Damn my body, and all the books lied to me

[McPhee]

I'm EBF Dd, who is now 5 weeks old. And a week after I stop bleeding, my period has arrived. I was under the impression that BF kept your periods at bay for a while

So what's gone wrong? Is it because Dd has been having a bottle before bed to give me a break?

It may be the return of your lochia, especially if you've been very active. This happened to me, after I went horse riding at 5 weeks post-birth, and the bleeding started up again.

But also EBF is only something like 98% guarantee of infertility if (a) baby feeds at least every 3 hours, and has no bottles or dummies (b) is under 6 months and (c) has no solids. At least that's my understanding...

Really??

I just presumed it was my period, and I've been using tampax

It's bright red again, when it was dark brown.

Bum.

I had my periods return at 9 weeks with DD1, despite BF on cue all day and night, co-sleeping etc etc. GP said I was 'unlucky'

I thought I had the same with DD2 at 8 weeks but it must have just been a bit of lochia because I got about 15 months period-free this time around.

Here is some good info about periods and breastfeeding.

I ebf and got my period back like two days after I stopped bleeding from birth! It was quite obviously my period, lasted the same amount of time etc as pre-pregnancy except it was really really heavy!

you'll know if it is the return of periods in a months time!

Same here - mine returned when DS was 10 weeks old. Some people have all the luck.......

Mine came back at 8 weeks and continued like clockwork until I stopped bfing. Annoying as I had struggled to conceive due to irregular periods. They really do turn up when you don't want them.

Same happened when I had dd. I was only just over post birth bleeding, feeding at least every 2 hours round the clocks, no bottles, no dummies, nothing. It was definitely my period and turned up every 4 weeks like clockwork. With ds, I thought my periods had come back but it only happened once at 6 weeks and I'd just restarted running. It must have been the exercise exacerbating everything (had an emcs too so was a bit battered). DS is 11 months old now and I have just ovulated for the first time so am expecting my period back soonish.

It does only take a gap of 6 hours for ovulation to potentially be triggered. One bottle given or an extra long sleep and some women find their periods are straight back. I had no such gap and they came back anyway.

Congratulations. Didn't realise you'd given birth. Everything else okay?

Oh crap I didn't know just giving a bottle could do that. Now I'm really pissed with myself.

Yep, it's most certainly my period. I've got the cramping, aching legs and the sweats

Dd is five weeks old now showofhands. It's been bloody dreadful, but we're just getting on with it. I do feel like I'm forever on here asking about something though

Oh no. Ever want a friendly, non-judgemental ear to sound off at, please pm me.

Please don't blame yourself. There are plenty of people who give the odd bottle and it makes no difference. And you deserve a break and giving a bedtime bottle probably helps with that. I was so angry and just weary when my periods came back so soon, but it really wasn't anything I did tbh. I followed the 'rules'. I lied to myself and said I was just so damn good at pregnancy/birth (biggest lie ever) that my body wanted more straight away. I denied it this pleasure obviously.

Just watch your iron levels. My periods were heavier post birth and at an already anaemic post-cs level, it just piled on the pressure.

Oh I'm sorry you're feeling rubbish.

My periods returned like clockwork at 6 weeks even though I was exclusively bf with my youngest 2

I think it's just one of those things that vary from woman to woman really.

Mine has now returned at 8 months but I have had TWO periods within the space of a couple of weeks. I guess it's cause my hormones are all over the place. The return of mine has coincided with DD doing much longer stretches of sleep at night so it's all bloomin' give and take!

Thanks showofhands, that's really sweet of you

I guess I should probably start taking those blooming iron pills again. Oh roll on black shite again

I want to be a man!!!!