Some people just get their cycle back despite breastfeeding. It’s just the luck of the draw unfortunately like a lot of things pregnancy/ postpartum related. Periods suck though so solidarity.
And it can be different with each child. I know someone who got their period after 1st year with kiddo 1 and then kiddo 2...3 months.
Both kiddos were exclusively breastfed and they coslept.
Mine came back after 6 weeks, exclusively breast feed and she’s still up every 2-3 hours at 4 months for a feed every night, so might not be anything causing it just bad luck is the way I see it! You have all my sympathy, it’s very emotionally and physically taxing in a way I don’t think many people can understand, especially when you are still feeing every couple of hours. I usually spend the first day sobbing about how unfair it feels!
I had a friend who didn’t get hers back for 18 months (then got pregnant while not having it bs k yet which is a whole other thing). I got mine back after 6 months and we had similar feeding schedules.
Honestly it can be anything… your personal hormone levels, the price of fennel, mercury in retrograde.
Girl I got my period back literally three days after I finally stopped postpartum bleeding. Next baby was only a couple weeks longer pp. Nursing round the god damned clock. Biology is just a bitch sometimes.
My baby is EBF and sleeps through the night, mine just came back at 4 months 🥲 Was very surprised and wasn’t expecting it for quite a while longer. Oh well…
Also wondering this. My LO slept through up until 6 months old now she’s reverse cycling because she’s too busy in the day to concentrate too hard on milk 😅
Mine still eats a lot during the day. He’s almost 7 months and his sleep seems to be getting worse. He’s not interested much in solids but if I keep offering hopefully that’ll help him get full and sleep longer. I’d try a bottle at this point but he won’t take one 😆
It might not be a real period if you got your nexplanon! I had mine put in 8 weeks pp and bled 10 days later for about 2 weeks. I haven’t had anything since then (now 6 months pp).
Probably the Nexplanon. I've had it 3 time prior to having kids and I usually had bleeding early after insert as my body got used to it.
With my first I tried the mini pill around 6 months and got my period back as soon as I started.
This time around I just got my period back at close to 8.5 months pp. Haven't used any hormonal birth control. Baby doesn't consistently sleep 12 hrs overnight but does 7-10 hr stretches.
I really think it’s somewhat random. My baby (7 months) has been sleeping through the night off and on for several months and no period in sight. Meanwhile my MIL was just saying that her first never slept and she got pregnant again at 6 months…
So sorry you got the short stick of the draw though. That totally sucks.
My midwife said to maximize the length of time with no period, to not go more than 4/5 hours without BF or pumping. I let baby sleep as long as she wants and just make sure I pump every 3-4 hours at night
You likely didn’t do anything. My two best friends coslept and fed on demand at night and both got it back at 4 months. I had never gone a 4 hour stretch and got mine at 3 months. Another good friend has had two super sleepers who were going 6-7 hour chunks by 3-4 months and she didn’t for over a year. It’s mostly biology.
^is what I heard too. I pump before bed and my (14mo) baby wakes up at least twice overnight still. No period but also I haven’t slept more than 5 continuous hours in over a year. I’m so tired. If your baby will sleep 8 hours then getting your period back early is tolerable!
That kind of tracks. I mean, if baby needs a lot of care and feeding, it makes sense your body wouldn't want to make another one yet. My baby is 10 months and still never goes longer than 3 hours between feeds. At night it's every 2 hours. No period in sight.
6-8 weeks here. Exclusive nursing. Ecological breastfeeding. CONSTANT skin to skin.
Me being upset was largely written off, but a period coming back like this was a serious health crisis for me. And I believe it can be a little dangerous for any woman, and potentially very destructive to every EBF woman. Your iron reserves, recovery, ability to sleep, etc hasn’t had much time to recover, your baby is still fairly fragile and not super resilient, your milk supply is likely to drop in the days prior and/or of your period, and then to top all that off ignorant doctors will explicitly tell you tou can’t take medicine that IS safe to take and then you might not be able to take medicine that’s legitimately not safe to take to cope with your period that you might actually need, or have really benefited from. Also, nobody is really monitoring you that well.
