Irregular Cycle

Dont freak out to quickly a lot of women cycle will stop completely while breast feeding or they will skip months.

40 year old mother of 4

Not to scare you but I was on birth control while breast feeding and got pregnant. I did not have a normal period one month then a couple of weeks later started bleed and bleed for six weeks. The birth control made me have a miscarage as soon as I was pregnant. This was a very emotional time for me. I was not ready for another baby but was very upset to have a miscarage. My son was about 6 months old and all the things going on in my body reduced my milk production to the point I had to stop breastfeeding. I hope this is not the case with you. You may read up on the type of birth control you are taking. I did not realize the kind I was taking would not prevent pregnancy the same way as normal birth control. It only made the egg unable to attact to the uterus. You may need to schedule a doctor apt. just to be safe. I'll pray all is ok for you.

Yes, its perfectly normal to miss periods while you are breast feeding, because you are lactating your body is telling itself, "hey we have a baby we don't need another one right now!" so its normal for periods to stop all together until those hormones you produce for lactation go down enough (long enough) for you to start ovulating again. i'm a nursing mommy, my daughter is 5months old and i haven't had any periods.

A.,
My son is now 14 but I had him in OCT has a normal period in NOV then did not have one until Jun, then the next one was SEP, OCT, NOV then I miss DEC becuse I got preg in DEC. Then had my Daughter in SEP didn't have one until MAY then skipped two months then had one the skipped another month then they became regular again and yes I was breast feeding. So it could be nothing.

H.

You could definitely being having an irregular cycle. It took me several months to get back to a normal cycle. I wouldn't be paranoid just yet. I know how scared you are though, I went through the same thing and it turned out that my cycle was just messed up. How late is your period? I would give it 2 weeks before I got worried. I hope everything turns out well for you!! Good luck!!!

When you are breast feeding sometimes your period can become a little irregular. Give it some time. But also remember God would not put anything on you that you can't handle. He will make a way out of no way.

A., please don't take birth control pills while breast feeding your baby.
I also sent you a private message.

One love,

mama tradition

So many factors play into this. It's possible you could be late from stress or you really could be pregnant or you may be worrying yourself so and making it late. Relax, give it a few days and if nothing, then take the test.

You didn't say you were breastfeeding, right? I didn't have periods at all for 13 months with one of my kids and 10 with the other, but I was exclusively breastfeeding. If you are not bf, I would do the test soon for your own peace of mind and if neg (or pos) call your doctor's nurse to talk about it. They might just want to see you. You shouldn't be irreg on the pill either. But, you said you were on birth control, you didn't say specif. the pill, right? Enjoy that baby girl and I hope you get some answers soon.

Hi A.- I am a mom with 4 grown kids.. I breastfed them all. In my experience, I didn't have a period until I began to wean the babies. Usually at about 9 to 14 months.. ( I breastfed until they were almost 2, but they were half weaned at around 12- 14 months.. ) we used birth control- but not the pill. I don't think, if I remember correctly that you are not supposed to use the pill while nursing. I am assuming you are not. I don't know why you would be having a period at all unless you are supplementing with the bottle. I would not worry too much though- nursing is a "natural" birth control (although not reliable) and combined with another type- you should be okay- if you haven't slipped up that is!!

Hi A.,

I have experienced something similar as what you are going through. After, I had my daughter(C-section)my cycle was completely messed up. I didnt have a period for several months and breastingfeeding has alot to do with it.
I wouldn't get to worried becasue as you know a woman goes through so many things hormonally after child birth.
It takes awhile for things to get back to normal.

Hope this gives you some peace of mind.

D. S.

Well I nursed my baby until a year old and not a cycle came along, and I was not on any birth control, b/c my ob/gyn said it was not safe to nurse and take birth control.

completely normal. your hormones are going to be crazy for a while. Just keep doing you b/c you will be. God bless you and you new extension to you family

a pregnancy test never hurts it puts undue worries to rest most times and in the case that it's positive at least you have a bit more time to prepare. breastfeeding can turn your period off; it can happen, but you should go ahead and be sure with a test.

Hi~ No need to fret, this is normal. I had my daughter in 2001 and my cycle has never returned to normal. I will have one now and may not have another one for another 2 to 3 months. Just be prepared at all times because there's no telling when it'll pop up. Being pregnant again never crossed my mind, I just thought giving birth had scarred me for life.

Just like the other ladies have said your condition is not unusual. I breast fed 4 of my 5 I have 2 boys that are 14 months apart and my youngest son and daughter and 12 months apart I was Terrified as well. I would not change a thing. My biggest concern for you would be your career as an X-ray tech, I would be taking a test ASAP just to be safe.

Yes, it happened to me.

It was a long time ago, so I don't remember if I had one or two regualr cycles, or how old my twins were. But I was terrified. I had a 22 month old and twins- all boys.

So I went to Target and bought 3 sizes of diapers, two kinds of formula and a pregnancy test. You should have seen the checkers face!

