When Can I Use A Tampon After Giving Birth
Doctors recommend waiting six weeks before inserting anything in the vagina. That means you should never use tampons for lochia or a period that comes earlyâit could cause trauma to that very sensitive tissue. Itâs a good idea to play it safe and wait for your doctorâs green light before trying out a tampon post-childbirth.
Once you venture back into tampon insertion, you may need to use different absorbency than what you used before. And if you gave birth vaginally, you might want to use a larger tampon for a few months. Your vaginal muscles just pushed out a whole baby, after all, and your pelvic floor needs time to recover! Check in with your doctor about pelvic floor exercises that will speed up this process. The angle of your vagina can also change, so you may need to adjust your insertion technique.
Because many women experience a heavier or more unpredictable period right after pregnancy, they often opt for a pad when their first post-partum period comes. This is also a good way to monitor the quantity or texture of your flow, if thatâs something youâre worried about. A pantyliner might also come in handy the first few times you use a tampon after birth while you adjust to your changing flow.
Why Do Girls Get Periods
The whole reason people go through puberty is to be able to reproduce in the future . If you have a uterus and vagina, you have the potential to grow a baby. A period is a sign that your uterus is beginning to prepare for the possibility of pregnancy. It does that by forming a thick, lush lining where a baby could grow. If thereâs no pregnancy, the uterus releases the lining as a period, then it starts over creating a new, fresh lining over the next 3-5 weeks. If thereâs no pregnancy, thereâs another period, and it starts over. Periods happen this way from puberty until menopause which is when the menstrual cycle stops around age 50. Check out this guide to learn more about periods and the menstrual cycle.
Will Your First Postpartum Period Be Heavy
In short, theres no typical pattern for the first period after having a baby. Some women may have heavy, painful periods. Others may enjoy light, easy periods. Many women are surprised to find that their first period after baby has more blood clots in it. You can use tampons once it’s been four to six weeks since you gave birth and with your doctor’s okay.
Your postpartum flow may depend on your choice of birth control. If youre not breastfeeding and decide to go back on the pill after giving birth, you may have a lighter period.
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How Does It Start
The first period typically occurs after a female first ovulates. This happens when the ovaries release an egg into the fallopian tube.
When this happens, the womb lining thickens in preparation for the egg to be fertilized. If fertilization does not occur, the lining sheds, as the body no longer needs it. This is where period blood comes from.
In most females, this cycle continues regularly from the age of the first period until menopause, which is when periods end.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention , the average age at which females began menstruating in the United States in 20132017 was
How Plan B Affects Periods: What To Expect And When
- Reviewed By: Shannon DeVita DNP, FNP-BC, CPNP-PC, Julie Lamonoff, CNM, OBGYN-NP
Plan B One-Step, often just referred to as “Plan B,” can be a superhero: It helps many women significantly lower their pregnancy risk after unprotected sex. It’s safe to use, but just like birth control can affect your periods, so can Plan B. Here’s how Plan B, also known as the morning-after pill or emergency contraception, can affect your menstrual cycle and for how long.
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What Will My First Period Feel Like
You may find your first period comes and goes with very little in the way of symptoms, or you may find you experience quite a bit of discomfort. Common symptoms include:
- Cramping in the lower abdomen
- Breast tenderness
- Diarrhea or nausea
- Dizziness
Most of these symptoms do not last long, and can be treated with ibuprofen or other over-the-counter pain relief medications. A heating pad or hot water bottle on the abdomen or lower back can help ease pain in these areas. More details on menstrual pain and other symptoms can be found here .
How Often Will I Get My Period
This depends. The average person gets their period every 28 days. But, ironically, most women dont have average periods. You could start your period every 21 days or every 35 days, depending on your body. Remember, though, that during the first 2 years you have your period, it may be irregular. This is completely normal!
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More Than A Funny Word
OK, so it’s a funny word . . . but what is puberty, anyway? Puberty is the name for when your body begins to develop and change.
During puberty, your body will grow faster than any other time in your life, except for when you were an infant. Back then, your body was growing rapidly and you were learning new things you’ll be doing these things and much more during puberty. Except this time, you won’t have diapers or a rattle and you’ll have to dress yourself!
It’s good to know about the changes that come along with puberty before they happen, and it’s really important to remember that everybody goes through it. No matter where you live, whether you’re a guy or a girl, or whether you like hip-hop or country music, you will experience the changes that happen during puberty. No two people are exactly alike. But one thing all adults have in common is they made it through puberty.
What Causes A Period
A period happens because of changes in in the body. Hormones are chemical messengers. The ovaries release the female hormones and . These hormones cause the lining of the uterus to build up. The built-up lining is ready for a fertilized egg to attach to and start developing. If there is no fertilized egg, the lining breaks down and bleeds. Then the same process happens all over again.
It usually takes about a month for the lining to build up, then break down. That is why most girls and women get their periods around once a month.
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Does Breastfeeding Affect My Periods
Not having your period while you’re breastfeeding is known as lactational amenorrhea. How long it lasts depends on how often you breastfeed and when you introduce other food into your babys diet.
Its hard to predict when your period will return after you give birth and how you feed your baby is only one factor that influences this. However, once your body begins releasing eggs again, you can get pregnant even before you actually have your first period after giving birth. There are several safe contraception options you can consider while breastfeeding, but speak to your doctor for advice before resuming sexual activity.
