Talk to me about BFing and return of cycle, please

[Addie]

So, I've gotten my first PP period. DS is 8.5 months old. He started solids around 6.5 months, and currently gets two meals of varying sizes every day. He nurses probably 5-7 times between wake up and bedtime. He dropped the middle-of-the-night nursing session around 1.5 months ago (though for months before that, he was only nursing once per night).

Should I expect this to affect my milk supply? I've definitely noticed that I'm not as engorged as I used to be, which has been a gradual change over the past two months or so, but I wasn't worried about it. DS got huge quick and stayed that way, so I feel like he's getting enough. I panicked when I realized it was my period and not just random spotting, and I irrationally thought this was the beginning of the end of nursing. It's not, right?

[SavingtheEarth]

I can't remember when I got my first period after my daughter was born, but I nursed for 16 months. I have read that sometimes the baby will dislike the taste of your milk during your period. Personally I wouldn't worry, keep breastfeeding and your milk supply should remain where your child needs it to be. One of the biggest things that I try to remember is that your body was made to do these things (deliver babies, breastfeed etc) and we should trust them. One more thing...If you are having periods, you are ovulating.... and we all know what that means. I hope that helps, Good Luck

[blessedwithboys]

Originally Posted by Addie

I irrationally thought this was the beginning of the end of nursing. It's not, right?

oh, heavens, no! i ebf both of my kiddos, no bottles at all. with ds1, we had lots of trouble in the early days and i started solids way too early. i got af back at 5 mos and he clw'ed at 24 mos. with ds2, we had no troubles with nursing and i held off on solids a bit longer. i got af at 11mos pp and he clw'ed at 60 mos.

now technically, the first bottle or bite of food is the beginning of the end, but getting af back doesnt automatically mean your little one is about to be done nursing.

[akind1]

I got AF back at 4 months PP. it hasn't been regular really, but back for sure.

You may have noticed your supply just evening out to what it should be normally, hence not so engorged anymore. You probably are still making plenty of milk for your LO (Kellymom has something on this) I noticed what I thought was a dip around the 8 month mark - it was just AF (sometimes supply lessens a bit during AF, why, I don't know - hormones?)

I expect to nurse DS at least to 12 months. a lot will depend on when I get pregnant with #2 and how I feel about nursing during pregnancy, and if and when my supply dries up during that pregnancy.

But that is just me: your supply is likely fine, and AF shouldn't interfere with that.

[Tattooed Hand]

DD is almost 8 months old and is totally disgusted by solids (we decided to hold off until she shows interest since she has allergies too) and thus is totally breastfed. My boobs have been way less engorged the last month or so too. I don't have AF yet so I think it's just my boobs getting more efficient at making milk.

[MissMommyNiceNice]

I nursed for 33 months, and got AF back at 15 mos pp. The only thing I really noticed was how sensitive my nips were when I was on my period. It made me crazy to nurse! But that went away after the first few months.

[beebalmmama]

With my first my AF returned at about 8 months and he continued to nurse until 3.5 yrs. He also was still nursing all night long at 8 months and not really eating many/if any solids.
My second is now 8 months and if the acne breakout I have this month is any clue...I expect AF any day now. He is eating a bit more than his brother did at this age (2X day?), but only nurses about once or twice a night. It seems to me that sometimes some women will get AF at a certain time pp regardless of how nursing is going.

The only thing I noticed about nursing after AF returned is I would be irritated with nursing during my period.