Babys First Year Blog
Periods Are Delayed When You Breastfeed — Right?
Last week, I wrote about what I consider to be the best part of breastfeeding — period. It’s really funny to me that while writing the piece, I didn’t really think much about periods, because that particular perk didn’t pan out for me.
You see, I had my first period FOUR MEASLY WEEKS after delivering my baby, in spite of the fact that I was nursing full time. Can someone please tell me where the justice is in that?
My lochia had completely stopped by about 2 weeks postpartum, and I was ready to settle in to months of period-free days. I mean, I was planning to start wearing white, flowing sundresses and run through fields of daisies. It was going to be that good.
Needless to say, I was shocked and appalled when I reached 4 weeks postpartum, and started having what looked and felt like a regular period.
I called my doctor, and he said sometimes that just happens.
According to DrSears.com:
The same hormones that make milk suppress the release of reproductive hormones. While breastfeeding full-time most mothers do not ovulate and do not have menstrual periods.
So much for that.
I ended up starting a minipill, and I am now having my second period since having my baby. I am actually kind of bitter about the whole thing, especially when I saw all of your comments on my last post, saying that the delayed period was your favorite part of breastfeeding. I am jealous, ladies, sincerely jealous!
When was your first period after baby? Tell me in the comments!
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78 Comments
Lisa commented on Feb 10 12 at 10:34 am3 weeks and I was breastfeeding
Rebecca O'Brien commented on Feb 10 12 at 10:35 amIf your nursing you may not get a period. Some women do some don’t. Once I stopped nursing it took about 2 months.
Lindsy commented on Feb 10 12 at 10:36 am4 months for me! Then got preggo again when DS was 6 months… still nursing. Whoops. :-)
Sarah commented on Feb 10 12 at 10:37 am10 months and none yet…
lisandra falcon commented on Feb 10 12 at 10:37 amI had my period about 44 days after having the baby and I was breastfeeding full time
Jan S commented on Feb 10 12 at 10:37 amI think it was 6 months later…sorry you had the bad experience. It IS the last thing you want!
Lacy commented on Feb 10 12 at 10:37 amI had my daughter Nov. 2010 and I still have not had a period yet. Honestly I do not miss it! I still breast feed full time. On another note I think it’s creeping up on me since I have been getting cramps around the time of my period just no period.
Jenna commented on Feb 10 12 at 10:37 amMy lochia didn’t stop for 10 Weeks but then I didnt get my first period until she was 7 months old.
The Maven commented on Feb 10 12 at 10:38 amYou are going to hate me Crissy, but about 18-19 months post pardum with both births.
Still nursing both times.
Terra C commented on Feb 10 12 at 10:39 amMy first one was 12 months with my son, and 11 months with my daughter. I was surprised it was that long!
Rachel Buiten Rohde commented on Feb 10 12 at 10:39 amI had my son in February and my first period after birth was in April.
annie commented on Feb 10 12 at 10:39 amThat’s what I enjoyed most with my first child – but still used birth control while full time breastfeeding my second just in case. Daughters 2 & 3 are 13 months apart. It does indeed happen. I was either prenatal or post-partum for what felt like years!
Rici commented on Feb 10 12 at 10:40 amI started mine 6 weeks after K was born. It was the same with T. I exclusively breastfeed/breastfed but that didn’t seem to matter. I got an IUD, once the bleeding from that stops….I will hopefully be period free like I was after I got it for birth control after T was born!
Tiffany Dover commented on Feb 10 12 at 10:41 amTomorrow I’ll be 5 weeks postpartum and I am not nursing due to the baby not taking well to my breasts (unfortunately) and I have not had a period yet!
The Anecdotal Baby commented on Feb 10 12 at 10:43 amMy lochia stopped about 2 and 1/2 weeks after delivery, but was never as bad as my birthing coach warned… thank goodness. I actually had a period (I also breast fed) 3 months after delivery… almost to the day, and I was like you in thinking it was unfair and wondering what happened to my many months of period-free living. It didn’t last though. My cycle didn’t return again until October.
Stacie commented on Feb 10 12 at 10:43 amIt’s been awhile but I think it was about the 2 month mark.
Jen Gobel commented on Feb 10 12 at 10:44 am10 and 11 months post partum respectively! It was great while it lasted each time!
Kasey@AllThingsMamma commented on Feb 10 12 at 10:44 amI believe it was like at 4 and 6 weeks postpartum and I nursed for over a year!
suzette commented on Feb 10 12 at 10:47 amWell for me i breastfed my son, so my period came 6 months after having him. Still nursing him at 13 months!!
Simone M commented on Feb 10 12 at 10:52 amMine returned 8 weeks pretty much for all 3 babies. My Midwife said that as soon as your baby skips a feeding/sleeps through the night then it will come back. That was around the same time my kids all slept through the night for the 1st time so it made sense to me. All were breastfed for a year or more.
