# Sudden period after ecological breastfeeding



## Angelette (Nov 11, 2009)

My dd is 9 months old. After reading "The Art of Natural Family Planning" I was sold on ecological breastfeeding as a natural form of child spacing. I did everything the book recommended (the seven steps), no pacifiers or bottles, sleeping with baby, nursing on demand ect. Everything was going great until dd slept through the night approx. 3 times over the 9 months. I would have light spotting for a day, but no signs of ovulation after that. I just assumed I was returning to infertility. We bought a house and moved just a month ago, and we renovated the house ourselves. I worked harder than normal with baby on my back...and I had a huge 6 day period after that! There had been no discernible change in dd's eating patterns...so I was just wondering if anybody else had experienced an early return to fertility while doing ecological breastfeeding, and if they think this was possibly caused by stress? Needless to say, after my return to fertility we were so busy, we ended up conceiving right away!!!! We're very excited about it though. Just wondering though if anyone else had an early return.


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## MommyNicoleTX (Oct 26, 2008)

I'm an IBCLC and have had many bf clients, some eco bf's, some excl bf's, that have had periods return while following "all the rules". Some before 10 wks postpartum, some at 6 months, 1 lady bf'ing twins around the clock...I suppose it just depends on when it is your time! Congrats on the new baby on the way!


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## beachlover (Sep 14, 2007)

Oh, I honestly don't think 9 months is considered early.

I have done breastfeeding only with all of my children, co-sleeping, nursing on demand, day and night, no paci's etc. and yet I almost always start to get my periods back by 9-10 months, only once did I manage to make it to a year before AF's return.

Some women won't get it back until they wean completely even once table food etc. is introduced, and others like us, see it come back sooner.


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## Angelette (Nov 11, 2009)

Thank you guys so much! I appreciate the info you shared. It makes me feel better to know that others had their AF return before a year while "following all the rules". Each of us are different I guess!


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## etsdtm99 (Jun 19, 2009)

i followed the rules with my 2nd (except for always napping with baby.. baby napped, i held him for at least 1 nap a day) AF returned at 10.5 months vs. 6.5 with my first who i did not co-sleep full time and used a pacifier.. so, following the rules bought me 4 months .. though i could not have conceived right away after that because my cycles were very long and my LP very short (5-8 days) for an additional 3-4 months. .. so i didn't really consider myself fertile until after 12 months..


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## MaerynPearl (Jun 21, 2008)

I had mine return at 6 weeks both time following all the rules... its frustrating when you hear of this great way of keeping from getting pregnant and you find out your body doesnt care about rules...


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## MamaMelis (Oct 23, 2009)

LOL, I followed all the rules and was pregnant before my DS turned 5 months old







Needless to say, I went the IUD route after that baby was born 13 months after my first child!

I think that once you introduce solids the clock starts ticking on the return of your fertility, at least that is just my opinion from my seeing the experience of my friends who made it to solids without being pregnant, unlike me


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## Angelette (Nov 11, 2009)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *MamaMelis* 

I think that once you introduce solids the clock starts ticking on the return of your fertility, at least that is just my opinion from my seeing the experience of my friends who made it to solids without being pregnant, unlike me









I think that may have definitely played a factor in my returning fertility. LOL, I always felt like I was on the edge of my fertility returning anyway. I found that out when my dd would sleep through the night just one night, and I would have light spotting the next day!!!! I guess I should be happy I made it to 9 months before AF. Thanks for the info!


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