Anyone Get Periold While Breastfeeding?

I've known many people who had their period. You don't even need a period to ovulate. I've known so many people who got pregnant, but had no period!!

With my first child, I got mine for the first time 10 mo. after giving birth, the second and third at generally the same time. All of three of my children were breastfed for between 15-19 months.

I got my first period around 11 months only lasted a few days and then didn't get another until 13 months. At 14 months it was like clock work already! :S

Help what. Of course you can ovulate while breastfeeding. Many women don't, but many women do. In fact, I have a friend that has 3 kids. She started ovulating at 4 weeks with all of them.

I personally don't ovulate while breastfeeding.

So use condoms! In fact, even thought I know I don't ovulate while breastfeeding, we ALWAYS USE PROTECTION, unless of course we want to create a baby.

I think I got my period back around the 5-6 month after our daughter was born; we breastfed until she was 21 months. I was a little disappointed because I, too, thought that it wouldn't come back until we were done BFing. My period IS different now; I have really bad PMS now and I never had that before. That really sucks!! BUT, my period now only lasts for 3 days.

I got my period back after 3 months of exclusive breastfeeding. My period was DEFINITELY different. Pre-pregnancy, I never had ANY cramping, bloating, PMS, or anything associated with periods. The only way I knew I was on it was when I noticed blood after using the bathroom. NOW I get it all. My poor hubby thought he was the lucky man who's wife didn't PMS. LOL! I also had to change tampons... the kind I used before weren't doing anything. I switched from tampax pearls to Playtex sports, with a liner as backup. I think 'down there' must have been rearranged or something. O_O

If you are worried about getting pregnant again, I would play it safe and get on the mini-pill. (It's progesterone only, so safe for nursing mothers.) Or condoms.

My period came back 3 months after my first was born, and then I was pregnant 3 months later! We decided to put in the mirena after daughter #2 so I didn't get a period. No more surprise babies! Everyone is different. I thought it would be a while before my period came back, but surprise surprise. My period was pretty much the same.

Nope -- didn't get my period while breastfeeding but that's because i got pregnant WHILE breastfeeding BEFORE getting my period. My youngest two are less than 14 months apart.

I tell everyone don't confuse breastfeeding with birth control!

My period has come back while breastfeeding with all three of my children, but not for quite some time -- sometime around the time my kids were 18 months old, give or take a month or two (I've nursed all 3 kids 'til about 3 years old.) Every woman is different. I know women who don't get their period back until they wean their babies, and women who started up again a month after giving birth, like clockwork.

If you go more than 3 hours between feedings or nurse fewer than 8 times a day, it's more likely that you will start cycling again, so it also has a lot to do with your baby's nursing habits.

yes I got my period while I was still breastfeeding my second daughter. Don't worry because this is normal for some people. When I was breastfeeding my first daughter this never happened until I completely stopped breastfeeding her. I think it's amazing how your body just reacts differently to every pregnancy and birth. Good luck to you!

It's different for everyone. My period came back after around 4 months with each but it didn't affect nursing, I nursed my last for 22 months! And as far as I know you can ovulate and still get pregnant when nursing.

Normal is a bell curve. The majority of people (the middle of the curve) don't get their period back for quite a few months while nursing. The women at what I consider the lucky edge of the curve NEVER get their period back until they have TOTALLY weaned. ME? I was at the CURSED edge of the curve-- 2 weeks after the post partum bleeeding stopped my period was back-- as bad or worse than ever! In fact it was bad enough I broke down when he was 8 months old and got the Mirena IUD--stopped my periods and seemed to increase my milk supply...

Both my kids were exclusively breastfed. I got my period immediately after each of them were born...meaning, probably the next month. I had my period every month the entire time I breastfed.

When i was nursing for 2 1/2 years i had 2 periods. They are elusive but very possible.

They seemed less heavy, but im lucky, my periods never are.

i have exclusively breastfed 3 children for 2 years each and am currently nursing a 7 month old. i don't start giving them food until about 8 months and none them ever took a bottle. however, with my 1st 2 i got my period back at 5 months and with my 3rd at 10 months. my cramps seemed to have lessened since before children, and my periods aren't as often, but i've always gotten pregnant fairly quickly so can't say anything about regularity or how heavy they were with any consistency. as with all things motherhood everyone is different and it seems any thing is possible:) i will say all my babies had a weird reaction to my breastmilk right before i would get my period as if the milk tasted funny. sorry you may be getting yours so soon. kinda takes away one of the bonuses of nursing:(

With my first daughter I got my period at 3 months (after bleeding initially for 8 weeks!) I bf exclusively for 6 months.

