What to do after cesarean section? Heavy periods after childbirth and cesarean section: is this normal? What can affect the critical days after cesarean section?

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Many women are interested in this completely legitimate question: when do periods begin after a cesarean section? To be able to answer this question, first of all, it is worth understanding a few main points.

Firstly, it all depends on the individual characteristics of each female body: for some, menstruation comes a little earlier, for others a little later, but in general everything is within the normal range.

Secondly, performing a caesarean section does not in any way affect the appearance of menstruation. They begin to appear just as if childbirth were going on naturally.

Thirdly, the appearance of menstruation also depends on how exactly the mother feeds her baby. If this is exclusive breastfeeding, then the onset of the menstrual cycle should not be expected before the feeding period ends, which is approximately a year and a half. If the mother does not breastfeed at all, then menstruation usually occurs 2 or 3 months after the operation. With a mixed diet, they can come in 3-4 months.

In some cases, heavy periods occur after a cesarean section. This is usually due to changes in the female body at the hormonal level and its characteristics. However, there is no need to panic right away, since periods may be heavy only the first two times. However, if this trend continues to occur, then you should consult a doctor.

Menstruation or lochia?

After the birth of a child, the female body begins to recover. Nature provides time for this from 6 to 8 weeks. During this period, specific bleeding begins to occur after a cesarean section. However, these are not yet menstruation, with which they can easily be confused. Over time, the composition and quantity, as well as the color of the discharge changes.

Discharge rates

For about the first week, lochia will be released abundantly in red clots and can look very much like real menstruation. The volume can be up to 500 ml. It is worth noting that the discharge may increase when walking, breastfeeding, or palpating the abdomen, since it is at this moment that the uterus is able to contract better, getting rid of everything unnecessary.

Then, within 4-5 weeks, the lochia begins to acquire a brown tint, and their number decreases. In the end they are quite scanty and smearing. After 6-8 weeks, the uterine mucosa has completely recovered, and the discharge is completely light.

It is worth remembering that the intensity and nature of the discharge depends on the ability of the uterus to contract. After surgery, the process may be slower because some muscle tissue is damaged. Therefore, in order to stimulate the uterus for better contraction, medications are used: oxytocin or other similar ones.

In this case, the woman must fulfill certain conditions:

Go to the toilet regularly, as a full bladder makes the uterus contract worse.
Feed the child only upon his request.

But it happens that the discharge begins to acquire an unpleasant and pungent odor. In this case, you should not postpone your visit to the gynecologist. In most cases, this indicates that inflammatory processes have begun in the uterine cavity. Moreover, it is worth noting that the risk of endometritis after a cesarean section is higher than during natural childbirth.

Also, in some cases, itching may occur in the intimate area, and the discharge may become cheesy. This already indicates the presence of thrush, which can occur due to taking antibiotics, which are usually prescribed after surgery.

It is also worth paying attention if the lochia suddenly stops. This may indicate a bend in the uterus, and if they are not removed, the development of endometritis cannot be avoided.

By and large, after surgery, the main thing is to maintain personal hygiene, and then the risk of various pathologies can be minimized.

Useful video about periods after childbirth

Many young mothers are interested in menstruation after cesarean section - when it starts and what it should be like. Every month a woman menstruates, during which the endometrium and unfertilized eggs are released. Their regular repetition is called a cycle.

However, during pregnancy this process stops: the egg is fertilized and menstruation does not occur. This lasts for all 9 months until the very moment of birth.

Many women undergo a caesarean section - this is an abdominal operation in which doctors independently remove the baby from the mother's tummy. After the birth process, the woman’s body restarts. The onset of menstruation is absolutely individual and depends on the tissue healing process after surgery.

The difference between postpartum discharge and menstruation

Normally, after giving birth, a woman experiences so-called postpartum discharge. They are caused by regeneration processes of the walls of the uterus, they are called lochia.

Normally, such discharge lasts from 45 to 60 days. During this time, they can change their color and smell: from dark red to light red. After their completion, it is believed that the woman’s body begins to recover to its prenatal state. It is important to note that the bleeding will decrease in quantity over time until it stops altogether.

The main difference between them and regular menstruation is the duration and nature of the discharge. During menstruation, a woman experiences normal bleeding with small clots, the average duration is 5 to 7 days. Their repetition every month is called the menstrual cycle.

Lochia has a longer period and its character changes over time. It is very important not to confuse them with possible bleeding after childbirth. The latter are accompanied by an increase in body temperature, an uncharacteristic scarlet color of the blood and its abundance.

