How does giving birth impact your menstrual cycle, more specifically your period? Whether you’ve had a c-section or gave birth vaginally the return of your period is based on a few key factors which we’ll discuss below. It’s important to keep in mind that this post is a general guideline, as everyone’s body is different so not everything will necessarily apply to you.

The first period after pregnancy is called the postpartum period. How long it takes for the postpartum period to arrive after giving birth is mostly dependent on whether or not you breastfeed. This is because the body releases the hormone prolactin when breastfeeding. Prolactin is responsible for making breastmilk, and also prevents your period from starting. So, essentially as long as you’re breastfeeding consistently you won’t get your period until you stop completely or breastfeed less frequently.

Once you stop breastfeeding your period will return in about 1 – 2 months. The general timeline for when your period will return is 6 – 8 weeks after giving birth if you’re not breastfeeding at all. It takes about 4 – 8 weeks after giving birth if breastfeeding is replaced with formula or solids, and 7 – 8 months (possibly longer) after giving birth if you’re only breastfeeding.

It’s important not to confuse your period with postpartum bleeding called lochia. This is when the body bleeds for 6 – 8 weeks after giving birth. It usually starts out as a deep red colour and there may be a few blood clots. As time passes the blood becomes more watery, pink and brown. Eventually, it will turn white or yellow until it stops. At this stage it’s important to not insert anything into the vagina (at least for the first 6 weeks after giving birth), so only use maternity pads or sanitary pads to absorb the lochia.

Also, it is possible to get pregnant if you’re breastfeeding and haven’t gotten your period yet. This is because there’s still a chance that you might ovulate, so be sure to use birth control if you’re having sex and don’t want to conceive again.

The changes you could expect to your period after giving birth include a possibly heavier period. This is because the size of the uterine cavity has increased and there’s more lining to be shed. There’s also a chance of having more or less pain than before. Your period could be irregular, especially if you’re breastfeeding on and off. You might also have more clots, but if you experience it consistently for one week you should consult a medical professional.