When Did Your Cycle Return (While Breastfeeding) ? TMI for Some.

Updated on February 13, 2012
A.K. asks from Minneapolis, MN
19 answers

My baby just turned one. She is breastfed. Lately she has been breastfeeding a LOT because she has been sick and hasn't been eating solids very willingly. Anyways, I just started spotting! I am so bummed, I'm not ready for the return of my stupid . ! But my question is, is it normal for my cycle to return while I am still breastfeeding so much, and when or how long does it usually take to get on a normal cycle? will this spotting thing last for awhile? What was your experience?

Also, does it effect milk production?

Thanks!

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A.S.

answers from Iowa City on

I got mine around 6 months for the first child and 4 months for the second. If I recall, it took maybe 2 or 3 cycles for things to normalize. It didn't effect milk production.

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H.M.

answers from Dallas on

I started almost after I stopped bleeding from giving birth with my oldest. Talk about frustrating! My youngest was a few months later. Ever woman is different.

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A.G.

answers from Provo on

This can be a very bitter subject for me...lol. With my daughter I nursed her till she was a year...period started right about when I weaned her. I ASSUMED that was how it would be for all of them! 3 more kids...all weaned at a year...started my period before they were 6 months...even when they were nursing like CRAZY!! I was cranky. very. I was sooo not ready. That's one of the big perks of nursing :). I don't know that it really effected my milk production a whole lot...BUT I did feel a lot more tired around that time of the month (but that could have just been because there were a few little one's running around...that alone is enough to exhaust anyone :)). So, to answer your question - never had a problem with the milk production - just had a problem with my bad attitude and crankiness towards my cycle :p.

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A.A.

answers from Tulsa on

Mine came back at 3 months, despite nursing exclusively all day (and nights sometimes!). Be happy you got a year off, I had barely quite the postpartum bleeding :( Didn't affect my milk production at all. We are still going strong at 10 months.

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W.R.

answers from Roanoke on

Unfortunately, mine returned, both times, when babies were about 4 months old, despite breastfeeding exclusively. : ( My doctor said that happens sometimes, and I was "just unlucky." I would have been thrilled to have gotten a whole year!

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M.P.

answers from Peoria on

For me, it was after 10 months, right around the time my son started to wean. And it got right back to a normal cycle. However, I did notice that my PMS symptoms were slightly different...more emotional, more tempertature fluctuations (i.e. hot flashes), etc.

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B.B.

answers from New York on

I am not sure what the actual science is but in my case, I breastfed my son until he was over 2 1/2. That last year was 1-2 times a day, right before bed. I think I started getting my period again the time he was 18 months old, which was when we switched to nursing only a few times a day or in cases or sickness. I think your body was just ready!

☼.S.

answers from Los Angeles on

Mine came back 8 months into nursing and it came back w/ a vengeance! I also acquired some nasty PMS that I still deal w/ almost 7 years post-birth, which I had never experienced pre-baby. So yes, it's totally normal and in my personal experience, it didn't affect my milk production and I went on to nurse for almost 2 years.

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T.H.

answers from Topeka on

Mine returned and I am still pumping. My LO is not even 3 months! I thought bf would not make me have period which was very appealing.

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L.O.

answers from Detroit on

everyone is different.. my first a girl didnt nurse much.. I got a period 6 weeks after she was born.

my second a son.. loved nursing.. a lot. I got my period at 6 months..

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S.L.

answers from Philadelphia on

Mine came back at 11 months, right around the same time we started to wean during the day so that I didn't have to pump as much at work. Breastfeeding full time will work for some people to prevent your cycle from returning to normal, but not all. I have a friend who exclusively bf both of her children for the first 6 months and in both cases she got her period back when they were 3-4 months of age. So count yourself lucky!

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R.J.

answers from Seattle on

Mine returned 2 weeks after the lochia stopped.

TOTALLY NORMAL.

If not, then through the past several thousand years (when breastfeeding was the only option) you wouldn't find children born in the same year or only 1 year apart.

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M.Q.

answers from Los Angeles on

I exclusively BF DD3 for 6 months and never got a period........then i found out I was pregnant again!! lol

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C.M.

answers from St. Louis on

I bf my 3 kids for a year each and with each of them got my period back around 5-6 months. The first two or three cycles were very heavy but then back to normal. I never noticed any change in milk production.

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B.W.

answers from Louisville on

Mine returned when my daughter was about 7 1/2 months old. I was
exclusively pumping because she would not nurse after taking a bottle when I returned to work. It was no spotting for me, just straight back into the normal cycle. Believe me, I was not ready for the return of Aunt Flo either, but, hey, whatever. I always found that when it was about that time of the month, my milk production would be a little less. I tried to drink lots of water and pump a little more.

E.S.

answers from Dayton on

1st...6 months. Was pretty normal afterwards.
2nd...8 months. Was weird, then normal for a brief time, then weird again...and now I'm pregnant.
Didn't really do anything different w/ them.
Still have plenty of milk.
GL! Everyone is different!

E.B.

answers from Seattle on

17 MONTHS:(

I was so sad........It was nice having it gone:)

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A.C.

answers from Cincinnati on

With both of my children, my period came back between the third and the forth month, about one month after my postpartum bleeding stopped. With my son, I was supplementing with formula and so I wasn't that surprised. My daughter was exclusively breastfed, though, so I was quite surprised. Your period means you've begun ovulating again, too, so many sure you are using birth control unless you are ready for another one!

I would count your blessings that you managed to get a whole year without a period! That's lucky! Most women I know don't get quite that long. The only affect it should have on your breastmilk is that the flavor can change slightly during your period, which some babies don't like. I never had this problem, though.

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...

answers from Los Angeles on

I bf my DD until she was a year. I got my period back when she was 11 months. ( I was bummed as well!) but thankful it lasted as long as it did.

With my son I had 3 heavy periods and then it went back to normal, which for me was light with no cramping.

After my DD its been 6 months and I haven't gone back to my normal, probably won't. I now have cramps and a cycle more of what I hear others have, heavy in the beginning light towards the end.

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