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Conception

When's the best time to get pregnant? Use our interactive ovulation calculator to work out when you're most fertile and most likely to conceive.

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Original poster

Did you have to stop breastfeeding completely for your periods to come back?

11 replies

RoseGoldEagle · 30/12/2019 11:05

We want to try for another baby soon, but I am currently still breastfeeding my 9 month old, and my periods haven’t come back yet. I’m feeding him a lot less during the day now he’s on solids, though he still feeds for comfort a fair bit. He was sleeping quite well at night but the past month or so has been waking up and wanting to feed loads more again in the night. I guess I just wondered if anyone who breasted could share experiences of how quickly their periods came back - did you have to stop breastfeeding completely, or did they come back when you dropped some feeds? I know everyone’s different, just interested to know how likely it is I’ll have to stop breastfeeding completely before we try again! Thanks!

OP posts:

CmdrCressidaDuck · 30/12/2019 11:09

Mine came back both times about 8-9 months when my baby got the hang of solids, even though they were still nightfeeding. Regular from the start and fertile as far as I know. There's such huge variation though.

MistletoeSteveMcDonald · 30/12/2019 11:10

Mine came back a month after the lochia stopped both times. Very much feeding on demand but feeding had no effect whatsoever on my periods. Was still feeding the first when I became pregnant with the second (and had a miscarriage between the 2)

Pilot12 · 30/12/2019 11:12

No, I bf my first until he was 2 years and nine months, my period returned after 12 months. My second baby is six months, I had a period when he was two months but not another one since.

Smotheroffive · 30/12/2019 11:14

For me it was the same, it was as soon as solids were properly under way so demand for milk dropped off. Most around me seemed to be the same too, however, it was all earlier than nine months. I think it was more linked to night feeds tbh. I think when you go longer spells without bf is when the hormones shift, like dropping some feeds.

HarrietM87 · 30/12/2019 11:15

Mine didn’t come back until I stopped feeding completely at 13 months. Had my period on the day of my last bf after I’d been winding down gradually.

Santasy · 30/12/2019 11:20

I bf for 18 months, period came back two months after the birth. I felt so cheated! On my second they came back 4 months pp.

SquigglePigs · 30/12/2019 11:21

Mine came back when DD was about 10 months old.

Emmagen · 30/12/2019 11:23

I always think this is unfair, mine came back pretty much the month after my lochia stopped. I remember feeling very cheated! DS was exclusively breast fed but it didn't seem to make a difference for me!

BorissGiantJohnson · 30/12/2019 11:26

I bf all mine until they were 2, periods came back between 8-15 months.

Mylittlepony374 · 30/12/2019 11:31

Periods back around 9 months. Pregnant with second while still feeding one year old on demand. And, it took YEARS to get pregnant with first...

Original poster

RoseGoldEagle · 02/01/2020 08:04

Thanks everyone! I can’t help feeling a bit bad about it because I’d ideally just go at his pace but time isn’t on our side so I feel like I need to reduce feeds quicker than I otherwise would. Hoping they’ll come back soon with having dropped some day feeds. I can’t imagine dealing with night wakings without being able to feed him! Interesting to see how much variation there is, thanks for your replies.

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