TMI question - First AF after birth (EBF)

[tekkitten]

Hi all

I am exclusively breastfeeding, and pumping about 3 times a day.

Ella just turned 8 weeks old, but over the last 4 days I have had EWCM when I wipe after using the bathroom.

Is this a sign of ovulating? Could I even be ovulating this early?

She sleeps for a 5-6 hour stretch during the night, then gets one feed, then sleeps another 2 hours. Not sure if that would make a difference or not?

When did you all get your first AF?

 

[NoodleSnack]

EWCM sounds like you're fertile. I had since bleeding at 3m pp but nothing since.

 

[Noo]

Generally I think you need to be feeding regularly during the night - twice between 11pm and 5am when prolactin levels are highest to boost supply - to rely on BF'ing not to ovulate. I'd guess if you haven't commenced a hormonal contraceptive which is affecting your CM then yep, it looks like your fertility may be returning.

As of yet, I've had no signs of my fertility returning though my baby fed at 12, 2, 4, 6 and then got up at 8 last night I think I have that prolactic covered!!!

 

[misspriss]

Cervical mucus is not a reliable sign of fertility when you are breastfeeding. However, if you are using it to determine if you are fertile for the purpose of avoiding pregnancy, caution would have you avoid intercourse.

I have CM all the time, for months, no AF, no ovulating, no period. In fact, today I was looking it up because I had the most clear stretchy EWCM I've ever seen, but I use the CBFM every morning and I have had Low low low for over a week straight now. I'm not worried, I'll trust the monitor.

But yeah, you can have a lot of all over the place mucus when breastfeeding. I've been breastfeeding for 7.5 months. I had to pump for the first 2 weeks, and at 3 months I went back to work and pump all day during the day. Still no AF.

 

[Julesillini8]

Don't know for sure. Just wanted to say I gotta first period 3 months pp after my first child and 2 months pp after my second, so it could be.... Time will tell I guess

 

[CupcakeBaby]

6.5 months pp here and I've had EWCM on and off for about 3 months.

No AF though and no ov pains either.

I wouldn't risk unprotected sex (we want a big gap) but I'm pretty certain the CM isn't much of an indicator for me. X

 

[tekkitten]

Thanks for your input ladies!

So far I have been abstaining, as I don't want to take any chances! I'm about to start the pill, just have to drop off the prescription, then going to give it a week before commencing affairs My cousin had a baby as her son turned one, and I don't want to do that! We would have to live on OHs income, which is less than mine. Not a good situation to put myself in.

I'll be curious to see if AF returns early for me.

In terms of the night feeding, I feed pretty consistently until 1-2am (ugh, she is late to bed!) but don't generally feed again until 7-8am. I wonder if thats enough of a break at night to get my period back. Oh well, as you all said time will tell!

 

[CupcakeBaby]

I generally go 7-8 hours at night without feeding DD (some nights only 4 and some 12) and no AF yet. Xx

 

[MommyJogger]

When AF and fertility return can depend on a lot of things, including whether you're ecological breastfeeing, how often they're waking for feeds at night, your bmi, and (strangely enough) your height (heavier and taller women tend to become fertile earlier postpartum).
You absolutely could be ovulating this early, despite meeting all the criteria for lactational ammenorrhea. I'm short, normal-to-mildly-under weight, I was bf more often than every 2h around the clock, had him latched on for the duration of his naps and most of the night... then got a surprise bfp when my lo was around your lo's age. That ended in a miscarriage and I never had EWCM again until about 4 mo ago, several weeks after my first proper pp AF.