women who have breastfed for a full year?

Question

hello. i just turned 20 in june and have a 4 months old son. i still breastfeed him and i plan to do so until he is a year old. i do have one question though. i bled for 5 weeks after he was born and i haven't since. what is the average that a women's cycle returns if she exclusively breastfeeds for a year. i know everyone is different but i would like to know how it was for everyone else. not that i am in a rush but just curious i guess

i should add that he ahs been sleeping throuhg tthe night for about a month now

i will also add that i cosleep and he never took a paci

Answer 1

It is so different for every woman. In theory the more you breastfeed, the less you use a pacifier, and if you cos-sleep the longer you will go without your period. However my son nursed at least every hour during the day, and every two hours at night, co-slept and never took a pacifier and I still got my period back at 5 months.

Some women get their periods back when their babies sleep for a longer stretch at night. Some do when their baby starts solids, and for some even breastfeeding 1-2 times a day is enough to prevent menstruation.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lactational_amenorrhea_method
Return of fertility

Return of menstruation following childbirth varies widely between individuals. The closer a woman's behavior is to the Seven Standards of ecological breastfeeding, the later (on average) her cycles will return. Average return of menses for women following all seven criteria is 14 months, with some reports as soon as 2 months and others as late as 42 months.

Although the first post-partum cycle is sometimes anovulatory (this reduces the likelihood of becoming pregnant again before having a post-partum period), subsequent cycles are almost always ovulatory and therefore must be considered fertile. However, some women find that breastfeeding interferes with fertility even after ovulation has resumed. Luteal phases too short to sustain pregnancy are a common example.

Couples who desire spacing of 18 to 30 months between children can often achieve this through breastfeeding alone.

Answer 2

I breastfed my younger two for a little over 2 years each. By the time they were 18 months or so it turned into once a day, mainly before bedtime, and the occasional nighttime feeding. They stopped themselves...kinda. With my middle daughter she asked to nurse in the middle of the afternoon. I said, No, they are mommies boobies. She accepted it very well and never asked again. (I was lucky) My youngest was Feb of this year I stopped. She was told the same thing, that they are mommies now, and she protested some, but not too bad. It was time. For one nursing session, at 2 years old, I knew it wasn't for food anymore, it was comfort and had been for a long time. Most women I find just know when it's time for them to stop.

Answer 3

I just got my first PP period last month and my son is 19 months. He has never slept through the night though, so that probably has an impact on it. I would expect it anytime now. Some women don't get it back until they wean though, so it really varries...

Great job on nursing, glad to see you have a goal set for a year! I made that same goal and we're still going strong at 19 months :)

Some info on nursing past a year:
http://www.kellymom.com/bf/bfextended/ebf-benefits.html

Answer 4

First of all I salute you in your commitment to breastfeeding your baby for a year. My period came back after 10 months. I nursed exclusively for 6 months when I started to introduce solids. By 9 months my son was eating 3 meals a day but I was still nursing and still am....my son and he will be 3 in November. We nurse at night to help him to sleep and we nurse a bit in the morning just to start the day off right!

Answer 5

I breastfed for 13 months, and got my cycle back when my daughter was11 months and I was down to just 2 feedings a day. Most get their cycle back when they start solid foods at 6 months, and/or their child starts sleeping throuh the night since you are nursing much less. I just got lucky.

Answer 6

i breastfed my first baby for 15 months. I didn't get my period again until he was almost 18 months old. Then i got pregnant again right away, but that's another story. Breastfeeding completely stopped my period from happening the whole time i was doing it and for 3 months afterward.

Answer 7

my son is nearly 9 months old, and i envy those who did not get their period, i got mine 4 weeks to the day he was born, now they are so erratic, I'm almost on every week, so i guess its different with everyone.

Answer 8

after my 1st he was about 6 or 7 months when mine came back. i nursed until he was one and he weened himself off. i now have a 1 month old and i hope it will take longer this time, lol.

Answer 9

After i had my son i didn't get my period 9 weeks