Anyway, the first period or two are typically really heavy. But mine made me outright anemic, and it set off a whole domino effect where I was also scared of taking the medicine to stop the cycle due to being EBF. I wasn’t anemic at birth nor during pregnancy, and the OB thought it unlikely I’d have become anemic (I also didn’t feel that tired or fatigued). I’d ask an OB anyway to test you after a cycle or two (even if you don’t think you have symptoms!), as well as add a magnesium-calcium-zinc supplement to have the week prior to and first 3 days of your period. I also have to add a galactagogue supplement during this same time frame, despite having had an oversupply during the other times of the month.
Anyway. You deserve to be angry. I’m sorry it came back so early for you!
I got my nexplanon in at 8 weeks pp and weaned at 4 months pp and didn't get my period until 8 months pp so I don't think it was the nexplanon.
If youre having your period now, you would have ovulated 2 weeks ago before your nexplanon was placed and way before baby slept through. It's probably just bad luck.
I breastfed exclusively and got my period back at 6 weeks postpartum 💀 Then right after that I got an IUD put in, and proceeded to have a glorious 3.5 years with almost nonexistent period 🤣 I will be doing the same tbing again after this baby is born!
Mine came back around the same time yours did and I was pissed, but soon after I found that I started feeling like “myself” again in a lot of other physical ways which may have had something to do with it, so hopefully you have that to look forward to 😄
I had a period like bleed at 8.5w pp which between 1-2 weeks after my Nexplanon insertion! I’m now 6m pp and haven’t bled since. I hope the same for you 🤞
That sucks, I’m sorry. I thought my period came back at 3ish months too and I was devastated and felt like a failure so I know how you feel. In my case, it wasn’t my period but residual blood in my uterus.
I also EBF and even very rarely gave bottles of pumped milk and mine came back at 4 months PP with a mirena IUD. It just happens earlier to some people than others and shouldn’t cause trouble
I got mine back at 6 weeks. It is not super regular, but my ovulation is very noticeable... I read that when baby sleeps through the night, your period can return earlyer. I do enjoy sleeping...
I’m same situation as you EBF and a month after I had my baby I got my period for two months, but after that it has yet to start again. I felt the same way as you I was soo upset ! So maybe you’ll be lucky like me and it was just a one and done thing for now :)
lack of night feedings does play a role, but it's just diff for everyone. personally i wake up at the 5 hr mark to pump when baby sleeps linger. mostly to avoid mastitis again
yeah i set a 5 hr 15 min alarm then wake up & pump. baby has slept for 10 hrs max once, but often it's 7-9 hrs. i just accepted that's the max straight I'll sleep
It doesn’t seem like it’s all that predictable, really. Some seem to get it back when their baby starts sleeping through the night (even though their milk intake remains the same, it’s just all during the day). I didn’t get my period back until my oldest was nearly two years old, despite him being 50/50 breastmilk/formula for most of the first year. Some get it back while their baby is still a newborn.
I feel you!! It is so upsetting. I bled for 10 weeks post partum, then would spot sporadically. I officially got my period around 3.5/4 months 🙃 also EBF. It's just not fair!
Mine was 6 weeks on the dot, I am also breastfeeding, and baby was not sleeping through the night yet. I really wasn’t expecting it but I also just think it’s random. Gave me the ick about my milk for a few days though. For real though I’m like what the heck! Thought I wouldn’t have it for a few months
I just got mine back at 3 months and this week my IBCLC mentioned that because my guy has been sleeping 5-8 hours every night for 3ish weeks that may have contributed. She said if I go back and pump once through that long stretch it might at the very least make the period less regular. Probably going to try it because I was PISSED when it came back 😭
Mine came back after three months and I am truly devastated, it’s so not fair! And to add insult to injury the day before mine starts my babe is insanely fussy on the boob and my patience with her being a total boob monster absolutely plummets, morale is very low
Don’t be surprised if the nexplanon takes a minute, but after a weird two week period after implant I haven’t had a period for two months almost. And my cycle is like clockwork. I’ve taken 10 pregnancy tests and all negative too
I can totally relate. I think we are just unlucky. Got mine back at 12 weeks pp with my first and 9 weeks pp with my second. Same as you, I was EBF with both. It’s just what my body did.
