Return of Cycle While Breastfeeding

I may be wrong but, it's my understanding that, in many cases, a woman's cycle does not restart until breast feeding has ended. It is also my understanding that the absence of a cycle does NOT ensure you will not get pregnant so, contraception is needed to avoid pregnancy.

My cycle started about 5 months after my son was born. So even if you were to stop breast feeding that may not ensure a rapid restart of your cycle.

Your only option may be a contraceptive.

Good Luck!

Talk to your OBGYN. It might work to try something like going on the pill for a cycle to force a period.

I got pregnant while nursing without a period. So just go for it! I had to wean my son tho after the beginning of the 2nd trimester, I ran out of milk.

14 months post partum is said to be the average time for return of cycles in breastfeeding women, so you certainly are normal.

Depending on how anxious you are to get PG, cutting back on nursing may be the thing to try. With my first baby, I got my period back about 12 months PP after cutting back to nursing only 2-3 times a day. With my now 14 month old, I cut back to nursing just three sessions a day most days and got my period back when he turned 14 months. The way I saw it, cutting back on nursing was a better option than weaning completely, and I didn't want to wait too long to try to conceive again (I'm now over 40).

I nursed my first baby till I was about 5 months PG and he was 18 months old. I also don't think pregnancy is a reason to stop nursing.

Some women think vitamin B6 or an herb called vitex can help with getting cycles back and regular, but I have not tried them. All I tried was cutting back on nursing and not trying to lose the last 5 pounds of baby weight. I wanted to send the message to my body that resources were plentiful.

If your baby still nurses at night, you might want to try to stop that so that you have a good long stretch without nursing in 24 hours.

i am at the same point. have not had a cycle yet, and about to celebrate my daughter's first birthday. because i had kidney stones with my pregnancy, it was recommended that i wait a while before i have another baby, so i went on the mirena. i am hoping that removing it will cause enough of a change to jumpstart my cycle (which tends to run 6 weeks, if at all), and that i wont have another year of trying, and missing, after that. i have heard that second trimester can be tricky nursing, and that it is not recommended in third trimester for problem pregnancies because it causes contractions, however, a good friend nursed her son while carrying twins and she swears by the fish oils. only high quality, of course. so, long story short, i plan to research more herbal methods to aid both conception and lactation, and to keep taking my fish oils. please feel free to pass on any tips you gather!

you say you have low body fat, i say start taking oils!! codliver is great for you and for your daughter through your milk. also bumping up your intake of other oils, flax, pumpkin...etc....NEVER COOKED, drink fresh oils!!

you might also try drinking ashwaghanda, and shatavari, both ayurvedic herbs in warm milk with ghee and honey at least once a day.
healthy hormones depend on good fat!! ashwaghanda is a nerve tonic, and a body regulator. shatavari means in sanskrit "she who posesses a thousand husbands"!

you can write me if you want to communicate more about it.

peace,
M.

Hi J.,
Just wanted to let you know that when you get pregnant your milk will probably go bad. My friend was nursing when all of a sudden her daughter was throwing up all the time. Went to the Dr. and reason, yep, she was pregnant again. So if you really want to get pregnant right away, might as well wean your 14 month old. Good luck on your next. N.

It can take a while for the cycle to return. It took 11 mts. for my 3rd daughter and 13 mts. for my 4th daughter.

Hi J.,
You might be ovulating even though your cycle hasn't returned. Give it a shot! :o) Another note...I nursed my older child well into my pregnancy without problems...milk didn't "go bad" or dry up like other moms mentioned, so just know it doesn't happen to everyone. Good luck!

Hello!
You can totally get pregnant while not having a period. I've know several woman who have and I almost did. I only had one period inbetween babies. I also nursed while pregnant with no problems. You can use one of those ovulation tests but the best way to to watch your undies or when you wipe yourself. When you find a gooie, sticky, milky white blob you need to have sex THAT DAY!! It works, we got prgnant on the first try you just have to be intuned to your own body not the calendar!