When Did Your Cycle Return?

[AnnaNova]

i was under an impression that i have at least a year of not worrying about it... but today i ve noticed some mild spotting (baby is 7mo)... what is the average time for the cycle to return?
how does it affect bfeeding? i heard on "these" days supply may drop. is it true for you?
thanks

[Mom to E and A]

not sure of the "average" time, but mine was 9 months for the 2 kiddos I nursed that long.
I don't think a year is right though. I recall something about 6 months due to the baby not necessarily being EBF anymore (eating foods) and generally not nursing as much at night (but I could be wrong, lol, just going by memory)

[possum]

I got my first PP period at 23 months.
I think average is supposed to be around 14 months or so, and *they* say you can't rely on ecological BFing to prevent pregnancy after 6 months even if you are still following all the other rules (no other nipples - pacis or bottles, 1 hr nap with baby, co-sleeping, no solids, only breastmilk, etc.).
Melinda

[FiveLittleMonkeys]

The average for me with my first 4 kids was 14-15 months. So that's what I expected this time....

10 weeks. 10 freaking weeks! I didn't even get a year of being period-free! I was so bummed....

[ryan'smom]

23m pp here...ds weaned arond age 3. i think the average is around 14m.
i've heard some will notice a slight differece in supply, while others notice no change.

[Earth Momma]

I love this one......no period from May of 2003 to Nov of 2008 - just had the one and now pregnant, due any day!!!

I understand night nursing has a lot to do with ovulation and you period - read anything on natural family planning or natural child spacing!

[lifeguard]

10.5 months & still waiting (we want to ttc asap so I'm actually wanting it back but not willing to shortchange ds on the bfing).

[emmalizz]

.

[AnnaNova]

Originally Posted by Earth Momma

I love this one......no period from May of 2003 to Nov of 2008 - just had the one and now pregnant, due any day!!!

I understand night nursing has a lot to do with ovulation and you period - read anything on natural family planning or natural child spacing!

wooowww, im envious!!!! i was so hoping to go beyond 1 year, i guess the fact that im working and pumping at work played its part, i didnt think it would affect the cycle as long as the supply was fine... i guess i was wrong

[bsideu4ever]

I got mine back the day before DD turned 10 months. She is EBF...I was hoping to go at least a year!!

[ihugtrees]

12 weeks. DD had a pacifier from 3-6 weeks, then no more. She's had 3 or 4 bottles, but always nursed soon after (IE, the bottles were for comfort when I was gone...then I'd be home shortly thereafter, and she would nurse.)

[crayon]

6 moths with my first daughter- she was more of a every 4 hour nurser- and 12-14 months with my second daughter- she was more of a boob girl! ;-)

[fruitfulmomma]

With my first I got one around 5 or 6 months I think, and then nothing for a couple of months and then it started again. I've gone longer with the rest, 13 months after #4. I am at 9 months now with #5. I am guessing I got longer times with the later ones because I generally tandem.

I've never noticed a supply drop but I've never been low-supply either except at the end of a pregnancy, so it might be different for other women.

[pollyanna123]

11 months with my DD, who nursed ALL the time around the clock.

16 months with my DS, who nursed a lot less often and gave me longer stretches at night.

[BMG580]

After my DD it was only 6 or 7 weeks. When I was 3 months PP I had a chemical pregnancy and I was exclusively, demand breastfeeding. With my son I got AF back around month 3 or 4. I've gotten very easily pregnant while demand breastfeeding 3 times (including the chemical) and I currently have 2 children and one on the way due in Jan.

[PuppyFluffer]

4 months - with all three of my babies.

Fully nursing on demand, around the clock. Never a pacifier.
Babies were all worn in slings most of the time, hardly ever put down.

It's just what I'm wired to do I guess.

I've had friends go over 2 years while nursing without the return of their cycle.

[littlehoneybee]

With #1 I got it back 20mos pp. #2 is almost 11mos and still no AF.

[HappyFox05]

3 months. She would nurse a lot during the day but only wake up once (usually) at night - I figured that had something to do with it.

[Carita]

mine happened at 14 mo - when ds finally dropped 1 of his night nursing sessions...

no guaruntees it won't happen earlier. anyway, when i do get a bit of supply drop, sometimes at O, sometimes at AF, I drank some mama milk tea everynight and it seemed to help a lot.

[MountainMamaGC]

6 months. About the time we started solids.