At what point do I worry about the period not returning?

[FiddleMama]

I don't mean worried as in worried about being pregnant. I'm not and my partner had a vasectomy. (yes, yes, I know it can happen...)

I mean, at what point do I worry about my own health? My youngest is almost 16 months old and eats a lot of table food but still nurses 4-5 times a day and 1-2 times at night. I never had a period between my first son (almost 3) and my second and my cycle has always been irregular.

On the one hand, yay! I haven't had a period for almost four years. On the other, I'm concerned because I've heard that it puts you at risk for things like endometrial cancer, etc.

Any thoughts?

[BarefootScientist]

Don't know, but my DS is 17 mo and I don't have my regular cycles back. I have had one very light period but that was 3 months ago now and nothing since then. I have heard of people going 3 years. Our bodies respond to hormones differently.

I have not heard that about endometrial cancer but I know that NOT having periods actually lowers your risk of ovarian cancer. For thousands of years women often went pretty much their whole reproductive lives either pregnant or nursing and hardly ever had a period so I think that is actually more how it was meant to be...just a thought.

[LionTigerBear]

For me, my period came back at 14 months postpartum each time. 16 months isn't that big of a difference, I don't know, I'm no expert but I wouldn't worry about it yet. I mean, are you having other health issues or are you feeling generally pretty healthy?

[Siera]

I totally agree with "Barefoot Scientist". For most of history, women haven't actually had that many periods -- they've either been pregnant or nursing. So, I wouldn't be too concerned about not having one for a while. I think that is how nature intended it!

[leerypolyp]

Yes, it's normal to go more than two years if you're breastfeeding. (And not risky.)

[veganone]

I've always heard that it lowers your risk of cancer (and other things), in particular breast and ovarian, which scare me a lot more than endometrial anyway... I honestly don't think it's a problem at all.

[woodchick]

I was 20 mos post partum when my cycle returned. There is such a wide range of normal!

[Ruthla]

I've heard women going as long as 4 years while nursing a child- admittedly, that's when the women were approaching menopause anyway, but I've certainly heard of younger women going more than 2 years without mensturating while nursing. I've also heard of women not getting a period for a few months AFTER weaning.

[mom2threenurslings]

It's not uncommon for nursing mamas to not get their cycle back until their nursling nightweans. On rare occasions some mamas don't ovulate until their child is weaned. You're definitely in the normal range. It is thought that breastfeeding reduces your risk of edometrial cancer.

[Shazer]

DD is 21 months and AF returned yesterday. DD finally gives me about six hours of uninterrupted sleep before wanting to nurse at five or six in the morning, so I bet that is why I got AF back.

[Peony]

It can also vastly differ from each nursling. With one of mine AF returned at 18m, another 2.5y.

[PiePie]

i asked my internist. medically, it is not considered problematic until you have gone more than 2 months post weaning without a cycle. if you are really concerned, you can have a blood draw and they can check your thyroid. i did when i was 12+ mos. post-partum and my thyroid checked out just fine. dd is now 15 mos. and still no blood...

[FiddleMama]

Thanks everyone! Since we're nowhere near night weaning, I will put it on my list of things to not worry about. :

[waylonsmama]

DS is 28 mo and I just got my first PPAF today! Wow!!! It has been over 3 years since my last AF. Don't worry. We are in the process of weaning. DS nurses only to go to sleep...and in the morning when he wakes....trying to drop that one soon though.

[Miss 1928]

I was about 18 PP when I started getting my AF again.