Kristine commented on Feb 10 12 at 10:56 amI had lochia bleeding for a full 6 weeks, but didn’t get my period until I started to wean, which was around 6 mos.
Tenielle S commented on Feb 10 12 at 10:57 amWith both my pgs it started around 6wks pp. I was not one of the lucky ones :)
meekasmommy commented on Feb 10 12 at 11:13 amMy baby is 8 months old now, and still no period in sight ;)
Sandra commented on Feb 10 12 at 11:15 amAt 11 months. I breastfed until he was 14 months. Sorry yours came back so soon. :-/
Jennifer commented on Feb 10 12 at 11:20 amCurrently 3 months and counting :)
Nici R commented on Feb 10 12 at 11:22 amI had an IUD put in 7 weeks postpartum, so that may change things as well, but I am breastfeeding full time, my baby is 5 months and I haven’t had a period yet.
Jessica commented on Feb 10 12 at 11:28 am6weeks for me
Carli miles commented on Feb 10 12 at 11:33 amI had mine just 4 weeks post delivery as well!! I was also breast feeding full time and quite bitter when it came back sooo fast!!
Jeniffer Smith commented on Feb 10 12 at 11:37 amYep. The lochia had stopped 2 days before I started my first period after baby. Sometimes it does happen. :( And now? I’ll have an 18-month-old and a newborn come August. But I’m excited about that one. ;)
Jill C commented on Feb 10 12 at 11:46 amI would have killed for four weeks after my E Baby was born. My lochia had started to wear off at 3 weeks, when suddenly I had serious cramps and HEAVY bleeding. I called the nurse in a panic and she told me I had probably started my period. I was exclusively breast feeding and was still waking up every 3 hours for a feeding. It was awful and I cometely feel your pain, but on a more positive note, a period could just be reassurance you aren’t pregnant again! ;)
Chelsea Preston commented on Feb 10 12 at 11:52 amMy period didn’t start back till my daughter was 12 months and we cut back on the nursing. Then I got pregnant two months later so I have only had 2 periods in the last 2 years .
kristin h commented on Feb 10 12 at 12:36 pmBaby is six months old and no period yet, although starting at 8 weeks and going until about 14 weeks I spotted here and there every few days. I thought my period had returned at first, but turns out it was just hormones!
Nicole {at} Modern Style Mama commented on Feb 10 12 at 12:43 pmAfter my 4th my lochia settled down more each week and was gone around 3 weeks. I breastfed/pumped for about 6-8 weeks. I didn’t get my first period until 15 weeks after having baby. But when it came, it came like a bat out of hell. My first 3 periods were terribly heavy and I spotted in between too.
Sarah commented on Feb 10 12 at 12:45 pm14 months, I breastfed exclusively through 6 months, and breastfed on demand all the time.
Alysia George commented on Feb 10 12 at 12:46 pmWith my last baby, I didn’t have my period for over a year after she was born. It was pure bliss.
anna {girl with blog} commented on Feb 10 12 at 1:39 pmExact. Same. As. Yours! Darn it. My doc was all ‘you’re just in that 10%’. Great…
Kate commented on Feb 10 12 at 2:09 pmI don’t blame you for being bitter! You got the shaft. I didn’t get my period while breastfeeding my son until I weaned him at 13 months. It came back around the same time with my daughter even though I still nursed once or twice a day for months beyond that.
Andrea Henry commented on Feb 10 12 at 10:40 pm22 months no period but I was exclusive on demand with no supplements nothing but breast milk no solids until he was 10 months..
www.shotgunkorea.wordpress.com commented on Feb 11 12 at 2:12 amSix months PP and still nothing…
Geneva commented on Feb 11 12 at 10:11 amMy lochia stopped at about 10 days (maybe less, because I was seriously shocked at how fast it stopped for me!) and I am almost 7mos pp and still no period. Guess I’m lucky! This is baby #2. With my first son I had my lochia for like 2 weeks then I bf for 6mos. One month after I quit I had my period.
Katy E commented on Feb 11 12 at 10:22 amWith my first baby, my period came back around around 4-6 weeks so I went on the mini-pill despite exclusive breast feeding. With my second, it was 5 months until the return of menses. The only difference between the two babies is that with my first baby, I put him in his own room/crib by the time he was 4 weeks old(we both slept better that way) and with #2, I kept him in a bedside co-sleeper until her was about 5 months old. Still, it super sucks to get a period while full-time breastfeeding and have friends go 3 years and two babies without a single period.
zoesmumlizs commented on Feb 11 12 at 10:43 ammy baby is 9 month and i stil don’t have my period, thats nice BUT i also don’t have any desire for sex, in fact my body is literally so closed up that there is no physical way of having sex, and i didn’t even have a vaginal birth, that is way more irritating than having my period and makes having a good relationship with my husband besides having a stressful time with a new baby even harder :-(
Rebecca commented on Feb 11 12 at 4:22 pmMine was fairly soon after and then I had them weekly after that, and i was breast feeding! Full on mood swings and all! In the end I went on the mini pill to sort it out. Since then I haven’t had any. Thank goodness!
