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Infant feeding

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

Original poster

Breastfeeding, periods and conceiving.

53 replies

BekkiKay · 19/01/2004 15:34

I'm a little confused as to when I should expect my periods to return.
I know its not an exact science but I'd still like a round about answer.
mY BABY IS 5 MONTHS AND IS EXCLUSIVELY BF.Ooops caps lock again! I intend to bf for as long as baby wants me to. So do periods usually return after bf has completly stopped or when feeds have slowed due to introducing solids?
When would I be able to conceive again?

OP posts:
suzywong · 19/01/2004 15:37

I would like an answer to this too as am same situation (sorry to be the hi-jacker of two threads today)

AF came back within 6 weeks of DS1 but DS2's a little more complicated

Epigirl · 19/01/2004 15:41

I had one when dd was seven months. I started weaning her at about 5 months and by seven months she was taking quite a lot of solids. bf for 12 months in total, dd decided she didn't want to bf when she was 1. Not sure if this (periods returning at 7 months bit) is normal as had no friends/family who bf this long.

Am interested to see other replies!

sobernow · 19/01/2004 15:55

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

2under2 · 19/01/2004 16:01

with my 1st, who was bf until she weaned herself at 3.5 years, I had my first, very light period when she was about 12 months old (she was still breastfeeding quite a bit then and frequently during the night). I either conceived straight afterwards or what I thought was a period was in fact an implantation bleed. I think the night time feeds are the deciding factor?!

Epigirl · 19/01/2004 16:04

BTW, conceived when dd was 12 months old (wonder if that was why she stopped bf?) after about 5 periods.

Pidge · 19/01/2004 16:34

I didn't have periods until my dd was about 7 months - so that coincided with introducing solids and dropping a feed. I was still doing 4 feeds a day at that point, but going 12 hours overnight without feeding. Since then I've had very regular periods every month - dd is now 18 months.

Am I right in thinking that once you have re-started your periods the fact that you're still breastfeeding shouldn't have any impact on your ability to conceive? Thinking ahead to trying to conceive in the next few months! And not planning to stop feeding just yet.

morocco · 19/01/2004 16:56

I bf to 5 months more or less exclusively but ds dropped the night feeds very early on, then bf and solids until 9 months or so, one period at 7 months and then pregnant again - whole circle starts all over!

sorry bekkikay - don't think there's any real answer to when they're going to come back. But I'm sure you can get pregnant before even having a period - so watch out if that doesn't sound a good idea for you

mears · 19/01/2004 17:01

My periods returned at 6 weeks with ds 1 and that was with exclusively breast feeding him. Real bad luck.
Varied with the rest of them - the longest ! was period free was 4 months. There is no set answer to this question about when periods return. Everyone is an individual.
A word of warning though, you can get pregnant even if you are exclusively feeding with no periods. BEWARE

Lisa78 · 19/01/2004 17:06

I'm bf 2.5m old DS and had a period a week or so ago - BUT started the mini pill the week before so don't know if it was that!

clairemagnolia · 19/01/2004 17:28

My son is now 20 months old. We are still a happy breastfeeding couple and my periods have yet to return. I agree with 2under2 that nighttime feeding is probably decisive (Owen sleeps next to me and feeds a few times at night), and also the frequency of feeds - the body is likely to produce the ovulation hormone if you go for longer than about four hours without breastfeeding, although I'm sure this must vary from woman to woman. Supposedly there is a 50% chance of ovulating before having a "warning" bleed so it is possible to get pregnant without having a period. Personally, I am thoroughly enjoying a life without tampons and PMT in the knowledge that it won't last forever. You could try www.lalecheleague.org for more info.

bobthebaby · 19/01/2004 19:09

My periods came back when my ds started sleeping at night (about 9 months.) I know people who gave up bfing quite early on and still haven't had one almost a year later.

EvanMom · 19/01/2004 19:21

I bf ds1 exclusively for 6 months. During the 7th month I fed morning and night only and had one period in that time. In the 8th month I was pregnant again (sort of planned, but totally unexpected, IYSWIM!)

AussieSim · 19/01/2004 19:24

My DS is 12mths and I am still breastfeeding morning afternoon and bedtime. I started introducing solids at 5mths around the same time he started sleeping through. AF arrived when he was 10mths - I couldn't really link it to any change in feeding patterns as I had dropped the lunch time feed about 3 or 4 mths earlier.

Original poster
BekkiKay · 19/01/2004 21:21

Oh so it really is varied then.
I'm more confused than ever now.
Ds2 feeds every 3 hours and I'm not introducing solids for a couple of months yet so hopefully I should be period free for a few months yet.
I've heard too many stories of surprise babies from people using bf as contraception iyswim. My friend is one of 3 girls who were a surprise to her mum who was bf one after the with no periods. But I was hoping that she might be a one of, so I could be blissfully contraceptive free for a while. Nevermind. Thank you for the info, I think I might be encouraging the night feeds from now on

OP posts:
motherinferior · 19/01/2004 21:51

DD2 was born about seven months ago and I've dropped the night feeds but haven't had a period yet. Think I ovulated a week or so ago, though.

Original poster
BekkiKay · 19/01/2004 21:51

How do you know?

OP posts:
motherinferior · 19/01/2004 21:52

I get painful ovulation and that's exactly what it felt like. We'll see in a week's time if I was right, I suppose.

Bron · 20/01/2004 09:41

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

judetheobscure · 20/01/2004 10:21

My ds was conceived when my dd was 9 months old. I was bf and my periods had not returned at this stage.

suzywong · 20/01/2004 11:58

jude
that is v. scary
seems like there is no hard and fast rule

ninjinglebells · 20/01/2004 12:03

Thwy came back at 4 months when dd was still exsclusively bf and have been monthly since - I was well annoyed!

motherinferior · 20/01/2004 12:15

I have two friends who conceived while b/fing AND using contraception. A couple of others who conceived while just b/fing.

One only found out she was pregnant when she was having a scan for something else. And - get this - two others only realised when they felt the baby move.

I am, of course, a model of contracepted caution. Not

suzywong · 20/01/2004 12:29

motherinferior
You have just scared the bejeezuz out of us now!

motherinferior · 20/01/2004 13:24

Yes, babe, me too.

bobsmum · 20/01/2004 13:48

Still bf ds at 16 months (one feed). Periods came back when ds was 13 months within a week of him dropping his afternoon feed. He was still having morning and evening at that point. But I'm on the mini pill - does that make a difference?