What To Know About Your Period
You can expect to get your period approximately 450 times throughout your life. But even though you’ve probably got the hang of your cycle by now, chances are that some menstrual mysteries remain unsolved. Maybe your cycle is super long or short, or it’s irregular, or it comes with side effects like PMSand you wonder if what you experience each month is normal. Or maybe new issues have cropped up, like really awful cramps or a heavier flow, and you’re not sure if you need to tell your ob-gyn what’s going on.
The fact is, it’s important to pay attention to what’s normal and what isn’t during your cycle because changes can provide clues to your overall health, Taraneh Shirazian, MD, assistant professor of obstetrics and gynecology at NYU Langone Medical Center, tells Health. We asked Dr. Shirazian and other experts to decode puzzling period symptoms, surprising side effects, and other crucial pieces of period intel you need to know.
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Takeaways: Can Plan B Affect Your Period
The number one side effect of taking Plan B is irregular periods, which can come early or be delayed by a couple of days. Taking emergency contraception could also affect your next month’s period. But the effects usually resolve on their own, and no treatment is necessary. If you don’t get your period within a week of when you expect it to come, however, it’s probably a good idea to get a pregnancy test or get medical advice.
It’s important to know that accidents happen – a condom could break, you might forget to take your birth control pills for a few days, etc. It’s a great “last-chance” option that public health professionals say is not used often enough. Though you can get Plan B at most local drugstores and pharmacies, it may not be accessible for everyone. That’s why it’s good to be prepared: Online birth control delivery companies like ours, The Pill Club, can send Plan B with your package, so you have it when you need it.
Emergency contraception is a lifesaver to many. It’s a temporary fix, though. Make sure to continue to use your regular birth control method, like birth control pills or condoms, every time you have sex.
When To Worry About Your Postpartum Period
Your general menstrual health should always be a part of the larger conversation you have with your doctor, but if something feels suddenly different or wrong, dont wait for your yearly physical. Anything from a simple polyp or a fibroid or fibroma growing within the wall of the uterus, or something a bit more complicated like adenomyosis and endometriosis can influence womens cycles, says Black.
And while many women have simply learned to manage their periods, If your periods interfere with your ability to function, says Rhone, talk to your doctor.
For Liz, her monthly slog has simply become her normal routine. Until shes decided if shes finished having babies, shes reluctant to consider anything like an ablation. The idea, though, is tempting. Imagine, she says wistfully, being able to leave the tote bag at home.
Read more:
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Can A Girl Get Pregnant As Soon As Her Period Starts
Yes, a girl can get pregnant as soon as her period starts. A girl can even get pregnant right before her very first period. This is because a girl’s hormones might already be active. The hormones may have led to and the building of the uterine wall. If a girl has sex, she can get pregnant, even though she has never had a period.
First Postpartum Period: What To Expect & Timeline
30 Jun, 2021
Even though youre definitely capable of handling whatever your period throws your way, being pregnant has been a nice little vacation. Once your baby arrives, its only a matter of time before you begin having regular monthly periods again.
Even if you are breastfeeding, your period will eventually come back. Being prepared for that day is important.
Your first postpartum period may be a little different. Well tell you what to expect, help you prepare, and give you some tips and tricks to keep you feeling strong through it all.
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How Do I Know When I Will Get My Next Period
Its impossible to predict when your next period will start. Most girls and women go about 28 days from the first day of one period to the first day of the next, but anywhere from 21-35 days is normal. Especially in the first few years of menstruating, your period may be very irregular. If you track your period on a calendar , you will begin to notice a pattern over time. You can use this menstrual diary to keep track of your periods.
How Do I Choose A Pad Or Tampon That Is Right For Me
There are smaller, slender pads and tampons available that young women often prefer, particularly when they first start menstruating. You may find it helpful to use different products over the course of your period, with more absorbent tampons or pads being used on heavier flow days, and smaller tampons or pantiliners on low flow days. Each woman has her own preferences and whatever works best for your body is just fine!
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What To Expect When You Get Your First Period
Getting your first period can be really exciting – and also a little scary. Not to worry, though. Ive been there, done that, and have some information that will help your first period experience flow smoothly. Girls usually get their first period anywhere between age 11 and 15, but for some it does happen a few years earlier or later. This is normal – your body is just as unique as you are and it knows when the time is right. Knowing the answer to some common questions that girls have when they first start menstruating can make you feel less nervous about the changes your body is going through.
How Does The Menstrual Cycle Occur
The menstrual cycle occurs because of a complex relationship between hormones from the brain and ovaries. This leads to the development and release of an egg from the ovary and growth of the internal lining of the uterus, to prepare it for pregnancy.
When the hormones signal to the uterus that there is no pregnancy, the lining starts to break down and separate from the wall of the uterus, beginning the period. Once the lining has separated from the wall of the uterus, the cycle starts again.
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Period Tracking Apps Help You Stay On Top Of Your Cycle
If you have an irregular flow , apps like Clue, Eve, and Flo Period & Ovulation Tracker keep tabs on your cycle to alert you when your period is due.
These apps can be especially helpful if PMS hits you hard in the days before your period actually arrives. By tracking when your PMS symptoms hit each month, youll know exactly when to expect the bloating, mood swings, pre-period cramps, or other body issuesso you can take steps to minimize their impact. If youre trying to figure out a cause and effect, its certainly nice to have a record so you can track things over time and see if there does seem to be a causality, Dr. Gersh says.