Return of Fertility for Breastfeeding Mothers: A Poll
November 17, 2007 by Angela White, J.D., breastfeeding counselor
Filed under breastfeeding, health of the mother, poll
A Breastfeeding 1-2-3 reader suggested a great question for this next poll. She wanted to know when most breastfeeding women get their periods back after giving birth. (This would be a good question for mothers who are breastfeeding adopted newborns too but I think it might confuse the issue with different hormone changes and levels of milk supply, so if you are an adoptive mother, please do share your experience in the comments!)
Most women enjoy amenorrhea for a while, but it can be really frustrating for mothers who have not experienced a return of their menstrual cycles by the time they are ready to try to conceive again.
So, when did you get your period back? Do you think you ovulated before you got your first period (I ask because it relates to the Lactational Amenorrhea Method of birth control)? (My answers are: at 3 months postpartum, even while exclusively breastfeeding, and yes I think I ovulated beforehand). Take the poll!
Please share your experience in the comments as well. If you were trying to become fertile again, what changes did you make (i.e. night-weaning, nutritional changes)? Rather than cutting back on nursing to see if it brought your cycles back, did you decide to wait longer before trying to conceive? How did/does all this affect the planning for and spacing of your children?
My niece had supply issues due to breast reduction surgery and her period returned when her first was only 6 weeks old. I felt bad for her. She had to drink crazy amounts of water and supplement to get her little guy what he needed and then a period, too. It just didn’t seem fair.
My period has come back between 7 and 9 months all three times. The first time, I am absolutely positive that I was ovulating before getting my period back — I remember distinctly the two months leading up to getting it back feeling different aspects of my cycle — as though my body were taking it in steps.
I had small amounts of those feelings with the other two, but I don’t know if I only felt it minimally because I was busier or because the sensations were lessened.
My son is turning 11 months on Monday and mine hasn’t returned, which is fine with me. We are not planning a second child, and we use a back-up method of birth control.
With my son, AF returned at 14 months post partum. He was still nursing 8 times a day and did not take sippy cup. I do not think I ovulated before hand. I started tracking my cycles as soon as I had a period, and it took a year for them to regulate. For many months, I had very long cycles and hard to pin point ovulation.
With my daughter, she’s 9 months now and no sign of AF.
Amenorrhea lasted 27 months after my first. I did ovulate before my first period (and did not have an anovulatory bleed prior to that
). I believe my first three cycles were infertile because of a shortened luteal phase, and we conceived during my fourth cycle. I wouldn’t have minded a longer duration of amenorrhea.
With my second we’re at nearly 14 months and counting.
I was the picture of health and fitness when my first was born and, despite constant nursing, my period returned after 7 months. With my second I was less fit, more stressed out, less well nourished and generally less healthy. My period didn’t return for 11 months. Not that I missed it!
Mine didn’t return after my son’s birth until he was 19 months old and we finally night weaned him. We had been trying to have another baby ever since he was born, so it was about time! I got pregnant a month or two later.
My daughter just turned two and I don’t have a period. We are not planning on more kids at the moment, so I went on the pill for a while, just in case, and now I have the Mirena IUD. When I was on the pill, I did have periods, but as soon as I quit taking them, it stopped.
Littlepixie is 12 1/2 months and no sign of a return yet (woohoo!) I’m enjoying the break, but it’ll probably be back soon! We’re still heavily night-nursing though. Happy to be free at the moment, we’re not planning number 2 for a while yet, as with all things, we’ll see how it goes
I went in for my six-week check-up after giving birth to my twins. My OB/GYN was kinda shocked that I was already on my period.
Yeah, I’m a little jealous when I hear that some women don’t have to deal with their period for a couple months (or more). Oh well. I have two healthy, breastfed toddlers … and I did get to skip my period while I was pregnant with them.
With my first child, my period came back at 11 months, but I did not ovulate 14 or 15 months (when DS started to consistently sleep through the night) He weaned at 21 months.
With my second child, my period came back at 16 months (25 full months of no period between pregnancy and breastfeeding). I believe I ovulated at that time. DD is now 25 months old and is weaned.
