Question about breastfeeding and ovulation

[KirstyJC]

Hi there. I have a question that I hope someone can help me with. I EBF my LO (11.5mo) and last month AF returned. I was not surprised as DS has dropped lots of feeds and was really only on 2-3 a day. However, during the last month, he was ill for a while and consequently fed more than normal as he wasn't as hungry for solids. This month, I was expecting AF to knock on the door again a few days ago....and she hasn't called yet.

So, my question is...How much should I be panicking right now!?!?! Is it possible to start ovulating after BF and then stop again if the feeding goes back up again? Please? It must be that, right?

Hi,

I think its quite common to have a few irregular cycles when AF returns while/ post BF. So a few days late may not mean anything. I was quite regular once things kicked in again but know loads of people who werent.

Altho......prob best to check things out and pee on a stick just for peace of mind (hopefully)

Hello, yeeees, might well all be to do with BFing, but I would also do test. Just in case..
DS2 was conceived 1 week after I stopped BFing DS1 aged 5 months because I had returned to work. They are great buddies now, but the first 1-2 years were tough, so not an age gap I would recommend.

Ok Davidsmom, that's exactly what I wanted to hear, thank you!!

Last time I was regular returning too, that's why I wondered...although I am getting on a bit now so maybe the old body's taking a bit longer to get back to normal!

Was wondering about checking though...I am SO impatient at the best of times and this is killing me! Not sure I want DH to know until it comes back negative though, so need to find a way to sneak out to the shops and find a stick to pee on....

Oh no PWW, I'm not listening to you

LA LA LA LA I like denial, it's comfy here.

Don't grin at me - I'm still not listening!

If it makes you feel any better, I did not realise I was pregnant until I was 16 weeks gone, because I then bled kind of monthly and thought "oh, well, all to do with having just stopped BFing".

Hope you get the result you want. Which is what...?

Really common for periods to be all over the place after bfing. Even more common to have one period and then a larger break before the next. This is most likely what's happened to you.

Yes Free, that's exactly the type of response I wanted!!.

(Note how I accept without question the responses I like, and pretend not to hear the ones I don't - and no, PWW actually that doesn't make me feel any better but thanks for sharing and glad you have such a lovely family! !!)

I have been feeling a bit pre-menstrual, and not like I felt when preggers - both times I was able to tell quite quickly 'cos I felt 'odd' - and I don't now. And breathe.

Might still creep out the house tomorrow though....fingers crossed.

Sorry, I really did not mean to wind you up (well, not with my first post..), of course it is most likely to be a hormonal wobble related to reduced/increased BFing, however I stand by what I said, and would pee on a stick just for certainty.

Let us know how you get on. And hope you get the result you want.

I havent had a period for 18 months and the way my 8 month old is BF'g at night I wont have one for a while. But every so often I feel a bit sicky or extra tired and sneak out to buy a test. Not that we are tryng but just want to rule it out!!

That's OK PWW, you didn't wind me up - just panicked me a bit!!

I was kind of hoping for everyone to say 'don't be silly, of COURSE it's hormones, stop worrying...'

KirstyJC - I was ttc for 2.5yrs whilst bf ds. My cycle was all over the place.

Do you know for sure that you ovulated last time? It is possible to have bleeding without ovulation at first (although you might have gone straight back to ovulating!).

I found that the more ds was feeding, the later in my cycle I ovulated. Sometimes as late as day 20 and then bleeding on day 28. So, although there was ovulation, bleeding and a regular(ish) cycle, my fertility wasn't back to full whack because 8 days wasn't long enough for implantation.

But you could be completely different to me, and nobody on here can tell you what happened last cycle!!

Get yourself a copy of Taking Charge of Your Fertility by Toni Weschler. I highly recommend it.

OK, phew, panic over! Test was negative, so must just be the hormones playing silly buggers.

Thanks guys!