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Infant feeding

Get advice and support with infant feeding from other users here.

Original poster

When did your period come back if you ebf?

34 replies

LAbaby · 30/12/2011 22:54

Just that really. My son is now six months and just starting to try out food, chewing on crusts and having spoonfuls of our dinner mushed up. Can I expect my period to come back? I am in no rush as would like at least a couple of years before we have another.

OP posts:
harverina · 30/12/2011 23:30

I think around 11 months...

harverina · 30/12/2011 23:32

Sorry I just answered the question in the title!

Your periods won't necessarily come back now that your DS is weaning onto solid food. Does he feed during the night? I think that mine came back properly when my DD started sleeping through the night properly at 11 months.

pearlgirl · 30/12/2011 23:35

This time they came back at 14 months - with ds1 it was about a year and after ds2 I had no period but was pregnant when he was 10 months. I think it varies from woman to woman .

TruthSweet · 30/12/2011 23:35

Mine came back at 11m with DD2 and she went on solids at 23w. 11m again with DD3 and she was ebf until 26w.

Neither co-incided with sleeping through as DD2 was 16m when she dropped night feeds and DD3 still has the occasional night feed now at 2.2 (she has asthma and eczema and gets cranky at night so had 2 last night).

MustControlMincepieOfDeath · 30/12/2011 23:39

13 months here

Original poster
LAbaby · 30/12/2011 23:40

He does feed in the night if he wakes, we co-sleep so he helps himself. I should have a few more months then - good! Ive unexpectedly found that not having periods is one of my favourite things about breast feeding.

OP posts:
chickenfeet · 31/12/2011 00:05

13 months. My DS was still cosleeping and feeding in the night, and fed often in the day too. Got pregnant the following month, so am thrilled to have only had one period in the last three years Xmas Grin

browneyesblue · 31/12/2011 00:27

About 15 months - well after he stopped feeding at night. I had one bleed at 11 months, but then nothing for another 4 months. It was one of my favourite things too.

RainySmallHands · 31/12/2011 00:28

Weaned at 6 months, periods back at 8 months, despite at least one night feed every night (probably 4 to 5 feeds in 24h).

RandomMess · 31/12/2011 00:37

until I stopped feeding at 4 months with the first. 6 weeks with the 2nd!!! I know other people who had to wait until they dropped the very last feed Envy

pickledparsnip · 31/12/2011 00:41

13 sodding weeks! No idea why as still breastfeeding my 2 year old on demand.

Bunsouttheoven · 31/12/2011 00:41

Around 18 months with both my dcs, didn't seem to coincide with night feeds though as one still did for longer.

devonsmummy · 31/12/2011 00:48

22 months with DS and 27 months with DD . had 2 periods between kids so other than that 5 years period free!!

bluespot · 31/12/2011 09:06

devonsmummy - how long did you ebf for?

I BF on demand until my daughter was 12m (had to stop for medical reasons), although she was on solids by then too (obviously).

Exactly a month after I had a teeny tiny bleed (nothing more than some spotting). It's been around a month since then and nothing yet, although I have had some cramping again just like my period was about to return a few days ago, but nothing. I think I also had O pain a few weeks before that, but again, no bleeding to show for it. I've been repeatedly ill with colds etc over the last month too so I guess I could be trying to O and not succeeding

I did start charting (temps etc) but it a) got too obsessive, and b) doesn't work for me really since I struggle to keep conditions the same/wake at the same time each night to temp/keep my mouth shut whilst sleeping etc.

Question for all you mummies whose periods have returned: I have heard of women having 'ghost' periods for a few months when they quit BF-ing: all the signs and symptoms as though their period was about to begin, but no actual period. Is this true?

StickAForkInMeImDone · 31/12/2011 09:10

I had regular periods from 2 months after giving birth and I ebf dc for 6 months and continued for 15months (dc1)and 18months (dc2 still ongoing).

charlatan · 31/12/2011 09:40

Mine came back after 9 months with DC1 and he was ebf til 18 months. He was still nursing quite a lot too, especially at night!
DC2 is 11 weeks and no sign yet :)

iamamilkmachine · 31/12/2011 13:16

Mine came back at 18 months, still feeding on demand - still pretty much ebf most days to be honest!

SecondDietLucky · 31/12/2011 14:03

8 months with DD1 and six sodding months with DD2 despite the fact that she feeds about four times a night. Grrr.

eastmidlandsnightnanny · 31/12/2011 14:04

Mine was at about 13mths when I cut down to 2 feeds a day

exexpat · 31/12/2011 14:05

8 or 9 months with both of mine, though I was still BFing them both until over a year old.

TheProvincialLady · 31/12/2011 14:15

9 months and 15 months. And yes, I had ghost periods for several months both times before they really started. Both times continued exactly as if there had been no break, regular as clockwork etc. But much less painful.

msbaublestwinkle · 31/12/2011 14:20

Ebf both the bigger DDs to 6mths, periods returned at 23mths with Dd1 18mths with DD2, they both nursed til self weaning.

mawbroon · 31/12/2011 15:21

ds1 - 14months when I came off mini pill.

ds2 - 16 months - I think he started sleeping a bit better at night and that tipped the balance.

In both cases, my luteal phase was not long enough for implantation, so although I had a regular cycle, i was not back to full fertility.

So, looking at full fertility as opposed to return of periods:

ds1 - 3.5yo
ds2 - 22months

DS2 is a much better sleeper than ds1

SauvignonBlanche · 31/12/2011 15:28

Six months for me.

SingleSoloShattersSparklyStars · 31/12/2011 15:29

6 weeks post delivery!