when would you expect periods to return after BF?

[chickensandbees]

So I fed DD for 2.5 years and stopped completely about 2 months ago. Prior to this we had only been BF 3-4 times a week, sometime not for 3 days + in row. Shoudl they have come back by now? Is this unusual?

I have booked a GP appointment for next week but wanted to know if anyone had a similar experience?

[Jiltedjohnsjulie]

Mine came back whilst still bfing both times. Have you called one of the helplines? They may be able to give you some information

[thezoobmeister]

It's bfing with no long gaps that keeps periods away. With my two DDs I found that regularly going longer than say 9 hours without a bf brought my period on within a couple of weeks.

Since DD1 didn't sleep til she was 2, and DD1 (15 months) still doesn't, I guess I could have easily gone a few years without a period if it wasn't for work!

Apparently this is why bf is an effective contraceptive in societies where they bf on demand for several years.

[WaitingForMe]

Mine came back seven weeks after giving birth. BFing a one year old as I type

[failingmammalian]

I bf for eight months and no sign of period until she was 10mths...

[slightlygoostained]

How long is a long gap though? I regularly go 9 hours plus w/o feeding DS, who is 15 months, and went 4 days recently while away. No periods have appeared. Does starting to feed frequently again after a break stop things in their tracks, or does it not work like that?

I don't want to wean DS - was hoping to carry on till at least 2, ideally until he weans of his own accord. But I'm 42, and would like another, so time isn't really in my favour.

[leedy]

I think it really varies from person to person. Mine came back at 8 months with DS2 and 5 months with DS1, both times while still breastfeeding quite a lot.

[TheOod]

7months with ds, 10 months with dd3, 4 months with dd1( after going back to work). Ds was still feeding v regularly the others had cut feeds though not very long between.

[willyoulistentome]

Mine came back at 6 months. I was still feeding, but DS1 had just dropped a feed, so I guess I was producing less. Can't remember with DS2. Everything was more of a blur.

[littleducks]

It varies hugely. My sil didn't have periods for years, but did fall pg without her period returning.

I exclusively bfed twice and once it came back while I was still feeding at about 9 months but the other time much sooner.

[ThisIsMeNow]

Mine came back at 5/6 weeks after dd was born.
She was ebf and didn't sleep through so no gaps in feeding.

[cupoftchai]

17 months here, still bfeeding at night and in day if not at work. Back to work at 12 months.

[GEM33]

Good question. Still not had a period and dd is 2 next month. Still feeding every hour through the night though.

[HoratiaDrelincourt]

I'll be annoyed if I don't get a clear year again. After DC1 it was 14m, after DC2 I forced night weaning temporarily to get them back at 16m (to TTC).

So yes, I'm hoping for no unwelcome visitor until 2015

I definitely think it is to do with going long stretches, preferably 12 hours, overnight that does it for me. I know some people who've got them back after 4-8 weeks whilst ebf but they are the exception.

[cupoftchai]

Mine didn't come back when we tried to night wean: I spent a week, maybe 2 spending 3 or 4 nights at a time sleeping in lounge while dh soothed little one back to sleep... Then we gave up! They came back when we all went on hol, I relaxed, dh and I were spending more time together... Basically sex drive took massive leap and periods returned right after.
Still night feeding though...

[NewBlueShoesToo]

5 minutes before a smear test. Nightmare. Having organised granny to have the children and eventually found a parking slot at the surgery the nurse was running half an hour late.