Please or to access all these features

Add post

Watch this thread

Save thread

Start a new thread

Flip thread

Hide thread

My feed

Active Unanswered threads

Getting started FAQ's

Unanswered threads Acronyms Talk guidelines

Hide shortcut buttons

Talk

General health

Mumsnet doesn't verify the qualifications of users. If you have medical concerns, please consult a healthcare professional.

Flip

Original poster

Period pains...where have they gone?!

18 replies

LipstickMum · 07/06/2004 09:10

My dd is a year old now and I have been menstruating again since she was about 5 months and now I am pretty regular. What I have noticed over the last couple of months, is the total absence of any cramps and back ache in the run up and first few days of my period! I used to get them pre-baby, when I was also on the pill. They weren't ever 'stay in bed' bad, a painkiller would generally sort them out, but the last couple of months they have totally disappeared.
I'm not complaining, pain free AF is fantastic! The only minor downside is, unless I am on the case and know when to expect them, they really creep up on me with no warning whatsoever!
I remember a couple of friends saying that after having a baby, they were told their periods would be easier but they felt theirs had got worse. I definitely feel mine have eased up pain-wise.
Is it just the luck of the draw, or do most women feel their period pain has eased up or gone away completely since giving birth?

OP posts:

Fio2 · 07/06/2004 09:14

lucky you!

mine were worse for a long time after having my 2 kids. Then they settled down. But the last one was horrendous

Toothache · 07/06/2004 09:20

Lisptickmum - Mine definitely got worse after DS, but that could've been to do with the fact I never went back on the pill (no need to.... new baby NO SEX!! )

Original poster

LipstickMum · 07/06/2004 09:38

hmmm interesting, am going to count my blessings for the time being

OP posts:

zebra · 07/06/2004 10:14

Classically, menstral pain was divided into 2 types: "primary" (as soon as you started menstruating) and "secondary" (pains that started a few years later after the first onset of your periods). The traditional view is that if you have "primary", it is probably at its worse just before you start your period, and will probably go away never to strike again as soon as you have a baby. Whereas if you have "secondary", it is at its worst during your period, and will just get worse and worse as you get older.

There's more to the traditional divisions than that, but they didn't fit me very well is what I really remember!

More info here

Tinker · 07/06/2004 10:19

Hmm, they don't fit me too well either zebra. I was have-a-day-off-school bad with periods so had to go on the pill to try to control it in order to do my O levels. The pain has eased after having a baby but it's still there, not gone away. BUT I do get really moody PMT now - which I didn't used to get before.

Tinker · 07/06/2004 10:19

Sure the uterus having been stretched in pregnancy must be something to do with the easing of the pain.

nutcracker · 07/06/2004 10:36

Well mine have always been bad (the stay in bed sort), and since i've had the kids they are no better, sometimes even worse.
I am about to go back on the pill just to get some relief from it.

glitterfairy · 07/06/2004 11:02

I uesd to faint and vomit with periods but since my first kid no problems although worse pmt. think this is due to the cervix being stretched rather than the uterus tinker.

nutcracker · 07/06/2004 11:09

Ah see I had 3 sections, was only in labour once and didn't dilate at all, which must be why mine are no better.
I thought it might have something to do with that.

I still do faint and vomit sometimes. If i'm on the pill i'm fine though, don't even get backache or stomach pains.

Original poster

LipstickMum · 07/06/2004 12:56

Thanks for the web link zebra, very interesting.

OP posts:

muddaofsuburbia · 07/06/2004 13:07

Sympathies Nutty - mine are most definitely the stay in bed type (2 days at worst now, but used to be 5 befre the pill )

My mum had 2 sections and swore blind that her pain disappeared after childbirth. I've had one emergency section (got to 8cm) but they're as bad as ever.

I'm on th pill atm, but this is my last pack as we're going to start ttc as soon as that's finished. That means I'm going to probably have some pill free periods again and I'm really not looking forward to that.

SoupDragon · 07/06/2004 13:17

The pain is much better for me post-children. Just a dull ache rather then day-off-school/work ones that I used to get.

gingernut · 07/06/2004 13:34

I'm another who has much less pain now than pre-childbirth. I used to suffer for several days at the start of my period (never before it though) and now I occasionally have some pain on the first day but it's nothing like as bad. However, LipstickMum, I had no pain at all for a year or more after giving birth. After that it did return for some reason but as I say it was much improved.

dinosaur · 07/06/2004 13:36

This reply has been withdrawn

This has been withdrawn by MNHQ at the poster's request.

SoupDragon · 07/06/2004 14:22

Maybe it's just that it seems to hurt less because we know what Real Pain is now

Original poster

LipstickMum · 07/06/2004 14:29

Very good point

OP posts:

Bettybloo · 07/06/2004 14:34

Interesting thread lipstickmum! Mine were the day off school type before ds who was a natural birth, seemed to get better after that, then dd was caesarian and have been SO much worse after that. Agonising, ready to explode boobs, terrible cramps, and an ache like i've just been kicked in the bits - not to mention godzilla pmt.
Anyone else found it worse after a ceasarian? I suppose it could just be age

sponge · 07/06/2004 14:39

I had a natural birth and mine have definitely been worse since childbirth. Still not horribly painful but just torrential where they used to be quite light.

Flip