Just got my period 6 weeks after birth and am breastfeeding, Is this normal?

[jennieflower]

It seems very soon to me? With DD I bled for 7 weeks after the birth and then didn't have a period for over a year. This time I stopped bleeding after 3 weeks but have got what appears to be my period at 6 weeks?!

DS is breastfed but for the last 2 weeks has been sleeping for between 6-9 hours at night so I'm not sure of this has any bearing on it.

[sweetkitty]

No not unusual and yes it probably is because your DS is sleeping through the night. MW told me that any gap of 4 hours or more between feeds can trigger ovulation and hence periods.

DD1 my period was back 6 weeks after she was born

DD2 11 months but she was up loads at night feeding

DD3 came back at 3 months

Just watch contraception many women have been caught out with no periods due to BFing and became pregnant!

[jennieflower]

Thanks for that Sweetkitty, I might start waking DS for nightime feeds, it's better than having a period!

[ajm200]

Mine started at 6 weekd with DS and was around the same time that he first slept through the night.

[sweetkitty]

Oh no jennieflower I would much rather have periods and sleep.

DD3 is still up 3 times in the night and I'm knackered and have periods so just cursed I guess.

[lecohen]

Hi there,

Just wanted to agree with sweetkitty and add my experience with dd 1...

I got my first period after about 2.5 - 3 months and breastfed exclusively.

Like your ds, my dd was sleeping through the night from about 6 weeks and am certain that this is the cause.

Unfortunately, after my period ended, my dd went on nursing strike and totally refused /rejected my breast (screaming and crying and throwing her head away) which I found very difficult and upsetting. I tried so many things to regain her interest (including seeing a breastfeeding specialist) but nothing. I ended up expressing for 3 months for each meal as I really wanted my dd to have breastmilk until she was 6 months at least. It was a really tough time being a slave to the pump and hardly being able to go out.

I am sharing this experience just so you can be aware of what could happen although I sincerely hope it doesn't.

My dd (aged 2) is still very much a fussy eater so maybe she just started young and maybe this would have happened whatever.

[ilovemyflipflops]

I'm currently exclusively bf my ds, bled for 7 weeks after the birth and he doesn't sleep through, no sign of a period yet (he's 4 months)

With my dd i also exclusively bf her and bled for 7 weeks after the birth. Unlike my ds she slept through from 9-12weeks 10-12 hrs and my period returned at 3 months.. Which i was gutted about as she then didn't sleep though again until she was 19 months and i bf her for 13.
Once your period returns it's back for good even if you still are ex bf.

[NellyTheElephant]

Just a question - are you sure it's your period? Sounds silly, but I thought I had my period about 6 weeks after DD2, but it must have just be a recurrance of bleeding after birth (which I thought had stopped a few weeks earlier) as I didn't have anything again for another 10 months!! Don't under any circumstances start waking the baby at night!! You'd have to be totally mad!!! It wouldn't necessarily work anyway, I know one friend who was bf the whole time day and night but got her periods back almost straight away. On the other hand both my DDs (like your LO) were sleeping a good 6 - 9 hrs a night by 6 weeks and slept 12 hrs a night from about 8 weeks (I know, I was VERY lucky!) but both times my periods didn't return for 10 or 11 months after birth and not until 4 months or so after I stopped feeding altogether (I only bf for approx 6 months).

[littlelamb]

Yes, with dd I got my period about 6 weeks after she was born even though I was breastfeeding. She was taking a couple of bottles of expressed milk a day though to get her ready for nursery, so I don't know if that has a bearing on it. This time, ds is now 21 weeks and no sign, but he has no bottles really and feeds a lot at night so who knows?

[RedSparklersOnHerHead]

I was just going to ask the same as Nelly, have you been doing anything strenuous lately? It could be that bleeding has started again after doing heavy lifting etc...

Everybody is different - but if it is just bleeding again and you know you have been overdoing it, then take it easy.