5 Things I Didn’t Expect When Getting my Period Back Postpartum

by Anna Sise, COO of Viv

To all the new moms or moms-to-be out there reading this - congratulations!! There is so much new-ness around having a baby, and so much to be excited about with this new chapter. With all the focus on your baby, it can be hard to remember to check in with yourself too. I know I felt like with all these changes happening to myself and to my body, there were whole pieces of the experience that I really hadn’t heard about what to expect. One big area that isn’t often talked about is your first postpartum period. Here were five things that really surprised me about my period’s return!

 1. My period!

I had heard so much about how breastfeeding would delay my period coming back, that the first thing I really didn’t expect was my period coming back as soon as it did! Mine first came back about 3 months after birth, and started becoming more regular 5 months postpartum. There is such a wide range of what is normal here - so it definitely helps to be prepared early, but no need to stress if you’re on the later end either!

2. How irregular they would be the first few months

Pre-pregnancy, my periods were consistent (and consistently intense). I had a 27 day cycle, my period would usually last at least seven days, and would consistently have a few heavier days and a trail of lighter ones. For those first few months, I had no idea what to expect! In the beginningI had light spotting every two weeks or so, and then would go 35-40 days before my period would come back again. And on a related note…

 3. The HUGE range in flow & PMS symptoms

… how heavy my period was changed drastically! At first, it was super light and short, and I experienced no PMS symptoms whatsoever. As my period got to be more regular, I found that suddenly it was much heavier than I had expected or had experienced pre-pregnancy. I felt like I was a pre-teen again getting my period for the first time! I also started experiencing PMS symptoms differently - I had way less cramping, but was more aware of my luteal phase hitting (that bone-tired feeling hits differently with an 11 month old!).

4. How much my period product preference would shift

As a tampon girlie for most of my life, post child birth I had no interest in using tampons! For those first few periods, I was most comfortable using our Viv pads religiously and switching to our liners for the lighter days. (They were also a godsend for those first few weeks postpartum - soo much comfier than any of the other options on the market!) And now that I have a few periods under my belt…

 5. How much I have fallen back in love with my menstrual cup!!

Wow - never has the ‘set it and forget it’ nature of the cup meant more to me than now! I loved being able to get back into using my menstrual cup. With the craziness of being a mom and working full time and having less time to myself than ever, switching back to the cup felt like an act of self care. I tested both the large and the small cup sizes to see what felt the most comfortable with my changed body, and then I could go the day without worrying about my period, and going back to my pre-baby period routine felt like a cool milestone post birth. Now for those first few heavy days of each cycle, the Viv cup is my go-to!

Getting your period back can be wild, but ultimately is such a cool reminder of how much your body is doing and can handle, even through some of the biggest changes of your life. Just like your little one rolling over or babbling it's another milestone to celebrate!