As your muscles start to feel stronger, gradually increase both the number of Kegels you do each day and the length of time you hold each contraction.

http://www.babycenter.com/404_will-my-vagina-stay-stretched-out-after-delivery_1156123.bc

As with any exercise, start doing Kegels a few at a time, a number of times each day.

http://www.babycenter.com/404_will-my-vagina-stay-stretched-out-after-delivery_1156123.bc

(But don't do your exercises while urinating — it can actually weaken the muscles and lead to urinary problems.)

http://www.babycenter.com/404_will-my-vagina-stay-stretched-out-after-delivery_1156123.bc

If you can stop the flow of urine when tightening, then you know that you're contracting the correct muscle.

http://www.babycenter.com/404_will-my-vagina-stay-stretched-out-after-delivery_1156123.bc

Since this includes the muscle that you use to stop and start the flow of urine, you can check if you've identified the right muscle by testing your Kegel technique while urinating:-

http://www.babycenter.com/404_will-my-vagina-stay-stretched-out-after-delivery_1156123.bc

Kegels involve perineal tightening and help to restore the tone of the muscles that surround the opening of the urethra, vagina, and anus.

http://www.babycenter.com/404_will-my-vagina-stay-stretched-out-after-delivery_1156123.bc

If you haven't already done so, it's a good idea to do Kegels.

http://www.babycenter.com/404_will-my-vagina-stay-stretched-out-after-delivery_1156123.bc

These muscles will lose their tone with each successive birth, although pelvic floor exercises known as Kegels can help you tighten them up.

http://www.babycenter.com/404_will-my-vagina-stay-stretched-out-after-delivery_1156123.bc

This is (vagina to be larger than it was before,) caused by relaxation of the pelvic floor musculature.

http://www.babycenter.com/404_will-my-vagina-stay-stretched-out-after-delivery_1156123.bc

After giving birth vaginally, it's normal for the vagina to be larger than it was before, and this effect generally is more pronounced after the birth of a large baby.

http://www.babycenter.com/404_will-my-vagina-stay-stretched-out-after-delivery_1156123.bc

Will my vagina stay stretched out after delivery?

http://www.babycenter.com/404_will-my-vagina-stay-stretched-out-after-delivery_1156123.bc

Whether or not your vagina returns to its original size depends on a number of factors: genetics, the size of your baby, the number of children you've had, and whether you do Kegel exercises regularly.

If your periods don't become more regular after a few months:-

http://www.babycenter.com/404_when-will-i-get-my-period-after-my-baby-is-born_11728.bc

If your periods don't become more regular after a few months, or if you've had very heavy periods for more than two or three cycles (meaning you're soaking through a pad or tampon every hour for several hours in a row), let your doctor know. She may want to check for uterine or hormonal issues.

You may also find that your cycles are irregular at first.

http://www.babycenter.com/404_when-will-i-get-my-period-after-my-baby-is-born_11728.bc

Don't be alarmed if your menstrual flow comes back heavier or lighter than it was before you became a mom.

http://www.babycenter.com/404_when-will-i-get-my-period-after-my-baby-is-born_11728.bc

If you're breastfeeding, don't be misled by the myth that you're not fertile – many a nursing mother has been surprised by an unplanned pregnancy.

http://www.babycenter.com/404_when-will-i-get-my-period-after-my-baby-is-born_11728.bc

So if you don't start using birth control as soon as you start having sex again, you can get pregnant even before having your first period.

http://www.babycenter.com/404_when-will-i-get-my-period-after-my-baby-is-born_11728.bc

All moms: Keep in mind that your body will release its first postpartum egg before you menstruate.

http://www.babycenter.com/404_when-will-i-get-my-period-after-my-baby-is-born_11728.bc

She may want to check for secondary amenorrhea (that's when women with previously normal cycles don't have a period for three months), pregnancy, or other issues.

http://www.babycenter.com/404_when-will-i-get-my-period-after-my-baby-is-born_11728.bc

If you don't get your period by three months postpartum, talk to your doctor.

http://www.babycenter.com/404_when-will-i-get-my-period-after-my-baby-is-born_11728.bc

Non-nursing moms: If you're formula-feeding your baby, you'll probably start menstruating one to three months after delivering your child.

http://www.babycenter.com/404_when-will-i-get-my-period-after-my-baby-is-born_11728.bc

Some women who breastfeed exclusively around the clock may start menstruating a month after giving birth, while others who supplement with formula may not get their period for several months.

http://www.babycenter.com/404_when-will-i-get-my-period-after-my-baby-is-born_11728.bc

The information above describes the general pattern of postpartum periods, but breastfeeding's effects on menstruation vary widely.

http://www.babycenter.com/404_when-will-i-get-my-period-after-my-baby-is-born_11728.bc

Breastfeeding is no guarantee ovulation will stop.

http://www.babycenter.com/404_when-will-i-get-my-period-after-my-baby-is-born_11728.bc