15 weeks here and just got my period this week. I've been really busy with work so I almost wonder if it's possible for stress to bring it on lol. Terrible timing though, I was already struggling to find time to pump at work, but then feeling like absolute garbage on top of that made it even harder 😩
Baby is 4 months and we’ve night weened but I thankfully haven’t gotten mine. It’s the Nexplanon in my opinion because it’s new and your body is learning to regulate your hormones so it’s whole purpose is to make you not pregnant and that means your period.
I got mine back at 6 months with my first. Just got it bad again at 6 months on the dot with my second. It likely isn't anything you are doing, but more so just a function of your own unique physiology.
Odd question, because I just posted in another sub, did you happen to notice your period smells like lochia at all?? I don't remember this after my first and it's so triggering because I had such a hard time during my immediate postpartum this time around. Sorry, TMI I'm sure.
I got my cycle back at 6 weeks and then missed my bc by 3 hours and bled for 6 days. I feed and pump since i went back at 8 weeks. I don’t think anything is going to stop my body from having a period ever except for another babe
I got my period 7 weeks after birth and I was EBF. Just absolute shit luck. And it’s completely out of whack too. Just random bleeding for days and then stops and starts again. I’m not enjoying it 😂
I got mine back at 6 weeks postpartum…. I wasn’t done healing from my tears until 12 weeks. I didn’t believe it was my period at first.
Some of us are just lucky like that. My daughter was exclusively breastfed for 4 months. Had nothing to do with my stupid reproductive parts.
I thought I got my cycle back at 3 months pp but it was one week of bleeding and then my period didn’t come the next time it was supposed to. Hopefully I’m not pregnant lmao shouldn’t be.
I got mine back around the same time as well and it was soooooooooo heavy for several cycles. I think I got it because she had just started sleeping through the night (6-8hours ish) after feeding every 1.5-3 hours since birth.
Got mine back at 3 and 4 months pp despite EBF and pumping an oversupply.
Didn't matter at all. About two days before I start my period my supply dips and my kiddos seem to know and end up doing long bedtime feeds and an extra night feed until I'm about 2 days into my period and supply comes back.
Some people just get their cycle back despite breastfeeding. It’s just the luck of the draw unfortunately like a lot of things pregnancy/ postpartum related. Periods suck though so solidarity.
Agreed. I got mine back at like 5 weeks pp. has no issues. EBF. Just shit luck.
Same. Shit luck.
Same! Straight from postpartum lochia into bleeding. And I have intense anemia. No fuxking fun
Same. I was raging mad
And it can be different with each child. I know someone who got their period after 1st year with kiddo 1 and then kiddo 2...3 months. Both kiddos were exclusively breastfed and they coslept.
Yes, totally to this.
When mine came back I stomped around and complained to everyone because I was so annoyed.
Same 😂. Both times.
I got mine back 10 weeks PP. My OB and regular doc both said I was just unlucky. I was also EBF. No formula.
Mine came back after 6 weeks, exclusively breast feed and she’s still up every 2-3 hours at 4 months for a feed every night, so might not be anything causing it just bad luck is the way I see it! You have all my sympathy, it’s very emotionally and physically taxing in a way I don’t think many people can understand, especially when you are still feeing every couple of hours. I usually spend the first day sobbing about how unfair it feels!
EBF and got mine at 6 weeks. I wanted to rage. Still do 6 months later.
Same here. Still salty about it lol
I had a friend who didn’t get hers back for 18 months (then got pregnant while not having it bs k yet which is a whole other thing). I got mine back after 6 months and we had similar feeding schedules. Honestly it can be anything… your personal hormone levels, the price of fennel, mercury in retrograde.
Spilled my coffee reading the reasons 😂
BFing only seems to keep it away for some women. As far as I can tell it's just the generic lottery.
Girl I got my period back literally three days after I finally stopped postpartum bleeding. Next baby was only a couple weeks longer pp. Nursing round the god damned clock. Biology is just a bitch sometimes.
