What was your first period like?

[CherryPie3]

I've been exclusively bf my ds2 for 5 months up to now and my first period since the birth arrived today.

Reason I'm posting is because it doesn't feel like a normal one - I'm very sorry if this is tmi bit it's quite heavy and clotty
Usually my periods are fairly light and last a couple of days, obviously I don't know how long this one will be a it only started this morning.

Any advice welcome please as I've got allsorts going through my head

XxxxxxX

It was heavy - like the first period I ever had (I remember bleeding through to my school trousers and being mortified - luckily I was better prepared this time, and at home!)

It was a bit of a shock as my periods are usually light. It was quite painful too in a cramping way.

Thank you, that sets my mind at rest a little now :)

I think I'd kinda forgotten what they were like as it's been a good long while since I had one!!

Thanks again!!

I found the opposite, my periods always used to be so heavy and painful, but since DS came along nearly 5 months go they are much lighter and less painful.

I used to end up taking cocodamol and ibuprofen plus sitting in the bath for hours before, where as now paracetamol take care of the pain.

:) It did settle down after a couple though they are now heavier than they were before, I think. It's hard to tell because I used to use pads and I now use a mooncup.

I remember when I was a teenager being told that after you have a baby that your periods are completely different, so I wouldn't worry tbh.

My first one was very, very heavy. Keep an eye on the 'clots' though, and if they seem large, it may be worth metnioning it to the HC incase there's any 'residue' from labour.

Mooncup?

I'm not extremely worried, its just that my older 2 children are 4&5 now and I'm sure they weren't this heavy after I had them, but then again I wasn't able to bf them so they were ff - I'm sure there's a difference in the impact on your body.

Right off for a bath now - hate hate hate how af makes me feel!!!!

Thanks everyone :) xxxxx

Mooncups are fantastic! Basically it's a small rubber cup which you insert into your vagina to catch the blood, rather than soaking it up as a tampon or towel will do. Then when it's full you empty it down the toilet, rinse out and reinsert (you wash and sterilise it between periods). I know it sounds a bit ick at first but it actually leaves you feeling a whole lot cleaner down there and there's nothing nasty in it like bleach for your body to absorb (or to irritate your fanjo etc)

If you're not convinced you should read some of the recent threads on the subject

AIBU to be baffled as to why the tampon is more popular than the mooncup?

What is a mooncup?

Hmm that second link was a bit rubbish. Just do an advanced search for "mooncup" and select thread titles only.

Wow I've never heard of them before!! Might give them a go if they make you feel cleaner cos right now I feel icker than ick! Just got out of the bath but already feel like getting in again, yuk!!

:)
XxxX

How do mooncups work in public loos? (i.e at work)?

You can either take a bottle of water in with you, or just wipe it with toilet paper. They tend to last longer than tampons without needing to be changed though so unless you have very heavy periods you may well not need to empty it at work. I just empty mine morning and night (but as I said I do have light periods!)