Menstruation after cesarean

After the lochia has ended and the woman’s body has recovered, menstruation begins after a cesarean section. This process is individual for each woman.

The following factors influence when your period comes:

structural features of the body (age and course of pregnancy);
way of life after childbirth (sleep, nutrition, etc.);
infectious or inflammatory processes;
stress and nervous disorders;
breastfeeding period.

When do they start

It is worth noting that if after giving birth a woman prefers to feed the baby with her milk, then menstruation will occur after the completion of this process.

During breastfeeding, the female body produces the hormone prolactin, which blocks a woman's sex hormones. Because of this, the process of egg maturation does not occur, and menstruation does not begin.

As a woman reduces the number of feedings, the production of sex hormones increases and, accordingly, the likelihood of menstruation increases. As a rule, after stopping breastfeeding, the cycle should be restored within six months. With frequent feedings, you should not count on the restoration of menstruation.

How long do they go?

How many days menstruation will last depends individually on the woman’s body. Some women note that after childbirth, the duration of menstruation decreased, and the number of days in the cycle also changed.

With breastfeeding and artificial feeding

Women who have had a cesarean section are interested in how long it takes for menstrual flow to come. As a rule, this happens after introducing the first complementary foods to the baby at 4-6 months.

If a child is fed only breast milk, then even after a cesarean section, menstruation may be absent for a year or more.

If a child eats ready-made formulas rather than mother's milk, then menstruation can occur as early as a month after birth, but no later than 8-12 weeks after birth.

If the cycle is irregular, and the nature of menstruation is constantly different, then you should definitely contact a gynecologist, as this may be caused by pathological processes in the body.

There is an opinion that if a woman had an irregular cycle before giving birth, then after childbirth everything should improve. Your periods will be less heavy and will not be accompanied by severe pain. It is important to note that after this type of surgery, a woman is not recommended to become pregnant for the next three years. This is due to regeneration processes in the uterus. If pregnancy occurs earlier, there is a risk of rupture of the internal seams.

Even in the absence of menstruation, there is a possibility of pregnancy. This is due to an unstable hormonal background, in which maturation and fertilization of the egg can occur in a woman’s body.

This should be taken into account by women who are breastfeeding. In this case, it is recommended to use contraceptive methods during sexual intercourse.

In the video about menstruation after childbirth:

Possible deviations

In some cases, after the onset of menstruation, women notice certain changes that should prompt an emergency visit to the doctor:

if the child is bottle-fed and menstruation does not come within 12 weeks after caesarean section;
the duration of menstruation is not normal: either too long (more than a week) or too short (less than 2 days);
uncharacteristic amount of discharge: very heavy, in which a woman changes more than 5 pads during the day;
before or after menstruation there are noticeable bloody marks on the underwear;
the smell of menstruation is very pungent and unpleasant;
six months after the start of menstruation, the cycle is irregular.

Reasons for missing periods

The main reasons for the delay in the onset of menstruation may be a long recovery period, the individual characteristics of the female body, and breastfeeding. Factors that may affect the absence of menstruation are:

improper and insufficient nutrition;
stress and nervous tension;
severe fatigue and constant lack of sleep;
complications after pregnancy;
hormonal imbalance.

If you suspect a lack of menstruation on time, you should definitely consult a doctor for examination and testing.

It must be remembered that childbirth and pregnancy place certain stress on a woman’s body. Depending on her age and health, the recovery process takes different times. For some, menstruation after a cesarean section may begin within a month after birth (provided there is no lactation), and for some it is absent during the entire period of breastfeeding.

There are many factors that influence the recovery of the body:

proper nutrition;
rest of a young mother;
lack of stress, etc.

Therefore, it is best if relatives come to the aid of a woman after a caesarean section. Still, this is an abdominal operation, during which movement is limited, the young mother is not allowed to lift heavy objects for a certain period of time, etc.

If, after the introduction of complementary foods or the complete end of breastfeeding, menstruation still does not occur, this should alert you. The cause may be serious illnesses, so do not delay the examination by a gynecologist.

All information is provided for informational purposes. Do not self-medicate. At the first sign of disease, consult a doctor.

Recently, more and more often women give birth not by the usual natural way, but by caesarean section. What this is connected with is not known exactly. A polluted external environment, poor quality food, lifestyle and many other factors play a big role. Naturally, a normal birth has a more positive effect on the condition of the mother and the newborn, because everything happens naturally. But there are times when it is simply impossible to do without such an operation, so the child is born in a not entirely natural way.

