periods after childbirth (delightful subject, sorry if TMI)

[laligo]

DS is 4 and a half months, I'm breastfeeding (though he's now started on some solid food too) and no period yet. I'm not feeding at night as he's sleeping through, so not "breastfeeding constantly" which the books say is what prevents fertility returning.

What I want to know is... how long did it take for people's periods to come back, and do they start light or is it suddenly just back to normal (mine have always been heavy...) also could my foul mood with dp this week be PMT? did anyone get PMT before their first period after childbirth?

(I'm not desperate to get up the duff again by the way - not yet - just would like to know when to expect it. and whether I'm just being a cow for no reason )

[WigWamBam]

Mine came back when dd was 11 months, and they came back very, very heavy - I used to have to wear 2 night-time towels together during the day, and I'd have to get out of bed twice in the night to change. They settled down within about 4 months, although they're still heavier than they were. They're also perfectly regular, which is a new experience for me - I went from having one or two a year, at the most, to being every 28 days.

I get worse PMT now than I did then, and yes - I had it before my first one after I had dd.

[laligo]

thanks wwb - i really have got a feeling it's pmt (and so has dp! - spooky!) though it would be a lot sooner than yours.

hope they aren't heavier though. erk.

[milward]

Mine came back at 18 months after birth was still bf on demand but not in the night - felt really bloaty before & just knew it would start.

[bubble99]

six months here, laligo. And I was still BF exclusively (though not during the night). First period was very light, lasted about one day and didn't increase Always Ultra's share price too much. After that normal service resumed.

[manzanilla]

My DD is now 7 months and still no sign. I BF her morning and (sometimes several times at) night.

Would dropping more feeds mean that they came back more quickly (don't really want to stop BF or even cut down but would like to have children close together and am old bird now so may take a while to get up the duffer again...)

[littlelamb]

I breastfed until 10 months, but mine returned at six weeks Realise now what a raw deal I must have got! But it was back to normal straight away. Don't know if my weight had anything to do with it? I was a very healthy size after dd's birth!

[littlelamb]

I breastfed until 10 months, but mine returned at six weeks Realise now what a raw deal I must have got! But it was back to normal straight away. Don't know if my weight had anything to do with it? I was a very healthy size after dd's birth!

[fruitful]

With dd mine returned 2 months after stopping bf'ing at 9 months. With ds, about a month after stopping bf'ing at 8 weeks.

Before I got pg, they were not heavy, not light, and completely irregular (3 to 8 week cycle). In between dd and ds, they were incredibly light and every 30 days like clockwork, and no pmt. It was fantastic! Since ds they are a bit heavier and roughly every 5 weeks, give or take a day, with pmt-from-hell.

Hmm, think I may have to have another baby...

[Lonelymum]

Mine came back at varying times although I breast fed all of mine. Broadly speaking though, I think the more I breast fed, the longer before the periods returned.

Mine have changed a bit since pre-babies. I always used to be every 29/30 days, but now it can be every 24 days. They are roughly as heavy as before. The best thing though, is that before I had children, I always got period pains the first day (sometimes quite badly) but that stopped after my first child. I think in 10 years since starting having children, I have had one painful period and it felt like such an imposition, even though before children, it was the norm.

[Witchycat]

Mine came back when dd was 8.5 months & I stopped b/f altogether. I'd only been feeding at night & a bit weekends for a month or so before that but they didn't return till I stopped altogether.
Came back about the same as before except longer cycle last time (only had 2 cycles so far).

Nearly freaked me out because I got to about 31 days (usually 27)and was terrified I might be pregnant again (despite using condoms).