Period return?

RBXChas
RBXChas Posts: 2,708 Member
This is my first time EBFing, so I'm wondering what your experiences are with regard to how long it took for your period to return.

With my first I BFed some and pumped some, but he was mostly formula-fed. My period came back almost exactly three months postpartum.

This time at my 6-week postpartum check-up, my OB, who knew I am EBFing, said I could expect it to return at three months postpartum. Considering how last time it took three months but I was far from EBFing, her prediction surprised me.

I know we are all different, and every pregnancy/postpartum experience is different, but I'm curious as to what I might expect on this front.

Thanks, ladies!
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Replies

  • keriberi9
    keriberi9 Posts: 159 Member
    I just finished EBF about two months ago. Mine didn't come back until about six weeks ago, so about 2-3 weeks after I finished BF. with my son, I didn't get my period back until he was 16 months old, which was four months after I stopped EBF. I did pump more with my son than I did this time with my daughter. But everyone is different!
  • Pepper2185
    Pepper2185 Posts: 994 Member
    Mine came back at exactly 7 months PP. Still breastfeeding at 9.5 months and getting regular periods now.

    Also: Booooooooooo (thumbs down). Periods suck!
  • cocolo89
    cocolo89 Posts: 1,169 Member
    with my daughter my period came back 4,5months PP, currently 6.5month PP and no period yet! Who knows! mother nature is a mystery, lol
  • Jillsie11
    Jillsie11 Posts: 249 Member
    With my first daughter, (EBF) I started my period at 7 months PP. Now, after my second, (EBF) I still haven't been visited by Flo and my youngest is a little over 9 months. It's been nice to have a longer break this time, but I guess that's to say there's no rhyme or reason!!!
  • momRN2B
    momRN2B Posts: 247 Member
    I exclusively breast fed both my kids until about 6 months when i added solids as well. With my first one i got my period at about 2 months pp and with my second about 4 months pp (I was taking all kinds of vitamins and making sure to wake up at night for a feeding) so I am one of those unlucky people who get their period despite ebf. Oh and i breastfed my oldest till 9 months and i am still breastfeeding my 2nd at 16 months, but only once a day at this point.
  • Jenny_Rose77
    Jenny_Rose77 Posts: 418 Member
    Just got mine right around the 7 month mark. I was hoping for longer! Good news is it was super light and half the length of a regular one. Was gone in less than 3 days.
  • Rubyayn
    Rubyayn Posts: 433 Member
    I EBF'ed for six months and continued nursing for 2.5 more years with food supplements. Sadly, my cycle returned as soon as I went back to work at 12 weeks PP. I am hoping for better luck this time.
  • kts3639
    kts3639 Posts: 188 Member
    I am breastfeeding my son, he is on solids, no formula, and I still haven't gotten my period. He is 8 months old. With my daughter, we stopped exclusively breastfeeding at 8 weeks, I pumped for another couple weeks, and my period returned about a month or so after.
  • walleyclan1
    walleyclan1 Posts: 2,784 Member
    18 mths withfirst one and my baby is 16 mths now and none yeth
  • RBXChas
    RBXChas Posts: 2,708 Member
    Hmmm, so it does vary pretty wildly! Like I said, I got mine back the first time at 3 months, and that's when I finally gave up BFing and pumping because it was incredibly frustrating and felt like an exercise in futility. Since I am EBFing and pumping when I can (1-3x/week, hoping to fit in more as my baby lets me put him down for longer periods of time), I'm hoping it will stay away longer!

    Thanks for your responses!
  • quebot
    quebot Posts: 99 Member
    I have four kids and have EBF all of them. My cycles tend to return when they start sleeping through their night feedings, and reduce the amount of their daytime feedings. For each one, that has been around 11-12 months. I'm 12 months PP, still breastfeeding, and period just came back.
  • Sewpunk
    Sewpunk Posts: 6 Member
    I am 18+ weeks pp and no period yet. my LO is not entirely EBF, I give about 4 oz of formula a day as a suppliment that I add it to his bottles for daycare. my pumping output is not enough to cover his bottles for the time I am away. (I have a big baby with a big appetitie, and am pumping 4 times a day to make bottles!!!
  • RBXChas
    RBXChas Posts: 2,708 Member
    I was feeling what I thought might be lower intestinal discomfort last night that went away overnight, then today I feel that way a little (but not as bad as last night, not that last night was bad by any stretch of the imagination). I used the bathroom earlier and (sorry, TMI) saw two tiny dots of brown (like the very end if your period) on the toilet paper. Just two dots, though, but I was wondering if the pain was actually slight cramping. I'm still EBFing, and my baby still wakes up 2-3x/night (2 if I do a later dream feed, but lately I've been going to bed earlier --> 3 feedings/night, and last night was 4). No solids yet, and my son turns 4 months old tomorrow (17.5 weeks pp). I'm wearing a pantiliner, just in case :(