My Period started 2 weeks after I started to wean at 10 months. It is taking a while to regulate however and was 6-7 weeks later until the sencond one started. My daughter is now completely weaned at 12 months and we are not planning another child as of yet, so here comes the OCP’s
Mine came back at 3 months, very soon after I went back to work and started pumping. On top of the minor annoyance of having my period again, though, was the MAJOR frustration of having my milk supply drop during my luteal phase for some reason. What a headache.
My toddler is 18.5 months. I weaned him 1 month ago – no period yet. I had a mirena iud inserted 3 months post-partum, which was removed 3 months ago – I don’t know if that has anything to do with the delay. Am hoping it returns soon, as would like a 2nd pregnancy.
you know, “return of fertility” does not stop at ovulation. I got my period a year ago. I am still nursing my 28 month old, but only once or twice a day. My luteal phase is very short and my cycles are still quite irregular. I’m TTC, so this is a huge pain. I do wonder how much of an impact the breastfeeding has on this…
My toddler is 19 months. Full out weaning began 3 weeks ago and we are down to 1 nurse every 48 hours to relieve breast fullness. I’ve discovered a liquid sage elixir to help dry up the milk supply. Still no sign of ovulation or menses, but we have started acupuncture to help things along. We hope to have the next one within 2.5 years of the first. If anyone has been in a similar experience, please feel free to share.
My period returned at 12 months. My son only has night time feedings, once at bedtime for about 4 minutes and once around 4:00 am. I am trying to conceive again and am getting anxious for the to return but I do not want to end my nighttime nursing sessions with my son! I figured I’d be regular after I had my period once but its been a month and a half and I am having trouble pinpointing ovulation!!! Anyone else in a similar situation?
My son is 18 months old and we weaned from breastfeeding about 3 weeks ago. Still no period in sight, but I have had strange cramping and cervical mucus. Pregnancy tests are all negative though! I am hoping that my body is just gearing up for a return to fertility. We would also like another child.
In my own experience and in experience of those ive spoken to, ENTIRELY depends on a)how much nursing is taking place, how long each session is and how frequently b)whether its actual nursing or pumping (SUCKING SUPPRESSES OVULATION!) c)whether or not baby is night nursing (this seems to be biggest factor, especially with cosleepers who latch on all night d)age of mom e)nutritional status of mom f)whether other foods are being used.
its a load of baloney when women say they are nursing on demand and their period returns UNLESS the baby isnt an active nurser. if you nurse on demand you could conceivably (no pun intended) go without a period for over 2 years. the reason this usually doesnt happen is because babies start eating solids and lose interest in breast. some babies however love the breast as a pacifier and continued sucking even for nonnutritional needs will suppress ovulation. the best way to restore menses if quite simply to SCHEDULE nursing which alot of nursing mommies do. if you nurse on demand, it will delay your fertility indefinitely.
Anat-
While what you are saying does make sense and I have read the same things in several places… I must correct you. I have exclusively breastfed my son since birth, pumped on occassion but rarely. He has not started solids and is almost 7 months old(I tried.. he is NOT interested) I have had spotting off and on(very very light) since about 6 weeks pp. However I most certainly just got my period again a few days ago. I didn’t miss it and I’m mad I got it back! I feed on demand, not schedule.. and he eats often through the night maybe half the time. When he was 10 weeks old he slept 11 hours straight at night and this kept on until he was about 18 weeks old (I got spoiled too!) Then he started waking up a lot again and I nurse him back to sleep at least once usually 2 or 3 times every night. So, I really don’t see how night weaning could have anything to do with supression of your cycle. I WISH I didn’t have to deal with this, my breasts are pretty sore the last couple days which makes it a bit uncomfortable to nurse. Also, my midwife told me that with her daughter she got her period at 6 months and then again at 10 months.. Hoping I will not be getting mine every month!
“A load of baloney”??
Mine returned at 6 weeks (after baby #1) and 14 weeks (after baby #2). Exclusively on-cue nursing, cosleeping, constant baby wearing. No supplemental bottles, no pacifiers, no sleeping through the night.
“if you nurse on demand, it will delay your fertility indefinitely” – Oh, if only things could be so predictable. You do know that its not a perfect science, right?
