How to distinguish menstruation from bleeding after childbirth?

At the beginning of this article I propose to understand both processes. Since without their understanding we can not understand how to distinguish between menstruation and bleeding after childbirth.

To begin with, we will try to understand when after the birth the menstrual period should begin. If we talk about female physiology, the entire body of a woman, during and after delivery, undergoes enormous changes. The female hormonal background is changing. In the postpartum period, the pituitary gland of the woman (the gland that is responsible for the normal functioning of the endocrine system) secretes the prolactin hormone. It is this hormone that contributes to the appearance of milk in a woman. Similarly, prolactin (a milk hormone), affects the increase in the maturation of the egg, which stops ovulation, and, as a consequence, monthly.

Lochias have ended and again blood

It is for this reason, to restore the menstrual cycle, it is necessary to restore its hormonal background. Therefore, the time of onset of menstruation after childbirth depends, first of all, on the regime and the order of feeding the child. The thing is that ideally, the monthly should not begin before the end of the lactation period in a woman. Moreover, even 20-30 years ago, a woman's period began only after 2-3 years after childbirth. It was due to the fact that it was on reaching this age that the child was transferred to full-fledged "adult" food.

With the advent of baby food, and with it the early introduction of complementary foods, the use of hormonal contraceptives, as well as drugs to support and normal pregnancy, early weaning of the baby from the breast, all these factors affect the reduction in the period of recovery of menstruation. Moreover, to date, many experts say that the onset of menstruation before the end of the lactation period is the norm. It should also be noted that many women, especially at a young age, for various reasons, generally refuse to breastfeed. In this case, the monthly cycle can be restored within a month after delivery.

Thus, it is possible to derive an approximate relationship between the order of feeding of a child and the restoration of a monthly cycle in a woman.

It should also be said that the restoration of the hormonal background, and, in turn, the menstrual cycle does not in any way depend on how the birth was passed. Whether they were natural or had a cesarean section. The onset of menstruation depends only on the way the baby is fed.

Very often, in the first weeks after birth, women from the genital tract begin bleeding, which young moms confuse with the first postpartum menstrual period, so it is so important to know how to distinguish between menstruation and bleeding after childbirth. Postpartum hemorrhage is a normal phenomenon, because the amount of blood in the body of a woman during pregnancy becomes about 1.5 times greater. Female body itself is ready for bleeding after childbirth.

Discharge from the genital tract proceeding from the moment of birth until 6-8 weeks is the so-called lochia. The thing is that during the birth from the wall of the uterus, the placenta separates. Naturally, such a process as the separation of the placenta does not pass without consequences: a large open wound forms on the wall of the uterus, which gives bleeding.

During the first days after birth, discharge from the genital tract is bloody. After this, the lochia acquire a serous-sacred color, later, when their number decreases, the discharge becomes yellowish-white. Therefore, if during the first 6-8 weeks from the moment of birth, there are any discharge from the genital tract, know this is not menstruation.

But, despite the fact that the allocation of the lochia is considered normal, it is necessary not to forget about certain rules. If after the disappearance of the lochia, bright bloody discharge again appeared, this is a sign that you need more rest. And, even if after a few days of rest the postpartum bleeding has not disappeared, it is necessary to consult a doctor.

You should also consult your doctor if:

Also during the postpartum period, it is possible that bleeding, in the presence of remnants of placental tissue or fetal membranes in the uterus. The thing is that the uterine vessels that connect the uterus to the placenta are torn during labor. But the peculiarity of the structure of these vessels lies in the fact that at the rupture they instantly narrow. With the narrowing of the uterine vessels, they deepen into the muscle layers, where they are further compressed by the uterine muscle tissue. Along with this, there is a formation of thrombi in these vessels, which practically leads to a stop of bleeding. But everything above described, occurs only if the postpartum period is normal.

If after birth in the uterus cavity remains pieces of membranes or placenta, they interfere with the processes of constriction and compression of the uterine vessels, which leads to severe bleeding.

In this case, there is abundant bleeding, which is characterized by its suddenness. Prevention of such bleeding is to check the status of the uterus with the help of ultrasound equipment on the second day after childbirth. And compulsory treatment to a doctor in case of prolonged bleeding.