# When did you get your period back after birth while breastfeeding



## curious&eager (Jul 1, 2008)

Day 1 of Aunt Flow at 8 months postpartum. I'm less than thrilled. I thought it would be longer off. How long was it before you got your period back?


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## pacificbliss (Jun 17, 2006)

19 months when DS nightweaned. 8 Months? No fun, sorry.


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## Bokonon (Aug 29, 2009)

I got it back at 4 months with DS. Yup, 4 months, exclusively breastfeeding, not STTN...and he was 8 weeks premature, so I didn't even have a full year without a period!

So far I'm at 10.5 months with DD and AF has yet to return. Me likey.


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## MamaPhD (Jul 30, 2009)

I got my first period around 11 months. Then nothing! Just got the next one at 15 months. We are down to nursing 2-3x a day now. I never thought I would say this but I'm kinda excited since we are thinking about #2 soon!


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## ein328 (Jan 10, 2009)

6 months pp, practically to the day. I started pumping 2x a day when DD was 3 months because I WOTH.


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## AllyRae (Dec 10, 2003)

Baby 1: 6 months
Baby 2: 4 months (the baby passed away, but I was nursing baby 1 still)
Baby 3: (adopted, so not breastfeeding)
Baby 4: 13 months


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## woodchick (Jan 5, 2007)

With my first I didn't see AF until 20months post partum.

DD2 just had her first birthday and still no AF.


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## Belle (Feb 6, 2005)

More than two years with Dd1. I got pregnant without having a period shortly after her second birthday. I miscarried that one and had three normal periods. Then I got pregnant with Dd2. I got my first PPAF at 18 months with her.


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## mamazee (Jan 5, 2003)

#1 - 12 months
#2 - just a few weeks, like maybe 4 weeks. And she hadn't had a pacifier by that age, she slept with me and nursed at least sometimes at night (though she wasn't a bad sleeper, which might be why it came back so soon), and was breastfed 100% with no supplements.

There are no guarantees.


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## AFWife (Aug 30, 2008)

I got mine at 6 months almost to the day. That was with no nightweaning (so I didn't even get the comfort of "at least I'm getting more sleep"), no cut backs during the day, and we didn't start solids yet.


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## major_mama11 (Apr 13, 2008)

#1- 9 mos
#2- 10 mos

Both times, it came back a few weeks after I picked up more hours away from them at work or school.

Makes me wonder how long af would stay away if I was able to be with them 24/7 even as they got older...


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## honey-lilac (Jun 30, 2009)

2 weeks first time
9 months second time


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## maptome (Feb 13, 2010)

DD is 8 months and not yet. AF is like a ticking time bomb...


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## Teenytoona (Jun 13, 2005)

8.5 months, about a month or so after we started trying solids.


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## KristyDi (Jun 5, 2007)

Got my first pp af at 15 months and at 24 months my cycle is really long. Like 40-45 days. Of course I had a long cycle before pregnancy too, just not this long (around 32 days).


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## doubledutch (Oct 23, 2007)

ds1, woh ft, bf on lunch hour, night nursing but not cosleeping, lots of babywearing, and nursing on demand (2 bottles of expressed milk per day while i was working): *7 months*.

ds2, woh ft, bf on lunch hour, cosleeping, less babywearing because he didn't love it, nursing on demand including cluster feeding in the evening because he wouldn't take a bottle: *14 months*.

eta: it's interesting that many of the moms with more than one child had very different experiences from one child to the next.


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## FreeRangeMama (Nov 22, 2001)

#1 - 17 mo
#2 - 8 mo
#3 - 17 mo
#4 - 16 mo

For me the biggest deciding factor is night nursing. The only time my cycle came back early was with the baby who slept through the night from birth. My cycle came back as soon as my older nursling stopped nursing at night (I was tandem nursing). The other 3 times it came back rather predictable in the 16-17 month range.