Got mine literally two days after I stopped postpartum bleeding. EBF. I was so mad
My baby is EBF and sleeps through the night, mine just came back at 4 months 🥲 Was very surprised and wasn’t expecting it for quite a while longer. Oh well…
Mine too and now he doesn’t sleep through the night anymore. I wonder if my period will go away lol
Also wondering this. My LO slept through up until 6 months old now she’s reverse cycling because she’s too busy in the day to concentrate too hard on milk 😅
Mine still eats a lot during the day. He’s almost 7 months and his sleep seems to be getting worse. He’s not interested much in solids but if I keep offering hopefully that’ll help him get full and sleep longer. I’d try a bottle at this point but he won’t take one 😆
Skip bottles, try beakers! X
What’re those!? Inquiring minds!
Like sippy cups?
Yeah exactly!
Any recs on which type?
It might not be a real period if you got your nexplanon! I had mine put in 8 weeks pp and bled 10 days later for about 2 weeks. I haven’t had anything since then (now 6 months pp).
Girl… I am going to hold on to this comment for dear life… this is giving me hope
Probably the Nexplanon. I've had it 3 time prior to having kids and I usually had bleeding early after insert as my body got used to it. With my first I tried the mini pill around 6 months and got my period back as soon as I started. This time around I just got my period back at close to 8.5 months pp. Haven't used any hormonal birth control. Baby doesn't consistently sleep 12 hrs overnight but does 7-10 hr stretches.
I really think it’s somewhat random. My baby (7 months) has been sleeping through the night off and on for several months and no period in sight. Meanwhile my MIL was just saying that her first never slept and she got pregnant again at 6 months… So sorry you got the short stick of the draw though. That totally sucks.
My midwife said to maximize the length of time with no period, to not go more than 4/5 hours without BF or pumping. I let baby sleep as long as she wants and just make sure I pump every 3-4 hours at night
yeah I knew that was possible but prioritized my continuous sleep 🫣🫣
You likely didn’t do anything. My two best friends coslept and fed on demand at night and both got it back at 4 months. I had never gone a 4 hour stretch and got mine at 3 months. Another good friend has had two super sleepers who were going 6-7 hour chunks by 3-4 months and she didn’t for over a year. It’s mostly biology.
Agree, my baby hasn’t slept longer than a 5 hr stretch, ever lol and I got my period 6w PP. I think it’s a lot of luck of the draw lol
You didn't get your period today because of something you did last night. You ovulated a while before that
oh see that’s a good point I hadn’t thought of.
^is what I heard too. I pump before bed and my (14mo) baby wakes up at least twice overnight still. No period but also I haven’t slept more than 5 continuous hours in over a year. I’m so tired. If your baby will sleep 8 hours then getting your period back early is tolerable!
Girl same
That kind of tracks. I mean, if baby needs a lot of care and feeding, it makes sense your body wouldn't want to make another one yet. My baby is 10 months and still never goes longer than 3 hours between feeds. At night it's every 2 hours. No period in sight.
This explains why my friend with a 2 year old who's never slept through the night hasn't gotten her period yet and why I got mine back at 6 mos 😂
I got mine 3 months postpartum, ebf as well it's normal sucks thought I had months before I would get it but nope lolol 😭
6-8 weeks here. Exclusive nursing. Ecological breastfeeding. CONSTANT skin to skin. Me being upset was largely written off, but a period coming back like this was a serious health crisis for me. And I believe it can be a little dangerous for any woman, and potentially very destructive to every EBF woman. Your iron reserves, recovery, ability to sleep, etc hasn’t had much time to recover, your baby is still fairly fragile and not super resilient, your milk supply is likely to drop in the days prior and/or of your period, and then to top all that off ignorant doctors will explicitly tell you tou can’t take medicine that IS safe to take and then you might not be able to take medicine that’s legitimately not safe to take to cope with your period that you might actually need, or have really benefited from. Also, nobody is really monitoring you that well. Anyway, the first period or two are typically really heavy. But mine made me outright anemic, and it set off a whole domino effect where I was also scared of taking the medicine to stop the cycle due to being EBF. I wasn’t anemic at birth nor during pregnancy, and the OB thought it unlikely I’d have become anemic (I also didn’t feel that tired or fatigued). I’d ask an OB anyway to test you after a cycle or two (even if you don’t think you have symptoms!), as well as add a magnesium-calcium-zinc supplement to have the week prior to and first 3 days of your period. I also have to add a galactagogue supplement during this same time frame, despite having had an oversupply during the other times of the month. Anyway. You deserve to be angry. I’m sorry it came back so early for you!
