Period arrived whilst breastfeeding???

[magda1461]

yesterday i had a very very stressful/scary day...long story!
today I am fine and have settled down, and have noticed that my period has come! my DD is 4 mths next week! adn i am breastfeeding exclusively!
should this b happening? i thought that our period doesnt come until we stop b/feeding?
can someone offer insight?
not sure if this is in the right forum too, sorry!???

[MGardner]

I got my period right when my DS turned 4 months. I had the same anxiety about it. I was really upset because I thought it would change my milk supply and taste and I was nervous that I would have to stop breastfeeding (I too was bfing exclusively). But it ended up being just fine. I did experience a milk supply issue on the day before and first day of my period but then the supply went right back to normal the next day. It's just about time for me to have my period again but so far I haven't, so I think it's going to be a little irregular for awhile. I have talked to MANY people about it and so far a lot of them did get their period while breastfeeding and some of them just never did. I think everyone is different. It's wierd that a lot of people I talked to got it at the 4 month mark as well...

[magda1461]

oh good!
thankyou, i was getting worried thought it was cos of the trauma from yesterday, in short i locked the keys in my car with DD also inside!!! had fireman/police/ambulance / SES all come out to open the car!! thankgod it was a cool day!!!!!
i still want to b/feed so praying itll be ok.......

[Nay - Mateo's Mom]

Hiya.

I got my period when DS was 5 months... and I was breastfeeding exclusively too!

[deenz]

Got my period back with dd1 when she was 5.5mo (exlusively bf'ing) and at 7.5m with dd2 (had started solids).  A lot of women do get their period back while still exclusively bf'ing, and I *think* it is more likely if you have long periods overnight of not feeding (ie. lo is sleeping through consistently).

[Lilah'sMommy]

Very few women who nurse through the first year and beyond don't get their period back while breastfeeding.  The average time frame is usually 6-12 months or so.  But it's just that-- an average.  Some women get it back sooner, some later.  I was one of the later ones (13.5 months).  Every woman is different.  It all depends on how often you nurse, how long you go between feeds, and your own personal hormonal make-up.

BTW, I successfully continued nursing with no supply issues for another 9 months after I got my first post-partum period.  I didn't get any hormonally driven supply issues until I got pregnant again.

[Samuel's mum]

Really don't worry. I have been breastfeeding for months and months since the return of my period without any supply problems at all. It's very normal. Many mums get their period after their baby starts to sleep more at night. Everybody I know got their period back while still breastfeeding with no problems.

have you seen this:
https://babywhispererforums.com/index.php?topic=68951.0

[bethann]

I'm right with ya- just got mine too- DD is 6 mo and i've been ebfing- trying to do solids, but she hasn't been ready...  it's normal and I plan on bfing for a while so it better not have a detrimental affect on my supply!

[clh]

Bless your heart!  What a scare!  Glad you & dd are OK. 

Like others said, your period can return that quickly, even exclusively bf'ing.  And you *can* successfully continue bf'ing, just the same.  I will warn you that some women (like me) notice a distinct drop in supply just before my period.  For me, I always had enough when I nursed ds (no problems there), but pumping enough was sometimes a struggle.  That's where a freezer stash came in!  I could usually replace my stash after a week or so because my supply (over?)rebounded.  At various times, I also used fenugreek and/or mother's milk tea to increase my supply with some success.  You can find those at health food stores.  Best wishes, & hang in there!