting the timing of the first postpartum period is ovulation. Women who want to check whether they are ovulating can try using an ovulation predictor kit OPK , which are available in pharmacies and online. Especially in the months immediately after giving birth, it is common to have irregular periods. Women who are breastfeeding are more likely to notice irregular periods, as the hormones that support breastfeeding can cause the body to delay ovulation or ovulate infrequently.

Even in women who are not breastfeeding, periods may be irregular, as the body takes time to recover from pregnancy and childbirth. Over time, menstruation will return to its usual pattern. However, some women may have had irregular periods before pregnancy, such as those with polycystic ovary syndrome PCOS or endometriosis. If a woman is concerned about irregular postpartum periods, it is best that they speak to a doctor to find the underlying cause.

Lochia is the discharge from the vagina after giving birth. It begins as heavy bleeding and may be dark red and full of clots.

Over several days or weeks, the bleeding gets lighter, eventually turning pink, brown, and clear. It is common for women to experience some cramps when passing lochia because the uterus is contracting as it returns to its usual size. Lochia is not a period.

Advertising on our site helps support our mission. We do not endorse non-Cleveland Clinic products or services. To produce breast milk, your brain produces higher levels of the hormone prolactin. Young says. Bleeding lasts from two to seven days, she says. Here are two examples:. If you go back to the pills after pregnancy, the lighter periods may resume.

Endometriosis: If you have endometriosis or a history of painful periods, you may have easier periods at first after your baby is born.