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## iamme (Oct 25, 2009)

I got mine back 12 weeks to the day with both kids. Very, very weird as I bf them till they were just past their 4yo BDs. Pure bm only till 12 months-no pacifier, coslept, the whole shebang.


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## akind1 (Jul 16, 2009)

I said before 3 months, but really, not sure - had a light bleed at exactly 6 weeks PP and another 4 weeks after that. nothing like my pre-pregnancy AF's. and have had nothing since. I was nearly exclusively pumping for the first 7 weeks because I was engorged (and only lately realized the pumping probably did not help that too much!) and since I went back to work (WOH 2 days a week, WAH 3 days) at 7 weeks, he always nurses, only gets expressed milk on days I am in the office. I don't know since he is nursing more, and I am pumping less, if that has thrown a switch, or what? we are now 16 weeks PP. and have had nothing since 10 weeks (and that was light and lasted like a day and a half) don't know if that even counts as AF

So, AF is back, maybe, sort of, kinda in a way


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## moondiapers (Apr 14, 2002)

With the first 2, at 6 weeks pp. This time I started the minipill at 2 weeks pp to aviod it. It's been 7 weeks and so far so good.


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## Mrs-Mama (Jul 2, 2007)

DS: almost 6 months
DD: 4 months

I BF exclusively and on demand. Both times it's been a few weeks after baby started going longer without nursing during the night. Even when they go back to nursing more in the night though, once my period is back, it's back to stay.


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## fruitfulmomma (Jun 8, 2002)

With my oldest I had one around 4 months and then stopped again for a couple of months and then I got it again until I got pregnant with dd at around 15 months pp.

It has been longer after each baby and also I've had fewer periods between babies also. Between the last two I think I got it around 13mo pp and had 3 periods exactly 8 weeks apart and then got pregnant. Right now I am 15 months pp and no sign of it.

Quote:

we are now 16 weeks PP. and have had nothing since 10 weeks (and that was light and lasted like a day and a half) don't know if that even counts as AF
It is totally normal to bleed on and off for this amount of time pp or to have a second wave of pp bleeding.


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## karika (Nov 4, 2005)

I practice physical contact with my babies as much as I can and until they are old enough to want to get down. I cosleep at night and at naps, or hold my sleeping baby at nap. I stay with my children all the time, only leaving occasionally for 1 hr to go to the grocery. My nipple is the only nipple, no pacis or bottles for either. With dd1 I returned to work (10 hr days, 4 days a week her dad stayed home instead) when she was 12 mo, I was actively sexual with dh at the time (I think this matters). I pumped twice a day while at work. I lost 12 lbs in the first three weeks back to work (only bar food there to eat) and my period returned at 14 mo. This time I am not leaving my baby and no sign of return and we are at almost 16 mo (I am also not actively sexual). oh also I was 33 with dd1, and am 39 now...


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## amydiane (Feb 4, 2009)

It was around 7 or 8 months PP with DS, definitely no later. DD just turned 8 months yesterday and so far, no sign of AF.


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## itsajenism (May 21, 2005)

18 months PP with DS1.


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## zensven42 (Oct 26, 2006)

4 weeks PP with all 4 of my births. Always wished for the LAM but no such luck

Kristin SS


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## YayJennie (Aug 7, 2008)

Five months pp, almost to the day. And it came back like clockwork, every 28 days since. Sucks, because I thought it would be a lot longer, especially since my son was still waking every few hours at night to nurse, and I had not introduced any solids at all.


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## corrieoseal (Aug 12, 2009)

15 months pp with DD. I was thrilled since it was my first non medicated cycle in years. She still nurses once per night and a couple of times per day.


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## anj_rn (Oct 1, 2009)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *zensven42* 
4 weeks PP with all 4 of my births. Always wished for the LAM but no such luck

The same for me with both of mine, even with EBFing, no pacis, and co sleeping. I was also regular (every 30 days) immediately.