I tend to agree with Anat even though AF “seems” to have returned 3 days ago and my daughter is 8 months old, but it also “seemed” to have returned when she was 7 weeks old. My doctor tried to convince me it was back and prescribed the minipill, which I never took. Then I read online that I could ignore any bleeding that took place prior to day 56 PP. Bleeding at the six week check up is not a reliable sign. After that, it didn’t come back until now. Anyway, prior to the 7 weeks, I had pumped twice and tried a pacifier a few times. I did not realize there was a distinction between breastfeeding and feeding baby breastmilk, i.e. pumping. I gave her a pacifier in ignorance also. I had an overabundant milk supply so when she sucked, I was always letting down and it annoyed her, so she started sucking her thumb, which I finally allowed. And I do understand that it is not perfect science, but I also don’t think we know all of the factors either. Anat did add mother’s age and nutritional status. Prior to my pregnancy, my dr. was pretty sure I had PCOS which was preventing conception. I lost over 30 pounds, with diet and exercise and conceived less than 2 months later. However, PP my diet has almost gone to hell (moved back to our home state near family and healthy eating is not on the radar) and I’ve gained weight. Plus, at about 6 months PP, I started letting DD have sips of my water during the day (trying to teach her to drink from a cup since “they” say I shouldn’t wait too long). I also let her have mashed banana about the size of a fingernail one time. And I have chipped in to help my husband’s mother with chores and cooking since she broke her wrist 2 weeks ago, which means I’m not resting as much and may have missed a few our daily naps together during which DD almosts always nurses. Lastly, one night during the week before AF returned, she nursed only once or twice when it’s normally four or more times. I was so tired, I let her have her thumb instead of consciously offering my breast. So maybe these things have nothing to do with AF’s return, as my husband believes, but maybe they do. I certainly didn’t think I was sabotaging my lack of periods with each decision but when I add it all up, I really can’t say. I just told my husband we may know for sure with next baby when I’ll try not to make the same mistakes, but then again, no one’s perfect. And our western society is so ignorant of “ecological breastfeeding” (a term I only discovered in the last month or so) and had no idea that this is what I was practicing since week 7 PP. Sorry so long, but wanted to give the full story.
Anat, you are wrong and misinformed.
I have a 6 mos DD who exclusively breastfeeds every 2-4 hours around the clock (1-2 hours during growth spurts) since birth and I just got my period back. My baby is in the 100th percentile for weight and 97th for height so it is not like she is under-nourished or not thriving she just likes to eat. She has not yet been started on solids either.
Other women have different experiences and I think it is ignorant to state that their experiences are a load of baloney just because they differ from yours or what is considered the “norm”.
Ms. Adams
We’re up to 16 months… still no return. I like it. I wish it’d stay away forever! LOL!
Good for you! Enjoy sister!
At 18 months with no signs of ovulation and no menses yet. After my daughter, I went exactly 16 1/2 months, but oddly enough, for the next 6 cycles until we finally conceived again, I had mittelschmerz with each cycle for the first time in my life! So now, back to 18 months after DS and no signs of anything. We’d really like another one soon, but he still is latched on all night long. I work and sometimes we go 12-14 hours without nursing during the day, but apparently his nighttime marathons are enough to keep me from ovulating… and I’m not ready to give up night nursing yet (and neither is he!!)… so I guess we’re just waiting this one out…
I have never been able to conceive while nursing. I am a little sad about this because I really would have liked to tandem nurse. My first one was weaned at 1 year. I didn’t get a period for 12 weeks after weaning and finally took hormones to bring it on (I had to take them twice too!). Then, it took two cycles to get pg again.
My second was weaned at 11 months and thanks to Glucophage I ovulated shortly thereafter (don’t know when) and got pg but had a miscarriage.
With my third I am at 24 1/2 months of nursing and counting and have not ovulated and haven’t had a period. I would like to have another child at some point and because my biological clock is ticking I feel I don’t have a choice but to wean soon.
It’s always frustrating to read all the articles about breastfeeding a toddler and TTC. Most say that at some point fertility will return for almost all women. I hate to be this exception.
Just FYI, if you want to tandem nurse, you still can. I learned from LLLI that you can wean, get pregnant, and resume nursing. Even if you are out of milk, if the baby uses you as a pacifier, the sucking will create milk (what happens with adoptive parents who nurse). And if you don’t get lots of milk, when the baby arrives, you’ll get a whole new supply and then you can tandem nurse. Good luck!
