Did your period symptoms change post birth?

**MsMummy** · 29-08-2010 21:11

My period came back (properly) about 18 months after I gave birth.

Since I've had it back (several months), I get light crampy pains in my legs and feel a bit rubbish generally for several days beforehand.

Before I had a baby, it would just be immediately before, if at all.

Does this happen to other people? Will it change again? It's really irking me, actually.

I just remembered I used to get really bad pain when I was in my teens, but it just kept getting better as I got older.

**Myztik** · 29-08-2010 21:15

Before DS1 was born I never experienced cramping or any form of period pain what-so-ever which was lovely except when I asked what labour was like and kept getting told 'really bad period cramps'.. that didn't help me because I'd never felt the cramps lol.
After he was born I started to get mild cramps and a bit headache-y.

After DS2 the cramps were slightly worse again.

Now after DS3, I have only had one AF since he was born but the cramps were horrid

literally stopped me in my tracks a few times and had to double over. I also seem more bloated and just felt really off for a few days leading up to it (not sure if I just noticed the bloating more etc because it's been so long since last having AF iykwim).

**elleandsam** · 29-08-2010 21:15

Oh yes, after DD I've had awful migraines before and during AF. It sucked, I hoped they would go away during this pregnancy, but they've just increased.

**Ffrenchknickers** · 29-08-2010 21:16

Mine have gotten alot better after babies....not that I have had that many AF's in the last 10 years due to being pregnant and or breastfeeding 5 times. They are alot lighter and only last for 3 days as opposed to 5. No pain or PMS either

**MsMummy** · 29-08-2010 21:19

Gee, that's strange that it changes so much.

I really need to do some reading about hormones or the way women's bodies work. Is it that your hormones constantly change throughout your life (and events like pregnancy and breastfeeding) and that changes your period?

Refresh - I'm not sure if I'm willing to have 5 babies to get out of my period.

I suppose I could take the pill, but I have this strange phobia of it (and my period is not bad enough to justify it).

**LibranTwin** · 29-08-2010 21:22

Mine has gotten better post baby too. I hardly get any cramps anymore and eventhough I have some pretty heavy days it is usually over fully in 3-4 days instead of spread over seven. I'm happy it has got better

**Ffrenchknickers** · 29-08-2010 21:24

Refresh - I'm not sure if I'm willing to have 5 babies to get out of my period.

Oh, go on

I understand your pill phobia! I think it is justified, I would not touch it! You could try chaste tree?

**MsMummy** · 29-08-2010 22:06

Cheers - will check out health food shop tomorrow for chaste tree!

**Nomsie** · 30-08-2010 07:25

Boy did they ever! Before I had the boys, I had a very regular 28 day cycle, with a 5-6 day period. 1 or 2 heavy days in the beginning, and then quite light until it was over. I always got achey knees a couple of days before my period came. (That was the first sign I realised that I may have been pregnant- no achey knees)

Nowadays, my cycle is still around 28 days, but often goes to 29 or 30. My period lately has been lasting 2 weeks, so I have two weeks on and two weeks off.

I have 3 or 4 heavy days, and then just constant spotting for the rest of the two weeks.

I am much more bloated, MUCH more irritable, and much more prone to shoving really bad stuff into my mouth. It sucks, basically. *sigh*