Lactational amenorrhea--how long does it last?

[garddwr]

I know there is a wide variation in this, I'm wondering what you ladies have experienced and what you think affects the duration of lactational amenorrhea? Is is primarily genes, your body's nutritional status, how frequently baby nurses?

Here's my experience: with my first, I went 10 months before having a period. Numbers 2 and 3 it was about 20 months, number 4 is 16 months now and nothing yet. This seems longer than average from talking with other nursing mothers (not that I'm complaining, although I'm starting to want another baby...) I've just been wondering where the variation comes from. I suspect that night nursing has a big impact--I co-sleep and all my babies have liked to nurse at night. I've wondered why it was 10 months with the first baby and 20 with subsequent babies, and if that might be related to my body being depleted of nutrients from pregnancies and nursing so it goes into a non-reproductive mode. I also tandem nursed for a year after #2 was born, at the time I thought that was why it took so long for my fertility to return, but I didn't tandem nurse after #3 and it took just as long. I seem to produce endless quantities of milk, and I've never made much effort to feed my kids solid food; we don't do much baby food, they just start eating table food and eat mostly what they can feed themselves, so even my toddlers get most of their calories from nursing.

So does anyone want to share there experiences and thoughts?

[Mrs Mungo]

It lasted 15 months with each of mine.

[ChristusG]

First baby...18 months.

Second baby....I think about 9 months.

Hopefully with this baby it will be more along the lines of 18 months.

[chepyl]

0 months.....I was really looking forward to it.....and I was right back on my cycle within 10 weeks! I nursed full-time with both kids, both nursed until almost 2.

 

You can still get pregnant, however. I can think of at least 2 people and 3 kids....they thought they were safe....and surprise ;)

[mrs.m]

4 months for all three. I got ripped off.

 

You might be right about the nursing at night. Mine slept through the night by 4 months.

[Homemama2]

I started my cycle the next month after both of mine were born. :glare: I was only nursing (no formula) and they nursed at night. I got ripped off, lol!

[Cera]

I parented my babies much like you describe (night nursing past 1, cosleeping, minimal table food).

 

With my first I got pregnant around 15 months without ever getting my period back (you really can ovulate before that first period). With my second I got my period back at 16 months.

 

I think it is probably a combination of all the factors you mentioned but I definitely think there is a general "standard" for each woman. I had quite a few friends that were parenting their babies ver similarly and got their periods back quite early.

[Crimson Wife]

I get my cycle back about 6 weeks after I wean. However, I haven't BF any of my children past their 1st birthday, so I don't know how long LAM would've lasted naturally.

[Nakia]

Mine lasted around 11-12 months each time.

[Veritaserum]

My style is like yours.

 

#1: 12 months (got pregnant 3 months later)

#2: 16 months (got pregnant 4 months later); tandem nursed 1 & 2

#3: 12 months (got pregnant 3 months later)

#4: 12 months (got pregnant that first cycle)

#5: had a Mirena IUD and spotted nearly continuously until I had it removed 20 months later; regular cycles with the Paragard, pregnant two months after removing it

[Slartibartfast]

With dd it was about 18 months

With ds it was 6 months

[Janie Grace]

For me it lasts until they wean (or several months after). All my babies have slept through the night by 3 months, so I didn't need nighttime nursing to keep my period away. I nursed about a year with each, so that's how long it took to get my cycle back.

 

That said, my body is a reluctant menstruater, or something! Didn't start til I was 16 and have never had a period closer together than 5 weeks (I'm irregular but more like 6-8 weeks). 28 days would blow me away! So I sort of think that plays into it too, somehow... whatever that variable would be called.

[Sevilla]

How long your cycles take to resume depends on a variety of factors:

 

1. Genes/body make-up (some women are more susceptible to environmental changes in their cycle and others are more resistant to being affected by it).

 

2. Nursing pattern of infant/night nursing patterns (i.e., nursing during peak prolactin production hours 12am-5am vs. sleeping through the night, having a 3-5 hour gap between each feeding vs. a 1-3 hour gap, 4 feedings per day vs. 12+ feedings per day)

 

Prolactin is what helps keep your cycles away, and that is stimulated (to varying degrees in each woman) by the baby's frequency and timing of nursing.

 

Generally speaking, for an *average* woman, her cycles will not return prior to 6-9 months post-partum given the following:

1. Baby is nursing at least 1-2 times during the 'peak prolactin' hours of midnight-5am

2. Baby is nursing at least every 3 hours day and night

3. Baby is not having any supplemental feedings (no bottles, no baby food)

 

Some women can have their cycles stay away with only one or two of those factors in place, but many require all three in place (I can't tell you how many people I know got their periods back once their babies either started solids (even just once per day) OR started sleeping through the night).

 

And of course there are those lucky women who get their cycles back in the first 3-4 months postpartum inspite of all attempts to avoid it ;).

[daffodil]

14 months with both kids.

[Terabith]

1st baby: Couldn't seem to nurse, wound up pumping exclusively. I only kept that up for six months (when I was sticking the baby in the swing so I could pump, I decided formula wasn't the worst thing in the world). I think I had a period the month after I stopped, but I might have just gotten pregnant that month.

 

2nd baby: lasted 22 months (She was a frequent nurser, even after solid food, and nursed even at night)

[Stratford]

I've had my period a whopping 8 times since my oldest was born 7 1/2 years ago. I didn't start my cycle until I had weaned completely, and then it was irregular (as in skipping months) and then I was pregnant again. So, I nursed #1 for 23 months, #2 for 28, and now I'm nursing #3, who is 18 months old. No period yet. Can't really complain.