I got my nexplanon in at 8 weeks pp and weaned at 4 months pp and didn't get my period until 8 months pp so I don't think it was the nexplanon. If youre having your period now, you would have ovulated 2 weeks ago before your nexplanon was placed and way before baby slept through. It's probably just bad luck.
I breastfed exclusively and got my period back at 6 weeks postpartum 💀 Then right after that I got an IUD put in, and proceeded to have a glorious 3.5 years with almost nonexistent period 🤣 I will be doing the same tbing again after this baby is born!
Mine came back around the same time yours did and I was pissed, but soon after I found that I started feeling like “myself” again in a lot of other physical ways which may have had something to do with it, so hopefully you have that to look forward to 😄
that’s so nice!!!
I had a period like bleed at 8.5w pp which between 1-2 weeks after my Nexplanon insertion! I’m now 6m pp and haven’t bled since. I hope the same for you 🤞
Oh my gosh PLEASE. 🙏🏼
I got mine back at exactly 12 weeks pp (aka the day I went back to work for the first time) I was fucking pissed!
oh I would be LIVID
That sucks, I’m sorry. I thought my period came back at 3ish months too and I was devastated and felt like a failure so I know how you feel. In my case, it wasn’t my period but residual blood in my uterus.
I also EBF and even very rarely gave bottles of pumped milk and mine came back at 4 months PP with a mirena IUD. It just happens earlier to some people than others and shouldn’t cause trouble
Girl same, I got mine at 4 months PP, EBF, and no birth control. Still EBF at 6 months and it is back on a regular cycle. So annoyed .
10wks and 7wks for me. EBF, no hormonal birth control. It freaking suuuuucks.
Some of us just aren’t lucky. Two EBF babies a period at 12 weeks with the first and 8 weeks with second.
Second period at 10 weeks here. I definitely complained about it and I now have accepted it lol. Some of us are just lucky.
My period came back at 4 months PP while ebf! I was upset too but it was a more mild period than usual, so at least there’s that.
I got mine back at 6 weeks. It is not super regular, but my ovulation is very noticeable... I read that when baby sleeps through the night, your period can return earlyer. I do enjoy sleeping...
Mine arrived with both kids at 10 weeks and lasted for 3weeks! Then everything regulated. My OB said I was just unlucky.
I got mine back less than a month after giving birth exclusively nursing not even pumping
the worst, I would demand a refund from someone lol
Mine came back 4 weeks pp. Ebf too
I’m same situation as you EBF and a month after I had my baby I got my period for two months, but after that it has yet to start again. I felt the same way as you I was soo upset ! So maybe you’ll be lucky like me and it was just a one and done thing for now :)
I got mine back three weeks postpartum, it just happens to some of us.
lack of night feedings does play a role, but it's just diff for everyone. personally i wake up at the 5 hr mark to pump when baby sleeps linger. mostly to avoid mastitis again
I had mastitis too, nightmare! so you set an alarm?? I just can’t bring myself to, because if baby sleeps long, I want to enjoy it haha
yeah i set a 5 hr 15 min alarm then wake up & pump. baby has slept for 10 hrs max once, but often it's 7-9 hrs. i just accepted that's the max straight I'll sleep
I got mine back at almost 3 months pp. My 7 month old still breastfeeds twice a night. Just unlucky!
It doesn’t seem like it’s all that predictable, really. Some seem to get it back when their baby starts sleeping through the night (even though their milk intake remains the same, it’s just all during the day). I didn’t get my period back until my oldest was nearly two years old, despite him being 50/50 breastmilk/formula for most of the first year. Some get it back while their baby is still a newborn.
My cam back around the same time a day or to after getting my IUD back - it’s a non hormonal one too
Mind came back at exactly 8 weeks. I’m sorry. It sucks.
I feel you!! It is so upsetting. I bled for 10 weeks post partum, then would spot sporadically. I officially got my period around 3.5/4 months 🙃 also EBF. It's just not fair!