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## frugalmum (Nov 5, 2009)

4 weeks postpartum!!! Which I consider grossly unfair as I exclusively BF, nursed on demand, no pacifiers, co slept the first 6 months. My DD is nearly 2 and she still nurses a lot, but I've had my period the whole while! grrrrr


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## Bea (Apr 6, 2008)

6 months which I was a little PO'd at considering my son had nursed his way from 7.5 lbs to over 25lbs in the same space of time.

One nibble on a piece of sweet potato at 6 months and the flood gates opened.


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## ASusan (Jun 6, 2006)

27 mos. Then I had 3 periods in 2 months. Urgh.


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## shantimama (Mar 11, 2002)

I was hoping for a nice long break from it, but no such luck. With ds it was 5 months, dd 5 months again, and then when I was tandem nursing 2 dd's, it came back when the baby was 6 months old.

With all three I was breastfeeding around the clock, no pacifiers or solids, big healthy breastfed babies - didn't seem to make much difference for me


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## MCatLvrMom2A&X (Nov 18, 2004)

I voted 5 months for ds since I went right back on depo 3 weeks after dd was born I dont know when af would have shown up.

Ds was fed on demand, no paci, co slept didnt start solids until 6+ months.


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## SeekingSerenity (Aug 6, 2006)

Lil' Man is 20 months old, and still no sign of AF's return.

With my other two extended BFers, it was 18 months (for both).


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## curious&eager (Jul 1, 2008)

Thanks you all. I enjoyed your responses. I wish now I could have made the chart multiple choice as many of you have multiple kids. Yeah, I cosleep too feeding every 2 to 4 hours at night and all day. DS hardly likes food. Now that he's had the experience of food, it seems like he looks at me as I try to offer him solids,

"Yeah right mommy. No way you are getting that down my throat. I know where the good stuff is. You're my food and that's final."

He will eat solids for dad, but not if I'm around.

So, yes, I was grumpy because I'm obviously giving him tons of milk. But, now I'm more accepting seeing that 8 months seems to be an average time and now I know many of you are in the same boat.

Thanks


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## eclipse (Mar 13, 2003)

About 18 months for the first two, and about 16 months for number 3.


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## newcastlemama (Jun 7, 2005)

#1: Had to wean at 2.5 months because I had a medical problem. Got AF a month later.

#2: I am at 25 months and no cycle so far. I just nightweaned dd about 2 months ago though and I just started setting nursing limits trying to wean her in the near future.

I do wonder if I will just get pregnant before I ever have a peroid.


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## 1stBabyAt39 (Dec 23, 2008)

First one came at about 6 months. Next one was about 2 months later. This has been a strange year!


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## justKate (Jun 10, 2008)

I didn't vote because I'm 13 months and waiting...

Is there any relationship to how heavy/light/long/short AF is normally to when she returns PP? I'm ready for her to return because the wait is killing me.

ETA: It also feels rediculous to answer the question "first day of your last period?" with "April 2008...."


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## Viola (Feb 1, 2002)

A year the first time, although I also had a period at 10 months, but not one at 11 months.

Four months the second time.


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## desertgirl01 (Nov 11, 2009)

AF showed up the day baby girl turned 9 months. It's been 32 days since, no sign of AF this month....


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## Crispie (Sep 20, 2009)

Had one at 11 months. A couple sporadic "spottings" made me wonder what was going on...never did get into a regular "X amount of days" cycle again...because I got a BFP







Babes will be two years (possibly to the day) apart









NFP while nursing and with sporadic periods....bad idea if you're trying to not conceive









Lesson learned, one more bundle of joy for us, and a different BC plan this time


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## Franci (Mar 6, 2009)

30 months PP !

Amazing how I started gaining weight at this point, even breastfeeding at the same rate as before.


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## russianthistle (Jul 19, 2005)

w/ ds1 12mo. and regular
w/ds2 8 mo. and a little irregular

AND, w/ ds2, I was even still nursing ds1 as well...


