When was your first postpartum period? Cramping beforehand?

[djrunjoy]

Hi,

My DS is 18 mos and still breastfeeding during the day (sleeps through the night).  I still haven't had my first period postpartum and tonight I started having really sharp pains in my abdomen.  In all my years prior to conception I had light periods (or no periods) and never really suffered from PMS.  I do have stomach issues, but the cramping is too low and I can tell it's not digestion related.

I've heard that the first ppp can be really painful and there can be a lot of bleeding. I was hoping to get the perspective of other mothers who have delayed onset because of extended breastfeeding.  Did you know beforehand that it was coming?  I know it seems silly, but I feel like this might be a warning siren for the impending flood... ugh.   I'd love to know about your experience, and whether your ppp started after a decrease in nursing?

The strange thing is that the last week or two my son's nursing has increased. He asks to nurse ALL THE TIME whenever I sit down (even if we're not at home).  I noticed that my milk supply has increased, my energy decreased and it throws my fluid levels/digestion off... Just an observation.  

Any experience or stories would be appreciated!

Thanks,  Dana

[djrunjoy]

Does anyone have experience that they wouldn't mind sharing?

[Anna Phor]

I got my first PP period at 13 months--almost exactly 4 weeks after I reduced pumping from 2x per day to 1x per day at work. I guess my body has a magic clock that said "six hours without nursing! woohoo! ovulate!"

I had a major supply decrease about 10 days prior to menstruating. I was on vacation at the time (at the beach) and I thought I must be super-dehydrated, because my son wanted to nurse every hour at night and kept crying for milk.

I didn't have any major pain and it was a pretty normal period, though.

[djrunjoy]

Wow, sounds like your body was just ready and waiting :)  I've been going 10+ hours at night for awhile, but it hasn't seemed to work for me.  Not that I'm excited about getting my period again, but it seems like a good milestone and maybe help to get my body back to normal.  No more painful cramps today and no period, so who knows...

Thanks for replying!

[dejagerw]

I got my first AF 14.5 months pp. I totally thought I was pregnant. My milk supply went down, DS was nursing constantly, I was nauseous. I actually started dry heaving in the car one day! But then AF showed up.

[nicole528]

Hi...I had to partially night-wean my DD when she was a little over 22 months old in hopes to get my first PP back (I would like to start TTC soon for Baby#2).  Before it came back I had weeks of on and off cramping and also some really bad PMS symptoms.  I felt really strange and was extremely moody, emotional, tired and crampy.  At one point I felt like someone overtook my body....I did not feel myself at all.  I thought the PP was going to be awful based on the severity of these symptoms.  I got my first PP when DD was almost exactly 23.5 months old and it was not bad at all.  The cramping and bleeding were both more mild than I expected.  My DD's nursing has increased since then so I'm not sure what is going to happen this month (She just turned 2 yesterday) but I felt really relieved to finally get that first PP!  I guess I have to start charting to figure out exactly what is going on!  Hope this info is helpful!

Nikki (mama to DD 11/09 )

[nikkijames]

I got mine back at 9 months postpartum despite ecological breastfeeding and nursing through the night. Actually I had the pre-AF cramping for months before I had a real period. And then a supply dip right before. I bled about normal but the cramps were pretty bad....

[hollywoodmommy]

I got my period when my daughter was 13 months. It happened while we were on vacation of course I started getting horrible cramping I would say for about 3 months before I actually got my period. It was stabbing sharp pains. I thought I was pregnant. The funny thing is that I don't get cramps now that AF has returned. Before I used to have my period for 5 days and now its only 4 and way lighter.

[P.J.]

DS is 18 mo and I still haven't got mine. I'm glad to see this is in the range of "normal" because I have at times wondered...

BTW you might get more of a response with a poll, if it's numbers you're looking for...although I know you wanted more specific stories. Just an idea.

[winter singer]

My period came back when DD was 29 months old and took a few more months to get back to being regular. I always had very painful periods before getting pregnant. The ones I've had since have been so much easier to deal with (including the first one), it's like night and day. 

[RStelle]

My dd was nursing every 1 1/2 to 2 hours (she was low birth weight so she was extra hungry) and then once when she was 2 1/2 mths old she slept for 5 hours and then I got my period the next day and I've been getting it every month since. I was so pissed because I had always thought It would be a lot longer before it came back.

[31rubies]

I have gotten by ppp at 15 months pp with all my babes.  After my third birth, the first ppp was preceded by crazy painful cramps in my back and front.  I mean I did not want to move!  AF came two weeks after those insane cramps, and was very light in flow for only 3 days.