I’m still nursing my 19.5 month old with no return to menses. My first two sons were nursing (night nursing) when my cycle returned. The first at 13 months post partum and the second at 14 months post partum. We have coslept and breasfeed exclusively with all three children.
My first son nursed until 17 months, quit while I was pregnant with his brother and recommenced nursing (tandem with his brother) until he was just over three.
The second son nursed and at about 20 months (when I was a few months pregnant with his next brother) I began to tell him “no” at night every other nursing request (while cosleeping) hoping he would quit night nursing by the arrival of his brother. He quit nursing entirely within two more months.
My third son is a huge fan of nursing! Much more in need of it than either of his other brothers. I work full time and my husband cares for the boys full time, so night nursing is the norm in my house (as well as unlimited nuring throughout the weekend). Perhaps because I had the luxury of 8 months off with my third son, (I only had 3 months off with his two older brothers), he is much more connected to me.
Now we are wanted to get pregnant with the next, but no menses yet. The hitch is that I’m almost 39, so I don’t know if there is no menses because of the lactational amenorehha or mayber I’m premenopausal.
We are going to try a few nights we me camping in the back yard with the older boys (and dad taking care of the “baby” in the house) to see if a few nights of no nursing will bring me back to fertility. I don’t want to stop nursing entirely, but want to achieve pregnancy again soon.
My period came back at 6 months after I had my son. I did not have on this month but I am cramping like I am having one and I know I ovulated. You can ovulate and not have your period. I guess this is a phantom period.
My cycle returned at 4.5 months after having my daughter. I returned to work full-time at 9 weeks and pump twice a day at work. My daughter is just shy of 6 months and has been breastfed “exclusively” until the past two weeks when we introduced stage 2 baby food and formula on occassion to supplement. I noticed a drop in my breastmilk production during the day, as I used to pump 10-11 oz. and now barely 8 oz. Recent stress and the return of my period has impacted my milk production. My daughter sleeps with us as night as is a big night feeder, so this aids in keeping my milk production going. Also, possibly pyschologically I wanted to have my cycle return and happy that it did so early since we would love to conceive again soon. I really enjoy my time breastfeeding my daughter so I hope that I can continue to breastfeed and conceive.
Question. I have had to periods since the flow returned, but they are MUCH further apart? Has anyone else had this happen? How long until they became regular?
My son is 21 months old. Still no period on sight. We do bf on demand, which is still quite a bit. He’s probably nursing 6-7X’s a day. We do cosleep too.
I would love to get pregnant again, however, I do understand that this is what natural child spacing is. The longer time goes by, I realize I could not handle another child at this time. So, it is what is perfect for our family at this time!
My son is 18 months and is still BF on demand. He wakes 5 or 6 times in the night for feeding – I work full time so he doesn’t feed during the day.
We co-sleep as this is the only way I can get enough sleep.
I would love to become pregnant again, but feel that he will reduce his milk intake as and when he is ready. Even when he was really small he fed frequently and for long periods of time.
Ideally I would love to get pregnant, continue to breastfeed and then feed both, but we’ll see what happens over the next few months.
Good luck Hannah! That is wonderful that you are meeting your sons needs for night nursing, and you are co-sleeping to help you get enough sleep! It can be tough to balance your desire for another child with the needs of your first child, but you are so right that your son will let you know when his needs change gradually over the coming months. You can always re-evaluate every few months to see how you feel about the balance.
My daughter was weaned over two months ago at 8 months (began the process a month before that) for two reasons. First, my milk supply was dwindling and she was screaming for 30-60 minutes in frustration at every feeding. The second is that my husband and I would love another baby anytime. I didn’t have a return of my cycle until 7-1/2 weeks after she was fully weaned, and she had been sleeping through the night since six weeks, so I was surprised it took so long. When it did return, I had finally started taking vitex to speed things along. However, I have been charting, and it was an annovulatory bleed. As of yet (day 16), I still show no signs of heading toward ovulation. I am trying to be patient.
