Thursday, April 22, 2010

The Return of Aunt Flo



I know there are a couple males who follow this blog out of curiosity — or better yet, out of a genuine desire to understand their pregnant wife better. Right gentlemen? Either way, consider yourself warned: this post is all about menstrual cycles.

Let us begin. A year and two months of no period was bliss. A definite perk of pregnancy and subsequent nursing. But I got a little too comfortable with the absense of that not-so-pleasant gift from mother nature. I hoped and almost assumed it would stay away for months to come. But Monday turned into a dreaded day when I marked the return of my least favorite "aunt."

I forgot just how unpleasant she is. And I forgot how strikinlgy she resembles her wicked step-sister, labor recovery. The back pain, the bloodflow and the inability to stand for too long because of the pressure bearing down gave me flashbacks of recovering from my baby's birth, and the birth itself ... because my contractions felt a lot like intense waves of period pain.

In my opinion, it would have been considerate of mother nature to let me ease back into the world of having a period with a gentle one. No such luck. I was not exempt from experiencing the full-blown package: the wacked-out emotions of PMS, cramps, bloating — you name it.

So, I breathe a sigh of defeat, dust off my boxes of tampons and reclaim my status as a menstruating woman. I guess I should be thankful I even have one, right? It means I'm healthy and can have babies. I think I'll work on that thankfulness later.

Pregos— relish your non-period bliss. Really relish it.

Oh and by the way, it was getting back on birth control that forced my period to come. Talk about a love-hate relationship.

—Kim (the Belly Mama on her period. Bleh!)

7 comments:

  1. I was thinking about getting my period the other day and it made me really wish pregnancy was longer, even though I sometimes I want it to end tomorrow. Oh the 'joys' of being a woman!

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  2. I got the Mirena IUD after I had my son and LOVED it, not least because I didn't get another period for the whole time I had it in. Then I got it taken out, had a period, and got pregnant two weeks later. So I have only had 2 periods since right before I got pregnant with my son, almost 3 years ago. Lucky me! =)

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  3. Okay, right now I am in the same shoes as you. I always wonder if childbirth is similar to mentraul pains. My back is very delicate at this point of month. I am doing yoga and pilates but it doesn't help all the time.
    I really hope that by the time I am preggo some form of a solution will be available to me to fight against the kind of pain I am always in during the visits of Miss Scarlett (aka aunt Flo).

    Hope you are feeling better because I am feeling a little better.

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  4. Oooh I'm not ready for her to come back... No, stay away!!

    Birth control will be a necessity, I can't imagine getting pregnant right after having this one... OMG SCARY!! haha. So nursing doesn't keep her away still? boo!

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  5. Nursing DID keep her away, which was great. But once I got back on a hormonal birth control (NuvaRing, to be exact,) it forced my body back into menstruation. :(

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  6. Oh Kim, sorry that Aunt Flo is back in town, yikes! I have not had a visit from her yet so I don't know what it's like, but thanks for sharing, seriously, it is nice to know these things. Good luck!

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  7. Hold up. You are on the NuvaRing and nursing??

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