Irregular Menstral Cycle

Updated on March 18, 2009
V.H. asks from Hollidaysburg, PA
15 answers

I have been breastfeeding my daughter since she was born - she's now almost 6 months old. My period came back when she was about 4 months. It's been nearly 2 months and I haven't had my period again. Is this common to have irregular cycles while breastfeeding? I'm really concerned about being pregnant again - although I took a few home-pregnancy tests and they came out negative.

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So What Happened?

My period has finally returned! Thanks, everyone for reassuring me that everything was okay. Crazy menstrual cycle...

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A.H.

answers from Washington DC on

I only had one periode while I was breastfeeding my daughter. My doc told me it was normal and to tell the truth I didn't miss it much lol.

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C.M.

answers from Wichita on

Hi V.- I too was freaked out by periods when I was breastfeeding... I BF my twins until just before their one year birthday when they made me quit cold turkey! I didn't have a period until about a month later!
When we had been breastfeeding for 3 months, I called my OB and asked "Did you fix something while you were under the hood??" (we conceived by IVF & delivered by C-cection) and he assured me everything was still broken & it was normal to have irregular or even non existant periods while feeding- especially in my case with twins!
It was a nice trade off! Their health & no monthly hassles for me...

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N.D.

answers from Washington DC on

It is very normal to have irregular periods while breastfeeding. I breast fed for 7 months and didnt get mine until 8 months after my son was born

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L.O.

answers from Pittsburgh on

Girl, my period was all over the place while I was nursing...I started getting it the moment cereal hit his lips - just backing off nursing a little triggered it - watch though - I did end up pregnant when my son was 10 months old, but it ended up being ectopic....don't worry - you're normal!!!
Best of luck to you and yours!!!

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D.J.

answers from Philadelphia on

Breast feeding messes up your cycle. It is either light or non existant. Nothing to worry about.

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M.M.

answers from Washington DC on

Hi! Cycles are usually all over the place while you're nursing. The last time I nursed my daughter was on Jan. 16th. The first day of my cycle was the 23rd!!! Of course I'm waiting to see if AF will visit me again this month, or exactly how wacky it will be and for how long!!

While I was nursing my son however I never had a period. When he was 6 month old I found out I was 3 weeks pregnant with my daughter!! In other words if you don't want to get pregnant you should be using protection. Most people believe 1)You can't get pregnant while nursing (this was not my case, we were hoping to get pregnant). 2) That you have to have a period to get pregnant. I'm physical proof that neither one of these are true!!

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M.A.

answers from Pittsburgh on

Hi V.! My breastfed son is almost 4 months old now and I've had several irregular periods already. The first time it happened I got really light-headed at the onset. I was sure something was really wrong and called the midwife right away. Turns out it was just hormones. Anyway, did anyone else find the Postpartum chapter a little lacking in What To Expect When You're Expecting? It was really surprising to me that it could cover so much about being pregnant and then not even mention things like what it would be like to resume your period (like the hormones or how it starts and stops and then disappears for so long) or how to treat those lingering stretch marks.

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H.

answers from Pittsburgh on

It's normal for your cycle to be off schedule as long as your nursing. Mine came back when my son started sleeping longer stretches at night (4 months old) and was pretty irregular until he started eating solids at a predictable rate. I would have one and then not have one for 2-3 months. On an aside, you are right though in that you can get pg.
H.

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Y.L.

answers from Philadelphia on

It pretty much happened to me in the same way. Don't use breastfeeding as a form of birth control. Just make sure you are using something else if you don't want to get pregnant. My period stayed kind of irregular pretty much until I got pregnant again two years later. If you are concern though, I would go see your doctor.

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M.A.

answers from Allentown on

I never had a normal period until my daughter was about 9 months old. I think it is perfectly normal.

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K.F.

answers from Greenville on

I never get my period when I am breastfeeding. Irregular cycles are normal. Are you using birth control? That might help regulate them again. There is a certain pill that you can get that will not upset your milk supply.

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J.M.

answers from Philadelphia on

Hi V.,
I got my period intermittently while I was breastfeeding. I remember I got mine for the first time when my daughter was 5 months old and then not again until she was almost 8 months old.

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S.G.

answers from Washington DC on

It is possible to have irregular cycles while breastfeeding. I didnt get my period back until my daughter was 15 months, then I had one irregular cycle, and after that my periods resumed to the normal 28 day cycle. Four months after my period returned I unexpectedly got pregnant.

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A.R.

answers from Pittsburgh on

This is very common, but if you don't want to get pregnant again quite soon, you really do need to use birth control. You definately can get pregnant while breast feeding. Especially when the baby starts eating solids and nursing less. Good Luck!

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S.J.

answers from Philadelphia on

If you are really worried about it I would just call your OB, I'm sure they'll say it's normal. When I breastfed I didn't get my period at all, until about a month or two after I stopped breastfeeding.

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