Jenn commented on Feb 11 12 at 11:39 pmI breastfed both of my babies (daughter – 10 months; son – 14 months), and my period started by 6 weeks postpartum, and was regular as clockwork, with both of htem.
Jenn
http://www.jenn.nu
Tara commented on Feb 12 12 at 5:34 amwith my first one, My period came back at about 14 months, my second one is almost 9 months, and still nothing.
Elissa commented on Feb 12 12 at 5:36 amDamn, lady! You got shafted! My kid is 15.5 months, and still nothing. I sort of figure it’s the pay off for having one that still nurses through the night.
karen commented on Feb 12 12 at 6:51 amI fed my twins for 19months my periods didn’t come back for first 6 months
Erin commented on Feb 12 12 at 7:51 amIt might all just depend on your body getting back to normal after the whole prego bit. I’m 8 months after my 4th baby. My body is still working itself out. My hair is crazy. I have skin issues. I too am taking the minipill. I had a period at the begining but I was told by my dr that when I bf for more than 6 times a day it would make my period lighter or non exsistant. Which became the case. My other post partums were all different too.
Pam commented on Feb 12 12 at 7:59 amI have been breastfeeding for 13 months now, and I think I am starting to get it back. Last month seemed like a true period to me, but I hate it because I was thinking of conceiving again very soon.
Jen commented on Feb 12 12 at 8:17 amI am eight weeks postpartum, breastfed for five weeks and still have not had my period…
HH commented on Feb 12 12 at 8:35 amThis is the story of my life! Baby #1 period started exactly 28 days later while exclusively breastfeeding. Baby #2 is 3 months old and I just got done with my 3rd period since having her! She is also exclusively breastfed! Oh well I guess I’ll just have to wait to get pregnant with the next one to enjoy period free days again.
Erin Human commented on Feb 12 12 at 9:28 amI was one of the lucky ones… my son was 13 months when it came back. He hadn’t weaned yet but wasn’t nursing very much at that point.
shan commented on Feb 12 12 at 9:29 amI havent had a true period since my son has been born, and he is now 5 months
K. C. commented on Feb 12 12 at 9:49 amI was bf’ing and got mine after 10 weeks. I was so mentally unprepared that when it happened, I sobbed and told my husband that I was bleeding and probably had cancer. He said, “Babe, it’s your period.” LMAO
Kellie commented on Feb 12 12 at 9:56 amI am equally pissed. My baby is 4 months old. Bled for 7 weeks after I had her & now am on my 3rd period since. Feel CHEATED!!!
Rebecca commented on Feb 12 12 at 10:00 am8 months but I have bled for almost 3 months now? Anyone else experience this?
Jen commented on Feb 12 12 at 10:31 amI had my first period 4 months out, and I am currently pregnant with our second, who will be 15 months behind our first. I do not recommend the rhythm method ;)
Jen commented on Feb 12 12 at 10:32 amAnd I was nursing full time. My milk ran out by 3 months into the pregnancy. Such is life.
Sarah commented on Feb 12 12 at 10:38 amI exclusively pumped for 6 months… Had my son Sept ’10, got what I thought was my period the.following January.. but then not again till march, and didn’t become regular til May, which is when I got knocked up again :-) Sooooo, now that I’m having this baby in 3 days, we will see how it goes!!!
Nicole commented on Feb 12 12 at 10:55 amA few days after my postpartum check up. I was and still am a bit bitter about it. Sleep deprived, baby blues and pms is really just not fair. I was ebf and my son was a big eater. Every 2 hours or less for the first few months. Though im still more bitter about women who have kids that sleep through the night from day one! Could have enjoyed those newborn days so much more if i was running off more then a few hour incremets
Sunnie commented on Feb 12 12 at 10:57 ammy baby is 2.5 months now. Mine was exactly the same as your’s, i.e. period started after 4 weeks of postpartum… but much less bleeding on my second period.
Liz H. commented on Feb 12 12 at 11:02 amI got mine when both my boys were about three months old. I think it had something to do with them starting to sleep 4-5 hour stretches through the night. My milk supply drops a bit on the day I ovulate and the day I start my period, and the baby gets extra fussy. No fun!
melissa commented on Feb 12 12 at 11:18 amAfter I had Ava in December 2010. I didn’t have my period until February 2012. That is the longest I have gone with nursing full time. But my other three were different. You never know what to expect.