    I'm hoping my body is just playing tricks on me because otherwise, booooooo! Stay away, Aunt Flo! Go back to Virginia!

    BUT - I do have a question. Did getting your period back affect your weight loss?
  • Jenny_Rose77
    Jenny_Rose77 Posts: 418 Member
    I lost a little bit more (more than my previously non-existent loss that is) after I got my TOM. But, also, I think I just got a little more serious about tracking/exercising. The thing about TOM (just to warn you) is that your milk production drops a little bit (at least mine does). I find myself stressing out, like "OH NO! I SHALL NEVER PRODUCE ENOUGH MILK TO FEED MY SON! AND HE SHALL STARVE TO DEATH OR BE FORCED TO DRINK THE DEVIL'S POISON." (I can carry a fairly dramatic interior monologue.) And then TOM goes away, and all is fine again.
  • RBXChas
    RBXChas Posts: 2,708 Member
    I lost a little bit more (more than my previously non-existent loss that is) after I got my TOM. But, also, I think I just got a little more serious about tracking/exercising. The thing about TOM (just to warn you) is that your milk production drops a little bit (at least mine does). I find myself stressing out, like "OH NO! I SHALL NEVER PRODUCE ENOUGH MILK TO FEED MY SON! AND HE SHALL STARVE TO DEATH OR BE FORCED TO DRINK THE DEVIL'S POISON." (I can carry a fairly dramatic interior monologue.) And then TOM goes away, and all is fine again.

    Good to know, thanks! I won't worry if my supply dips.

    Thankfully nothing has come of it so far. Hopefully it'll stay that way (knock on wood)!
  • touchafaith
    touchafaith Posts: 112 Member
    I ebf my daughter until 2 months ago (she's 8 months old) where I added in solids. My periods came back at 3 and half months and have been very regular until this month where I had the brown spotting that you described when I wiped and then nothing so far this month so it's like a week late if I have one this month at all. I'm assuming your period can start and then just stop again depending how often you feed. I hope that's the case anyway.
  • ramsx1991
    ramsx1991 Posts: 142 Member
    I still pretty much ebf my 8 month old and I just got my first period 3 days ago... So almost 8 months.
  • heniko
    heniko Posts: 796 Member
    Hi,
    I've been BFing my daughter for almost 18months now. In the beginning, it was exclusively breastmilk but now she's eating solids too. It's been 27+ months since I've had my last period.
  • FitMama2013
    FitMama2013 Posts: 913 Member
    my son is 8 months and mine has been trying to come back (spotting off and on for weeks)...however, I have the mirena, so I'm not really sure what to expect :)
  • jls8209
    jls8209 Posts: 450 Member
    My little girl is almost 11 months, BFs 4x a day, and I still don't have my period. I did have slight spotting one day at about 4 months PP, but nothing else. The last few months I've been feeling like I have PMS every 3-4 weeks, but nothing happens. Hoping to keep up the early morning and bed time feeds until about 18 months, and I would love it if I could get pregnant again without getting my period back. That may be wishful thinking, though! :laugh:
  • ecoforestry
    ecoforestry Posts: 13 Member
    Hi. I am new to MFP but am breastfeeding my 2 year old and trying to loose weight. I have 3 daughters. My periods came back when they slept all night without nursing, but that wasn't until almost 2 years old for my girls. The first two times, I got pregnant again on my first cycle, with natural spacing of 2.75 years between my girls. This time we are using birth control because, sadly, I do not want to get pregnant again.
  • daytolive
    daytolive Posts: 106 Member
    I got mine last month at 11months PP. I'm supposed to be getting it (like yesterday),but i don't feel like it's coming?!

