Comments | fam: First postpartum cycle

felize in fam

First postpartum cycle

Jan 21, 2008 15:29

Tell me about your first cycle postpartum... What sort of irregularities, if any, did you observe? How many months postpartum were you?

I'm a bit baffled by my first PP cycle, at 16 months, and am curious about what it's like for other FAM-experienced women.

postpartum

Comments 14

lux_roark January 21 2008, 21:01:33 UTC

My very first period was light and came and went for a couple weeks. That was about 4.5 months postpartum (I'm really jealous of the women who can go longer!). The 2nd and 3rd period were extremely heavy, I was passing quite a few clots and was in a lot of pain. I have noticed that it's not quite as regular as it was before I got pregnant, but I'm also still breastfeeding mostly since my son is only 8 months old. My periods are also lasting only 2-3 days instead of my usual 4-5 days. So even though they're painful and really heavy, they don't last that long.

felize January 21 2008, 21:06:27 UTC

Thank you. My first period was also really light, and I was wondering how normal that was... I'm worried the next will be heavy and painful to make up for it!

I'm still breastfeeding too, and I remember reading that the hormones involved can affect your cycle... I am certainly grateful to have gone 16 months without a period, of course. :)

dellswife January 21 2008, 21:04:28 UTC

I got mine at 7 months PP. It was lighter than normal, no cramps or anything. And was 3-4 days instead of about 5.

My cycles before getting pregnant were no longer than 28 days and I am now on cd29 at 5DPO

felize January 21 2008, 21:08:38 UTC

Thank you, I feel a bit more normal already... I can already tell that this cycle is shaping up to be longer than my prepregnancy cycles. Lots of CF over the past week, but no temperature spike yet.

dellswife January 21 2008, 21:21:37 UTC

Its nice to know you arent the only one! I thought I was the only one who had short painless cycles (Or 1st one anyhow) b/c everything I read from others was that it would be SO LONG and SO PAINFUL!
It does suck not being back to "normal" tho:p

sparklielizard January 21 2008, 21:56:48 UTC

I was using OPKs every other day from about 5 months as a form of contraception (still a bit risky, but better than nothing) so I know I had no LH surge before my period came back at around 9 months PP. It was more like a huge lump of spotting though - I had big AF-style cramps for a few days, but just basically one dollop one afternoon, followed by a day or so of light brown very light spotting. After that I had a normal length cycle (for me) with a normal ovulation and a normal LP and a normal AF. It was normal for the following two months, and I conceived on the cycle after that, which did end in miscarriage which has messed everything up again!

In case it makes a difference I breastfed exclusively for 6 months and am still breastfeeding now at 16 months.

felize January 21 2008, 22:35:53 UTC

Yes, I could also tell that my first period wasn't true menstruation... I didn't even have any cramps!

I am sorry to hear about your miscarriage.

sparklielizard January 22 2008, 08:37:46 UTC

Thanks :-) We're currently TTC again so hopefully things will work out well this time!

oscariswilde January 21 2008, 22:25:13 UTC

With my 1st my cycles were back to normal at 8 weeks PP even though I breastfed exclusively. With the 2nd I'm on my 3rd cycle, the 1st was very short, the 2nd painful but not overly long, the 3rd painful and I've yet to have a temperature spike, it's crazy, doesn't look like I'm ovulating yet from what I can tell. I'm still breastfeeding now so I'm sure that's messing with it some but...

felize January 21 2008, 22:38:29 UTC

I know, every morning I'm convinced my temperature will go up but it doesn't!

Kind of aggravating, this new body of mine!

jilflirt January 22 2008, 00:17:11 UTC

My first pp cycle was at 16 months, and I am now on day 39 of my second cycle with no ovulation yet. Chart here: http://www.fertilityfriend.com/home/jilflirt/

Main irregularities are the weird fluctuations in temp with no pattern and the constant EWCM. Before my first period, I had a few positive OPK tests with no temp shift following.

felize January 22 2008, 00:19:32 UTC

Thank you for that - I am also experiencing a longer time of and larger amount of CM, especially EWCM, which is weird to me because back before I got pregnant, I never had EWCM! We TTC for five cycles (before succeeding in the fifth cycle), and I never observed EWCM, but right now I have plenty.