AF and breastfeeding

My little girl is 13 months old and AF still hasnt returned for me. I really want to start trying for another baby! I know u can fall pregnant without af returning but you gotta O first and I just dont think I am going too! I dayweaned her about a month ago hoping that wld be enough to make it return but still nothing. She feeds ALOT during the night still. A few ppl have said that I will have to cut out some night feeds for af to return but Im not quite ready to do that yet.. especially since dh is away at work at the moment so i dont have any support. DD sleeps with me so just feeds whenever she pleases.. which is normally hrly or more!

So my question to all you mummies who breastfed allllllllll night, when did ur af return??? I just assumed that it wld return at around the 12 month mark regardless if i was still feeding a lot... apparently not though!!

Thankyou so much!!! :)

From my experience personally I had to cut the night feeds back to one before bed and one only during the night before af returned. Then dd was 14months when it did return and I was pregnant with number three 2 months later!
I think you are going to have to cut the night feeds back but I'm not sure how many you are doing?

my personal experience was that despite feeding at least 2 hourly around the clock, af came back at 3 months for me. my ds continued to feed frequently (similar to your dd overnight) until he was 20 months.



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Everyone's different I'm afraid.
Some women will not have cycles till they've completely weaned, some will get cycles back a few weeks post birth - most of us are somewhere in between.

Give it a few months after cutting back feeds to see if it's worked - it can take a while for things to swing into action again.

With my DS I night weaned at 14 months and my first period was at 16.5 months. DD is 17 months and no af.

DS was 9 months when mine came back irregularly. I fed to 23 months & it didn't come regular the whole time. Anywhere from 2 - 8 weeks between. When I weaned him I was 9 weeks preg with DD3.

AF returned when she was 13 months. For 3 months it was irregular, but now its every 4 weeks like clock work. Been 5 years since I've had a regular period!

17 months (fell preg about 24 months) and then 16 months here. Fed for over 2 years with both girls.

It really depends on the person unfortunately. My DD1 didn't nightwean completely until just before her sister arrived so around 2yrs 9months... AF had returned by the time she was 6months old despite hourly night feeds at the time. This time I'm feeding both DD1 (twice a day) and DD2 (around the clock)... AF returned when DD2 was 6weeks old and is like clockwork!! Felt a little bit robbed to be honest, hope AF is just around the corner for you so you can TTC number two :hug:

This link might give you info you can use: https://www.breastfeeding.asn.au/bfi...-contraception and this link: Breastfeeding & Fertility | Ask Dr. Sears® (obviously twisting to suit making a baby!)

This link https://www.breastfeeding.asn.au/bf-...solids/weaning contains this:
Return of menstrual cycle
If you have not already done so, you will most likely resume your normal menstrual cycle after weaning. However, as menstruation can resume before weaning at any time from a few weeks after the birth of your baby, no predictions can be made about when an individual mother will resume her menstrual cycle. There is no need to wean because of the return of menstruation.
Some mothers notice that their babies seem fussy a few days before their period starts and for the first couple of days of the cycle. This may be due to premenstrual tension in the mother or fluctuations in her milk supply. Changing hormone levels in a mother's body causes both of these. It usually settles down quickly, particularly if the mother is able to fit in a few extra feeds to boost her milk supply.
--

Apparently the average is 14.5 mths for the return of periods. My norm seems to be 18mths, I have known women who are closer to 24 mths...your time will come.

LLLI | Boosting Fertility while Breastfeeding this one might help too.

Seems a 6 hr break over night helps, and 4 hrly spacing in the day...but it varies so mauch from mum to mum..best to do what feel right for you, I think. (gaining knowledge is power!)

http://kellymom.com/bf/normal/fertility/

Thankyou so much for all that info! Huge help!!! U have all made me realise that everyones bodies are different and that af probably ISNT just around the corner afterall!! haha. I cant believe it can take up to 2 yrs (or more) for it to come back when still breastfeeding!! Catherine, those links are awesome, thankyou so much!!! A big help!!!

Im so mixed up with what I shld do... half of me wants to keep doing what we're doing.. feeding all night and whenever she needs it during the day.. but the other half of me wants a new baby so so much that I want to wean completely so af will come back. DD and I had the best breastfeeding snuggle in bed after our shower this morning though, nothing beats skin on skin feeding :heartbeat: Times like that I never want to stop. Why cant my body just be normal like so many other ppls! Its so annoying, all the ladies in my mothers group arent breastfeeding anymore and are doing everything in their power to not fall pregnant and there I am still breastfeeding and wanting to fall pregnant so badly! :( I know obviously my body is telling me that its not ready and DD needs my milk still but its just frustrating.

Think I might have to do another thread on nightweaning ideas... that might be the best option... I can then breastfeed her still but just less frequently during the night..

Again thankyou so much!!!!! :) xx

Your body is normal hun :hug:

FWIW I'm still feeding DS1 and he is exactly the same as your DD, sleeps with me and feeds almost hourly through the night. I have no af either, but I'm the opposite, hoping it doesn't return any time soon as my baby making days are over!

Realy hope she shows up soon for you!

With dd2, it returned at 12 months. Was feeding her once during the night and maybe 4 times a day.

Dd3 is now 14 months and I feed her about 4-5 times a day none at night and had not returned yet.

I had the same dilemma with dd2, wanting af back to try for the next. It came down to a choice if breastfeeding or falling pregnant. I came to the conclusion that dd2 would only be young once and the pregnancy could wait.

You could put baby in another room, so you don't hear her wake, and she will self settle herself and there for cut down on night feeds

Gl

Xo

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