Bf/af

[Jillbob]

I'm not sure if this is the right place to post this.

I just have a question-
dd was premature, I pumped for the first 3 months until she caught on to bfing. At about 2 1/2 months PP, AF showed up. Dd's now 7 months and I haven't had a period since the beginning of November. I've taken a bunch of HPTs and only gotten one very very faint + (dh didn't see it until several hours later so it may have been an evaporation line). Is it possible for AF to go away after starting again? (I hope that makes sense) I have an appointment later in the week, I was just wondering if this has happened to anyone else. TIA!

[SEEPAE]

yes, your period can totally be out of wack! mine would go away and come back every 3 months, some moms spot but dont get theirs back until after a year... its very likely that you bled because you were pumping and after that I assume she is nursing normal and frequent.

if the line was greyish then it was an evaporation line but if it was pink(or whatever color it should be) there is a possibility you are... you can wait a few weeks and test again to make sure

[Janice in Canada]

I think there's a very good chance that you lost your period since your baby is now breastfeeding directly and your system is thus getting more stimulation, than it would have when just pumping.

I've read that the important factor in not having your period due to breastfeeding, is whether your baby is nursing through the night, and whether they are nursing in the early morning hours. IE. when you stop having that 3, 4 or 5:00 a.m. feeding (baby sleeps through it, and is sleeping for 5 hours or longer at that time), THEN you are at risk of getting your period back.

IME, with my first dd, she used a pacifier, and I used it alot at night to avoid night feeds. I got my period back at 8 months.

But with my second dd, we didn't use a pacifier, and co-sleep with her much more, and never refused her night feeds. With her, I never got my periods back till 18 months.

When you were pumping, did you get up and pump every 3-4 hours, even in the dead of nights, or did you let yourself sleep longer at night? If you think that baby is now nursing more frequently at night than you pumped, I think that's what happening.

(Ie think about how some women lose their period if they exercise alot, or lose alot of weight. the state of your body can affect your period)
Janice

[Jillbob]

Originally Posted by Janice in Canada

When you were pumping, did you get up and pump every 3-4 hours, even in the dead of nights, or did you let yourself sleep longer at night? If you think that baby is now nursing more frequently at night than you pumped, I think that's what happening.

I didn't even think about that, I'd go 6 hours at night. Also I think she's hitting a growth spurt, she's been nursing round the clock (hmm sleep deprivation makes me very forgetful). Thanks for setting my mind at ease, I just wasn't sure if it could go away again. With both my boys, I AF came at 2 months (ds1) and 5 months (ds2) and didn't go away. I think I'll go to the dr just in case (didn't find out I was pg with ds1 until I was nearly 4 months along so I am almost obsessive now :LOL)