During pregnancy, ovulation does not occur and hence there would be no menstruation. After delivery every woman should resume monthly periods under normal course. When she becomes pregnant, plenty of hormones play a vital role in changing her emotions. Similarly, many women are likely to develop postpartum depression after childbirth. This condition occurs due to sudden reduction of pregnancy hormones.
The onset of menstrual periods after childbirth varies from one woman to the other. Even for the same woman vaginal bleeding after delivery varies from one pregnancy to the other. Monthly periods begin once the uterus gets ready for ovulation and holding another baby.
One cannot exactly predict the period for monthly periods after childbirth. Roughly it may take anywhere from 8 weeks to 25 weeks after delivery. Various factors influence the onset of ovulation in women after childbirth. If the mother is breastfeeding there is likely to get delayed periods.
- Lochia
Vaginal bleeding can occur shortly after delivery which may continue for 2-4 weeks. However it is not menstruation but the leftover blood clots present in the uterus while holding the baby. It can be the layer of endomentrium lining of the womb which gets mixed with mucus and blood. It is actually the shed off tissue of the uterus and has nothing to do with periods. Initially the color of vaginal discharge would be bright red which soon diminishes in color and becomes pale red.
- Breastfeeding
When compared with bottle-feeding mothers, breastfeeding moms have later onset of menstrual cycle. The reason behind this is purely scientific. When a woman breastfeeds her child prolactin hormone plays a vital role in producing more amounts of milk required for the baby. When this hormone is released reproductive hormones like estrogen or progesterone are not secreted by the body.