If you breast fed, when did your periods come back?

[Wiggy29]

Simple as that really. I breast fed ds1 until 9 months and really can't remember when they returned, I assume it's different for everyone but I'm just looking for a rough idea.

It may seem an odd question but we're hoping to try for dc3 fairly soon after dc2 due to medical reasons but wondering if I should stop bf at 6 months this time to give periods a chance to return so we can ttc again.

Thanks in advance for any feedback.

After DS 18 months later, after DD 2 months later (both breastfed for about 3 years).

4 months

9 months

Ds2 is 6 months old and they are not back yet though I do seem to get cycle like rumblings and periody type feelings.

13 months. It was surprising for it to be so long. Made me feel quite different (felt peaceful, like white noise).

My periods came back at 16 months with DS, and I got pregnant (not on purpose!) four months later. He's still feeding.

Have you thought about night weaning at six or so months, OP? AFAIK it's the length of gap between feeds rather than the feeding itself that makes the difference.

And YY Marsha, I loved having no periods. They felt really oppressive when they came back. Oh well, they went away again soon enough!

Well done and congrats Termagant! I know like light and like suspended animation was so nice.

Then they got me back by being v heavy (tmi)

Mine got me back by starting just after I arrived at the office to start a new job. I was totally unprepared - great conversation to have with your new manager. 'Oh, yes, look, I know I only just arrived but I have to turn straight back round again and sprint out the door to the shop!'

She was great about it, thankfully.

I would live to know more about night weening. I loved breast feeding ds1, I only stopped as I dropped to only 1 morning/ night feed at 9 months when I went back to work& milk just dried up- I was devastated. If there is a way I can bf longer& still get periods/ ttc I would be REALLY interested to hear about tips/ your experience.

Thank you all for your input.

6 weeks here too despite EBF a forever hungry baby

After I stopped bfing at 6 months with DC1 and 2 and they returned shortly afterwards.

Retsarted at about 4 months with DC3 and I'm still feeding him at 9mo so not quite sure how that one worked! I suspect though it might have been the sleeping through from 8 weeks that did it.

I think the average is 14 months if you're extended bfing

This is a useful post on ttc while bf'ing, including the theory behind night weaning and other ways to boost your chances.

Thing is, even if you don't breastfeed at all, sometimes it takes a long while for your period to return, depending on how quickly your body recovers.

My freaking periods returned at six weeks PP, despite EBF.

6 bloody weeks on the nose both times. I stopped bleeding for about a week then got my period. Cycles were longer at 35-38 days, but that was my only consolation.

12 months. It was ace!

10 months for both of them, and was still bf, day and night.

After dc1, about 8 months (bf until 22months)

After dc2, 7 weeks (still bf at 5 months)

11 months for me. I'm surprised though as DD still bfs like a newborn day and night.

Come join us on the TTC whilst breastfeeding thread OP!

3 months, but DS was on 1 FF a day, conceived again when he was 8 months.

Horatio I was still feeding quite a lot during the night at that point (just wanted to mention in case anyone thinks BFing is a reliable way of not getting pregnant. As a method of contraception it's probably best to put it on a par with withdrawal and rhythm method. Apparently even expressing one feed a day can lead to fertility returning.

6 months.

As soon as they slept through the night, so around 6 months with all. It's the going more than 4 hours without bf that does it, I've always understood.

9 weeks and 3 days after DC1 birth (ebf till 6 months). 9 weeks and 4 days after DC2 birth (also ebf till 6 months).
Slightly tmi and but the first time my periods returned just over a week after the lochia had stopped and I actually thought something had ruptured inside me (emcs) and this is why I was bleeding again. But no, just aunt flo.

skandi1- totally excusable when you're sleep deprived and have a young one to care for!

Jakeybluesky- I've still got 22 weeks before baby arrives but then I'll defo jump onto that thread.

If I've got this right then, my best plan may be to have large (ish) gaps between breastfeeding (as often linked to sleeping through night). I might try doing last bf late at night and then FF through the night therefore hopeful encouraging af to return soon. Bit of a shame really as love the ease of bf-ing in night (instantly ready, no heating bottles etc).

Actually, could I do it in reverse do you think? Say BF from dinner time to morning and FF during day? In my mind that should work just as well.

The month after I stopped at nine months.

Mine came back after 16 months I carried on bf till dd was 22 months old although it was only once a day for the last few months, I fell pregnant again while still feeding but this seemed to totally shut down milk production hence the reason I stopped