EBF? When did you get your first period?

[mara16jade]

So as the title says, if you are BF'ing - when did you get your first period? I know it'll differ from woman to woman, but I'm curious what the average is.

If I missed a time frame in the poll just post what your experience is. lol

ETA: Might be helpful to state when you stopped EBF'ing too since AF returning seems to be pretty dependent on that.

 

[mamaduke]

I EBF'ed until 6 months, when we introduced solids in BLW. However, even though I was EBFing and was hoping to enjoy "the benefits of BFing" by not having an AF, I got the first (of what would be the regular return) AF 6 weeks PP.

 

[mara16jade]

Wow! Only 6 weeks!

Thanks for sharing!

 

[StarlitHome]

I EBF our daughter till just before her first birthday (she was soooo not interested in solids till around then) and my cycles came back around the same time she started eating more solids. 10-12 months pp.

 

[Pearls18]

I put 7-9 months but that was because I wasn't EBF anymore, I never got a period during exclusively BF, only when I started dropping feeds after 6 months during weaning did it return. Might be worth asking how long after stopping EBF (if it did indeed take that long some women have it return even with regular feeding) women got their periods because the poll as it is now is going to be more dependent on how long someone fed for if you know what I mean

 

[Seity]

7 months with my first, 5 months with my second.

 

[mara16jade]

I put 7-9 months but that was because I wasn't EBF anymore, I never got a period during exclusively BF, only when I started dropping feeds after 6 months during weaning did it return. Might be worth asking how long after stopping EBF (if it did indeed take that long some women have it return even with regular feeding) women got their periods because the poll as it is now is going to be more dependent on how long someone fed for if you know what I mean

Yeah....that is a good point!

 

[snowfia]

I didn't! Was still bfing DD quite a lot and fell pregnant again when DD was about 13 months I think so over 2 years now without having one

 

[mara16jade]

^^Oh wow! I had no idea that could even happen!

So you still ovulate even though you're period hasn't returned!

 

[Seity]

My mom got pregnant while still exclusively breastfeeding. My sisters are 11 months apart. She never had a period.

 

[Pearls18]

^^Oh wow! I had no idea that could even happen!

So you still ovulate even though you're period hasn't returned!

No you can ovulate without realising and if you fall pregnant straight away you'll never have a period to realise that's why you shouldn't really rely on it as contraception

 

[Srrme]

My period returned right away after my first was born. It returned 8 months after my second was born. I have been tandem feeding them (still am).

 

[Amygdala]

I EBF'ed until 6 months, when we introduced solids in BLW. However, even though I was EBFing and was hoping to enjoy "the benefits of BFing" by not having an AF, I got the first (of what would be the regular return) AF 6 weeks PP.

Same here. AF returned 6 weeks post partum. I thought I had an infection or something but nope, just a regular period. I was EBFing at the time (and way beyond that) so I was pretty annoyed.

Important lesson to be learned here about post partum contraception. In theory, I could have fallen pregnant 4 weeks after LO was born, so could have had kids 9 1/2 months apart!!!

 

[steph.]

AF returned 3 days after her 1st birthday. I wasnt exclusively breastfeeding, she had been on solids since 6 months, and i even tried her with some formula. It returned when i cut down breastfeeding to about 3x a day.

 

[Emzy1]

Mine reterned at 15 months pp ds was self weaning and had cut down to a feed every few days I got pregnat after just that one af

 

[Kirstiedenman]

I ebf for 17 months and I got my period back at 8 months.

 

[.Mrs.B.]

I stopped bf at 8.5 months hoping to ttc number 2, and af arrived 2 weeks after I stopped, I don't know how long she would have stayed away if I'd carried on. 3.5 months later I got my BFP.

 

[Dream.dream]

11 months when I stopped breastfeeing. My son was a piggy though and even with solids he still breast fed about every 3-4 hours round the clock .

 

[snowfia]

^^Oh wow! I had no idea that could even happen!

So you still ovulate even though you're period hasn't returned!

I think what happens is you can fall pregnant the first time you ovulate meaning you just don't have a period. And there isn't really a way of telling when haha.

 

[mara16jade]

^^Oh wow! I had no idea that could even happen!

So you still ovulate even though you're period hasn't returned!

I think what happens is you can fall pregnant the first time you ovulate meaning you just don't have a period. And there isn't really a way of telling when haha.

I guess I just figured you can't get pregnant if you didn't build up lining - and I thought that if you release an egg, your body would have built up lining. And if the egg didn't get fertilized, then it would make its way out like normal and you'd get AF.

But maybe your body can release an egg without the lining being built up, and if fertilized then you automatically start building lining?

Sorry if that's so confusing. I think I need lunch... lol