menstruation after pregnancy

[msbean]

I had my first child in late june, and i am exclusively breastfeeding her. To my disappointment, i got my period today! After only 14 weeks past delivery. I was so looking forward to not having it for at least six months. Is this unusual? How long after birth is the average?

[teachinmaof3]

Not unusual. I get my af back quickly after delivery too regardless of exclusivly bf'ing. I can't remember when it was w/ my 1st, but it was soon. After my 2nd dd it was 7wks PP and after my 3rd dd it was 6wks PP.

[laurata]

Well, it depends

If you are "culturally" breastfeeding, no, it's not that unusual. If you are ecologically breastfeeding, well, it is kinda unusual. Here's an article on ecological breastfeeding:
http://www.ccli.org/breastfeed/bresfsum.shtml

[shelley4]

with my son, i 'ecologically' breastfed, and got my cycles back at 5 months.. with my daughter, well she's only 6 weeks, i'm tandem nursing, and spotting?! i'm really hoping it's not truly my cycles returning again.

but with everyone, it's different.. some at 5 weeks, some not until 2 years!!

[Jessviola]

i'm on the other end of the spectrum. dd just turned 25 months and still no PPAF.

[TiredX2]

Jessica---

Same here (25 months, no PPAF). But I have a DS instead of a DD and I am so about it

Kay

[Kim]

I 'ecologically' breastfed and my period returned at 16 weeks/pp. My post-partum bleeding lasted 10 weeks. It was a real bummer that they returned so soon afterward.

[DaryLLL]

On this pg:

http://www.kellymom.com/bf/normal/fertility.html

it shows, 7% of moms bfing ecologically get their periods at 0-6 mos, 37% at 6-12 mos, 48% at 12-24 mos, 8% over 24 mos.

That averages out to 18 mos for most.

[Jessviola]

Kay,

it's great to know i'm not the only one out there :LOL
i would be loving it too, but i'd really like to ttc another now.

[ducky]

Hi,
This is my first time at this site, it looks really great. I just wanted to add my experience this discussion. My dd is 8 weeks old today and I've just started my second period since she was born. My first period arrived exactly one month after she was born, complete with cramps and everything. I'm breastfeeding exclusively and nursing really frequently around the clock! Go figure.

J

[copslass]

My first children, six months pp exactly.

With this baby, 3 months and 5 days!

Came home after baptism, and there it was!
Yes, exclusive bf, every fews hours overnight also.

No fair!

Although I've wondered if pumping daily for 3 months, then stopping the pumping could have had anything to do with it??

[shantimom]

I believe she was 21 months

I didnt start my cycle again until my girl was righ around 21 months, or maybe it was 26. In any case, I wansnt real worried about it. She was a heavy nurser, as she is a very big girl. I actually got my cycle back when I started with a new supplement. I assume my body was lacking something crucial. Three days after I started, I ovulated. My friend had the same experience.

I'm a whole-foods vegetarian - in other words, I thought I had a prtetty healthy diet-
but it really showed me that we all need supplements. There just isnt enough in the soil to give us what we need.
I read that it takes 70 pounds of spinach to equal that of the nutrition before the chemical farming revolution. Even most Organic veggies are not a s potent as they could be because they are on old, raped farmland. Sure they've been farmed organically for 5 years, but the soil is still lacking.

There are something like 72 minerals we should have in our bodies and most of have 24. Food for thought!

I know our babies get the best of what we eat- perhaps at our expense-
for example low DHA levels have been linked to post-partum depression...its getting into our babies brains, not ours!
What else are we suffering from?

I think I'll go take my pre-natal and DHA now!

Blessings,
Melanie