POLL: How many months post-partum before AF's return?

[htovjm]

I'm just wondering what to expect in my case and was hoping you ladies would take a second to answer my poll. Thank you!

Also, could you mention what changes occurred in breastfeeding that seemed to bring on menstruation?

(duplicate posted in Fertility forum)

[brogansmomma]

I'm on the app on my phone so I don't see the poll...

Mine just came back on the 2nd. My daughter was about a week past 13 months. A little over a month previous, I returned to work as a fulltime shift worker, which disrupted our nursing. We still nurse throughout the day and night when I'm home but my shifts have me gone 11 to 12 hours at time on a seven week rotation of mixed days and nights and days off.

[Bokonon]

With my first, it was 4 months postpartum, despite round the clock nursing and/or pumping.

With my second, it was the day before her 1st birthday.  She was not sleeping though the night and was still getting probably 95% of her calories and nutrition from nursing.

[Caracol8]

AF came only 5 months and 2 days postpartum, while EBFing.   But from what I've read that's not typical when you're breastfeeding.  

I guess I'm just a fertile Myrtle. 

Nothing seemed to change in breastfeeding before or after.  No tenderness nor decrease or increase in milk... 

[CA Country Girl]

Also duplicated in fertility forum.  I only got 3 months with DD1, despite her nursing all the time.  I was disappointed; I had hoped for much longer.  DD2 is 2 weeks old.  We will see if I get any longer this time.  I am not holding my breath.  

[MrsGregory]

My old Aunt returned at 6 1/2 months, we had just started Little Miss on solids, but she was still nursing 6 or more times a day.

[htovjm]

Thank you everyone for your responses! This is helping me get a general idea of what to expect.

[RaeDyCo]

My return to work after mat leave is what started AF for both boys. I started back to work around 12-13 months with both and AF started around 13.5 months after. For me, it seemed that as soon as I was down to fewer than 5 feeds / day, that my body returned to fertility.

I never noticed any changes with my milk production but I did take a cal / mag 1500 / 750 mg supplement right before ovulation until my period started.

[KristyDi]

Mine returned at about 15months pp.  We co-slept and DD didn't have a paci and no bottles (not because I'm a hard core ecological BFing person, just that DD rejected both the paci and bottles and since I'm able to be a SAHM I didn't stress about it).  If I recall correctly, that was around the same time she really got interested in eating solids, but there were no drastic changes in her nursing behavior before or after.

[htovjm]

RaeDyCo: did you take the cal/mag to keep your supply up? Is there normally a dip when ovulation returns?

[lava]

Mine returned at 6 weeks with 4 kids.  1st one having issues with BFing, next 3 EBF, cosleeping, no bottles, etc.  #3 had a paci but #2 nursed  I think literally round the clock sometimes :).  Nothing seems to change that for me.  And while that first period might be anovulatory, the second one isn't, #3 is testiment to that.  But I'm far from usual in that respect :)

[Katie8681]

AF hasn't returned yet, and DS is 12.5 months. He's not EBF anymore, but I would say he's still in the "food for fun" stage. Still night nursing. I do work part time now, but I pump and he tends to hold out as long as possible to actually nurse instead of taking a bottle. No signs of ovulation at all.

[RaeDyCo]

Originally Posted by makaleka87 

RaeDyCo: did you take the cal/mag to keep your supply up? Is there normally a dip when ovulation returns?

Yes, I noticed a mild dip in  my supply with my first period so I followed the guidance here -- http://www.motherandchildhealth.com/Breastfeeding/Becky/menstruation.html. I believe many notice a dip in supply with the return of AF.

[purplerose]

13 mths with one baby and 16 mths with another. the only change had been the 16 mth old suddenlybegan sleeping all night right before my period started. the 13 mth old had been sleeping all night so i don't  know what brought it on then. i didn't notice a change in supply but they were old enough that they weren't nursing for sole nutrition anymore.

[transylvania_mom]

Your poll doesn't allow multiple choices; ds was 4 months when I got AF back (he was EBF, not sleeping through the night); dd is almost 3 YEARS old, eats lots of solids and STTN most nights and still no AF this time.
 

[doulawoman]

Four months with each despite dd1 nursing every hour at that point, no joke! With ds it was the same and I was nursing even more -both him and my 2yo dd! I noticed mood changes, cramping, irritability, tenderness in my breasts, and ewcm vefore ovulation

[Thandiwe]

It was variable as I slowly, with each kid and without realizing it, began to follow ecological breastfeeding more and more over time.  First was about 8-9 months.  Second was about 12-15 months (can't remember exactly).  Third was about 18 months.
 

[1babysmom]

........

Edited by 1babysmom - 3/21/13 at 8:13am

[EuroMama]

I got AF back at 5 1/2 months. Ds is 8 months right now. Nursing on demand, still. Bed-sharing. :-(

[Quinalla]

I can't recall exactly, but sometime after 6 months, but pretty close to that, maybe 7-8 months PP? And I breastfed exclusively (except for a bit of formula the first few weeks because of her weak suck) until 6 months.