af???

A&A'smommy wrote: Okay im totally lost on what happens to your body after you have a baby and i havent seen anything about it anywhere....so i thought i would ask you guys! Do you get AF after you have the baby or after you get done b/f? Or is it different for everyone? should i get something for af to take to the hospital or not? Thanks ya'll!!!

amynicole21 replied: You will bleed A LOT after having the baby. Not meant to scare you, but all of that stuff comes out in mass quantities. The hospital will provide you with pads and probably this weird pair of meshy underware to hold them in. You can't use tampons for at least 6 weeks. I bled for probably 2 weeks or so. It's not really AF, you'll get that later on. If you bfeed it sometimes stays away until you stop, but I bfeed and got it back around 6 months post-pardum.

Hillbilly Housewife replied: I bled for a few weeks too....it was intense the first few days, then it was lke regular af, but for like 2 weeks.

I got it back 3 months after having Zach...but i had also stopped breastfeeding a week before.

MomToMany replied: Yes, definitely bring something to the hospital. At first, they will give you some big diaper-looking thing, then some of their pads. The pads they give you don't stay in place too well, so bring some "overnight" pads, since you can't use tampons. There will be a lot of blood and clots and all that (sorry if TMI). It usually tapers off gradually over the next week or 2. Not to scare you, but the after-pains can get quite intense as your uterus shrinks back to normal. I got sick to my stomach from them, especially when BFing. There's a hormone thing that happens that helps your uterus shrink back, and to help stem the bleeding (another good reason to BF).

I'm still BFing Hannah, who's 17 months old. I didn't get AF back until 11 mos. postpartum.

ediep replied: I bled for 2 weeks, and af came back about 5 or 6 weeks after birth. I did not breast feed.

chloe&tysmommy replied:
LOL...its all coming back to me now! I forgot about those funky underwear thingies!!!!



I bled for 3 weeks after and yes you will bleed a lot right after, I never did have any pains though. And I got my af 3 mths later

Guest replied: I bled for a week, then got AF a month later. I also didn't BF. The hospital should provide plenty of pads, they gave me a bunch to go home with. They weren't the greatest to wear but after having a baby your not to worried about what your wearing down there, you just want enough protection not to have a accident.

Mommieto2Girls replied: Oops, the guest was me, forgot to log-in. Sorry

supermom, reminded me, I also had a c-section and didn't bleed as bad as some I think. I did have clots though. It's all a experience of a lifetime let me tell you.....

supermom replied: I am still bleeding just a little bit, I'm almost 5 weeks postpartum. My OB said nothing to worry about. It is different for everyone, but you will bleed afterwards - it's called lochia, if I remember correctly - the lining of the uterus after birth. You may or may not pass lots of blood clots. It seems like I passed more with my first two births than I did with the others. Also, if by any chance you end up with a C/Section, they will clean you out pretty good so you won't bleed as heavily or as many clots.

I was almost nine months with no AF - I EBF for 6 months, and didn't have her return right away, which is pretty normal if you BF, but everyone is different.....

MomToJade&Jordan replied: LOL!!!!!

I hated those little mesh undies. Yes bring lots of overnight pads. I bled for about 3 weeks post-partum and got my AF at about 3 or 4 months post-partum. It got pretty regular after that, but got a little messed up after Jade weaned. It's back to normal now. Another little bit of advice. If you have to go do so the minute you feel the urge. All of those muscles down there are going to be tired anf you're not going to have the control you had before the baby was born. Basically continue to do your keggles and it will get better with time.

Heather replied:
OMG, I was looking in my drawers other day because I am getting new furniture so I am getting rid of what I don't need. I found a few pair of these underwear!! LOL Too funny!

Anyway, I wore regular underwear underneath the mesh. Just in case it leaked a little. I bled for almost 3 weeks too...lots of clots as well. YUCK!!

Breastfeeding does help you shrink a little faster...it was amazing, my belly was "flatter" in a few days time....

DansMom replied: My information is the same---three weeks of heavy bleeding after delivery, plus not the greatest control with bodily functions for a while, but that all gets better with time. I got AF six months after delivering and it's been regular since. I still BF exclusively (no formula).

mckayleesmom replied: I would definantly bring my own pads with wings,,,,the ones they give you at the hospital seem like they are ment to let you bleed everywhere but on the pad itself. Also I would like to let you know that even though you have a c-section you still bleed...Not saying you will have one,,,but I didn't realize that you bleen with a c-section also,,,I didn't know I was bleeding till the second day cause I wasn't allowed up. I didn't even know I had a pad for that matter....I was out of it. I would also like to add that the mesh underwear actually were a blessing to me after my c-section cause they kind of made my tummy sterdy like a gurtle...After the bandages came off was when I started to feel pain from the c-section and that was 3 days after because the pressure on my insision was all the sudden gone. Plus if you leaked in them, they were easy to wash and dried fast.

maestra replied: I bled for 8 weeks, but the last 3 were pretty light. I ebf and got af back at 6 mos.

Jamison'smama replied: Lots of bleeding for a few weeks for me---I HATED the mesh underwear and just wore my maternity underwear then threw them all out after the bleeding stopped. I used the hospital pads--(since I paid for them anyway) then used my own for a while--even a liner for a while after that because the bleeding was quite slow to stop. As for my AF---12 months and she still hasn't made an appearance!!!

dolfinrse replied: I bled a lot afterwards too. Before we went to the hospital I bought a bag of cheap cotton undies because I didn't know if they gave you any. And after I wore them and they got blood on them, I just threw them away.

MomofTay&Sam replied: I bled for the entire first 6 weeks. Stopped for a few weeks and started my period. My period was so heavy the first few months I actually was very scared. I couldnt leave the house w/o bleeding thru something in a matter of mins. I know everyone is different, but that is my story. After 10 months I am back to normal. I bought the cheap undies for the hosptal too. Very good idea.

Schnoogly replied: Here's a tip--if you tear or need episiotomy get some tucks witch hazel pads and lay one on top of your clean pad. Aaaahhh! Feels good. Helps shrink swelling of those areas too even if you didn't need stitches.

amynicole21 replied: Another good thing for soreness down there is to soak a whole diaper in water and stick it in the freezer. Put it in your meshy undies and it will help with pain and swelling! Bulky, but you won't be moving around a whole lot anyway You can ask the nurses to bring you one... they usually have them ready-made!!

DansMom replied: I wish I had known about the frozen diaper idea! Those witch hazel pads were a godsend---really made a difference.

coasterqueen replied: I can't remember how long I bled after birth. I just remember how yucky it was and was so glad when it went away.

I am currently nursing and didn't get AF back until she was 9 months old. That was about the time she really started taking more solid foods. Some get it back right away and some don't get it for a long time with nursing.

3_call_me_mama replied: I bled for about a week and then nothing until Cameron was about 9 months old. He nurses constantly and i don't think that AF would have arrived then except that I left for 6 days on a business conference and had to pump, and apparently my body could tell the difference, becasue AF arrived less than one week after I returned home. Now it is very light about 4 days.

MommyToAshley replied:
Our hospital had these kind-of large pads that had something in them... you shook them and then broke it open and they got really cold. I had a 4th degree tear and those things were a life saver. I don't know what they were called, but they were great.

Oh, I bled for about 3 weeks and then AF returned at 4 months. I was hoping AF would stay away longer since I was exclusively BF, but she came anyways. I think everyone is different.

A&A'smommy replied: Thanks ya'll!!!You girls made me feel SOOO much better and a little more secure about all this stuff!!!! I feel so blessed that i found this board with all you wonderful women on it!!!