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Infant feeding

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

Original poster

breastfeeding but period has come back

48 replies

lyravoile · 08/03/2015 14:24

DD is four months. Doctor is saying this is highly unusual and am I sure I am EBF? (i.e. implying I am not being truthful!) DD sleeps with me and has nothing else apart from breastmilk, but I am also having heavy periods.

This is possible, right? Did anyone else start menstruating while breastfeeding?

OP posts:
Patatas · 08/03/2015 14:27

Yes I did, I don't think its particularly rare, so I wouldn't worry.

Rosieliveson · 08/03/2015 14:32

I was EBF my son. He was born in September and my periods came back in December. They were irregular but definitely back.
I was told it happened more commonly than people think which is why they don't recommend using breast feeding as contraception. Periods can come back at any point. Don't worry.

TanteRose · 08/03/2015 14:36

It's not particularly unusual

My periods came back when DD was 6 months old - still b'feeding every two or three hours, day and night, but also having a few tastes of solids...

SoupDragon · 08/03/2015 14:38

Your doctor is wrong. Mine returned when DS1 was 2 months old. DS2 similar and DD was less than 6 weeks. To say I was annoyed is an understatement!

PenguinsandtheTantrumofDoom · 08/03/2015 14:40

Your doctor doesn't know much about bf. It is perfectly possible.

Unluckily quite early, but well within normal.

Icicleinmyhand · 08/03/2015 14:41

Yep, mine came back at 4 months too. I was EBF feeding round the clock! Just bad luck I'm afraid!

Anecdotally I read something somewhere that claimed that that it isn't the lactation hormones that prevent menstruation but that it's connected to the amount of nipple stimulation. I don't know how true that is but DC was a fast feeder - only about 5 mins per feed!

capsium · 08/03/2015 14:42

My periods returned pretty much straight away. I exclusively breast fed.

inlectorecumbit · 08/03/2015 14:43

It happens..nowt to worry about Smile

LikeASoulWithoutAMind · 08/03/2015 14:45

I think your GP is misinformed, I don't think this is unusual at all. My periods came back at widely varying times but always while I was still bfing.

My youngest 2 were born only 11 months apart despite ebfing...

Marshy · 08/03/2015 14:46

Yep, 6 weeks post birth with both dc, both EBF

jigglywiggly · 08/03/2015 14:46

When a Dr means EBF he will mean feeding all round the clock, no expressing, no bottles, no dummies and no sips of water, food etc.
If your periods have come back obviously you are fertile too now!

MehsMum · 08/03/2015 14:48

Mine came back at 5-ish months every time, with EBF babies, even with DC1 who fed what felt like 100 time a night.

I was NOT impressed.

QuicheConverter · 08/03/2015 14:48

I know a few people that this happened with so I think the Dr is inexperienced rather than you being biologically unusual.

jimblejambles · 08/03/2015 14:52

I was not pleased when mine turned up after 4 months with ds2 (ebf) and 3 months with dd (mix fed). ds1 was on formula and my period didn't come back until he was 9 months.

shutupaboutstarwars · 08/03/2015 14:54

My periods didn't come back until after they we're taking a reasonable amount of something else, I EBF until 4 months and then they started have some food or formula . Didn't Michelle Duggar get pregnant while breast feeding most of the time, that is how she managed to fit in so many babies

RandomMess · 08/03/2015 15:00

With my 2nd they returned straight away as heavy as ever Sad Angry with my last dc I had the mirena coil inserted asap to avoid it!

LIZS · 08/03/2015 15:00

Mine were back at 6 weeks and not considered unusual.

Littlef00t · 08/03/2015 15:03

It's not like I'd be announcing to the doctor when my period came back, and no one asks routinely. For me, dd was only on 2-3 feeds before my periods came back, is a wide spectrum.

piggychops · 08/03/2015 15:05

Mine came back 6 weeks post birth.

Teammck05 · 08/03/2015 15:06

With all three babies who were EBF period came back at 5 weeks. Deep joy!! Not unusual and happened to my sister as well.

Magmatic80 · 08/03/2015 15:13

I'll tell you what, every day on MN is a school day. I didn't know periods didn't generally just wander on back in after giving birth if breast feeding.
Tbf I don't have children....

SolasEile · 08/03/2015 15:15

Just got my period back now almost to the day of DD turning 4 months and she is EBF, still feeding about 10 times a day so your doctor is wrong in her assumption that periods returning automatically means you have reduced bf.

I didn't know that periods returning at 3-4 months was considered early or unlucky though. Feeling hard done by now!

McFox · 08/03/2015 15:15

Mine came back about the same time as yours I think, I don't think it's that unusual.

f1fan2001 · 08/03/2015 15:17

Nothing unusual about menstruating whilst breastfeeding, even exclusively breastfeeding! It happened to me and my daughter was exclusively breastfed till 6 months.

Cariad007 · 08/03/2015 15:18

Gosh, and I was grumbling because mine came back when DS was 10 months old. I'd have been really pissed off if they'd come back when he was 6 weeks!