Early cycles post birth: experiences?

Hello!

So I had a really strange (for me) AF this last time around I began to wonder what other people experience in those first cycles after AF returns post birth. DD3 is now 18 months old and i have had 3 cycles so far. they have been like clockwork and have the normal signs and symptoms etc. except this last one! I knew that AF was on the way and it did arrive but not with the usual gusto ITMS. I had a relatively short (for me) cycle of only 5 days and i would at a stretch describe it as being *maybe* on one of those days a medium flow.

Does this happen to you folk as well? in that flow can be different from each cycle? Do you notice any difference as your body kicks back into gear?

I have had Endo in the past so am used to really heavy, crampy AFs...none of this easy peasy 'oh a bit of blood' stuff haha.

My periods changed a lot post-Liebling. Instead of heavy and painful, they were a bit lighter and sometimes no pain at all. It is really freaky. They also became regular, even more odd. I do sometimes have lighter periods too.

I'm just enjoying living the dream. Not going to question it.

Theyve changed every time for me
Ive had 3 cycles since DD. No pain at all. No symptoms.
Before DD they were heavy and painful, more so after the chem. Before DS they were heavy, painful and completely irregular.

Mine have never, ever, EVER been regular, except for when on the pill.

That has not changed.

But instead of having period pain to slaughter a nation, since babies (and 16 years on the pill ...) I have had maybe 2 Nurofen / Naprogesic pills - at all.

Winning!

And a fair bit less PMS, I suspect.

Mine were always regular and painful with lots of symptoms
After DD1 mine came back at 3 months PP.. With DD2 Iv had 2 cycles one in December and one ribs month so very irregular , she is 9 months old now . Lots of symptoms and fairly light , no idea if I will get another AF soon :/

Yep, after babies it has been lighter and hardly and cramping at all!

You lovely women seem to have stolen my AF!!!
Before kids it was light and no cramps no headaches.
Post kids it's been heavy and slight cramps some months.
The first few after having my angel were so heavy I stood in the shower just bleeding!
Now after DS they are still pretty regular but much heavier and I do get a little uncomfortable.
I am more prone to headaches in the day or so before too. I tend to be a bit stroppy the day or so before too..........much more than before.

Oh this is interesting!

I noticed a remarkable lessening of symptoms after DD1 was born, but still had really heavy flows and the cramps were pretty bad, but liveable (prior to DD1 i used to have to take time off work for 2 days due to the crazy flow and intense pain...far worse than childbirth i later learned lol).

After DD2 I only had one cycle before (oops!) falling pg again. but it seemed to be similar to how it was after DD1.

So this time, I am flying into really unchartered territory with fairly light flow and no pain to speak of at all...no cramps whatsoever! it is really strange. but good strange i guess lol.

Kateo: that is interesting that you have gone the other way. Although I do remember after DD1 was born that it took a bit of time before I settled down flow wise and was still prone to some insane moments of flow - hopefully it's just a timing game!

I will see this, for me, as a positive, ever since i had my first miscarriage almost 12 years ago i have struggled with ridiculous pain and flow, maybe my body has finally worked itself out?? I can live in hope!

I went the other way too. I used to have short, light AFs with a long cycle. After DD1, I only had two, but they were pretty much the same. But after DD2, they are soooo heavy, long, and hellish. I once swore off hormonal contraceptives but I am starting to reconsider.

I didn't notice much change after the first two kids, but after baby #3 they definitely changed. The first couple were mild, then I had a run of heavy, crampy ones with an additional 'made of concrete' all over feeling. I also got a new 25ish day cycle when it used to be about a week longer. I felt so ripped off I even went to the Dr to complain lol.

It has settled down and is my normal 'oh, a bit of blood' ones now but apparently I am keeping the stupidly short cycle.

I went the other way. I got af back straight away, did not miss a beat. But post baby it was so much heavier on day 1 and 2 then spotting for the rest of the week. Its like the same amount of blood but it use to evenly spread itsself over 5 or so days, now it just all comes out at once!

after my first child my first cycle was horrific. I went to be for the day in pain and thought I was bleeding to death. After my second child it wasnt as bad, but still worse than usual.
I used to have a perfect 28 day cycle (literally would get my period at 2pm on the 29th day) and now its all over the place.