When did you get AF back?

LJR 84 · November 2013

I'm just curious! My youngest is 3 months and I'm EBF. (Plan to until she's one year old). I had my Mirena removed today for several reasons, but basically hormonal BC and I don't mix. You would think I would have learned that after I had it last time, but no!

I didn't get AF back with DS until I stopped nursing AND had Mirena removed. I'm not sure whether it was getting the IUD removed or stopping nursing that brought it back, but I'm hoping it was Mirena.

I'm planning on charting to AVOID getting pregnant. (3, 3 and under...eek!) so I'm hoping AF will return ASAP to make that a little easier.

82Sonia · November 2013

8 months PP even with EBF. I've had two now and they've been irregular.

sschwege · November 2013

Still nothing with DS. With DD it was when I dropped down to two nursing sessions, it returned at 15.5 months.

I agree with pp find another method if you really don't want another one yet!

LJR 84 · November 2013

theresat858 said:

I didn't get AF back until 14 mo PP, but that was also about 6 weeks after I stopped taking the mini pill.

ETA: I would use condoms or another physical barrier method until your AF is regular post baby if you want to avoid pregnancy. If you and DH are done at three, maybe he could get snipped?

Oh, I forgot to add that we do plan on using condoms...definitely until AF returns. I'm not willing to take that chance, lol.

I would LOVE for him to get snipped. He's made it clear he does NOT want to. I don't really understand. I mean heck, I've gone through 3 pregnancies and 3 c-sections. He could at least do that!

I guess our problem is that we aren't 100% sure we're done. Theres a very small possibility we will go for #4 when our youngest is about 3. I always assumed 3 c-sections was the max, but my OBGYN told me that although my uterine wall is thin, it's not thin enough to say "no more".

Sorry for rambling...I guess basically we aren't exactly ready to do anything permanent.

[Deleted User] · November 2013

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LJR 84 · November 2013

Thanks girls. With my luck I probably wont get it back until I stop nursing! I never thought I'd be wishing for AF...ha!

flummadiddle85 · November 2013

Right around 6 months, and he is still EBF. Although he's been STTN since about 6 weeks. My cycles are still very irregular, and my last one was 45 days. Pre-baby it was usually around 26-28.

We chart to TTC and TTA. We did not start TTC until about 7 months after we were married. So before that we were TTA. If you are diligent with reading/recording your signs, interpreting your chart, and observing the rules for TTA, the efficacy rate is just as high, sometimes higher, than other forms of BC.

I don't know what research you've done on the topic, but the PP phase can be tricky. If you haven't already, the book Taking Charge of Your Fertility is very helpful. The Couple to Couple League offers classes, but are religious based. I know the TCOYF book has a website and forum as well. Although I have not really been on that one much. The ladies there could be of help to you as well.

bumpuser5078523 · November 2013

A month after he started sleeping 10 hours at night.

kjsmith9 · November 2013

9 months... and I started the mini pill at 7 weeks, DD started consistently STTN at 6 months... there was really no change I noticed that would've jump started it!

CLLDLL · November 2013

13 months, and still no AF in sight. He's been STTN consistently since 6.5 months. I'm down to two pumping sessions at work + 3-4 nursing sessions. I'm guessing I'll need to fully cut out the pumping and get down to 2-3 nursing sessions a day before she comes back.

OkieMama · November 2013

Right at 13 months for me.

shlittertoots · November 2013

I got my first period maybe at 7 months PP? I don't remember for sure, but LO started sttn at about 3 months consistently, and I've heard that if you don't nurse during the night much your period comes back sooner. Or it could be that we started solids at 6 months...I'm still nursing about 6x during the day but just had a super horrible period a few weeks ago!

angie637 · November 2013

Mine came back at 3 months with Ds1. This time around it just came back at 10 months. Be careful if I don't want more kiddos. I ended up with twins while still breast feeding ds1

KrisM86 · November 2013

I was one of the rare and very unlucky ones. I got my period back at 6 weeks PP with my DD and 7 weeks PP with my DS despite around the clock EBFing.

LJR 84 · November 2013

Oh, wow...I didn't realize that if your baby STTN AF may come back sooner. My first two didn't STTN until they were at least one year old. DD has been STTN since about 2.5 months. This was a very, very pleasant surprise. I know it can change quickly, but maybe if she continues to STTN AF will return sooner. She sleeps about 9 hours straight at night.

Nechie122 · November 2013

SweetTurnip said:
7 months PP while EBFing round the clock. I was less than excited!

This was me too. But I didn't get my second AF until nine weeks after that, and the third until seven weeks after that. So it was really irregular for the first few cycles.

sschwege · November 2013

LJR 84 said:

Oh, wow...I didn't realize that if your baby STTN AF may come back sooner. My first two didn't STTN until they were at least one year old. DD has been STTN since about 2.5 months. This was a very, very pleasant surprise. I know it can change quickly, but maybe if she continues to STTN AF will return sooner. She sleeps about 9 hours straight at night.

It really varies though that can be one of the triggers, along with starting solids. It wasn't the case for me though ::knocks on wood:: DS has been consistently STTN since 7w and still no AF here.