    With my first born,i didn't get it back until 13 month PP and I had already stopped BF him at 9 months.

    I definitely think everyone and every body is SO different.
  • daytolive
    daytolive Posts: 106 Member
    I lost a little bit more (more than my previously non-existent loss that is) after I got my TOM. But, also, I think I just got a little more serious about tracking/exercising. The thing about TOM (just to warn you) is that your milk production drops a little bit (at least mine does). I find myself stressing out, like "OH NO! I SHALL NEVER PRODUCE ENOUGH MILK TO FEED MY SON! AND HE SHALL STARVE TO DEATH OR BE FORCED TO DRINK THE DEVIL'S POISON." (I can carry a fairly dramatic interior monologue.) And then TOM goes away, and all is fine again.


    You crack me up Jennnay. :laugh:
  • graycalico
    graycalico Posts: 30 Member
    My ds was almost 1 when I got mine back. I'm hoping it will stay away that long this time too. I've only had two periods in almost three years. Woohoo! Lol
  • RBXChas
    RBXChas Posts: 2,708 Member
    You crack me up Jennnay. :laugh:

    Did anyone else read that in a Forrest Gump voice?:tongue:
  • redheadmommy
    redheadmommy Posts: 908 Member
    As others mentioned before my period return seem to be associated with the no or very limited night time BFing. I EBF both kids until 6 months when I started to supplement with solids, and never pumped or gave formula.
    With my son my period returned around 9 months pp, and he was down to 1 feeding a night by then and kept it that way. My period became clockwork regular immediately.

    Now my girl is very different stry. She slept though the night without any feeding from 3 .5 months, and my period returned a bit more than a month later. She started teething around that time, and went back 3-4-5 night feeds. Low and behold I missed a period , which never happened to me in my entire life except when preggo. The teething went away and she slept better after a month or so, and I got a period again when she was 7 mths old. She started teething again and waking up and want to be feed frequently at night , and I missed an other period last month. She is 9 months old right now , and nothing again. We are working hard on improving her sleeping habits , and the last few nights I only feed her twice during the night . If I can keep this low at night, I might get a period again in a month. It is rather annoying.

    For me weight loss totally correlated to my period and BFing.

    After the initial loss, my weight stalled until I got my period back. When I got back my period with my son, it started to come off extremely slowly. Once I finished BF at age 2 , the weight started to come off at a normal pace.
    Now with my girl, again total plateau after the initial loss for months. Around the time I gt my first period I lost a few lb all the sudden. The month after that no perid, no weight loss. Then my perid come again and I lost a few lb again. Then no period again and for 3 weeks in a row the scale showed the exact same freaking number. During this entire time, I ate at the same deficit level.
    So yeah, the whole calorie in/ calorie out theory is a total BS. The whole weight issue is hormonal.
    I personally I WANT MY PERIOD. TOM maybe a bi@ tch, but at least I can lose weight.
  • redheadmommy
    redheadmommy Posts: 908 Member
    I wish all my wish would be fulfilled so quickly. Today i got my period and the scale showed 1 lb loss after a month plateau. :D YAY. Plus I always drop 1-2 lb after aunt flo goes away , so hopefully I drop another couple of lbs this month. My next wish is to stay regular from now on.
  • heniko
    heniko Posts: 796 Member
    It's offical ... My period has returned LOL after 9m of pregnancy and 18m of BFing Yeah I was really wasn't missing it!
  • RBXChas
    RBXChas Posts: 2,708 Member
    Just wondering if anyone who hadn't seen AF yet had any updates!

    We are 7.5 months out, and there's still no sign of her. I BF 5-6x/day (usually 5, but sometimes 6, and if he wakes up during the night, possibly 7) and feed solids, and pumping is a real rarity mostly because it's a total pain to do.
  • chickybuns
    chickybuns Posts: 1,037 Member
    I got my first "period" around 6/7 months. But it was really light and I didn't have any other normal symptoms except for light bleeding. I have gotten maybe 3-4 more of these at 13 months pp. I am afraid my first real period is going to be terrible. I imagine it's coming soon, as I am pumping 3xs a day now and thinking about dropping again soon.