fertility while breastfeeding

[AFC2008]

Doesn anyone ever had a problem getting their menstrual cycle while breastfeeding? My son is 5 months and I havent had a cycle yet. I was never regular before, but never this long.. Im not sure if should be getting concerned or not.

[Dov'sMom]

DS2 is 13 mo and no menstrual cycle yet for me.

[Chiroalltheway]

With my first 2, I didn't get my period until 9 months postpartum.

[Theoretica]

There are mamas around here who have 2yos and haven't started yet, so I wouldn't worry.

FWIW I'm 10mos PP and no AF, no SIGN of AF. Nothing.

There's a nursing mamas TTC club that has a lot of info, can't find the link offhand though? Someone will have it...I'm onehanded right now (nak)

[mammabunny]

It took me over a yr. to get my period. My son was down to nursing 3x a day. So I think for me as the frequency slowed my period came back. It could depend on how much you're nursing. However, my friend stopped nursing and still never got a period until she went on the BCP.

[AFC2008]

thanks for the replies. It makes me feel better, cos I was getting worried. All my friends started being regular 2-3 months after their babies so I was like... whats wrong....:
Someone told me to start BCP, but im afraid of all those hormones and how they might affect my milk. I don't want to expose my son to anything that he shouldn't.

[confustication]

I had one wonky PP period at about 5 months, then I was pregnant.

With my first though I didn't have anything for about 2.5 years.

I say some divine being is laughing his/her bum off at me.

[MoonStarFalling]

It will come naturally in a year or more or perhaps earlier! lol I got mine at 18 months and 12 months. What would be the point of the BCP?

[bubbamummy]

I wanted mine to stay away it came back when DS was 6months

[kcparker]

If you are breastfeeding on demand, your cycles might not come back for months. I think the average is about 14 months. There's a good article on kellymom that describes the gradual return to fertility. Don't sweat it for now - enjoy breastfeeding!

If you are concerned about a return to fertility before you want to conceive again, you could start noticing cervical mucus and/or taking your basal body temp. and charting that so you might have a bit of warning that your body is ramping up to ovulate again.

[elight23]

I didn't get my cycle back until ds was 2.5, so 30 months. I bougth it back by not nursing for 5 hours straight a night. I also ended up getting accupuncture and my accupuncturist told me that my body was so depleted by ds that I didn't have the energy or nutrition to support AF needless to say another baby. So i started eating blood and 'chi' supporting foods, did Moxa, and received accupuncture 1-2times a month and then I started having regular healthy cycles.

At 5 months, i wouldn't worry and if nursing on demand I would't expect or desire AF to return until about 14 months.

[BarefootScientist]

Just wanted to say that not having your period back at 5 months PP is NOT a problem, it is the normal state of things. If breastfeeding the way nature intended, the average time women will get their period back at about 14-15 months. Well, I guess it could be a problem if you want to conceive, but otherwise, enjoy your AF-free time! :

It is kind of sad that women are led to believe that this is not healthy and they need to be on BCP. What the heck?

[AFC2008]

thank you everyone. The article on kelly website was really good too.
I dont know why doctors put so much pressure to get BCP, but I dont like medicine in general so I have been trying to stay away from it.
I remember I got asked 3 times before i left the hospital, if i wanted a prescription of BCP or not... It almost feels that doctors nowdays work for the companies who make these medicines...lol

[mommy2two babes]

Just repeating what everyone else said but With my first it was back at 8 mos and second it didn't come back until 21 mos.

[SoCaliMommy]

Totally Normal no reason to worry at all.

With my daughter i got my period back at 13months PP and with my son i got it back at 14/15 months PP.

[possum]

I just had my first PP period. My son is 23 months. I don't think I ovulated before, but I wasn't temping so can't be sure. BFing moms who get their periods back aren't always fertile (though, they should assume they are and chart to see when if they are TTA).
Melinda

[AuburnBeth]

With our first: my first PP AF was at 7 mos, then not again until 13 mos.

With our second: I'm not sure? I know it was after 5 mos, but before 14 mos.

We nurse on demand, but second refused all foods but breastmilk until he was over a year.