Want period back but exclusively breastfeeding

[RLou3]

... pretty much what the title says.. does anyone have any advice on how I can get my periods back? I am exclusively breastfeeding my 4 month old and am
Hoping to start trying for baby number 2 in December... really don't want to have to stop breastfeeding so am wondering if there's anything I can do to bring periods back?

Thank you!!!

One I’m very impressed that you’re thinking of number 2 with a 4 month old!! I only got my period back when I nightweaned around 10 months, I don’t think there’s much you can do really while your bf it’s hormonal xxx

You can still get pregnant before your period returns if you want another. I guess it's just easier to plan dates if you have one!

Mine came back when they started on solids, I guess because demand for milk dropped. Conceived baby number 2 without difficulty, 17 month gap.

Mine didn't cone back until I quit breastfeeding at 16 months, was pregnant the following month (not exactly plabned)

Normally Mother Nature sorts it so that your babies are about 2 years apart if you're BFing.

Like others have said though, you don't have to wait until your period returns to be fertile but if you do want to return to fertility, have a read of this on Kellymom

Mine came back immediately after #2. I was exclusively breastfeeding

By December they should be starting solids, so decreasing milk intake. It might just be the right timing for you anyway

Stopped bfing 3 months ago still no period

With my first periods came back at 3 months and my second 9 months. Both bf. I suspect yours will start soon after your baby gets going on solids

I can't remember when my period came back after my first baby, but with my second it came back when she was 11 months. I got pregnant a month later, third baby is now three weeks old.

I ebf DS2 and got my period back when he turned 7 months, exactly a month after starting solids, which is when the amount of breast milk they consume naturally starts to decline. I think this is fairly common.

Congratulations @CaptainSpirit

Eating loads for a month or two worked for me. I read an article on the science of it, metabolic load theory or something.

Ahh I'm in the same position but my baby is 14 months... Still no period!! As others have said, hopefully yours will come back when hour baby starts solids and you go longer between feeds.

Mine came back when I went back to work and started to have longer gaps between feeds on work days. DD was 11.5 months when I went back and we’re still feeding at 15 months.

Six months often coincides with going into their own room as well as starting solids so it could be a combination of starting solids abs less night feeds.

Mine came back at 4 months despite ebf. I felt cheated! I got pregnant a couple of months later, which was great as we wanted them close together.

Ovulation is often triggered by dropping night feeds. I'm sure I ovulated when DS1 started sleeping longer stretches at night.

We are ten months in and no sign of periods here

Start eating a lot more. There’s some literature on this if you dig around the internet a bit but basically you need to convince your body that it has enough energy to sustain yourself, feed a baby AND grow another one. Normally our bodies don’t really like to get pregnant while we’re still EBF because in cave times it would be a risk to the survival of the already born baby, if there was a shortage of food etc. So if you can signal to your body that food and energy is plentiful then it might trigger a return of ovulation.

You can also try to minimise night feeds but you shouldn’t night wean before 6 months

Start eating a lot more. There’s some literature on this if you dig around the internet a bit but basically you need to convince your body that it has enough energy to sustain yourself, feed a baby AND grow another one. Normally our bodies don’t really like to get pregnant while we’re still EBF because in cave times it would be a risk to the survival of the already born baby, if there was a shortage of food etc. So if you can signal to your body that food and energy is plentiful then it might trigger a return of ovulation

Sounds like a brilliant theory however DS might be the exception that proves the rule. I literally ate around 3 to 4 thousand calories a day abs still didn't ovulate. But then he eats massive amounts now and I honestly don't know where he puts it.

When I fully stopped Bf’ing. Just cutting down feeds and stopping nights feeds didn’t work for me.

Mine came back at 10 months. Still bf now at 18 monthsz

Mine returned 6 weeks after birth - remember being gutted as I didn’t think it would if Breast feeding! I also know 3 mums all breastfeeding that with only a year between children as they didn’t think they could get pregnant!

Sorry not helpful!

Mine came back at 6months when nights feeds went from 4 to 2. It seems everyone is different from reading the replies.