When the cycle is restored after childbirth

After a woman has become a happy mother, one of the important aspects for her body is the restoration of the menstrual cycle. You need to understand what awaits a woman during this period, and what dangers are fraught with this seemingly wonderful time, when the most difficult is already behind and problems of a domestic and psychological nature loom on the horizon for a woman, when the strongest desire is a good sleep.

The menstrual cycle is the most complex biological process in the body of every woman, which, in addition to reproductive function, affects the heart, nerves and hormonal system. Simply put, menstruation is the period between the end of one and the beginning of another menstruation. Despite the fact that the frequency of the cycle is individual for everyone, but on average, it ranges from twenty-one to thirty-five days. An important criterion for the menstrual cycle is not the duration between the end of one and the beginning of the next, but an equal interval, then the cycle can be called regular. Menstruation is the preparation of all systems of the female body for conception and gestation, and is divided into stages.

In the first stage, the ovaries begin to produce estrogens, which increase the size of the uterus. In the ovaries, follicles (capsules in which eggs are stored) begin to mature. After a certain time, ovulation occurs, at a time when the follicle reaches maturity and bursts, releasing a mature egg into the abdominal cavity.

In the second stage, the egg begins to walk through the fallopian tubes, preparing for fertilization. The second phase lasts three days, and if the egg does not have time to be fertilized, it soon dies. In the second stage of the cycle, ovarian hormones begin to be produced - progesterone, which helps the endometrium prepare for the appearance of a fertilized egg in the uterus.

In this case, if the egg is not fertilized, then this will lead to the death of the inner layer of the uterus, from an insufficient amount of progesterone. Bloody discharge appears, which is menstruation. The first day of the appearance of discharge is considered the beginning of a new cycle of menstruation. Normal menstruation lasts from three to seven days. During this period, the female body loses up to one hundred and fifty milliliters of spotting.

When a woman is pregnant, there are a number of amazing hormonal changes that help keep the fetus going. Menstruation stops and even the mother's immune system does not attack the fetus, which is, in fact, a foreign body!

When do periods return after childbirth?

From the moment the child is born, the work of all internal organs and glands is normalized, which leads to the return of the previous state. Such processes begin after the baby is born and continue until the eighth week. During this time, the female body is in the process of recovery. All necessary changes take place, all systems return to their previous state. Lactation is established by the flow of milk for the baby into the mammary glands. For the ovaries, the formation and establishment of the menstrual process is the main, rather difficult task. The restoration of these organs occurs simultaneously. The uterus will recover in a relatively short time. Due to contractions of the muscular structure, the uterus can decrease to its normal state, and by the eighth week, the state of the uterus will return to normal, which was before pregnancy. About two weeks after the removal of the fetus, the uterus will have to fall ten millimeters a day. Interestingly, during the feeding period, the size of the uterus may become smaller than usual, the same size that it was before conception was planned. A week after the birth, it decreases in volume by half, and at the end of the postpartum period, its weight is approximately sixty grams. In the same way, the internal os and cervix quickly return to their original forms. After two weeks, the cervical canal will completely return to its normal shape. And the pharynx will not have time to form by the second week, and will remain open on the nail. During the third week, the pharynx closes and becomes slit-like.

The restoration of the menstrual cycle will depend on the following factors, such as: the general well-being of the woman's body, age-related changes, the course of pregnancy and childbirth, and breastfeeding can also affect rehabilitation. Also, the rehabilitation of a woman from the moment of childbirth may slow down:

• in multiparous or large mothers
• in primiparas over thirty
• with pathology with a disturbed course of childbirth
• in case of violations of the regime of the course of the postpartum period

After a period of excretion of the fetus and placenta, including the placenta, the uterus remains temporarily injured. The restoration of the inner surface of the uterus occurs by the tenth day, the restoration of the uterine mucosa - by the sixth - seventh week, and in the area where the placenta was attached - at the eighth week after birth. In the process of healing the organ, discharge appears in the form of clots and blood, they are called lochia. Their type and quantity changes in the process of regeneration of uterine tissues throughout the postpartum period:

• at the very beginning, in the first days, lochia contains a large amount of blood;
• on the fourth day, blood mucus looks like ichor, and is pink or yellow;
• on the tenth day, the discharge becomes light, more watery, the slightest admixture of blood is absent, gradually decreases;
• by the end of the third week, they practically disappear, and most of the discharge contains mucus from the cervical canal;
• by the end of the sixth week, any discharge from the uterus completely stops.

They have an unpleasant smell of rotten foliage and during the withdrawal period, their number can be one and a half kilograms.

Factors affecting complications in the postpartum period

Menstruation may start painfully. Perhaps these pains are caused by the exhaustion of the body, psychological postpartum problems and inflammation that began immediately after childbirth. If the pains are strong and upset the normal rhythm of the woman who has given birth, disrupt sleep, force the use of antispasmodics, then this is a condition called algomenorrhea. In this situation, you need to see a doctor.

In the postpartum period, the so-called reverse effect may begin, when before the birth of the baby, “these days” passed with unbearable pain after childbirth, it disappears. Perhaps, before the birth, the uterus was in a position in which the nerve endings were pressed, and after the birth of the child, the female organs changed their positions and the pressure on the region of the nerve endings ceased.

During menstruation, the likelihood of developing inflammation of the uterus and appendages increases. With inflammation, pain in the pelvis is not uncommon, and the discharge becomes much larger, and is usually accompanied by an unpleasant odor. Be sure to watch for signs of inflammation.

Some women in labor complain of premenstrual syndrome, which is caused by a series of symptoms, such as breast engorgement, severe migraine, swelling, rheumatoid pain, and even allergies.

