Post breast feeding madness

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ContraryMaryMary
ContraryMaryMary Posts: 1,676 Member
So I've quit breast feeding and my period has returned... Well sort of. I'm on my third half-arsed period in six weeks. Very peculiar, but my hormones are all over the show and I've had three days of not being able to curb my eating. Dangerous territory.

My google research shows that irregular periods and hormone madness are quite common once you stop breast feeding and your body moves back to its pre-baby state, it's also when post natal depression can kick in too, which is worth being aware of. I just hope my body settles soon.

What's been your experience? I'm curious to hear how you've transitioned back to normality.

Replies

  • Flybeetle
    Flybeetle Posts: 387 Member
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    I'm going to stalk this post! I will start decreasing my milk supply in a week's time, aiming to be done with expressing in the next 5 weeks. I can't wait and I can't help but feel a bit anxious too...
    I hope things settle back to normal soon for you, you deserve to just feel like your body is your own again and have all hormones balanced!
  • wordyroo
    wordyroo Posts: 98 Member
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    My period returned with my son at three months pp last time (I was exclusively pumping) and it was totally regular, so I don't have any expertise in irregular ones. I did however have multiple anxiety and asthma attacks while weaning at around 6 months. My thyroid also went extremely hypo around the same time, though I stopped pumping because my supply was decreasing, which could have been a result of the thyroid and not the other way around. So those hormone can certainly wreak havoc.

    I'm 4.5 months pp with my daughter and my period hasn't shown yet, but my thyroid is extremely hyper at the moment, which could be causing the delay and not just the breastfeeding.
  • tiggerhammon
    tiggerhammon Posts: 2,211 Member
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    I had to join postpartum pack just so I could respond here, lol.

    With my daughter, I started my period again at about 3 months pp. It was irregular for a few months and then went back to normal. I also starting losing my hair like crazy right after she was born and it started falling out even worse when I started my cycles again.

    My appetite was a crazy mess. I lost all the weight I gained with my daughter and more by the time I was 6 weeks pp. But, at 3 months when I started menstrating again, my appetite shot through the roof and I gained every lb back!

    This time, with my son, it is so different. My appetite shot through the roof right after he was born. I am struggling to lose and to control my hunger. My hair has not fallen out at all with him, at least not yet.
    I haven't started my cycles again yet, I am 2 month pp right now and I am hoping it lasts longer than 3 months this time.
  • rosy003
    rosy003 Posts: 251 Member
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    I stopped nursing at one year got my first period at 14 months pp and then got the second period a week later that lasted for 2 weeks. Definitely annoyingly irregular. I also switched BCP from the low hormone to regular, so that may have factored into it. The pp depression that you mention really hits home with me- I have been weeping, WEEPING!, for like 2 weeks now for no reason. I am still not back to my prepregnancy weight, which doesn't help. I have an appointment with my gyn in a week, so I will talk to her about all of this. Thank you for posting!
  • ContraryMaryMary
    ContraryMaryMary Posts: 1,676 Member
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    So another two weeks have almost passed and guess what? PMT, cravings and spotting again. My poor husband.
  • kcasey155
    kcasey155 Posts: 968 Member
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    I'm nearly ten months pp and just finished my first period. I am still breastfeeding, but baby girl is also eating three meals a day. I knew it was coming as I had been craving nothing but chocolate for two weeks straight. I've eaten soooo much over the last three weeks that it's going to be quite a job to get back on track. I have 17lbs to lose by Christmas and I need to finish the 30 Day Shred which I started earlier this month. Completely lacking motivation right now and I'm not so happy being back on the monthly hormonal roller coaster even though it was gonna happen eventually. Humpf.

    After previous pregnancies it has taken several months for my periods to even out, back to a near regular routine. However, if the irregular pattern goes on longer than six months I'd consider taking a mini pill for six months to help bring back regularity. Every two or three weeks is no fun. Your hormones must be all over the place right now.
  • TMcChamp
    TMcChamp Posts: 165 Member
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    with my first period returned at 4 months, was very irregular (6-10 weeks between each) unit she weaned, then they came back in full force
  • RBXChas
    RBXChas Posts: 2,708 Member
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    With my first I was supplementing with formula, and my period returned at 3 months pp. This time my OB told me that mine would probably return at 3 months, which I thought was weird because I was EBFing. I EBF'd until 5.5 months when we started solids but continued BFing until a year. My period came back at 10 months pp. After I quit BFing it acted funny for a couple of months and seems to be getting back to the way it was. I'm glad because it's now coming every 4 weeks exactly, just like it used to, whereas for a couple of months it was closer to three weeks. I was not pleased!

    As for hormones/sadness, I didn't get that, thankfully. I got sad when I thought about weaning, but once I did it I felt fine about it. I'm still super emotional about my kids, though, in a way that I never was before my first was born.
  • kashadilla
    kashadilla Posts: 14 Member
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    oh, the sadness. I'm just now realizing that this is probably why I spent yesterday a blubbering mess on the couch...just started spotting, 7 months pp. I'd been EBFing until our last dr appt, baby wasn't gaining great so we had to start supplementing and increased her solids a bit.
  • she2cute
    she2cute Posts: 19 Member
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    I'm 6 months pp and have been pumping exclusively. He never took to me, was a preemie baby and I just kinda got used to the pump. Now it's driving me nuts!!! But every time I think about weaning him off, I turn into a big sappy mess. SO...I've somehow managed to wean down from pumping 6-8 times a day to 3 or 4. He's content, boobs aren't and neither is my mental state. I'm grumpy almost all the time, edgy. My 3 year old's tantrums drive me insane more than they used to. The baby doesn't seem to upset me, unless he gets all pukey on me....3 times in an hour with 3 changes of clothes on me...oh my. Anyway. I started my periods at 3 months pp and haven't had one since. So I'm irregular. Not pregnant, we've checked. My appetite has come back in full force lately and I'm really craving some sweets. It's been horrible. I know I need to stop eating. I'm full but durn it tastes so good!! Maybe my husband and I need to stop cooking such good food. Yep. I may just go back through my old meals and see what I used to eat when I was losing my weight. :D Surely won't be what we've been eating lately. I've gotta get motivated again. Good luck to ya'll!
  • Flybeetle
    Flybeetle Posts: 387 Member
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    I'm in the process of decreasing my pumping sessions and I'm feeling better this week! I've finally been able to successfully stay within my calorie goals as well so perhaps producing less milk is allowing me eat a bit less and lose those last kg's. I'm hungry though but not aggressively so...
  • jennk5309
    jennk5309 Posts: 206 Member
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    Vitex (chasteberry) is an excellent herb to regulate hormones and periods. It regulated me when peri-menopause started hitting and got my ovulation and periods back to a 28 day cycle, allowing me to get pregnant. It takes a few months though.
  • TLCEsq
    TLCEsq Posts: 413 Member
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    I had my daughter on April 25th, stopped pumping in mid-July and still no Aunt Flo! Ugh.
  • ContraryMaryMary
    ContraryMaryMary Posts: 1,676 Member
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    Ooh, we've stretched it out to three weeks this time - the PMT hasn't been so harsh either. Sugar cravings, yes, but only for one day. Insomnia, yup, two nights but I can handle that, and the crazies - only a very mild dose. Thank goodness. I live in hope for normalcy.
  • one3six
    one3six Posts: 6 Member
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    Didn't start mine with my first child until he stopped BF-ing (at 15 months) but it was WACKO once it did. My cycle was all over the place, it was lighter, it was just very different. Was much harder to conceive #2 because of the strange, inconsistent cycles. I hear it's very common, though. I wonder what it's about...