A pregnancy is one of the most wonderful experiences a woman can have in life and, in addition, it brings with it a lot of advantages: much shinier and more attractive hair, a bigger chest and, of course, nine months without! menstruation!
However, once motherhood comes into your life and you have your baby in your arms, sooner or later the moment will come when your faithful friend the period makes its stellar reappearance. At that moment you will have to worry again about ovarian pain, mood swings and filling your bag with pads or tampons. You can skip this last step if you are one of those who prefers to opt for the menstrual cup, a method that little by little is gaining more followers in the feminine world. However, at this point you will ask yourself: Can I use the menstrual cup after giving birth? In this article you will find the answer. Continue reading!
When can I use the menstrual cup after childbirth?
- As soon as you give birth, the most common thing is that you experience heavy bleeding for 3-10 days afterward. The causes of said bleeding are essentially due to the fact that, after the detachment of the placenta, the blood vessels of the uterus are exposed. This results in bleeding similar to a very heavy ruler.
- The hospital will recommend the use of compresses to control it, although you will have an irrepressible desire to use the menstrual cup. Faced with this temptation, our obligation for the good of your health is to warn you that you should not use it yet. Because? Because your vaginal muscles are still stretched from the growing baby and need to rest to recover. Most likely, the area of your vagina is sore and swollen and using the menstrual cup you run the risk of inflaming it even more.
- It is best to wait a while before inserting anything into the vagina, so forget about using the menstrual cup and, of course, about having sex for now. Don’t worry, you can resume these habits once you have fully recovered.
How long is it necessary to wait to use the cup after delivery?
- The most common thing is that the bleeding that we have told you about disappears during the six weeks after delivery. At that time, you must attend your medical consultation so that the doctor can do the corresponding postpartum check-up. In this consultation you can ask if you are ready to use the menstrual cup again and to have sexual relations again.
- Our own nature is in charge of returning our displaced organs to their place and our uterus to its normal size. The pelvic floor undergoes changes during pregnancy due to the great weight that it is forced to support, however little by little it is recovering its regular tone. Whether this recovery is faster or slower depends on each woman, so it is best to wait for your doctor to give you the green light to use the cup.
- If you want to collaborate with the restoration of your pelvic floor, you can put into practice the well-known Kegel exercises.
And my period? When will he come back?
- If you have decided to breastfeed your baby, it is most likely that your period will not show signs of life for a while. This is due to the hormonal fluctuations that occur after childbirth, specifically, it is caused by the drastic drop in estrogen and progesterone to give way to prolactin.
- Prolactin suppresses ovulation and puts a brake on the menstrual cycle, so the more frequently you breastfeed your baby, the longer it will take for your period to return.
What size menstrual cup should I use after pregnancy?
- Menstrual cups are usually available in two different sizes and the choice of one or the other depends on factors such as whether or not you have had a baby, the type of labor you have experienced or how strong or weak your pelvic floor is.
- The first of the sizes is usually recommended for women who have never had a baby or who have given birth by caesarean section, while the second of the sizes is more suitable for women who have been pregnant and have given birth vaginally. or who have a weakened pelvic floor.
- Therefore, it is most likely that after delivery (in the event that it is your first pregnancy) you will have to change the size of your menstrual cup. Since pregnancy weakens your pelvic floor muscles, you’ll need to opt for a larger menstrual cup (even if you’ve given birth by C-section).
