The Dreaded "First Period"

        So I experienced this last month, I stopped the actual "bleeding," about 3 weeks after my little girl was born.

This was DEFINITELY a period.

     It started up exactly 6 weeks after I delivered, to the day, and it was really light spotting (at first).

      The cramps were God-awful and nearly unbearable, I tried the super strong Motrin that L&D gave me, I tried regular OTC Tylenol, but nothing seemed to help.
     
    By the second day of my cramping I was bloated and sore, still spotting, and growing more and more, frustrated- this was Thursday and I wouldn't be seeing my midwife for my p.p visit until the following Wednesday , and I was growing anxious. 

    I began to worry about uterine infections and pieces of placenta being left behind (Google didn't help one bit,) and I was convinced that this was NOT normal.

    My pains were getting worse and more intense, I even had a burning sensation in my ovarian area, but it didn't seem like a period was in sight. 

I was about to call my Midwife Friday morning, I was convinced that I needed to see her before Wednesday, but just before I got the nerve up to change my appointment...

My spotting turned to rage.

    After 9 long glorious months of no period, the flood gates opened and my period returned with a vengeance... On exactly the same cycle day as every other period I have ever had during the past few years!

    My body seemed to click into action right on target and it was amazing how to the day I was regular, which I have always been, but what wasn't amazing?

1.) The Cramping.
    I had the sharpest most intense cramps I have had (despite labor pains), as far back as I can remember.... It was like tiny knives digging into my swollen,tender, ovaries.

2.) The Bloat.
     It was like retaining water in my second trimester, all over again. I felt so full that my ovaries could bust, and my stomach was the tightest and hardest it had been, (except for when I was carrying a full-term baby, of course.) But still super uncomfy.

3.) The Emotions.
    My mind was a wreck, I felt depressed, angry, misunderstood, cranky and sleepy all at one time! It was like being on the worst emotional high of my life, but without a great head trip- and including terrible hormonal rushes.

4.) The Fear.
As I mentioned before my anxiety got the better of me, and I was convinced that I was dying...

5.) The Migraine.
 That. Just. Didn't. Quit.
   Seriously! About like the cramping, nothing and I mean nothing, turned this horrible head thumping ache off.

6. The Period.
   This was by far the most blood I can remember seeing when it first started, and I hemorraged after birth!! It was just really messy. But after a day or so it tapered off.

     The cramping went away a few hours after my body adjusted to the menstrating, my migraines lasted about another day/ day and a half-- and the bloating lasted a few days!

Ugh.
      
     My period lasted 4 days and after day 1 it was just a mild flow, after day 2-3 it was bright spotting. By day 4, it was simply colored discharge.

    I'm due tomorrow for round 2 of the post partum period saga,and I'm hoping that since I'm now taking birth control, it won't be nearly as bad....
(So far the cramps are worse, however. :/)