Breastfeeding - when will period return?

[Elzibells]

Hi, I had my first baby 12mo ago. I BF exclusively for first 6mo then also alongside introducing solids, still BF now. I was under the impression my cycle would return when solids were introduced but this hasn't happened. I was just wondering when other people's periods actually returned (in real life, rather than the generic info available on the net)? And whether anyone became pregnant again before their cycle had actually resumed? Thanks!

With my first periods returned at 11months pp but I didn't conceive again until I had fully stopped bfing altogether. But then with my second, periods returned 8 WEEKS pp (!!) and I still bf now (once at bedtime), yet conceived after only 3 cycles. Both times I ebf til 6 months too and then continued bf-ing til 2yo. Weird how different it was!

How many times do you bf per day? We went from 3 to 2 about 1.5 months ago and I've had 2 periods now-one a month ago, one last week. DD was 1 end of March.

I got my period back on my babies first birthday. EBF for 6 months and was still feeding day and night at 12 months

Returned 7mths both times.
Became pregnant with DD2 when DD1 was 12 months, breastfed until she was 17months (5 months pregnant)
Fed DD2 until she was 2.5 years.

Thanks for the replies, quite a mixed bag. It's crazy how different bodies can be! I guess I'll just have to wait it out. DC is feeding between 5-7 times in a 24hr period so maybe when that reduces further I'll see a change 🤷🏼‍♀️

18 months, when DD1 started childcare. Then 13 months for DD2, she ate better so didn't breastfeed as much

Mine returned bang on 6m both times (I was so disappointed ). I got pregnant twice while bf but after introducing solids: 7m and 27m (we were aiming for a bigger gap that time and I got pregnant after 2m)

One of my friends didn't return until she stopped feeding altogether (about 18m).

After my son my period returned after 18 months and my little girl is nearly 3 and I've still not had one! Not that I'm complaining!

I got mine back at four months. I felt cheated. Got pregnant again at seven months, while still breastfeeding.

27 months

17 months post birth. It was bliss

22 months after my second child, she was day weaned at 1 year but did have a bedtime feed and a couple of overnight feeds for a long while (I night weaned her age 2 years and stopped feeding her at 2.5 years).

No idea after my first - I was on the implant and had it removed at 18 months pp, had stopped bf at 15 months and period returned then.

I know people who got their period back when EBF, people like me for whom periods didn't come back till closer to the 2 year mark, and loads in between. It really does massively vary. I've heard that your fat intake can determine whether it returns, so if you are wanting to get your periods back to try for another, you could try increasing your intake of healthy fats (avocado, nuts etc).

I'm currently still feeding my third baby (9 months old) and absolutely no sign of my period returning yet.

Around 18 months both times for me after experiencing a couple of "ghost" periods. There's some information about them, and your return to fertility in this article from Kellymom

First - I had twins and was still feeding them 4+ times per day each when my period returned at 18 months.

Second - I had a single baby and was still feeding him twice per day when my period returned at 23 months.

Third - no sign yet at 13 months and still feeding many many times per day.