Oh, The Joy And Pain Of Your Period After Pregnancy…

Just kidding! There’s not much joy when it comes to getting your period after pregnancy, is there?

But your period after pregnancy is a whole world of pain, PMT and all the mood swings.

The World Of Post-Pregnancy Body Weirdness

Sound the Code Red, how your post-baby period can change is a surprise in itself.

It’s one of the long list of weird things that happen to your body after pregnancy that no-one tells you about – from the night sweats that glue you to your sheets to the hormonal blues that leave you glummer than when your lovely thick pregnancy mane falls out.

How Your Period Changes When You’ve Had A Baby

Initially, your period always seems to turn up when you’re least expecting it after having a baby – there’s no fixed rule. It always seems to turn up either really early, when you’re in midst of the postpartum throes for some poor mums, or later on when you’re in sleep-deprivation hell. And it’s usually at the least convenient time to have a surprise visit from the painters and decorators. Doesn’t it take long enough to leave the house with small children without an emergency shop dash for tampons, wine and cake?

I don’t know if it’s just me, but it’s a surprise every month when old Aunt Flo makes an appearance, isn’t it? You’d think after all these years I’d learn. And yes, I do use a cycle tracker, but still…

I didn’t get mine back for two years after having each baby, mainly due to this, the fact I was breastfeeding long-term. I had one period two years after giving birth the first time, and then got pregnant the cycle after. So I had a long time of no periods, and it took two years to come back after my second baby, which was long enough for all the post-baby hormones to have settled down, meaning I was on a really even keel with my moods and most importantly my body.

And then I got my period back and was spun into a hormonal hurricane of mood swings and bodily confusing stuff every month.

I know this doesn’t affect everyone, but in a scientific poll of women – aka I mentioned my horrendous PMT this week on Instagram – so many people replied saying OMG ME TOO.

But no-one ever really talks about it, do they?

1. Your first period after giving birth is a mix of complicated emotions: Like a lot of people I spent a lot of my 20s hoping my period would turn up, then a lot of my 30s desperately hoping it wouldn’t. When trying and failing to get pregnant my period was such an unwelcome hammer blow to the gut, and a reminder of my own personal non-pregnant failure, and that kind of lingers. Now each month my period is a bittersweet reminder that there will be no more babies.
2. The hormones might make you REALLY broody…I also get super, mega broody around ovulation which I know is the whole point of biology and all, but it’s confusing when with your practical head you’ve decided that you’re having no more babies, you’re done and it’s lovely to have some life back but then suddenly you’re looking longingly at tiny babygros and thinking couldn’t we just have one more…?
3. Period pains can be a LOT worse after you’ve had children: It hurts so much more now. It’s almost a cruel trick – people told me labour was like period pains and it WASN’T, now period pains can be a lot like labour pains. Pass the max strength painkillers. And then you have the breast pain, bloating and lots of random side effects like feeling sick that I’m sure didn’t happen before. And feeling wiped out and wrung up and spun out. And all the rest.
4. Periods after childbirth can also be a lot more bloody: Talk about surfing the crimson wave (thanks, Clueless!) Related – read my Lily Cup One review – I’ve been trying out the Lily Cup menstrual cup and I’ve found that that once you get used to it, then it’s great. But when it comes to your period after pregnancy, the big change is mainly:
5. The MOOD SWINGS: PMT after having a baby – and all the hormonal emotions of before and during your period – seems about 100 times worse.  At least. I’m not sure if it’s tiredness and sleep deprivation and all the constraints and responsibilities combined with all the everyday annoyances of parenting and LIFE, but I spend at least a couple of days every month feeling like I’m in an emotional wringer, swinging between hating everything and everyone, including myself, or in a echo-y chamber of annoyance and rage, or bursting into tears at even the slightest thing. Or all of the above. And then I realise why!

I’m sure there must be something that makes it better, although I can’t take most hormonal contraception. Does anyone have any magic solutions? I’m sure if this happened to men there would be.

I was prompted to write this post after reading this from the Girl Guides about ending period poverty, which they start off by saying ‘Let’s talk about periods!’

So here’s me talking about it. And here’s a virtual hug to everyone having their time of the month and you’re welcome at any time of the month to join me in my corner with all my emotions, and some cake.

Interested in trying reusable period products? Read my Modibodi period pants review and Lily Cup One period cup review.

P.S. I know I write this post about your period after pregnancy from a privileged and comfortable period place and that’s not where lots of women and girls in the UK are.

So here’s a link to Bloody Good Period, a charity that campaigns to supply period supplies to asylum seekers, refugees and people living in poverty.

And here’s the Red Box Project, a community-driven initiative which supplies period products to local schools.