# EBF & no AF in sight - support please!



## mfrykas (Jun 28, 2005)

Greetings Ladies,

My ds is now 24 mos old (will be 25 mos next week) and still no AF in sight. I work FT out of the house and ds nurses several times during the evening, night and morning. I do not pump.

I am seeing a Naturopath Dr to help "kick start" my cycles as my hubby and I are TTC. Have been on some herbs for about 6 weeks now (Vitex tincture, Symplex F) and there is improvement in the fertility area, but no O or AF.

What I need to know is, are there other mamas out there like me who have gone 24+ mos w/o AF?


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## because (Sep 11, 2003)

Hi!

I went 26 months PP before I got AF with DD.
DS is almost 22 months and no O or AF in sight.

I don't have any suggestions for you (other than to get internet cheapies if you plan to use OPKS because you'll go through ALOT of them without regular cycles), just some BTDT support.

I'd love to hear what you learn from your naturopath - could you update?


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## mfrykas (Jun 28, 2005)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *because* 
I went 26 months PP before I got AF with DD.
DS is almost 22 months and no O or AF in sight.

Thanks because! I know I'm not the only one to go this long, but its nice to actually "know" someone else has been there!

My Naturopath was concerned about bone mass loss/ calcuim intake due to the delay in my cycles. I had some blood work done at my GP recently and the hormone panel came back "normal", so we are assuming that my hormone levels are okay. (I have no idea what my actual levels are, just that they are within normal ranges).

So, I'm on 30 drops of vitex tincture/day and Symplex-F 3x/day. She also recommended 8 rounds of accupunture with moxa which I am doing. She had said that vitex is a slow working, but powerful herb.

Since starting treatment, I have noticed beter quality CF and more of it. My temps have evened out, well, as even as they can get with a co-sleeping nurser...

She also suggested weaning, but knew that it is a sensitive issue since it effects both me and my ds, and it is easier said than done. She asked me to pay attention to why type of nursing ds is doing, and to try and eliminate the "just hanging out" nursing sessions. I still haven't done that.


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## Peony (Nov 27, 2003)

I induced AF back when DD1 was 2.5y old so I feel your pain. I was really wanting to get pg and just wasn't possible with it! I used Vitex to successfully bring it back, it took about 3 months, I had no warning signs, she was just there one day.

I wouldn't be so concerned by calcium issues, if I remember correctly, yes bfing can take calcium from your bones, but it makes it more easily put back after you are finished. And on the other hand, long periods without AF can reduce your risk of breast cancer.

For me though, when AF did return, it wasn't like I could get pg right then. My cycle was very screwed up, it took another 6 months trying to find the right herbs to fix those issues.







: Sigh, in exactly a year I'll be in this boat again when DD2 turns 2.


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## moonlight mom (May 19, 2007)

My ds is 30 months and still no Af. I started to stress about it a little becasue I am starting to want another baby. Sometimes I think that maybe AF hasn't returned because ds isn't ready for a sibling! Anyway, I am setting a timeline for myself - if no AF by January I am going to try vitex


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## wasabi (Oct 12, 2004)

I don't understand why the lack of a cycle would be a cause of concern with calcium/bone loss. I can see that EBF would be a cause of concern (I think not rightly) but that would be the case whether you were cycling or not. Am I missing something?

In any event DD#1 was 20 months when I had a warning AF and then 21.5 months when I actually ovulated. With DD#2 she was 19 months old to the day. I know that's not quite as long as you but certainly pretty darn long. Some of us are lucky like that but I know also know what it's like to be ready to try for the next babe and no sign of AF. Good luck!


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## onemommy (Oct 20, 2007)

i have heard that night nursing is what really is keeping AF away.....my DD will be 2 in a few weeks, and i think i am the longest non-menstruater in my LLL group. (it's actually niceto hear about some longer ones)

i can't even entertain the thought of "mommy-led" weaning her







, but i am almost 43 and we want anotherchild. she herself was conceived with IUI after several fibroids were removed.

sigh..

does anyone know how long to "night-wean" for this to be effective? i mean, for example, take a 12 hour break every night, or a 10 hr. break, etc.??

peace.


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## Peony (Nov 27, 2003)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *onemommy* 
i have heard that night nursing is what really is keeping AF away.....my DD will be 2 in a few weeks, and i think i am the longest non-menstruater in my LLL group. (it's actually niceto hear about some longer ones)

i can't even entertain the thought of "mommy-led" weaning her







, but i am almost 43 and we want anotherchild. she herself was conceived with IUI after several fibroids were removed.

sigh..

does anyone know how long to "night-wean" for this to be effective? i mean, for example, take a 12 hour break every night, or a 10 hr. break, etc.??

peace.

It's different for every single woman, there is no clear answer.







For some night weaning doesn't make a difference, others just need several hours, it's one of those things that you can't know before hand. Frustrating huh.


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## mfrykas (Jun 28, 2005)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *Lindsay13* 
My ds is 30 months and still no Af. I started to stress about it a little becasue I am starting to want another baby. Sometimes I think that maybe AF hasn't returned because ds isn't ready for a sibling! Anyway, I am setting a timeline for myself - if no AF by January I am going to try vitex

I'm sort-of thinking the same thing about ds not being ready to share me (he is currently going through the "mine" phase).

My time line is if no AF by January 1, I am going to try night weaning (schedule may chage before then...). I would really like to have another home birth and the "risks" get higher once you hit over 35 (or so the gov't says).

Michele


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## mfrykas (Jun 28, 2005)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *wasabi* 
I don't understand why the lack of a cycle would be a cause of concern with calcium/bone loss. I can see that EBF would be a cause of concern (I think not rightly) but that would be the case whether you were cycling or not. Am I missing something?

I think you have a point. Toddlers/preschoolers nurse differently than infants and newborns. Mama's diet is also different at this stage. So, yes nursing may contribute to calcium/bone loss issues, but not as much as it does in the early months. (They have to do more research on non-infant nursing!!)

I think the issue has to do with estrogen (or some other cycle hormone) helping the body absorb calcium. (Have to look it up....) So, no cycle... no helpful hormone....

Ds and I both have dairy allergies, so calcium is a big issue for us.

Michele


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## mfrykas (Jun 28, 2005)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *onemommy* 
i have heard that night nursing is what really is keeping AF away.....my DD will be 2 in a few weeks, and i think i am the longest non-menstruater in my LLL group. (it's actually niceto hear about some longer ones)

I'll try night weaning for a 6 hour period when ds turns 27 mos (early Jan) if AF hasn't returned. So it will be 15/24 hours in the week day w/o nursing. Hopefully that will do the trick. (If not, we try 8 hours at night...then 10, then....)

My LLL leader says I might just be "one of those women" who have to give up nursing completely for my cycle to resume. My leader's sister had to tell her nursing child (who I think was about 3) that if she wanted a baby brother or sister, she would have to give up num nums.

Good luck onemommy with your journey! Here's hoping AF finds us soon!!!

Michele


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## onemommy (Oct 20, 2007)

thanks!


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## because (Sep 11, 2003)

I nightweaned DD at 17 months from 10 pm to 6 am. I still didn't get AF until 9 months later (and it didn't help her sleep through the night, either







).


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