Of course, every woman who has undergone such an abdominal operation knows all the painful symptoms and possible complications firsthand. Heavy menstruation after cesarean section is considered one of these troubles. During this serious operation, tissues and blood vessels are cut. A woman loses 3 times more blood as a result of a cesarean section than after a standard birth. The healing process is quite long and slightly painful.

Healing is accompanied by lochia - a discharge that should not be confused with menstruation, because lochia is the same red color. There are clots in them, and this is quite normal. The normal healing process should not be alarming. Some time passes and the discharge becomes thicker, it darkens and decreases in quantity, after which it becomes lighter and stops altogether. The disappearance indicates a prolonged scar on the uterus, that is, the beginning of a normal rhythm for the body. It takes 6 to 8 weeks to cleanse the body after the baby is born.

Each woman's period may start differently. Their onset is influenced by various factors.

Causes

The time of onset of menstruation for each woman is purely individual. The following reasons influence this:

Woman's age. Young women in labor usually get their periods earlier than those over 30.
The course of pregnancy for 9 months. If no complications were observed, then there should be no problems with uterine contractions.
The mother's lifestyle, diet, and exercise. Compliance with measures in everything contributes to the rapid renewal of the body after a caesarean section.
Lactation has a big influence on the onset of menstruation. This happens due to the production of prolactin, the hormone responsible for the production of breast milk. Under the influence of prolactin, the ovaries become sluggish. Frequent breastfeeding leads to the fact that a woman’s period does not begin immediately. If the baby is bottle-fed, menstruation may begin within 1-2 months.

If you believe statistics and the opinion of experts, we can say that menstruation occurs after cesarean section with normal lactation approximately 16-20 weeks after surgery.

Possible complications

Not everyone has a caesarean section without complications. Sometimes they can appear in the form of inflammation of the uterus or endomyometritis. In order to exclude such phenomena, the woman in labor is prescribed a course of antibiotics immediately after a cesarean section. During surgery, internal organs come into contact with air, the sterility of which cannot be assured even in the operating room. Therefore, treatment is prescribed for preventive purposes.

After giving birth to a child by caesarean section, a woman should be even more careful about her health. It is important to avoid hypothermia, which in most cases leads to inflammatory processes. Particular attention should be paid to intimate hygiene. If you hear an unpleasant smell of discharge, you should immediately consult a doctor. This phenomenon may be evidence of the onset of a serious endometritis disease. The use of aromatic pads makes it difficult to diagnose this disease at an early stage, even when an unpleasant-smelling discharge appears. That's why doctors oppose them.

It is important to know the symptoms after a cesarean section, the presence of which should be the reason for a visit to the doctor:

A bad sign is not only heavy periods after surgery, but also their sudden cessation. This may be evidence of bending of the uterus, preventing secretions from coming to the surface, which can lead to the appearance of endometritis.
A small amount of menstrual blood during menstruation indicates that the uterus contracts poorly, stagnant processes appear in it, which, in turn, leads to inflammation.
An irregular menstrual cycle observed over six months may also indicate a serious problem. Menstruation should be painless and occur with a normally established cycle.
Heavy periods with blood loss are a serious reason to seek medical help.
The normal course of menstruation after a cesarean section should not be accompanied by strong ointments before and after them. This phenomenon is considered a deviation from the norm and requires consultation with doctors.
Curd discharge accompanied by itching may be a sign of thrush. This often happens after treatment with antibiotics.
A short interval between periods of three months is acceptable. They can occur even after 20 days. But if after 3 months no changes occur, you should find out the reason with the help of a doctor.

Results

The condition of the female body after a caesarean section should always be under control. At the slightest deviation from the norm, it is important to consult your gynecologist. This will help identify a possible disease at its very beginning and avoid further problems.

A caesarean section is a surgical operation in which a woman's uterine wall is cut to remove the baby. During the operation, two types of anesthesia are used:

General.
Regional.

This method of childbirth is prescribed both in cases of poor health of the mother (complete placenta previa, narrow pelvis, presence of a scar on the uterus, absence of labor, multiple pregnancy, etc.) and on the part of the baby (large fetus, transverse position of the child). As with any surgical procedure, complications may also arise in this case. The most common is heavy periods after cesarean section.

The first menstruation, subject to surgical intervention, can begin only when the lactation period is completely completed; if the woman in labor does not breastfeed, then after 45–60 days, in this case the woman may encounter a problem such as too much discharge.

Possible reasons

Several months after childbirth, the uterus is healing and hormonal levels are in recession, so heavy periods after cesarean section are quite common. Their abundance and duration are influenced by many factors:

Critical days and breastfeeding, as well as the relationship and the possibility of combining these two processes are questions...

