As a mom to newborn twins, you’ve got lots to watch out for “down there” as your body heals. And once your postpartum bleeding subsides, one of the things on your mind may be when you can expect to start up your menstrual periods again after delivering twins.
You’re not alone in wondering about the return of Aunt Flo! We’ve had lots of mamas in our Your First Year With Twins and Pregnant With Twins groups wondering all those period-related questions.
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Like this twin mama who wondered: “How long after your c-section did your first period return? Were you breastfeeding? Did you see a decrease in supply during that time? Just curious what I should expect as an exclusive pumper!”
And this mama who asked: “FTM- Was anyone’s first period after being pregnant A LOT of bleeding? I’m 11 weeks postpartum and just started my first true period today, and this is the worst period I’ve had before.”
And this twin mom who was curious to know: “Did anyone get their period while breastfeeding? I’ve heard some stories of most people not getting their period until after breastfeeding.”
In case you’re wondering any of these questions too, we asked our community of twin parents to chime in with their postpartum period experiences!
An overall glance at postpartum period returns for twin moms:
We polled our Instagram community of twin parents to see how long after delivering their twins it took to get their first postpartum period. Here’s what they said:
| My first postpartum period after twins came back… | |
| Within 3 months postpartum | 25% |
| Between 3 – 6 months postpartum | 24% |
| Between 6 – 12 months postpartum | 32% |
| Over a year postpartum | 19% |
*Note: The above responses were from twin moms who pumped or breastfed at some point postpartum.
When did you get your first postpartum period? How heavy was it, and how long did it last?
For twin moms who did not pump or breastfeed:
“3 months later. It lasted a week. Very crampy.” — Lindsay
“Post 5 months after delivery and it was standard. But I had 3 months of postpartum bleeding.” — Genevieve
“About 4 months postpartum and not that heavy, medium flow.” — Burtany
“6 weeks. SO heavy and lasted about a week, maybe a day or two more.” — Gabriel
“It was about three months after my twins were born. I’ve been all over the map with it. With my first it was 10 weeks and my second it was five months.” — Anonymous
“It was around 6 months after each of my pregnancies.” — Anonymous
For twin moms who pumped or breastfed:
“11 weeks postpartum and it was AWFUL. Lasted about ten days and used 2 boxes of ultra tampons.” — Alison
“10 months postpartum, exactly 1 month after starting the weaning process. It was moderate, about 5 days.” — Patricia
“About a few weeks after I stopped lactating, it was heavy but not the heaviest (and lasted about 2 weeks).” — Marlin
“1 year postpartum.” — Sandra
“10 or 11 months later. Spotting and not heavy at first. Later, cycles picked back up.” — RJT
“4 months postpartum. It was VERY heavy and painful.” — Jess
“Came back at1 year. Lasted 4 days, a lighter flow.” — Alexis
“I got my first period again when the twins were 15 months old. I stopped pumping when they were 14 months. That first postpartum period was really heavy, and it came on very suddenly. I used to predictably get periods in the morning when I woke up and this hit out of nowhere in the afternoon.” — Paige
“About 8 weeks postpartum.” — Lauren
“3 months. Very heavy and painful.” — Pamela
“22 months postpartum. Average heaviness and length.” — Dolores
“2 years later.” — Laurel
“It was 18 months postpartum! It was heavy but not heavier than normal for me.” — Veronica
“8 months postpartum once I stopped pumping! Very heavy, lasted about 5 – 6 days!” — Caroline
“7 months and still waiting for it!” — Claudia
“2 months after. Was extra heavy but the same length (about a week).” — Taylor
“11 months into postpartum.” — Sara
“11 months postpartum. Super short and light compared to the usual.” — Leila
“My boys are almost 4 months and I just started mine yesterday. So far, normal!” — Natalie
“9 months. I exclusively breastfed and pumped for both my twins.” — Katie
Did anyone get their period while breastfeeding? I’ve heard some stories of most people not getting their period until they stop breastfeeding.
“No. Every pregnancy it was like my birth control. Would only come when I stopped breast feeding.”
“Yes, with both of my singletons I got my period back at 6 weeks postpartum despite exclusively breastfeeding.”
“I’ve been EBF my twins, not even pumping or bottle feeding, and got it back 10 weeks postpartum.”
“I’ve been almost exclusively pumping for the twins almost religiously 8 times a day for 2.5 months and mine is not back yet.”
“Not with my twins because I only pumped for two months, but I was pumping/breastfeeding my other two when my period came back. I got it back at 10 weeks while pumping my firstborn. The time I breastfed longer was the latest my period came back at 4 months (I breastfed for 9 months).”
“Yes. I breastfed all babies. With my singleton it came back at 2 months and with my 8 month twins, it came back at 6 months.”
“I got my period at three months postpartum and breastfed until seven months!”
“I got my period back right away with both my singletons, even though I exclusively breastfed, but it wasn’t consistent until maybe a year postpartum.”
Final thoughts on your first postpartum period after twins
Whether you’re still waiting for your period to return or you’re wondering why it came back so soon, know that the exact timing is different for every pregnancy. It all depends on your hormonal fluctuations, your overall health, and your unique recovery.
If you have any concerns about your first postpartum period though, definitely check in with your doctor!
Have other questions about what to expect in your postpartum era with twins? Check out these articles too:
- 10 Tips for a Speedy Recovery After Delivery
- What to Know About Postpartum Hair Loss
- Your First Year With Twins: Advice from Experienced Experts
Paige Figueroa is a mom to fraternal twins. After teaching English for 9 years, she now works from home as a content marketing strategist and entrepreneur so she can spend more time with her children. She loves helping other moms and women enjoy more freedom in their lives by monetizing their passions. You can follow her on IG and TikTok @mombossfreedom.
