Period and Breastfeeding - Tacoma,WA

Hi L.,

I'd like to introduce myself. My name is H. B. and I am a board certified lactation consultant. That means my field of expertice is breastfeeding. However, nobody knows everything.

First question..... Can increased breastfeeding cause you to skip a period? The answer to that question is yes. This is a process called lactational amennorrhea.

I would like to quote you some info from a book called "The breastfeeding Answer book...

Lactational amenorrhea method (LAM)..... LAM is a family panning method that offers a mother who is exclusively or almost exclusively BF. more than 98% protection against pregnancy during the first 6 months after birth.

LAM is an effective alternative to other family planning methods during the first six months as long as the mother can answer no to the following questions...

1. Have your menses returned? Even if not regularly.
2. Are you supplimenting regularly or allowing long periods w/out breastfeeding either during the day(more than 4 hours) or at night (more than 6 hours)?
3. Is your baby more than 6 months old.

Because you cannot answer no to each of these questions, that means you are at risk of becoming pregnant from here on out. You can still ovulate w/out a period. Unless you are planning on a new pregnancy then I would recommend alternative birth control methods. You hormones are starting to reregulate themselves, but the increase in nursing may temp delay or stop a period during this feeding frenzy. This is quite common for a parent that has been breastfeeding but supplimenting w/additional foods (say the child is 9 months old). This child becomes ill w/ flu. These symptoms are reoccuring for a pattern of 5-6 days. The baby has it all....diarreah, throwing up, fever, ect. And now your infant is refusing all foods except breastmilk. BY increasing your breastfeeding during that 5-6 day period of time might be just enough to delay the next months period. But you could still ovulate. If you can ovulate then you an get pregnant.

Progestin-only methods include A variety of contraceptives, including the minipill, progestin-IUDs, progetrine releasing vaginal rings, injectables (Depo-Provera), and implants (Norplant). This may be a good time to sit down w/ OBGYN and discuss birth control options.

I hope this answers some of your questions. When in doubt, make an appointment w/OBGYN for a blood test determaning pregnant or not!

Good luck!

H. B.

Sorry i am having the same confusion.... my daughter is 19 mnths still breast feeding i havn't got my period since17 months and pregnancy test result is negative....i am not sure when my period will return..... waiting ! waiting ! waiting!

This sounds totally possible to me. My period didn't come back for 1 year when I was breast feeding my son. Your period is probably trying to come back, but it's still irregular. I'm sure as soon you stop nursing it will normalize.

i got my first period after my son's birth when he was only 3 months old. after that it has been late and i too took pregnancy tests that came up negative. i called my doc and she said this was completely normal during breastfeeding. i did end up having a period a few weeks later. i got an iud when he was 8 months old and have had very few periods since then.

Hi there...Yes you may not have another cycle for another month or 2. Next time you cut back on nursing at least "pump and dump". Going for prolonged periods of time can "activate" your cycle. I have a 10 mo old and worked too may hours 1 day and got busy and didn't pump ( big mistake and a bit painful) I started and I will tell you it was miserable. Crampy and lots of blood loss. Afterward I did feel like it had cleaned me out. I just am not used to having so many days of yucky symptoms. Quit spending money on EPT. Unless you want to get pregnant, I wouldn't use nursing as your birth control....
Kudos to alternative medicine!!!!
G.