I am still nursing my 91/2 month old son. So I was very surprised when I started my period yesterday. I am still nursing 4-5 times a day so I was wondering if this is normal? With my other 2 I didn't start having periods until a month or so after I completly stopped breastfeeding.
Hi K.,
I'm a mother of 3 and breasfed all my kids. Each time I got my period sooner and sooner. With my first it was around 5 months. With my second 3 months and then my 3rd only like 2 months! Very frustrating.
H.
Yes it is normal. You have to be careful. You do ovulate when you are nursing. It is not a method of birth control by any means. I say this from 1)learning in classes I have taken 2)experience. From my college course I am taking now, it says that a female can ovulate from a couple weeks after giving birth to a matter of months. It just depends on the person's particular cycle. So, since one doesn't know when it will happen breastfeeding can not be a method of birth control. For the experience, I have two daughter's 13 months apart. I was nursing my second daughter when she was four months old I became pregnant with my third daughter. And I had not had a period or anything because I had been informed at that time that as long as I was nursing it wasn't a worry. So I say be very careful, and yes it is normal to have one. Just depends on each individual when it will start.
Breastfeeding is up to 98% effective as a natural contraceptive for up to six months after childbirth if your period has not returned. This method of birth control is called the Lactational Amenorrhea Method or LAM. LAM is most effective when you can also answer “Yes” to the following questions:
Do you plan to breastfeed fully for at least 6 months after the birth of your baby? This means that at least nine out of 10 feedings are breast feedings. Breastfeeding women who depend on LAM to prevent pregnancy should limit the number of supplemental feedings given to their infants to no more than 5 to 10 percent for the best contraceptive results.
Do you plan to breastfeed your baby at least once every four hours during the day and every six hours during the night? The most significant impact on fertility is achieved when feedings are spaced out no more than four hours during the day and six hours during the night.
According to the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists or the ACOG, direct breastfeeding is the most effective method for women using LAM. Other feeding methods may “reduce the vigor and frequency of suckling and the maternal neuroendocrine response…” This may increase the probability of ovulation returning. Additional contraception is recommended for women who are unable to directly breastfeed during the majority of feedings, as described above.
Unfortunately, the bottom line is....we can ALWAYS get pregnant
Be careful and take care,
J.
Mine doesn't quit just because I am breastfeeding.
It's not unusual to have your period durning breastfeeding and any obgyn will tell you to use protection while breastfeeding. I fell for the old wives tale that you don't ovulate while nursing, I ovulated when my middle son was 4.5 months old and was pregnant right away.
Every postpartum body is different just like every pregnancy is different. You need to protect your body from itself right now meaning, use protection each and everytime.
You lucked out, you got to wait longer than most.
I was exclusively breastfeeding, on cue, and co-sleeping, nursing several times a night, and got my period back at 5 months. Go figure! It happens, nothing wrong with you. Maybe nature is trying to make another baby sooner! I think you have to be pretty strict about breastfeeding, offering no pacifiers or bottles whatsoever and ALWAYS feeding on cue to not get your period back. I don't know. But I know several women who got their periods while breastfeeding. I'm still nursing my 13 month old and I'm almost 7 months pregnant!
xoxo,
Missy
I know what you mean. After my first baby I didn't get my cycles back for 22mo. Now that my second baby is 7mo I'm starting to get nervous. But he hasn't had any bottles or babyfood meals and stilll nurses every 2-3hrs, so we should be good for a little while longer! I love LAM!
I had them the entire time I was breastfeeding, well, once I'd healed up and such anyway...I didnt realize that was unusual.
I've had one already myself. My daughter is 12 weeks old and I had a period for 7 days when she was 6 weeks and then started again for another full 7 days just after it tapered off. So for 2 weeks straight I had 2 periods and then nothing since. Not sure if it will come back again or wait until I'm done breastfeeding (between 9-12 months is the plan).
I got mine two days after all the post-partum bleeding stopped, and I was breastfeeding exclusively. It is definitely normal!
It's normal. Your breast milk changes in content over the several months to a year that you nurse so your body is probably sending off hormones that is telling it to prepare for weening and ovulation. I did the same thing with my children. Good luck and protect yourself from pregnancy unless that is what you want because you're probably ovulating again.
K.,
I nursed my dd until she was 14 months old and got my period when she was about 10 months. She had no other fluids other than breastmilk or water until she was 12 months and I still started my cycle. I pumped twice a day while at work and actually nursed her maybe 3-4 times each day.
It sounds to me like things are pretty normal with you...
Hi K.,
I believe this is normal. As like every pregnancy/birth/child that's different so is the breastfeeding experience with that child. However, if you have any more questions seek advice from your local La Leche League. They are wonderful and positive support with lots of information!! Here's the link http://www.lalecheleague.org/WebUS.html
Good Luck!!
K.
My period returned around 6 months with my first and 4 with my second. So, yep, you're normal, I guess. I'm glad to hear you are still breastfeeding at 9 1/2 months. Good job and keep it up.
I exclusively breastfed both of my children. I got pregnant with my 2nd when my son was 5 months old. So much for the "if you're breastfeeding you can't get pregnant" rumor! TOTALLY FALSE. I never had a period, but I'm guessing I would have around the 5 month mark if I hadn't conceived, because I obviously ovulated. Most of my friends who breastfed got periods back between 4-7 months after birth, so you actually are pretty lucky to make it as long as you did!