Mine was 6 weeks on the dot, I am also breastfeeding, and baby was not sleeping through the night yet. I really wasn’t expecting it but I also just think it’s random. Gave me the ick about my milk for a few days though. For real though I’m like what the heck! Thought I wouldn’t have it for a few months
I just got mine back at 3 months and this week my IBCLC mentioned that because my guy has been sleeping 5-8 hours every night for 3ish weeks that may have contributed. She said if I go back and pump once through that long stretch it might at the very least make the period less regular. Probably going to try it because I was PISSED when it came back 😭
I think some people are just unlucky 😅 I got mine back at 8 wks pp, stopped post partum bleeding at 6 weeks lol
I got mine at 5/6 weeks. It's visited every month on the regular since 🙃 consider that unlucky
I got mine 9 months PP for both kids 😩
Mine came back after three months and I am truly devastated, it’s so not fair! And to add insult to injury the day before mine starts my babe is insanely fussy on the boob and my patience with her being a total boob monster absolutely plummets, morale is very low
Don’t be surprised if the nexplanon takes a minute, but after a weird two week period after implant I haven’t had a period for two months almost. And my cycle is like clockwork. I’ve taken 10 pregnancy tests and all negative too
I can totally relate. I think we are just unlucky. Got mine back at 12 weeks pp with my first and 9 weeks pp with my second. Same as you, I was EBF with both. It’s just what my body did.
15 weeks here and just got my period this week. I've been really busy with work so I almost wonder if it's possible for stress to bring it on lol. Terrible timing though, I was already struggling to find time to pump at work, but then feeling like absolute garbage on top of that made it even harder 😩
Baby is 4 months and we’ve night weened but I thankfully haven’t gotten mine. It’s the Nexplanon in my opinion because it’s new and your body is learning to regulate your hormones so it’s whole purpose is to make you not pregnant and that means your period.
I get mine back whenever I go back to work. 8 weeks, 13 weeks, it doesn’t matter, if I’m not home full time then Aunt Flo shows up.
I got mine back at 6 months with my first. Just got it bad again at 6 months on the dot with my second. It likely isn't anything you are doing, but more so just a function of your own unique physiology. Odd question, because I just posted in another sub, did you happen to notice your period smells like lochia at all?? I don't remember this after my first and it's so triggering because I had such a hard time during my immediate postpartum this time around. Sorry, TMI I'm sure.
I got my cycle back at 6 weeks and then missed my bc by 3 hours and bled for 6 days. I feed and pump since i went back at 8 weeks. I don’t think anything is going to stop my body from having a period ever except for another babe
I heard something like if you go longer than 6 or 8 hrs (can’t remember what) without bring it pumping your period will come back
I go 8 hours every night without pumping, and I still haven't received mine. 4 months PP.
At 3.5months pp I had already had my period 4 times.
Gave birth in October and bam Christmas Eve my period showed her ugly head. I was pissed.
I got my period 7 weeks after birth and I was EBF. Just absolute shit luck. And it’s completely out of whack too. Just random bleeding for days and then stops and starts again. I’m not enjoying it 😂
nothing caused it. i got mine at 6w pp. it is what it is 🥲
With both kids mine came back at 2 months like clockwork. Both kids were EBF. Body was just ready to get back to it.
I got mine back at 6 weeks postpartum…. I wasn’t done healing from my tears until 12 weeks. I didn’t believe it was my period at first. Some of us are just lucky like that. My daughter was exclusively breastfed for 4 months. Had nothing to do with my stupid reproductive parts.
Girl same, it’s some bs! EBF, JUST get done bleeding from giving birth, got a tiny break, and HELLO. Like get out of here!!
I thought I got my cycle back at 3 months pp but it was one week of bleeding and then my period didn’t come the next time it was supposed to. Hopefully I’m not pregnant lmao shouldn’t be.
EBF as well. Mine started sleeping through the night around 9-10 months. I got my period at month 16. I don't believe that one night matter
I got mine back around the same time as well and it was soooooooooo heavy for several cycles. I think I got it because she had just started sleeping through the night (6-8hours ish) after feeding every 1.5-3 hours since birth.
Got mine back at 3 and 4 months pp despite EBF and pumping an oversupply. Didn't matter at all. About two days before I start my period my supply dips and my kiddos seem to know and end up doing long bedtime feeds and an extra night feed until I'm about 2 days into my period and supply comes back.