is it normal not to menstruate when breastfeeding? Dr suggested it wasn't

[arolf]

had GP check up this week and was asked if my periods have returned. they haven't. DS is nearly 11 vweeks old and bf. Dr expressed surprise and asked me to go back in 4 weeks time for another check up. my friend had a similar response from her (different) GP - her baby is 1 week younger than mine and also bf.

I thought this was totally normal when bfeeding? am I totally misled? should I worry?

It's perfectly normal when bf not to have periods. I've only had 2 periods since 2004 with bf (& preg as well!)

I didn't menstruate for 9 months after both my dds.

Gosh! Don't GPSs know anything.

Not to put you off, but when I did start it was pretty horrendous. Had a period every two weeks for a few months.

However, years on, my periods have less impact on me than ever before! (do you all want to know these details?)

My periods didn't come back til I stopped breastfeeding completely at 14 months - and she was only exclusively breastfed til 9 mths

My periods came back after 9 months when he was down to 1 feed a day.

I would write a letter of complaint. Your GP is woefully misinformed. I learnt that bfeeding supresses menstruation at secondary school!

What are the breastfeeding rates like in your area?

When I had ds, there were raised eyebrows and mutterings when I said I hadn't had a period yet when I went for a smear 3 or 4 months after his birth.

It was just so unusual for a mum to "still" be breastfeeding in our area because most mothers went straight to bottle feeding and I think the nurse had just assumed I would be bottle feeding too and thought it odd my periods hadn't come back. When I said I was breastfeeding, she said, oh right, fine and that was it.

But I just found it a bit sad that the automatic assumption was that everyone was bottle feeding.

This is like GCSE biology. What do they learn at med school?

With my first BF baby my perides returned after 9 months (BF until 24 months). with the other 3 it was back within 3 months even though I was still BF.

I am very surprisedyou GP is not aware of the fact it can take quite a while for periode to return if you are BF.

I exclusively bfed for 7 months, at least every 2hrs day and night.

Period came back at 13 weeks.

I consider myself robbed.

Could you hand your GP a GCSE textbook? Maybe Mummy Laid An Egg while you're there.

Agree with everyone else - what a tit of a dr!

It's completely normal not to menstruate while exclusively bfing. It is possible to menstruate, one friend had her periods return at 3 months, but she was very much in the minority. Everyone else I know didn't resume "normal service" until nearer 6 months to a year.

I didn't have a period until 12 months with both my babies, and then there was a long gap and I didn't have another one for several more months.

I'm really shocked actually that a dr could be so ignorant of such basic biology. Are you sure your dr wasn't referring to something else - is it possible they could have meant had your bleeding stopped (ie the lochia)? Or could they have been referring to contraception in some sideways way?

Either way, go back in four weeks and sort them out! Total waste of NHS resources, apart from anything else, not to mention causing unnecessary worry.

Your GP needs to re-qualify! When I breast-fed my DS1 I had no periods for nearly 2 years. Until I told my stupid doctor who gave me some pills to start the horrid thing up again. I didn't get preggers during that time either.

Your doctor must have 2 pages stuck together in his textbook.
11 wks would be on the early side for periods to return. It happens but it's more normal for it to be a little while yet.

so far as I'm aware the breast feeding rates are good here - we have an incredibly good bfeeding clinic and the health visitors are by and large fantastic and pro-extended/exclusive bf. my doctor's surgery are a bit crap though. I think they are grossly understaffed and so very busy.

and worry not - I'm aware that ovulation can occur at any time DP isn't getting near me ever again without contraception for a long time yet!

How remarkably dappy of your GP. My periods didn't come back until 9.5 months with DS and 13 months with DD (hurrah) so goodness knows how panicked she'd have got over me...

However, even if your periods don't appear to have started you may be able to get pregnant (just something to worry/celebrate!)

I had one tiny attempt at a period when DS dropped to only morning and evening feeds, then I was pregnant with DD and didn't have a period till she dropped to morning and evening feeds. In total only one tiny attempt at a period in over 3 years.

Postnatal bleeding with DD went on for 3 months though so that made up for it!

Bah! Mine returned at 8 weeks. I feel cheated too - have EBF my 7.5mo DD until recently when I introduced occasional formula.

Your doctor is an idiot.

The only time I had a period within a year of giving birth was after the DC who was partially bottlefed. With the others, I went from 13 months to 25 months without periods (5 DCs). I think over the course of my childbearing years, I had about ten periods in total (1989 to 2001), between pregnancy, miscarriages, and bfing.

Normal IME.

Mine came back at 18 months with both of them however I know someone who didn't have a period for 2 years. One of the joys of BF I think

Doctor in this case is plainly a numpty. No periods is perfectly normal - and nice!

Mine didn't come back for about 2 years with both DC's.

I always thought it was one of the benefits of bfing

One of the benefits of BF = no periods! nOT SURE WHat your GP is thinking of?!

If you do go back to your GP in 4 weeks, print this off and give it to him to read.

In the meantime, don't worry about it at all.