Discharge rate

The first periods after a cesarean section are very heavy and prolonged, these are postoperative consequences of the healing of a wound on the uterus. This bleeding risks continuing for two months. If a woman’s health has not deteriorated during this time, then the recovery process after surgery is normal.

Menstruation with clots is a natural process that should not frighten a woman in labor.

For 3–4 months, menstruation may be irregular, the interval between menstruation should not be less than 20 or more than 35 days, and the duration should not exceed more than 10 and less than 3 days. A deviation from the norm is considered if one pad is barely enough for 2-3 hours.

When breastfeeding

Breastfeeding after a cesarean section is an additional aid for the recovery of the body. Frequently putting a baby to the breast is a quick way to restore the uterus and genitals. Establishing lactation after surgery is not easy, especially if the operation was planned. The mechanism that regulates milk production was not activated in the mother’s body.

If the mother does not breastfeed the baby after birth, then menstruation will begin at 6–8 weeks, and for nursing mothers, the onset of menstruation is delayed until 16–20 weeks or may not appear at all until the end of feeding.

Possible complications and consequences

With a caesarean section, as with any operation, there may be complications, for example, inflammation of the uterus or endometritis. To eliminate the risk of disease, doctors prescribe a course of antibiotics.

See also: How long does the first menstruation after childbirth last?

Possible complications:

Too little postpartum discharge is a sign that the uterus is contracting poorly.
Inflammation or suture dehiscence.
Itching in the perineum, cheesy discharge - this phenomenon may be a consequence of thrush.

If after the operation menstruation does not return within 6 months, provided that breastfeeding has been stopped, you must consult a specialist to normalize the menstrual cycle.
Abdominal pain.
Spotting between periods.
Discharge with an unpleasant odor, which may indicate a purulent process in the genitals or the development of infections.
Adhesive disease.
Constipation.

Each woman is individual, and the process of restoring the monthly cycle after childbirth is also individual. But, as a rule, the first menstruation after a cesarean section appears at the same time as after a normal birth.

Getting your period back after a cesarean section depends more on whether you are breastfeeding or not. With breastfeeding, the first period usually appears much later than with artificial feeding.

In the absence of lactation, periods after a cesarean section will not take long to appear - they appear already 2-3 months after the operation. Whereas with natural breastfeeding, the monthly cycle takes longer to recover, depending on the frequency of feedings and other physiological features.

Discharge rates

Regardless of when your period starts after a cesarean section, the first discharge is usually quite heavy. An increase in the volume of discharge is usually observed in the first couple of months after the cycle is restored. If this trend continues, you should pay attention to this and consult a doctor.

The reasons for heavy periods after cesarean can be hormonal changes in the body, structural features of the woman’s reproductive system, or myometrial hyperplasia after cesarean.

Do not ignore too scanty periods after a cesarean section. In any case, your gynecologist must prescribe certain examination methods and, if necessary, prescribe treatment.

If you are alarmed by the frequency of your periods, that is, they occur more often than once a month, this may indicate possible disturbances in uterine contractility caused by surgical trauma and the negative effects of painkillers.

But don't panic ahead of time. Full restoration of the monthly cycle occurs only after 3-4 months. Before this, menstruation can “jump” - either start later than expected, or suddenly repeat after 2 weeks. The body has just begun the recovery process.

Menstruation or lochia?

Do not confuse discharge immediately after cesarean section with menstruation. The first (lochia) - accompany every woman, regardless of whether the birth was natural or surgery was performed.

After childbirth, the uterus undergoes a cleansing process. Everyone knows that after the placenta is expelled, a rather large wound remains on the wall of the uterus. It bleeds during the healing process. Particularly heavy bleeding is observed in the first two to three days after birth. These days, a woman can have up to one hundred milliliters of bloody discharge per day. Further, the volume of discharge decreases, its color changes and gradually, as the wound heals, it becomes yellowish-white and soon disappears completely.

How long the so-called menstruation lasts after a cesarean section depends, again, on the characteristics of the body of each individual woman. For some, this process takes 2-3 weeks, for others it takes 2 months.

After the discharge is completed, doctors recommend undergoing a preventive examination with an obstetrician-gynecologist to make sure the absence of inflammatory processes and other troubles, as well as confirm the normal contraction of the uterus and its return to its original state.

Menstruation and lactation There is an opinion that you should not breastfeed your baby during your period. But this is nothing more than a myth. Milk during menstruation does not change its taste and nutritional value. The only thing is that in the first couple of days its quantity may decrease slightly. Do not worry or be upset, because soon the volume of milk flow will be restored, and everything will fall into place.