AF back already! :( « Back to Group Discussions

[STLmama225]

Just 13 weeks postpartum I know this just happens to some women based on their genetics, but it just feels SO unfair because I am EBF on demand night and day (easily over 12-15X daily). Gabe sleeps in the rock n play right next to my bed (I keep trying to get him to sleep in my bed, but he just squirms and clearly prefers his own space). I babywear every day. DH and I hold Gabe all the time. I'm just struggling to not feel like this is "punishment" for not being a good enough mom. For letting grandma give Gabe a bottle occassionally so I could go on a date with my husband. UGH Anyone else out there?

[kateaton]

I'm 16 weeks post partum and not sure what is going on.  I had spotting yesterday and now today nothing.  So I don't know if this is af related or just wonky hormones.  With my last dd I got af back at 9 months pp, and with my first dd I got it back at 4 months pp, but I wasn't ebf.  

[MrsKoehn]

Kateaton, I had the exact thing two weeks ago, so at 14 weeks. I got a huge tissue of bright red blood, then nothing. The next day a little tiny spotting and a mail size bit of a clot. I'd had a fever all week too, so I called my Dr. He said it *shouldn't* be AF, but to watch my temp and flow in case of a uterine infection. Yikes. Thankfully I've been fine since. He also said it could be a sign of ovulation. I was also thinking "I hope that's not implantation bleeding!" That would be a remote chance bc we do use condoms the little we've had time and energy in the same sentence. I've not been faithful in taking my temps for the NFP either, but when I do its been about the same. And CM is always the same. But that's how I got a niece.... :0

Anyone else have something similar?

STLmama, so sorry, that really sinks. Ana eats constantly too, so I was majorly bummed when I saw that bleeding. It sounds like you're a wonderful mother, it's not punishment for that! Hugs!!

[Simonsez2u]

I have not officially started AF but I have experienced some brown spotting off and on for the past week or two.  I am just waiting to see if it turns into a full blown period.  I have always had my first AF around the 6 month mark with my other two.  This would be early and a bummer.  No AF is one of the greatest side effects of EBF.  Hoping she stays away for a couple more months and this is just a fluke!
 

[finnegansmom]

With my first, I had one day of spotting around 6 months pp and then nothing until 11 months.  I'm on 4 months right now and hope to make it to 11 months again.  I've gotten in back at 11, 11 and then 8 months (my 3rd son was teething and used to bite me constantly and I think I just didn't nurse him enough or for long enough durations to keep it away longer than 8 months).

I have no BC plans and this is our last so I'd love for it to go away forever!

[sere234]

I stopped bleeding about 2 weeks pp and then had brown and red spotting for a day at 6 weeks. Now, at 16 weeks pp, nothing! Hoping AF holds off for a looooong while. DS1 was 9 months before I started my cycles again and he nursed nightly until 18 months....

[katelove]

With my first baby I started again at 3 months and she was co-sleeping, fully breastfed, feeding hourly o/night, no bottles or dummies etc. This babe will be four months on Sunday and has been feeding twice over night for weeks and I've had no sign of a period. So it all seems pretty random to me. I certainly don't think you're being punished!

[JudiAU]

Ugh. Sorry. With my first it was 11 months. The next was 4 months. Bah.

[guen]

I honestly think genetics play a big role.  I've had the opposite experience, particularly with my first, who was supplemented her first year with bottles due to extenuating circumstances.  She also flat refused to co-sleep (she would cry in our bed until we laid her in her own cot, then she'd snuggle down and go right off to sleep).  I was also experiencing severe ppd after her birth which led to most of the bottles she got being given by dh in the night to lessen the impact of sleep deprivation on my ppd, so not an awful lot of night nursing.  In spite of all that, my period did not return until 11 months pp.  I can no more take "credit" for that than you can take "blame" for yours returning so soon.   The rest of my kids were EBF and extended BF and all co-slept, but they all started solids at 5-6 months (by their choice, helping themselves to my plate) and the return of my period ranged from 14 months pp up to 22 months pp.  It's nice having a long break from AF but, for me, it's a double-edged sword because, until my period returns, there is simply no budging the weight which I gain with BF (never have any leftover pregnancy weight, I gain it all while BF!).  So, I end up looking forward to AF's return so that I can finally ditch the extra weight!

[MrsKoehn]

I had random spotting again yesterday, at 17 weeks. Today, nothing. So annoying....

[kparker]

Three days after the 4 month mark, bam, super heavy. It's acting exactly like my previous cycles, already waning, so I'm assuming that's what it is. Still EBF, every 2-3 hrs during the day and slightly less often at night, cosleeping, etc. Not fair!

[MrsKoehn]

I had two or three more days of random spotting this past week.it is starting to concern me a bit. I don't know if it's af or something else....

[MrsKoehn]

I think I had my first last week. Very light but consistent flow. Sigh

[kparker]

I had another one, three weeks after the first. I was told that my cycles will be shorter/off due to the breastfeeding. This sucks, why couldn't I have had them stay away until my kid was a year old? I'm super jealous of my friend who has that luxury.

[guen]

Originally Posted by kparker 

I had another one, three weeks after the first. I was told that my cycles will be shorter/off due to the breastfeeding. This sucks, why couldn't I have had them stay away until my kid was a year old? I'm super jealous of my friend who has that luxury.

I used to think of it as a luxury that mine don't come back until 13 to 22 months pp--except I can't budge much weight until they do.  Which can then make me feel impatient.  But this time round, I'm thinking it's crucial they stay away. I'm so hell bent on having another when I know darn right well we can't/shouldn't, that I'd end up pregnant again before the year is out!  So this enforced infertility is (hopefully!) giving me time to come to my senses.....