How long is the normal length of the first period you have after giving birth? Say the child was born, three months later the period started, and in the mean time you got a Depo shot. At what point would you call the doctor?

your question is not entirely clear.

Do you want to know WHEN the Depro shot should be started after giving birth?

Do you mean, when should a period start after getting a Depro shot?

I mean, how long does your first period after having a baby last, especially if you've gotten the Depo shot in the meantime.

Side effects
Change in the menstrual cycle is the most common side effect of Depo-Provera. At first there may be irregular bleeding or spotting, but that usually diminishes and eventually disappears after several injections. After a year on Depo-Provera, menstruation will stop completely in approximately half of the women.

Normal menstruation will usually return within a few months once the injections stop.

Women who continue to menstruate while on Depo-Provera may have decreased blood flow, which, in turn, reduces the chance of anemia. There may also be a decrease in menstrual cramps and pain, as well as ovulatory pain.

Schroder, who had very painful premenstrual symptoms before starting Depo-Provera, says she thinks of these side effects as benefits.

After menstrual changes, the most common side effect is weight gain. It's not clear whether the weight gain is due to water retention or a metabolic effect that increases appetite and body fat, says David Grimes, MD, a professor with the department of obstetrics and gynecology at the University of Southern California School of Medicine. But it is real, and women should know about it.

In addition, some patients may experience headache, nervousness, abdominal pain, dizziness, weakness, or fatigue

I am seeing no information anywhere about the length of periods, just that they are irregular at first.

Thanks for that Sherasi. I think this is a result of the Depo shot, because it started about three weeks after the shot. I have another one on Wed--we'll see if that helps anything.

MT2, when I got my first depo shot it was almost 6 weeks before I got a period and then the next was 8 weeks, and they keep getting further and further apart. I can't even remember the last time I had a period.

Kat

Thanks so much for sharing that. I was getting really worried! After my son was born I had to have a D&C to stop the bleeding (5 months!!!) and I was really scared I'd have to go through that again!

I also found a tea at the Natural Health store for "Women's Systems" that seems to have slowed the bleeding down a lot. Thank goodness!!