So if your baby sleeps through the night from an early age, or if you're supplementing with formula, it's likely your period will return sooner than six months.

http://www.babycenter.com/404_when-will-i-get-my-period-after-my-baby-is-born_11728.bc

But the less often your baby nurses, the sooner your period may come back.

http://www.babycenter.com/404_when-will-i-get-my-period-after-my-baby-is-born_11728.bc

If you've been breastfeeding exclusively, day and night, since you had your baby it can take six months or longer before you have to run to the store for tampons, suffer from PMS, or cope with cramps.

http://www.babycenter.com/404_when-will-i-get-my-period-after-my-baby-is-born_11728.bc

Nursing moms: One benefit of breastfeeding is that it can delay your period.

http://www.babycenter.com/404_when-will-i-get-my-period-after-my-baby-is-born_11728.bc

If you're wondering whether your situation is normal, check with your doctor to make sure things are on track.

http://www.babycenter.com/404_when-will-i-get-my-period-after-my-baby-is-born_11728.bc

The time frames below are just approximations of when you might start having your period again.

http://www.babycenter.com/404_when-will-i-get-my-period-after-my-baby-is-born_11728.bc

But every woman's body and circumstances are different, so there's no reliable way to predict exactly when you'll get your first postpartum period.

http://www.babycenter.com/404_when-will-i-get-my-period-after-my-baby-is-born_11728.bc

When will I get my period after my baby is born?

http://www.babycenter.com/404_when-will-i-get-my-period-after-my-baby-is-born_11728.bc

If you're not actively trying to get pregnant, it's always safer to use reliable contraception when you have sex, no matter when in it is during your cycle.

http://www.babycenter.com/404_can-you-get-pregnant-right-after-your-period_7094.bc

If you consider that sperm can live in the fallopian tube for two or three days, then you have a narrow window in which you could get pregnant if you ovulated a little earlier than normal.

http://www.babycenter.com/404_can-you-get-pregnant-right-after-your-period_7094.bc

If your period lasts seven or eight days, by the time you finish menstruating you're only five or six days away from ovulating.

http://www.babycenter.com/404_can-you-get-pregnant-right-after-your-period_7094.bc

If you have a 28-day cycle, for example, then you'll usually ovulate on the 14th day, counting the first day of your period as the first day of your cycle.

http://www.babycenter.com/404_can-you-get-pregnant-right-after-your-period_7094.bc

Ovulation occurs around the middle of a woman's cycle (specifically, in the middle third).

http://www.babycenter.com/404_can-you-get-pregnant-right-after-your-period_7094.bc

Can you get pregnant right after your period?

http://www.babycenter.com/404_can-you-get-pregnant-right-after-your-period_7094.bc

It's possible but not very likely.

BBT and Cervical Mucus Chart,Cons (4)

http://www.babycenter.com/0_ovulation-predictor-kits-vs-basal-body-temperature-cervical_7059.bc

Doesn't pinpoint exactly when you're about to ovulate. May take two or three months for a pattern to emerge.

BBT and Cervical Mucus Chart,Cons (3)

http://www.babycenter.com/0_ovulation-predictor-kits-vs-basal-body-temperature-cervical_7059.bc

An unusual event such as illness, moving, or a job change can disrupt your cycle, skewing your pattern for that month.

BBT and Cervical Mucus Chart,Cons (2)

http://www.babycenter.com/0_ovulation-predictor-kits-vs-basal-body-temperature-cervical_7059.bc

Can be messy.

BBT and Cervical Mucus Chart Cons (1)

http://www.babycenter.com/0_ovulation-predictor-kits-vs-basal-body-temperature-cervical_7059.bc

Inconvenient. You must check your temperature first thing in the morning and your cervical mucus every day.

BBT and Cervical Mucus Chart Pros (6)

http://www.babycenter.com/0_ovulation-predictor-kits-vs-basal-body-temperature-cervical_7059.bc

Can also be used later to prevent pregnancy (by avoiding sex on your most fertile days).

BBT and Cervical Mucus Chart Pros (5)

http://www.babycenter.com/0_ovulation-predictor-kits-vs-basal-body-temperature-cervical_7059.bc

May work better for women with irregular cycles.

BBT and Cervical Mucus Chart Pros (4)

http://www.babycenter.com/0_ovulation-predictor-kits-vs-basal-body-temperature-cervical_7059.bc

Teaches you how to interpret the texture of cervical mucus, a fairly precise sign of fertility.

BBT and Cervical Mucus Chart Pros (3)

http://www.babycenter.com/0_ovulation-predictor-kits-vs-basal-body-temperature-cervical_7059.bc

Teaches you how to read your body's signals.

BBT and Cervical Mucus Chart Pros(2)

http://www.babycenter.com/0_ovulation-predictor-kits-vs-basal-body-temperature-cervical_7059.bc

In most women, accurate when done correctly and consistently.