Periods while breastfeeding

[Liz185]

Just very curious... how long after birth did everyone get their period??

I have been breastfeeding for almost 7 months, and I know it's normal for me not to have had my period while breastfeeing, but what is the reason for this?

My period returned quickly for my first, as he was on Formula after 2 months.

[paradise lost]

Hi,

Your period stays away because the hormones your body makes in reaction to the suckling and in order to make milk (principally prolactin but there might be others...Barb?) inhibit ovulation. Without ovulation no endometrial layer (womb lining) builds up and thus it doesn't need to be shed, with a period. When prolactin levels drop low enough ovulation and AF return.

For some women ANY breastfeeding, even one feed a day, is enough to keep AF away, for others (myself included! ) even BFing 10-12 times a day and never having a gap more than 4 hours is not enough to keep AF away (my AF came back when DD was 6 weeks old, she was exclusively breastfed for 5.5months). It comes down to the individual woman and how sensitive to prolactin her systems are.

Some women who are NOT breastfeeding can have abnormally high prolactin (often associated with a tumour on the pituartry gland) and are infertile because of it.

[Liz185]

Thanks for the info I never know all the technical stuff!!

Well I'll have to start work soon, and won't have time to breastfeed ALL day.. so hopefully I can keep my period away... and if I do get it back soon- hopefully it won't come back at the worst possible time!!

[Tobily]

Mine didn't come back until two months ago - DS is 17 months
He still breastfeeds overnight though, once they cut out the night feeds it often comes back.

[Ginger]

hi liz- i just got my first af last week, was hoping she'd stay away a bit longer

[Liz185]

Tobily- OMG that's ages!!

haha no way I'll last that long once formula is introduced..

[danniellabella]

Glad I found this thread before I started one asking the same kind of question. My DD is 7 weeks old tomorrow, I got an implanon put in nearly 2 weeks ago (stopped post birth bleeding about the same time) and now I'm bleeding again, I'm not sure if it's a period, the hormones from the implanon or a bit more post birth bleeding. I have had some very very minor cramps, hardly noticable though. I do breastfeed usually but she does get a bottle probably once a day.