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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To ask how long your periods took to return when you were breastfeeding?

105 replies

RoseGoldEagle · 30/12/2019 11:13

Posted in TTC board but realised most people on there were trying for first time, so probably wasn’t best place to post.

We want to try for another baby soon, but I’m still breastfeeding my 9 month old and my periods haven’t come back yet. Not sure if I’ll need to stop entirely before they do, everything on line says not, but the few people I’ve asked in real life said theirs only came back after stopping completely. I would be ok with stopping, but he feeds a lot at night and I know it’s going to be really difficult to settle him without being able to feed him (I know I could give him bottles but I think at this stage the night feeds are mainly just for comfort). If anyone is happy to say when their periods came back- if it was after stopping completely/ dropping some feeds/ dropping almost all feeds, I’d be very grateful! I know everyone’s different, just good to get an idea of what’s normal! Thanks!

OP posts:
bettybattenburg · 30/12/2019 11:43

1 yearSmile
2 days Angry
6 months

ColdTattyWaitingForSummer · 30/12/2019 11:47

6 months maybe? But I was pretty irregular after dc3. I think quicker with dc2 because I wasn’t breastfeeding.

Sofast · 30/12/2019 11:47

I bf both mine for a year, periods came back after 6m first time and 12m second time

Clevs · 30/12/2019 11:50

8 months whilst exclusively breastfeeding.

tenredthings · 30/12/2019 11:51

My periods started 3 months after giving birth despite Bf on demmand. Felt like my body was taking the piss !

addictedtotheflats · 30/12/2019 11:52

8 months, he has probably only dropped 1-2 feeds a day since weaning

@OnlyLittleMissOrganised it is a myth you cant get pregnant while breastfeeding, although very unlikely in the first 6 months. The reason people get pregnant "without a period" is because the first time they ovulate after having a baby they get pregnant therefore never actually having a period.

8MinutesToSunrise · 30/12/2019 11:53

My periods came back when my baby was 8 weeks old despite ebf

Doyoumind · 30/12/2019 11:54

About 15 months. I was still BF, including night feeds. They also came back worse than before Sad

OhHolyNightWaking · 30/12/2019 11:54

With baby 1 they came back at 6 months when he (briefly Sad) slept through the night. I carried on feeding on demand (frequently during the day and at least 2x a night until he was almost 2.5 years and stopped when I was about 25 weeks pregnant with baby 2.

Baby 2 is 11 months old and not back yet. But we recently did some sleep training so the hourly feeds overnight have suddenly reduced down to one or none. I have been having signs of ovulation and cramping for the last few days, so I wouldn't be at all surprised to see it coming back any day! No further plans to TTC here so would love it to stay away longer if possible!

Pinkflipflop85 · 30/12/2019 11:54

3 years

Chipsahoy · 30/12/2019 11:55

18 wonderful months! And they are still hit or miss. I'm still bfing

Mypathtriedtokillme · 30/12/2019 11:56

Mine with both girls haven’t comeback until I weened completely. (So 2 and a bit years with each)
Night weening it can help trigger your body to start ovulating again.

HakunaMatataa · 30/12/2019 11:56

Mine came back after about 4 months. Hadn't cut down any feeds or anything.

PeachesandPie · 30/12/2019 12:03

Mine didnt come back until I stopped completely at 13 months, I was only feeding morning and night by that point too.

sakura06 · 30/12/2019 12:08

You can still get pregnant whilst breastfeeding. I don't think you have to stop (people do tandem feed). You could talk to an advice line like the La Leche League.

Mine came back at 8 weeks with my first and 8 months with my second.

BeardieWeirdie · 30/12/2019 12:10

Mine came back at 15 months. I breastfed, including night feeds, up to age 3.

SapphosRock · 30/12/2019 12:13

It was about 6 weeks after stopping completely

AlmostAlwyn · 30/12/2019 12:22

Mine came back at 6 months post partum and I'm still feeding my 2.5 year old (and am now 22 weeks with my second). I was hoping for more of a break! Hmm

Scarylady · 30/12/2019 12:23

I breastfed for 7months and it took another 2 months for my first period. Then they were really sporadic and only came whenever I had a holiday planned!

Dipsydoodle · 30/12/2019 12:24

About seven months. It coincided with me stopping pumping before bed entirely and DD only needing one v quick night feed, so I think a combo of those two was responsible. Good news is that I used to have awful painful periods and now they are pain free.

userabcname · 30/12/2019 12:38

11 months with DC1. 8 weeks with DC2!!!!!

BertieBotts · 30/12/2019 12:40

Seems totally random. 18 months with DC1, 4 months with DC2. I've started temping again and I'm ovulating (DC2 is 16mo now).

Crunchymum · 30/12/2019 12:41

18 months for me (I fed until DC2 was 2y 8m and I was 15w with DC3)

7dayslater · 30/12/2019 12:42

6 weeks & I exclusively breastfed! Argh. Envy

Darkstar4855 · 30/12/2019 12:45

11 months, after I went back to work and started feeding morning and bedtime only on work days.