[summerblu]

I read (and reread) in the Womanly Art of Breastfeeding that I could expect AF to stay away for 3-6 months and up to 2.5 years post partum, but... she's here and I'm not quite 3 months PP. AND I exclusively breastfeed. DC has bottle fed maybe 4 times since he's been born.

Is this normal?

I am worried that I've done something wrong.

As far as I know my dc is happy and gaining weight.

Anyone have ideas/suggestions/thoughts for me?

 

[DaryLLL]

This is quite within the range of normal, summerblu.

Some moms do get their periods back quickly. Some go 2 yrs or more. It varies. It's just how your own body reacts to breastfeeding hormones.

The average time a mom who is "ecologically" bfing mom gets hers back is 15ish months. But that's only average. Read this:

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

 

[Lexymama]

I got mine back at 2 months after my daughter was born! I exclusively breastfed her too. I have met several women at a le leche league meeting who had the same thing happen. You're not doing anything wrong. Maybe we're just super fertile!!

 

[acystay]

try 6wks w/ dd and about 10wks w/ ds. i'm very fertile but it happens to me the minute they continually sleep 5 hours a night for about a week straight

 

[LizD]

i told my midwife for this birth that my daughter slept long stretches right from birth and she said, "and I bet you got your period back right away, didn't you?" 6 weeks postpartum! this baby isn't sleeping as long so maybe we'll have a break this time. but it's nothing you're doing wrong!

 

[aprildawn]

me too. 6 weeks. i was very unhappy about it.

dd was sleeping 5 hrs/night from the day she was born. lucky in that she slept so long right off the bat, unlucky in that i got af so soon.

i told my midwife i felt like i got the bait & switch!! :LOL

 

[DaryLLL]

Just a note to say, it is not recommended to let a brand-newborn sleep more than one 4 hour stretch a day. After 4-6 weeks, and lactation being fully established, it is usually OK to let them sleep longer.

With more than 4 hours of sleep at a time for a newborn, one runs the risk of engorgement, lowered milk supply for mom, and even SIDS for baby.

 

[wendinbill]

Unfortunately, I'm one who got AF back pretty early on too! Sorry....too bad she couldn't have stayed away for us a bit longer!

:

 

[cmili]

Me too! 6 weeks. I was bummed! What ya gonna do?

 

[Tigerchild]

I got my period back at 6 weeks with my daughter, about 12 weeks with my twins (and they still don't sleep through the night, and didn't even start solids until they were 10 months old and have never been supplemented). I am still triple nursing.

Some of us just have hyper ovaries, I guess. ;>

If there's one thing I've learned in my breastfeeding experience it's that the experts are guidelines, not gods. My kids never nursed from both breasts at a feeding, and never more than 5 minutes, but gained at rates that shocked my doctors. Producing milk for my twins was easy, and I didn't have to do anything. I conceived by boys while exclusively and frequently nursing a 7 month old. I never have felt letdown. I received stupid advice about nursing twins from lactation consultants, and was glad that I was experienced enough to know that things don't always go by the book. Breastfeeding has never given me an orgasm either.

So no, don't worry, mama.

I'd be curious to hear later on if your kids seem to PMS...I swear I know AF is coming on when my kids all start breaking out and acting pissy, even if I don't necessarily recognize symptoms in myself....;>

 

[pln]

Mine came back at 5 months pp with exclusive bf but my midwife had predicted that it would be much earlier.

I have a colleague who got pregnant only 2 months afte rhaving her first. She was obviously ovulating but had not had AF yet, and so did not use protection.

"With more than 4 hours of sleep at a time for a newborn, one runs the risk of engorgement, lowered milk supply for mom, and even SIDS for baby."

Wow, DaryLLL, I wish someone had told me this when ds was a newborn. The first week of his life he slept for 6-7 hours at a time and I was SOO engorged I didn't know what to do. My LC and midwives both told me "never wake a sleeping baby." Where can I find this info?

Good luck OP (and welcome back to the land of fertile women LOL)!
Priya

 

[Icequeen_in_ak]

My AF returned exactly 2 weeks after my PP bleeding stopped, and has been back every 29 days on the nose. My DD is a boobaholic (as evident by her 23 pound 8 month body

) Some women get them back asap, others get a reprieve (personally... I'm very jealous of those women who do get a break!)

 

[summerblu]

I know this thread died...but...I missed a lot of the replies and wanted to say thanks.

Also, Tiger, I hadn't heard this before:

"Breastfeeding has never given me an orgasm either.

So no, don't worry, mama. I'd be curious to hear later on if your kids seem to PMS...I swear I know AF is coming on when my kids all start breaking out and acting pissy, even if I don't necessarily recognize symptoms in myself....;>"

Is this true? BF gives some women orgasms? AND PMS-y kids? Oh my...

 

[DaryLLL]

Quote:

Originally Posted by pln "With more than 4 hours of sleep at a time for a newborn, one runs the risk of engorgement, lowered milk supply for mom, and even SIDS for baby." Wow, DaryLLL, I wish someone had told me this when ds was a newborn. The first week of his life he slept for 6-7 hours at a time and I was SOO engorged I didn't know what to do. My LC and midwives both told me "never wake a sleeping baby." Where can I find this info?

Sorry I didn't see this question.

Get a copy of The Womanly Art of Breastfeeding, pub by LLL.

Go to LLL mtgs:

http://www.lalecheleague.org/WebIndex.html

Also look around this site:

http://www.kellymom.com/bf/normal/newborn-nursing.html

 

[kimberlylibby]

I got mine back at somewhere around 4-6 weeks. I remember being VERY annoyed.

s

 

[Frazzled Mama]

I am 6 weeks post pardum today. Guess what found me yesterday? Yep...old AF again!

:

Ugggg! I was 8-10 weeks post pardum with my last pregnancy when AF returned.

Sorry you too got the short end of the AF stick!