The Return of Your Period After Labor

There are many ranges of normal. I am nearly 21 months PP (crazy!) and still no AF. We nurse maybe 1-2x a day, never between 8/9pm and 5/6pm. Usually in the mornings and occasionally during the day. I am also slim, so my body fat may play into things.

Everyone is different!

K.

My cycle came back at 12 months pp. I nursed my son until he was 3.5, so mime came back while I was still nursing.

I'd move the doctor appointment personally. I started my period 7 months after my oldest was born and she's still nursing at 27 months. Most women restart their period before their child is 1 regardless of their nursing status. Since he was weaned a couple months ago, there aren't lactation hormones keeping your period at bay. Could you be pregnant?

With my first child (i only breastfeed for three months) it toke 4 month after i stoped for period to come back. I still have not statered after child number 2 and i just stoped brestfeeding. She will be 2 in Dec.

It took nearly 4 months for my period to return after I quit nursing, and I only nursed for 7 months. Once it did return, I remembered what a pain it was and wished it would go away again!

I have always had it return exactly 2 months from the time my child really took to solids, so with one of them it was 20 months later and with the other 2 @ 14 months after the birth. In none of the cases were the kids weaned, in fact I have been nursing continually since 1997. I always did ecological nursing so it always did delay fertility, ( and it often does not if you don't do ecological nursing) the fact it came back so long after you weaned is actually unusual. The last 2 times mine came back I was still nursing 2 children @ the time....

the same thing happened to me. with my second son it just takes awhile for your hormones to get back to normal.
there could be one other explanation, after i stopped breastfeeding my oldest i didnt get a period, i was pregnant! my advice is take a prego test, if it's negative just wait it out.

Hi A.,
With my first, I nursed until she was a year old. My period started about 2 weeks after I stopped nursing completely. I had a routine doc appt between the time I stopped nursing and the time my period started, and my doc was a little suprised that it hadn't started yet. She told me to wait a couple months, and if it still hadn't started to come in and see her again. I have an 8 months old I am still nursing, and still haven't had a period yet. Personally, I am enjoying it while it lasts ;-) but since you haven't nursed for four months - it might be worth it to put in a call to your doc to her her opinion. Best wishes!

~J.

I nursed for 19 months and my period returned irregularly at about 15 mo PP when we were down to two feedings and was not regular until I had completely weaned. You don't write if you are on birth control, that can also make a difference.

It took me a year and a half to ge tmine back. Turned out I was very anemic. Once we got my iron levels back up, things returned to normal!

So it's good to get checked out.

A.

There is a very wide range of "normal" for your period returning, but it might be a good idea to ask your doctor, just to be sure. For me, I began introducing solids at four months. The very next month, my period returned normally. I continued to nurse until my son was two years old, but it never seemed to effect my periods. I'm a little envious of you . . . it must be nice to have such a long break! :)

With both of my children I didn't start my period until four months after I stopped breastfeeding and I breastfed both for fourteen months. Enjoy this period free time (but still use contraceptive unless you want to get preggers again!).

You're still in the 'normal' range.

Depending on your age, your activity level and your body fat, you can be without periods for 3 months (know a woman who was really mad about that!) to 18 months following the birth, extended by breastfeeding, particularly 'on demand' feeding, many, many times a day for short feeds.

My eldest weaned at 27 months, by which time I was already 7 months pregnant. My period returned at 14 months that time. The second time my period was back at 15 months, and she weaned past 2 as well.

Remember that you are very likely to ovulate before your period, so if you think you have done what it takes to get pregnant (and have taken no steps to stop it), it's always possible to go from pregnancy/nursing to pregnant again with no period between. Which is good on the pad budget, but messes with the doctor's head <grin>

Are you on any birth control? The Estrogen will boost your cycle to occur and then you should be ok, but if you already have it and its still not happening, then I'd talk to the doctor and if you're still not satisfied, talk to another one! The more information you have or get, the better! Good luck and God Bless,
R. W.

I breastfed both my kids for 15 months each. My period came back at 6 months with my son and at 11 months with my daughter. My period was very heavy and uncomfortable for the first couple of months, but got better as time went on.

After my 1st son, my period returned when he was 9 months old. I was still nursing at that time, although my milk supply was slowing down. With my 2nd son, my period returned when he was 8 months old (he's 12 months now), but not consistently and I'm still nursing him although trying to wean him. I'd say you're probably just fine, but if it concerns you call your doctor's office and speak with an advice nurse to see if you should move your appointment up.