It was negative though, thankfully. So, it can happen.

I would suggest that you begin charting your cycle (daily taking waking temperature, checking cervical fluid, etc and writing it down). During lactation, it can be really confusing trying to determine when you start ovulating again. You could take a pregnancy test if you wanted, however, it is possible that depending on how frequent you are nursing, you could be suppressing true ovulation. Your body could have attempted to ovulate again, hence the two periods you have. A general theory that I have understood (taken from Toni Weschler's book, Taking Charge of Your Fertility) is that if your baby is less than 6 months old, if you are nursing (or pumping) no less frequent than every 4 hours during the daytime and every 6 at night, then your cycle can be delayed for as long as you continue that routine or until your actual "period" starts. I would actually suggest you read that book as it goes further into detail and can explain what I am trying to say a lot better.

However, I will also mention that birth control can affect women's bodies differently, especially when combined with other maternal hormones that get during pregnancy, after birth, and during lactation. I was on the Depo shot about 10 years ago and I was on an everlasting "period" even though I was not fertile. If trying the tips suggested in that book and taking a pregnancy test don't set your mind at ease, I would suggest seeing a specialist to rule out other problems which could affect your fertility. Hope this helps in some form! Let me know! God bless!

A.- Part of what I love about breastfeeding is that it keeps the periods away longer!!! I have 3 children and I breastfed them all. With my first, I didn't have a period for over a year. With my second, I didn't have a period either but was pregnant at 5 months and didn't know it until I was 3 months along. My husband actually guessed it- I thought he was crazy! He wasn't. Now with my 3rd (I am still nursing) I didn't have a period for way over a year.
I would take a pregnancy test to be sure but if you're on the pill I wouldn't worry too much....
and if you are... it might seem horrible at first (I know I was horrified when I was pregnant with a 8 month old baby....!) but it can really be a blessing and I wouldn't change it for the world now. My daughters are so close. It's amazing. It was hard at first... but now they are a breeze because they always play together and share clothes.
Best of Luck.

I wouldn't worry just yet. When you are breastfeeding your cycle can be completely off. It has been years since I was in your shoes but search around for some answers, I do remember not having a regular cycle for months while nursing.

With that said...it does happen. After my first, I was on the 'mini' pill and breastfeeding. I got pregnant with my second and I never had any type of cycle at all that I could tell.

I say don't panic at this point. If you want to take a preg test to ease your mind that might not be a bad idea. It would at least get rid of some sress. And give your doctor a call and let them know your concerns, they should also be able to let you know what is 'normal'.

Good luck,

A., it is normal to not menstruate while breast feeding. I didn't have a normal cycle for a year!! I'm not sure what it means that you are irregular in your cycle. I'm sure your not pregnant. Can you go see your OBG?? I doubt that I helped here, but for some reason I felt the need to share. Good Luck and keep breast feeding!! K. M.

Don't worry...breast feeding alone will make you skip periods, throw birth control in the mix and it's bound to cause some confussion. I nursed for two years and had only one or two periods the whole time. Birth control is designed to make your body think you are prego so it makes since that you would skip periods.

A.,
I never have periods while I'm nursing, and I think that is very common, especially if you aren't supplementing. It is likely that now that your daughter is getting bigger and your milk supply is larger, your body won't have periods as often (or at all). If so, try not to worry and just enjoy it! :)

i have a 7mth old and my dr. told me it could take mth to get back on track plus you are nursing and that also gets you off track. i was like you and thought OMG not again it is too soon. now this is what i'm doing i took the shot in the hosp. and then went to the pills and i started haveing problems like you plus a few more so my dr. told me to trash the suguar pills and just keep taking pills for like 4 packs and then start again with the norm. (it sure is nice not having a period and not being pg) but my cramps and yuck feeling has stoped and i will soon have to start having a period again. i know this is long but just wanted to share. call and talk to your nurse and see what she says.

Hey A.~
I have to say that I had that happen for several months after my second child! And needless to say it has continued and she is almost 2. Most likely you will have irregular cycles also due to breastfeeding. The thing I would do is to call and talk to your doctors nurse to let her know what is going on!! Good Luck!!!!

It is because you are breast feeding. Don't worry. It will take a lot of time for it to become regular again. Good for you for breast feeding. it is such a wonderful gift to give your children!!!

My son is now 14 months old and I am still nursing him. I have only gotten two cycles in the past 14 months, besides the first one after I had him. The two I did get came when started to slack up on nursing and pumping. I think some people don't have a cycle while nursing. Also, I don't take birthcontrol I am not sure how safe it is. The Dr.s say it is ok now but I am not sure so I just don't take.

A.,

That is normal especially when you are on BC and breastfeeding- After I had my daughter I had two normal periods.I was on the mini pill and breastfeeding- I never saw my period again until he was almost 9 months old; when I switched to the patch; because I needed that surity every month. You should speak with your doctor and take the pregnancy test because it takes a while for your body to regulate to the BC (depending on the method). You would of course want to discontinue use if there is a possible pregnancy.