The causes of this syndrome are unclear and there is no cure for it either. The only way to relieve the symptoms and wait for it to pass.

After a difficult birth, or even worse with a pathology, there may be a malfunction of the ovaries.

But you should never forget that a girl can get pregnant even in the absence of secretions and with excellent lactation. This happens because ovulation begins two weeks earlier than menstruation!

Cycle recovery after caesarean section

Another topical issue is the restoration of the menstrual cycle after a caesarean section. Menstruation in such mothers proceeds in the same time as in women who have given birth naturally. There remains a great risk of delayed menstruation due to a scar on the uterus. In this case, you need to undergo treatment with a gynecologist and be observed by him regularly.

After childbirth, the load on all body systems increases in a woman. To restore menstruation while breastfeeding, a person needs more vitamin. Mom loses calcium, and they are necessary for the proper functioning of the body and pelvic organs, to restore hormonal levels. With a lack of vitamin minerals and trace elements, it is not necessary to talk about normal menstrual cycles. Therefore, a woman is most often prescribed vitamin-mineral complexes and good nutrition.

The rehabilitation of the body can be affected by endocrine problems that are possible for any person, and which he may not be aware of for years. These diseases can worsen immediately after childbirth. In the first months of a baby's life, as soon as the mother and child are discharged from the hospital, attention should be paid to possible problems of the thyroid gland and the lymphatic system.

How long does the cycle recover after childbirth?

Having studied the physiology of the body, the processes of egg maturation and much more, it must be remembered that the body is completely different for everyone, what suits one does not suit the second. The recovery process is different for everyone. Optionally, menstruation will begin with the abolition of breastfeeding. For some mothers, breastfeeding can continue for more than a year, and menstruation will begin immediately after the end of the postpartum period. This period lasts forty-two days, during which time the uterus will fully recover, by which time ovulation may occur. Therefore, to find out about this, you can buy an ovulation test. Even if you're breastfeeding and you haven't gotten your period yet, it's important to use contraception to prevent unwanted pregnancies, as ovulation may have already occurred. But while you are feeding your baby with milk, it is too early to use hormonal contraceptives. Be carefull!

What to do to restore the menstrual cycle?

To restore the cycle after childbirth, you need to follow simple rules. Remember that when a woman feels great and nothing bothers her, “these days” for her start on time and pass without problems, and the body recovers faster, and in order for the woman’s cycle to recover as quickly as possible, you need:

1. Provide adequate nutrition and sufficient water. Multivitamin complexes for mothers will perfectly help.
2. Be sure to perform at least the simplest sets of exercises. With exercise, hormonal balance is normalized.
3. We must try to effectively form a regime.
4. Chronic diseases (especially of the endocrine system) must be dealt with immediately. You need to contact a specialist who will prescribe the correct and effective treatment.

When performing physical activity, it is important not to overdo it. Fatigue can aggravate and delay recovery. On the contrary, loads should help the body get in shape faster, improve health. With the help of an experienced trainer, it is necessary to select exercises that increase the tone of the pelvic organs. For example, a bicycle exercise can be performed as early as a week after childbirth, as it will help to contract the uterus faster.

Foods to restore menstruation

Many women are concerned about the question of how to restore menstruation after childbirth. To restore the cycle, you need products containing Omega-3 acids, which are found in fish, more precisely, fish oil. The richest source of these polyunsaturated fatty acids is linseed oil. Just a tablespoon a day on an empty stomach or added to breakfast for several weeks will help restore hormonal failure. High protein foods will also help, such as dairy products, lean meats, cheese, eggs, legumes, nuts. The most pleasant addition to this list will be dark chocolate, which also increases estrogen levels, but you should be careful when breastfeeding, chocolate can cause allergies in the baby. Foods containing vitamin D will help raise estrogen levels and improve hormonal balance. For example, tuna, cod liver, egg yolks. Even sun exposure stimulates the production of this vitamin and can positively impact the cycle recovery process. No less useful will be foods containing vitamin B6, magnesium, potassium, vitamin E. But it is worth remembering the diet prescribed by doctors during breastfeeding, as some foods containing these vitamins can be allergens that cause diathesis, allergies in the baby .

To improve the functions of the ovaries and the speedy recovery of the cycle, traditional medicine will help. There has been an improvement in the condition after taking phytoestrogens, which are found in plants such as wormwood, sage, oregano. Herbs are brewed like tea, but it is very important to start herbal medicine only as directed by a doctor. Since herbs are also medicines, and have contraindications. Plant estrogens will help the body to more gently adjust its functions, in contrast to drug hormone therapy. The main thing is to take it according to the prescription, in the doses recommended by the doctor.

Insulin can also affect the process of restoring the cycle, here, on the contrary, it is necessary to exclude foods that raise insulin (sweets, flour products, potatoes, white rice).

In no case, we must not forget that caring for a newborn takes all the time to rest and all the strength of a newly-made mother. Be sure to take into account all the difficulties that the mother will face later. This can even lead to a change in mood and mental state, which, of course, will adversely affect the formation of female function. The psychological state plays an important role in the restoration of the menstrual cycle. Postpartum depression, fatigue, drowsiness knocks down hormonal balance. Make friends with a gynecologist, be sure to visit a doctor every six months, even if nothing bothers you, cysts and erosion may not make themselves felt. A new mother should try to find time for at least a short rest in the middle of the day. Try to return to the right lifestyle, namely, take up proper nutrition, do physical activity that stimulates the pelvic organs, do not be nervous, get the joy of motherhood and be healthy!

Restoration of the cycle after childbirth - video