My Period returned today:( My son is 7 months and 1 week. Just wanting to check that this is normal, I googled this and came across this forum. Thanks all breasfeeding moms. I breastfeed 6 times, mostly at night…we co-sleep…(and the other 2 feeds are formula during the day while I am at work) and baby is on solids.
I have been exclusively breastfeeding my son and feeding on demand. He is five months old and I just got my period. Aaarrgghh!
Its hard because it sorta makes me feel like I’m doing something wrong.
But I can only attribute this to his bronchiolitis and subsequent ear infection. It gave him a lot of difficulty with nursing and got things off track. There was a lot of pumping as a result, and as of late he also started sleeping through the night.
Also, breastfeeding has become more difficult during the day because he is incredibly active and easily distracted. The only time he wants to nurse is when he is sleepy – the other times I sort of have to coax him to the breast by promising his toys won’t disappear!
I am the mother of a 13 month old, and I just got my period back the week before my son turned one. I have not had another period since then, which on the surface would be fine for me, but for the fact that my husband and I want to have another baby. I stay at home with my son, and we have cut down to him nursing about 4 times each day (which might not be enough, since he will not drink whole milk and only has about 4 ounces of water each day, but that is a whole other topic). I also pump once a day (which I am going to push back to once every day and a half) so that I can have milk to mix with his cereal, which he still loves.
I started trying to wean my son right at 12 months, but he is resistant (and won’t drink breastmilk out of any container) and to be honest, if it weren’t for the fact that we are trying to have another baby, I would lean more toward baby lead weaning.
The problem is, since it has been about 6 weeks since I had my one and only period since becoming pregnant I don’t know if I am ovulating. If you have one period does that mean that even though your period is not regular, that you will ovulate again, or could I have just had a random period, and it may take some time for ovulation to regulate itself? Just some background info, I am 40 and in great physical health (my doctors say they have no concern about me having other children), but of course time is ticking, and I don’t want to miss the opportunity, if God allows, to have 2 more children.
I had my second child 4 months ago, I had my first period at 3 months and I breastfeed every 2-3 hours and the baby never had any supplements. The same thing happened with my first child. After child #1 my periods were every 28 days after that 3 month mark. So far I haven’t had a second period with my second. (Maybe I am pregnant again.)
With my 1st son, I got them back at 3 months. He was exclusively bf til 7 1/2 months and night fed 3-4 times til he was 22 months. With my second, again exclusively bf, and tandem feeding with eldest they came back at 3 1/2 months. wAS ALSO STill feeding 2/3 times a night. Yes, i think i ovulated too before my first one.
Got mine today. Son now 7 months and 2 days. exclusively breast fed til 6months then started solids. Did have EBM from a bottle since about week old on semi regular basis but pumped. since starting solids he’s slept a little longer at night (down to regularly only 1 feed from 630pm-730am and usually first stretch about 8-9 hours now rather than 5-6 as pre solids). I am pretty sure I ovulated (EWCM about 7-10 days ago) although post luteal phase likely to have been too short to get pg!
I got my period 2 months after having my daughter. I do feed her on demand, I pump in case there is ever an emergency, but we’ve only tried to give her a bottle once when i was out ( she had 3 oz and made up for it when i got home).. She’s 3 months old and i’ve never given her anything but breastmilk. She is a great sucker and feeds really well.. i feed her every 2-3 hours with a large feeding in the morning and at night, cause she sleeps all night..
I can’t believe i got my silly period only 2 months after having her even if i breasfeed exclusively, i was totally expecting many more period free months! With my first daugher i know it took much longer for it to come back , but i couldn’t tell you when it did ( since she’s 10 now)
I’m wondering if i should be a little concerned i got my period back soo quickly.. or maybe it wont come back for many months i haven’t had a second one yet but i’m due any day
Hi Chinapeach — it’s the fact that your baby is sleeping through the night that is the key to the return of your period. You said you’re wondering if you should be concerned, but I am not surprised given how long you are going overnight without nursing. Thanks for your comment!
I have two children, Christian and Sarah. My fertility returned at 17 and 15 months respectively. I nursed Christian for 27 months until I was pregnant with Sarah. We co-slept and he nursed through the night.
Sarah is almost 16 months and I would like to wean her early. Of course I am not sure how to do that