question for women who are nursing?

Question

i am breastfeeding my now 4 month old baby, and i was wondering when my period will come back. i know it's not supposed to right away, but i would just like to know an approximate time to expect it.

Answer 1

If you want a *scientific* answer, please read _Breastfeeding and Natural Child Spacing_ by Sheila Kippley.

If you want personal answers... I have 5 kids. I got my period back at 14-15 months, 22 months, 26 months, 22 months, and 25 months respectively.

But I have a friend who nursed the same way I did who got hers back at 2 or 3 months with each of her kids. There's just *no* way to know.

Most women do *not* ovulate before the first period (I know don't), but some do, so after 6 months, you cannot necessarily count on it as a form of birth control. If your baby is less than 6 months old, and you are exclusively nursing, then breastfeeding alone is 98% effective as a method of birth control--more than birth control pills, which are only about 90% effective the first year of use.

Answer 2

Congratulations for breastfeeding your baby! It's great that you have made it this long! As for the return of your period, that depends. If you are exclusively breastfeeding on demand, including at night, your period might not return for several months. If you are thinking of using breastfeeding as a means of natural birth control, and many mamas do, then you might want to start thinking of a back up method around 6 months post partum. This kind of birth control is called LAM and there is a lot of good info about it on the internet.

Answer 3

I'm breastfeeding my 9 month old. I started adding cereal to his diet when he was 4 months and my period came back when he was about 6 months. I also breastfed my daughter and I think my period came back sooner with her. If you are not ready for another child, make sure you are using some sort of birth control because it could come back at any time.

Answer 4

Hi girls. 2 things to consider:
1. the amount of dairy and animal products you are eating that contain artifical estrogen and hormones.
2. the amount and exclusivity of your feedings.

All animal products(yogurt, ice cream, chicken) contain artificial hormones that are given to the animal, plus the hormones that are naturally there. The less of these you eat the less you have in your body to activate your cycle.
Feeding exclusive is a tough road, even for stay at home moms. Life gets in the way. But its the only method proven to build the long term health of a baby up to 1 year. The United Nations says 6 months exclusive minimum.
Birth Control pills of any type pass hormones into the milk. Regardless of what the levels are, they affect the baby permanently.
Your cycle will come back, usually the healthier you are the later it will appear. Athletes who time off for children have seen more than 1 year pass.
Good feeding!

Answer 5

My daughter was 18 months when mine came back. My son was 14 months when my period started. And now I am nursing a 4 month old baby, and I hope it wont start for at least one more year.

Answer 6

it is only uncommon and unusual in our way of existence, as a results of the indisputable fact that is with breastfeeding typically. it is common in different cultures, and has been usual for the length of human history. What do you imagine exceeded off even as a mom died 2 hundred years in the past? yet another lady nursed the child. wealthy women mechanically employed (or had slaves who acted as) moist nurses. the wealthy women couldn't be stricken to awaken at nighttime to feed the child, so the nurse took care of it. It does no longer bypass antagonistic to nature, it is surely very organic for different women in a "tribe" to guard a infant. In some tribes even on the prompt, youthful ones can ask any nursing mom for a drink even as it is warm and they desire a sip. little ones interior the tribe may even bring about lactation so that they are typically extra sensible babysitters. of route, maximum individuals who carry close out on the information superhighway do no longer stay like that to any extent further, notwithstanding it is totally what nature meant! Can absolutely everyone cite a study on the hazards of formula feeding vs the hazards of hepatitis or HIV transmission from a moist nurse? i discover it thrilling that one of those large volume of ladies may rather use formula, which all of us comprehend is risky instead of genuine milk with the mild probability of those uncommon ailments.

Answer 7

It varies with each person. I exclusively breastfed both my babies until they were 6 months old. Guess what? I got my period with my first when she was 2 months old and with my second, when he was 3 months old. There really is no telling when it will come back. So far, you're one of the lucky ones!

Answer 8

This varies SOOOOOO much. With my first, I didn't get it for 13 months. My second is 14 1/2 months and I still don't have it. It depends a lot on your body, how long and how exclusively you nurse. etc. Some people get it back almost immediately -- don't use nursing for birth control!!

Answer 9

It varies. I stopped breastfeeding exclusively when my son was 6 months and mine came back when he was 10 months. I know someone else who got it back 6 weeks pp and she was bfing exclusively.
Keep up the breastfeeding and enjoy this side effect while you can.

Answer 10

Mine did not come back until I was down to one feeding a day, when my daughter was 12 months old. I know for most it comes back around the time solid foods are introduced.