On again / off again period. Has this happened to you?

[mum5]

My DC#3 is 18 months.

Not sure when I got my period back after delivery, but it was a regular cycle for me, every month.

So In April, he was just over a year old, and my period disappeared, for months, and has just returned this September. It was normal, a little on the heavy side and I had a stomach ache, along with some very minor pelvic discomfort, but other than that it was normal.

It did concern me that it would apprear, then disappear. I have had my period like clockwork every month since I was 10, and I am 39 now. Dc nurses, not tonnes, but he seems to be a very efficient eater, no nursing marathons for hours on end like my fisrt 2 children.

What do you think? Anyone have this happen to them?

TIA

[dancinganya]

I don't have an answer, but I do know that nursing messes with your cycle.

I was on the mini pill until my daughter was about 20 months old and I didn't get a period for that long either.  I started having mild continuous cramping for a few weeks.  I went off the pill and it vanished.  I didn't get my period back for a few months after that (attributed to the pill of course).  Anyway, maybe there is something about post 18 months where your body is affected by the nursing differently??  I know my milk supply is different now than when she was younger.  I'm still nursing my now 2.5 year old and my periods are strange, but fairly regular now.

Hope any of that helps...

[Asiago]

I read something about this topic in a book on Ecological breastfeeding. Sheila Kippley's book had mention of lactational amenorreah that may be on and off according to the child's nursing frequency and needs.

Frequent suckling delays fertility, where as a long nursing session every threes hours likely would not.

[dejagerw]

I have a friend who said this happened to her. She got her period back, and then lost it for several months. Then it came back again.