Period While Breastfeeding - Fitchburg,MA

I am exclusively breastfeeding and have had my period for the last 3 months. I was hoping my period wouldn't show up yet, but not much you can do about it!

I would check in with your doctor. I've been a childbirth educator for nine years now. Women normally bleed for up to six weeks after delivery with the flow getting lighter every week. Especially if you breastfeeding exclusively. Where yours never stopped, but instead got heavier I would air on the side of caution and see your doctor.

Yep, I got mine about 3 months in with my daughter and I was exclusively breastfeeding. I'm just shy of 8 weeks postpartum now so I'm waiting to see how long I'll go this time.
Take care!

I breastfed my daughter for a year and never got a period. My periods resumed a month after stopping breastfeeding. I am currently breastfeeding my 7 month old son and have not resumed my periods.

I do know that some women do have theirs, though. As long as the doctors are not concerned, I would not worry!

I got my period 6 weeks postpartum. I stopped my postpartum bleeding at about 5 1/2 and a few days later started again. I thought it was just more PP bleeding at first, but then it started to seem just like one of my periods. When I went to my checkup at almost 7 weeks they were surprised I was still bleeding and I told them I thought it was a period and they said it probably wasn't, but I could tell this was "new" blood. So sure enough, exactly 23 days later, I got it again, and that had always been my exact cycle before pregnancy. I got them like clockwork the whole time until I got an IUD put in. I was breastfeeding exclusively, about 10 times a day, with extra pumping because I produced so much milk. So yep, it can happen. I was looking forward to not having one but no luck for me.

I think it's in the range of normal but of course share this with your OB-GYN. Give a call after your period is done. It's good that you're tracking it.

I exclusively breast-fed my son until he was ready for solids and I continued nursing until he was 2.5 yrs old. I bled for 5 weeks after my son was born and then I had two weeks of non-bleeding. Then I started bleeding again, and like you and another respondent, could tell it was a period by the blood and the flow. Thereafter, my cycle continued and I bled each month.

I resented that I never got a break from it and that I had this extra toll on my body in addition to nursing and mothering! I've always been a "heavy bleeder" but I don't know understand the science behind why I never "got a break."

Please be sure to keep the nourishment of your body high by continuing prenatal vitamins and including lots of greens, whole grains, and protein in your diet, plus supplemental vitamin D and Omega 3. This goes for any post-partum mom but please take extra care. Best of luck with your new little one!!

Is your baby going long stretches through the night? My first started sleeping through the night at about 5 months and my period started right after. My second child started sleeping through the night at 6 weeks and about a month later I got my period. And I exclusively breastfed both of them. I have read that when you go through longer stretches of breastfeeding, you can get your period sooner that way.

Same thing happened to me. Blead for about 4-5 weeks and the last week was super heavy. Thought for sure it was my period. I don't think it was cause I haven't had another one for about 7 weeks. I pump 2-4 times a day and haven't had a period.

I would check with your dr first. I breast fed my son exlusively for 6 months and my period started about 10 weeks after the baby. I think mine was related to the problems with the birthcontrol i was on but even after i quit taking it i still had my period.

This is from The Art of Natural Family Planning. "If you are doing ecological or exclusive breastfeeding, you can treat any bleeding episode that occurs in the first 56 days postpartum as unrelated to fertility, according to a consensus of breastfeeding experts."
I bleed for almost 9 weeks with my third sometimes lightly but other times it would get heavy again. I think that you will probably still have a break while BFing.

Hmmm - that seems a bit soon. Most moms get a break from FLO for at least 5 months to 3 YEARS (for those of us who nursed into the preschool years :) )

It IS possible that your period is back, but I would check with your OBGYN and make sure you don't have something else going on.

Updated

Hmmm - that seems a bit soon. Most moms get a break from FLO for at least 5 months to 3 YEARS (for those of us who nursed into the preschool years :) )

It IS possible that your period is back, but I would check with your OBGYN and make sure you don't have something else going on.

When I had my daughter, I got my period when she was about 8 months old. I started on the pill 6 weeks after she was born and I got a L. spotting. My son is 5 months old now, about two weeks after he was born I felt a gush of blood and for several days after I kept bleeding and then it gradually tapered off. I called my doctor and they said it was completely normal. They explained that as my uterus goes back to its normal size any blood that has pooled in there will get pushed out (sorry, it's gross, I know!). After that I didn't get my period. I got a Depo Provera shot about a month ago and now I have had my period for two weeks! The doctor said it is just my body getting used to it. Hopefully, I won't get my period again until I stop breastfeeding. Don't know if I was of any help, but I just wanted to let you know my experience.

I bled for a long time after delivery but then didn't get a period for like 9-10 months as I was also exclusively breastfeeding. No harm in checking in with your Ob.

This isn't normal, and you should talk to your doctor about it. A lot of women miss their periods, sometimes for months while breastfeeding (this doesn't mean you can't conceive, however, and should not be used as definitive birth control!), but it can vary from woman to woman and from pregnancy to pregnancy. Bleeding for a couple/few weeks happens pretty frequently, but 7 weeks is too long, especially if you are bleeding more heavily. You may have retained a piece of placenta, or a clot that isn't allowing your uterus to contract completely (both not good). At the very least you should be checked for anemia at this point. Taking care of your babies require a healthy Momma, take care of yourself too!