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## celestialdreamer (Nov 18, 2004)

With my first 3 babies I got it back around 6ish months and it was irregular until they were around 10-12 months.

With baby #4 I got it at 8 weeks







He's exclusively BF, no pacis, cosleeps, etc. I wasn't sure when I had the one at 8 weeks, although it totally felt like a period vs pp bleeding. I was sure though when I had the same thing happen 34 days later following my normal PMS symptoms. He sleeps really well, I'm pretty sure thats why.

We practice NFP so I have started charting again as my DH doesn't want any more. I had hoped we'd be able to use LAM for awhile before deciding on anything permanent because honestly I'm not 100% sure about being done.


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## bjorker (Jul 25, 2005)

About 5 mos PP with dd.








I always chalked it up to the low milk supply problems I had, but I have another friend who had supply probs with her first as well and hers didn't come back for a long, long time.


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## durafemina (Feb 11, 2004)

6 months with dd - despite being the only thing she sucked on ( and co-sleeping, babywearing, with her 24/7)
So far ds is 8 months and no sign. Tandem feeding, but I have been WOH - pumping once an 8 hour shift.

Dd was never a frequent feeder though (as a baby - she is now!).
Interestingly, I had the opposite experience to Franci - the weight just flew off once I got my period back with dd. I had about 6 PP periods and then got pregnant with ds and by that time I was noticeably under my pre-preg weight.
So far, the weight hasn't been dropping off as quickly - although I'm at my 'usual adult weight'. I do find I am waaay hungrier feeding 2 though.


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## LeslieB (Feb 17, 2006)

34 months PP.


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## biennourri (Oct 3, 2007)

19 mos PP, after nightweaning.


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## Amanda Williams (Mar 26, 2008)

First baby: 9 months, conceived 2nd baby after one period
Second baby: around 12 months, conceived and miscarried when she was 16 months old
Third baby: Would have started when she was 12 months. Never had a period, "caught the first egg" and conceived baby #4
Fourth baby: He will be eight months on the 6th, no period in sight.

I haven't had AF since March 2007!


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## ChristaN (Feb 14, 2003)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *major_mama11* 
#1- 9 mos
#2- 10 mos

Both times, it came back a few weeks after I picked up more hours away from them at work or school.

Makes me wonder how long af would stay away if I was able to be with them 24/7 even as they got older...

I don't know. I got my period back when dd#1 was 9 months old and I was exclusively bf _a lot_. She was eating very small amounts of solids (she had significant food allergies so I was still nursing a lot since it was something she could eat safely). I also wasn't working outside of the home.

She was also a very high needs baby who was nearly impossible to sooth, so I nursed her a ton since it calmed her and she couldn't scream with a breast in her mouth -- lol! She went from 8lbs.1oz. at birth to nearly 12 lbs at two weeks and kept gaining at a quick clip. She was huge at one, although is a skinny little thing as an older kid.


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## dinahx (Sep 17, 2005)

It certainly varies from woman to woman, but it is SUCH a misconception that simple EBF does much to space babies. ECOLOGICAL BF with complete child led weaning (which means after 2) spaces babies: Pacis & Sippys totally interfere as much as cribs & bottles, IMO. Seperations & babysitters play a role too. Just b/c a baby doesn't take formula doesn't mean that AF will stay away. I am not saying that there is one way to BF or to mother, but biologically, there is one way to get AF to stay away for as long as possible.

AF was gone for 2 solid years for us, we are still nursing at 3.9 years and AF has been very regular since returning.

I would link to the 7 EcoBF principles but my computer is super slow. You can find them thru Google tho.


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## dollysods (Sep 16, 2007)

17.5 months (I think), despite working 60-80 hours/week from 8 weeks on. Guess my pump was awesome.... I finally cut out my lunchtime pumping at about 15 months. We coslept/night nursed a lot.


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