Cycles different after having a child?

[captainj1]

Hi there

I've never been one to take any notice of my cycles. I was on the pill until my early thirties and after that I always got brown discharge a few days before AF so always knew when AF was coming. When I conceived my son I tried for 6 months and had 28 to 31 day cycles, conceived in month 7 using cbfm for the first time, when I o'd on cd13/14.

Anyway I've been TTC #2 for a couple of months, again using cbfm. First month my cycle was 26 days and I o'd on cd13 and this month I o'd on cd11, I'm 9dpo today and am getting my usual pre AF discharge already...

I'm confused! Anyone else find their cycles were different after becoming a mum?

 

[faithmum]

I have found that just getting a bit older and going through some stress has shortened my cycles. I used to be a 28 day-er no matter what. Then I went through a divorce and I bled and bled for months on end. My doc gave me a bolus of progesterone to normalize my cycle which ended up around 23 days for about 6 months. Now that I've moved out of nervous break-down mode and my cycles are 26 days and I O around CD12.

 

[faithmum]

Are you still breastfeeding? Recently changed? That may change your cycle some.

 

[captainj1]

I stopped bf at 3 months as LO is lactose intolerant and I'm vegetarian and didn't want to cut out dairy.

The stress is an interesting point, maybe that has something to do with it, I have a crazy stressful job and work v long hours especially at this time of year.

Guess I just feel like I permanently have my period, given I have v light brown discharge for about 5 days beforehand and at the moment what seem to be 25-26 day cycles

 

[Halle71]

I also used to be a 28 day cycle girl and this continued for 2 years after having my daughter. Except I had the opposite of you - after maybe 5 days of bleeding I get 5 days of light, brownish bleeding and this overlaps my EWCM.

I think the age factor may now be effecting me though as my cycle length has started fluctuating between 27 and 34 days. This is frustrating because we have just started tcc number 2 and I haven't a clue when I ovulate.
I've also got a CBFM that I'm using for the first time this month so fingers crossed.

Good luck x