K.

I breastfed for a year and the entire year my cycle was very irregular. It could just be the hormones. My cycle is just now beginning to regulate again (14 months after birth). I wouldn't worry too much about it b/c your hormones are crazy but take the test so you'll know! Good luck!

Actually your cycle can be affected by stress. So when you are relaxed (Ha...Ha) you may find your cycle is more regular. Having an infant can stress an even keeled adult, so it's very likely that your busy, fulfilling life is having an affect on your cycle Are you breast feeding? that can affect your cycle as well.... BUT.... Sounds like you have a good job, that's a blessing.

Yes, that is completely normal, ESPECIALLY with breastfeeding! You started back very early to be nursing (if you are nursing exclusively with no supplementing). It is totall normal to go from having say, a 23-day-cycle to a 45-day-cycle the next time, and so on while you are breastfeeding. If you are using birth control as directed, it is unlikely you are pregnant, but you should take a test to make sure. Your menstrual cycle, including ovulation, is going to be weird after having a baby, but especially with breastfeeding. Most of the time, if you breastfeed exclusively, you don't start periods again for a very long time, like after the 6-month mark or often after you have weaned the baby! Even if you start having periods again, it is possible to have an anovulatory one (no ovulation preceeding it).
From my personal experienced of having had 6 children, all separate births and all exclusively breastfed for the first year or more, I didn't return to menstruation until about the 9 or 10-month mark with all but the last one. Even after starting back, I had cycles as short as 23 days and as long as 45 days, whereas I had normal and regular 28-day-cycles when I wasn't breastfeeding or pregnant. However, after baby #6, who was born in my early 30's (as opposed to the other children being born in my 20's), I had a period at the 2 1/2-month mark, and it took me by surprise! I figured I might not have another one for a while and might not be ovulating yet. I was not taking birth control, and I got pregnant after that first period while still exclusively breastfeeding to a baby who had had nothing except my breast since the moment he was born. I was told it's possibly my hormones were a little different in my 30's than in my 20's when my other children had been born to account for why I'd never been able to get pregnant or had periods again that quickly after birth while nursing. This time was different! So, now I am 20 weeks pregnant with a baby who just turned 7 months old, and the due date for this baby lacks a week before a year after the birth of my last baby. They will be 11 months apart, or, if this baby comes a week late, exactly 12 months apart (3 of my 6 babies so far were born a week to 2 weeks late). So, yes, strange things can happen, and don't be in complete denial of that possibility since, if you are pregnant, you need to really start taking care of yourself in order to support 2 babies with the nursing and the unborn child! My doctor advised me to wean since it is almost impossible--I was told--to meet the nutritional requirements of both, and someone is going to get shorted (probably the mother). Also, my milk supply changed and went way down once I was pregnant again, and my baby went from gaining weight quickly to not gaining at all! I had to start supplementing him with formula, and I'd never had a baby on formula before. Now I still breastfeed him at night and first thing in the morning or when he needs a nap, but my supply is not anything like it was before. I have been pregnant while breastfeeding before with some of the other kids, BUT, they were all over a year old at the time and eating/drinking other things, too. Plus, I weaned them all by the time I was about 6 months pregnant. My first 5 children were each born 22-26 months apart, and now these last 2 are going to be so close in age at 11 months! It's going to be literally 2 babies back-to-back, and the thought of that is a little overwhelming! My other kids are all 7-15 years old, so at least I don't have a bunch of tiny ones at the same time like I once did, but I am pretty sure my current baby won't even be walking by the time this one is born (the other kids were all 12-15 months before they walked).
So, go get tested to make sure, and if you are pregnant, just deal with it the best you can! You aren't the first person that has happened to, and you won't be the last! I hadn't planned to have another THIS soon, but I am, and I've gotten used to the idea. We find out the sex of the baby in a few days. And, if you aren't pregnant and don't want to be anytime soon, you'd better make very sure you use at least one very effective form of birth control since nature has told you that you are now fertile again--so take proper precautions with maybe more than one method if being pregnant again would be traumatic to you!

Radiographer to radiographer- you know how important it is to find out as soon as possible if you are pregnant or not. Putting aside the posibilty of another pregnancy so soon, for the safety of your potential baby you need to know. Accedental exposure is a risk. If I were you I would know within the next hour!

I'd go ahead and take a test, especially if you've not been using bc - just to get it out of the way. You can get one cheap at a dollar store- they work just as well, just check the expiration date before you buy (I once went in a store that had 20 expired ones on the shelves)
However, since you are bf, it is common for your cycles to be irregular. AF returned for me 2 weeks after my son slept through the night at 5 months, then didn't come back for 90 days, then 60 days, then 40 days, and didn't return to my regular cycle until he was completely weaned. It was also sometimes heavy, sometimes light. It took months to get things back to normal.