Heather commented on Feb 12 12 at 11:40 amDarn thing came back when my baby was around 6 months, and I was quite disappointed :( I was hoping it’d stay gone longer… but oh well, atleast I had 6 whole period free months! lol. Man, I sure didn’t miss that blasted thing
Melissa commented on Feb 12 12 at 12:37 pm15 months and it’s not back yet, breastfeeding full time on demand !!
cici commented on Feb 12 12 at 1:31 pmI got mine at 6 weeks post partum :( I was so hoping to not get one for a while!!!
Lisa commented on Feb 12 12 at 3:30 pm11 months (both times) and i was still disappointed to see it return!
Sasha commented on Feb 12 12 at 4:14 pmI got mine about 10 months after pregnancy and was breast feeding longer than that
Virginia T. commented on Feb 12 12 at 5:07 pmI also got mine about 4 weeks after having baby. I read somewhere that is it only around 5% percent that get a period within 6 months of giving birth if they are breastfeeding full time. I enjoyed it while it lasted but was SUPER bummed when my period came back. Also while I was pregnant I stopped getting migraines (usually 4-9 a month) and they stayed away for about 6 more months after giving birth but then they came back with a vengeance…making up for lost time I guess. Migraines are hard enough to deal with alone, throw a baby into the mix and I just about loose my mind. Thank god for my mom and hubby being able to handle it all when I am out for the count on migraine days!
Emma commented on Feb 12 12 at 8:35 pmI went 40 months without. I got pregnant with my second when my first was 10 months old, without ever having a period. I was told this happens but is incredibly rare, the docs and midwives the second time around had never seen this happen, but the textbooks say it can, and it does! Then I breastfed the second until she was 14 months old, and 6 months later finally got a period again. Never missed it, the whole 40 months!
Katie commented on Feb 12 12 at 11:47 pmAfter I had my son I had the bleeding for two weeks, an then after about two weeks of not having bleeding, I got a normal period stayed normal for almost 3 full years, and then I didn’t get my period for 2 months, wasn’t too concerned since before my son I had random cycles, and then Feb. 6 of 2010 was my last period until we found out that we were pregnant with our daughter in June of 2010 (we were only 8 weeks so that was good!). After I had my daughter I bled for almost 7 full weeks, and then didn’t get a period on she was over 6 months old, worst part of all of it was that we live in Minot ND and when it flooded we were stuck on the north side of town and all of our stores that carry pads, tampons, etc. were on the south side, and the flood water divided the town into two, only one way to and from south and north and that was on the bypass and that took 4 hours! It was awful!!
Jodie commented on Feb 13 12 at 5:26 pmMy lochia went for about 6 weeks, with still light spotting – went on the mini pill at 8 weeks – and period was back for good! It could have been there at 4 weeks I wouldn’t have know the difference – but once I was on the mini pill, it came every 3 weeks, sometimes starting to spot around 2 weeks.
I was breastfeeding on demand, so my son was taking most of my energy, and having a period sapped the rest, I had to go off the pill so I wasn’t a zombie everyday!
Currently 22 weeks preggars with bubs 2, and hoping that I get some break from it this time round!
nurul commented on Feb 17 12 at 11:24 pmi got my period after the baby 1 month age, and i do full breastfeed, but then the months later i dont get my period anymore until my baby is 7 months, maybe u should wait before take the pill
nurul commented on Feb 17 12 at 11:27 pmi think the minipill also control your hormones for reproductive ones, it can give u back your period
Amber - Binkertation commented on Feb 22 12 at 10:36 am15 months postpartum with my daughter… and I’m almost 8 months pp with no period in sight – also on mini pill both times. Everyone is different!
Eileen commented on Mar 16 12 at 4:16 amWith all 6 of my kids I nursed between 8 and 18 months and didn’t have to deal with periods till about the 6 month mark, definitely brought on by less nursing when started solids. I tell you though, I relished in the thought that I had NINETY MONTHS free of that mess, when adding up the pregnancies and the period free nursing months. Michelle Duggar ain’t got nothing on ME! Well, cept’ maybe a decade more or so. LOL.
I do have a daughter on the young side, at 19 just had a baby girl in October and she started back with period about month 2. She was SO irritated about it because she is still nursing exclusively after 5 months and a lot of hard work and dedication! Just not fair and here I TOLD her she’d get a break. Mom DOESNT know it all after all! Wonder if it has to do with better eating and nutrients these days OR maybe the reverse…all the food additives and hormones and such? Just seems weird so many have experienced this. Sorry, Crissy and all you others. My heart bleeds for you. :0 Really.
Donna George commented on Mar 18 12 at 5:09 pm4 weeks of lochia, period about a week later, PLUS I started to get my period every 3 weeks after that. I was exclusively breastfeeding and everything. Methinks they need to another study!!
margo commented on Apr 03 12 at 1:15 ammy breastfed baby is 15 months and I have no period
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