With DD 2 I got AF back at 5 months and I she only started the occasionally solids last week so I have had two regular cycles with BF exclusively.

Some women are not so lucky, we only get the 9 month break. :)

Everyone is different. Mine started before he weaned. but not until right before his first birthday. I have friends who started early..within the first couple of months. I once read it had something to do with how long you went in between nursing and in my small sample, that made a lot of sense. My son did not sleep consistently through the night until 19 months so I was nursing him in closer duration than my friends who had 'good sleepers." I do not know if this is a fact...I just remember reading it.

Some women don't get their periods until they partially wean or fully wean... other exclusively nursing Moms like you and I - aren't so lucky. I got my period with #1 within 4 months of the birth and I exclusively breastfed until 7-8 months. My #2 is only 2 months old and my uterine bleeding finally ended at 7 weeks after - hoping my period will take longer this time to return.

Prolactin will not always keep your period away, nor be a good birth control. In my case, tho it didn't help with prolonging my period it DID give me an unknown very good birth control.

Yep, I breastfed for 8 mo and my period started like a clock 8 weeks after delivery.

C.,
Congratulations on breastfeeding your baby! That is the best thing you can do. And exclusive. How wonderful! So much more healthy for the baby. AND YOU!

yep. I had it first month back after both boys.

period comes back when it comes back. It's a nice vacation when you can get it, but, well, can't depend on that like your real vacations. ; )

However this time I didn't get as much nutrition after baby, and went through lactational amenorrhea, several months. It was a nice vacation but the reason for it wasn't so nice. I've lost 60 pounds since baby a year ago. I'm putting a little back on, but still losing in other areas.

This however doesn't mean you specifically are not getting enough nutrition - but check to see that you are getting not just 3 meals a day but snacks in between to support your nursing - and you!

Best thing you can do is high-calcium snacks after Noontime. Why? because your body absorbs calcium when you sleep - into your bones. Which is where nursing takes it from.

You don't mention how your period is different though. how do you need help?

Drink water, continue your prenatal supplements (although I have changed when I take mine to late morning then all after noon. ie: recommended dose is 4 capsules. I take one in late AM, then space out the other 3 over the afternoon. If I took them all at once, my body can't use all that at the same time and just flushes what it can't stuff into my cells, wasting them. You can tell if you are too close together with your vitamins if your urine is a dark yellow. Also if you're not getting enough water for you and nursing at the same time.)

Good luck,
M.

Nope. I went almost a full year period free, when it comes back, it comes back slowly and spotty. so some will get theirs earlier, then may skip a month or two... while others like me will go a long time.

Almost every breastfeeding mom I know has gotten her period before weaning. The actual timing of it varies from mom to mom, but I've known women who've gotten as soon as six weeks after giving birth.

I must have been the freak on this end of life. I exclusively breastfed all of my children and had a period with every one of them every month. The only time I didn't was when I got pregnant with the next child. I talked to my doctor about it once and she told me that it happens. Some women will still get their period even while breastfeeding. This is why you shouldn't rely soley on breastfeeding as your form of birth control. My periods while breastfeeding weren't really any different from before, other than they were a little more regular.
J.---SAHM of 7

I never heard that you shouldn't, just that it is possible to not have it.

I was lucky enough to make it to the 5 month without my period, but eventually my body figured out that I wasn't pregnant anymore and sent me a lovely present.

I had signs of it every month before that, but just no bleeding. I found that my first couple were rather heavy (in comparison to before preg) and I had more cramping. I also spotted a little in month 5, 6, and 7, but then it went back to normal.

It isn't bad- its just your body getting back to normal.

Mine returned when my twins were 10 months old. Everyone is different. I have a friend whose children are nine months apart, so even without a period she clearly ovulated.

It's unsual if you are exclusively breastfeeding around the clock, but it can happen. When you start giving solids or baby starts sleeping though the night, you may get a period. I went 9 or 10 months without one after my 2nd baby, although I breastfed til 13 or 14 months.