To ask if anyone else’s periods changed after childbirth?

[WonderLime]

I unfortunately got mine back quite quickly despite breastfeeding. They are heavier than I remember them being, but nothing I can manage seeing as I can just hide away at home for the week and refuse to leave the house.

But my God, the period pains are horrendous. It just comes out of nowhere and has me nearly floored. Please tell me this doesn’t continue forever. It’s the 4th one since birth and it doesn’t feel any better than the last few months.

Does this happen to everyone? Is this one of those many, many unpleasant things that the NHS forget to mention? Does it get better with time?

I was on Regividon since I was 16. My withdrawal bleeds lasted 5 days, but I never ever had any pain or other related problems that I know so many women do.
Came off it when dh and I decided to ttc (I hated having 'proper' periods until I was lucky enough to conceive).
After my baby was born, I went back on the same pill at the 6 week check (I chose not to breastfeed at all). I thought it would be fine. But I struggled to take it, and felt sick when I tried, and during the withdrawal bleed week I was in agony. I had cramps, the bleeding was much heavier and it was so hard. So much so that I frequently missed days, which caused breakthrough bleeding. It got worse to try and take it so I stopped taking it for a while, but having 'proper' periods was even worse, I felt like my insides were being pulled out of me.
So I finally went to the doctor and changed to microgynon. The difference. No pain at all, my withdrawal bleed lasts 3 days and is so much lighter. Best thing I ever did.
I'm not convinced Regividon was ever the right pill for me, but it was just what I was given the first time I went to the doctors for it.

Mine used to be heavy on day one and 2, then calm off. Then after DD they became light and only about 4 days long but recently they have morphed to more painful with pain going down my legs. They are lasting longer, about 7 days with it being heavy on day 4-5. Keeps me on my toes! The worst though for me is ovulation pain though. That can have me sobbing with the pain unable to move about properly. It always comes on in the evening and lasts a few hours but is horrid none the less.

I went the other way - went from having crippling cramps to sailing through each month pain free.

Mine have changed a lot! They’re now shorter, heavier and much less painful generally. I have had a couple that were horrendous though!

Heavier. I see it like the inflated then deflated balloon. More surface area afterwards even though it's contracted.

Mine are worse now. They're heavier and last a week instead of them being light and only lasting five days.

Less painful, but a more varied flow - light some months, heavier others. My cycle changed to a regular 28 days, before it was anything from about 26 to 35 days.

Mine became shorter and lighter with each child, but that could also be age related as I was nearly 41 when I had my second/last child.

My periods have stayed the same, but since having kids I’ve had more side effects not the right word I know. I used to just get my period but now I am such a moody cow; I get spotty and greasy and I’m generally awful to be around for about 5 days. I hate it.

Mine were a little heavier but far less painful after DC1, also stopped getting some other symptoms like sore boobs
Post DC2 and am still waiting to have a period so hoping they'll be ok still!

Yep. Horrific since DC. Heavy, last 8-9 days, hideous pain (needed codeine) and diarrhoea into the bargain.

I'm now on the mini pill to try and reduce them but after 3 months I'm still bleeding almost daily (although no pain) but think I'm going to give up on it.

Oh, and my cycle is now only 23 days with a period lasting 8 days so I barely even get two weeks before the next one.

Heavier but didn’t last as long. But for one day a really horrible bearing down sort of pain like all my insides were trying to escape out of me. I got a Mirena coil, all sorted now.

Mine are much better post-DC.
Weird how it goes one way for some and the other for others.

Mine are more consistent, but heavier and I also get premenstrual headaches, which I never suffered with before pregnancy. Since ds2 I have also had the worst premenstrual water rentention

Mine changed - they are lighter and less painful. I was 37 when dd was born, have since had three cycles if I fall and am now 44, so lots of other reasons for change.

Mine are heavier, and don't last as long. I used to get period pains but don't get them anymore. My youngest is 7 and it's been like that since I got my periods back.

Mine got lighter after dc2.

Hugely improved. Pre-kids, Without mefenamic acid, I had sudden crippling pain (puking & hot flashes).

No worse than unpleasant twinges after DC.

Far worse! So much heavier and now I get 'morning sickness' nearly every time, which also gives me the fear about an unplanned pregnancy at least one month of two!

I never used to have periods! Maybe 3 a year? Now regular as clockwork

Pregnancy completely cured my horrific period pain, but they are much heavier.

Mine have always been quite light and that hasn’t changed, but my cycle length has.

I was as regular as clockwork, 28 day cycle before I had ds, now it can vary from anywhere between 23 and 29 days. I think I ovulate quite late now as well, about cd 18 and therefore have a short luteal phase which is probably why we’ve not been successful in having a dc2.

Another thing I’ve noticed since having ds is I have quite painful ovulation. I never used to feel it at all now I can sometimes get cramps worse that actual period pains.

Far worst, so heavy and lots of pain. I've had up go back on the pill to ease the symptoms despite DH having had a vasectomy.

I had intense pain and heavy periods before. Much lighter after DC1. Now after DC2 and c-section I get barely any pain but intensely heavy periods. I've just been diagnosed with adenomyosis (endometriosis of the womb), which can be caused by c-section birth.