 

I also think that my work schedule has something to do with it. I work nights a few days a week and I think that having my sleep consistently disrupted affects my cycle.

[LaxMom]

In my experience, 6 weeks with one nursling, 6 months with two. :glare:

[gardenmom5]

I nursed all of mine for about 18 months (one weaned herself at 15 months, and 3ds I nursed much longer - I had one who HIT ME for six months after having weaned him and he has the same issues.)

 

They all had solids introduced around six months. My cycle returned after about six months, but with later children, it was a year out. (and I didn't miss it. ;))

[DianeW88]

8 weeks. With all of them. All exclusively breast fed on demand...no bottles ever. My OB said I had a "high-functioning hypothalamus". Whatever. :glare: I was robbed! :lol:

[Maus]

 

I started my cycle the next month after both of mine were born. :glare: I was only nursing (no formula) and they nursed at night. I got ripped off, lol!

I only successfully exclusively nursed one of mine, but ... no break at all. It was if the postpartum stuff was an extra long period, and four weeks after it was over, right on schedule, back on my cycle.

[staceyobu]

I think it has a lot to do with nursing frequency... especially night nursing. Cosleeping, limiting solids, feeding on demand will obviously increase the likelihood of amenorrhea.

 

I read a study of a tribe of African women where they monitored female cycles, breastfeeding, and pregnancy extensively. On average, the women's cycles returned at 20 months postpartum. The women also had significantly fewer menstrual cycles than their American counterparts. I think it was something like 1/3 of the periods that we have. They had more pregnancies and longer amenorrhea from breastfeeding. I know of physicians here who think that something is wrong with you if you have not resumed cycles at 6 months postpartum. However, I think this is really a wrong assumption.

[UnsinkableKristen]

4 months for the first three and I was exclusively breastfeeding, co-sleeping, no one slept through the night until 1 yr, and we delayed solids. :glare:

 

Ah well. Maybe this time will be different? :)

[Momma2Many66]

We do attachment parenting here, so I co-slept with all my babies and wore them in slings and nursed them on demand (typically every 2 hours round the clock). I delay solids until each child is about 8 months old and can use their "pincher grip" to pick up foods on a tray and feed themselves. Each child nursed until they were between 15 months and 2 years old. I tandum nursed several times and also nursed through several pregnancies.

 

With my first child I got my period back at 6 weeks, but I was working part time at that time and was away from him for 4 to 5 hours a day before coming home to nurse him again.

 

Second child I got my period back at 6 months, she was a very easy baby and a great sleeper and started sleeping right through the night by 6 weeks old (she slept a good 8 hours at that time).

 

Third child I got my period back at 12 months old and got pregnant again by the time he was 15 months old.

 

Fourth child I got my period back at 13 or 14 months old and was pregnant again by the following month.

 

Fifth child I got my period back again at 15 months old and got pregnant again that next month.

 

Sixth child I got my period back at 18 months old and made hubby go get snipped :lol:

 

Age of mother and how fertile they are at that age may also have something to do with it, with my first child I was 17 years old, with second child I was 21 years old, with third child I was 32 years old, with fourth child I was 34 years old, with 5th child I was 36 years old and with my 6th child I was 39 years old.

Edited October 16, 2011 by Momma2Many66

[Aubrey]

8 weeks. With all of them. All exclusively breast fed on demand...no bottles ever. My OB said I had a "high-functioning hypothalamus". Whatever. :glare: I was robbed! :lol:

 

6 weeks here, for all 4. Co-sleeping, on-demand. Even after having 2 babies in 2 years, when you'd think your body was too worn out to manage.

 

In my whole life, I've only been stressed out enough to mess w/ the *perfect* rhythm of things twice. And if you know anything about my life, that's pretty spectacular. To top it off, they're short, so I frequently get 2 in one mo. :glare:

 

I'm the most ripped-off of all of you!

 

ETA: Since it was mentioned, we've never even *owned* a pacifier, much less used one.

Edited October 16, 2011 by Aubrey

[Chris in VA]

I've heard it has to do with body fat, too--more estrogen with more body fat, so cycles return earlier in those of us blessed that way...:glare::D

 

But don't quote me on that, it's just what I've heard.

 

I don't remember exactly when mine came back, but I think it was around 3 months or so--nursing exclusively and on demand, no one sleeping thru the night until about 4 months.

[HappyCrazyMama]

12+ months here.:)

[greenvneck]

Two to two-and-a-half years for me, but mine would nurse all night long. I'm sure that had something to do with it.

[Pink Fairy]

Mine has been all over the place. With my first, 6 weeks was all I got. With my last bf child, 8 months. The others were somewhere between the two. I honestly don't know what made the difference.

[butterflymommy]

Babies 1-4 ---- 10-14 months

 

Babies 5 & 6 ----- 6 weeks!

 

Current baby is a newborn.

 

If someone can explain to me why I immediately got my period after 5 and 6 I would love to know. I exclusively BF them all on demand for the first year+, night nursed, no bottles or pacifiers. They all started eating a little food around 10-12 months but were mostly BF.

[butterflymommy]

I've heard it has to do with body fat, too--more estrogen with more body fat, so cycles return earlier in those of us blessed that way...:glare::D

 

I don't think that has been the case with me... my BMI has remained steady at around 20-21 throughout having kids.

 

I've always wondered why on earth I'd get my periods back sooner when I'm older... aren't I supposed to be getting less fertile? :001_huh:

[Soror]

#1 15.5, #2 15.5 mo #3- 17.5 mo

 

As pp said it depends on a lot of factors- whether you nurse on demand- use pacis or bottles, co-sleeping, and napping w/ babe as well are what I had read were the big factors in having longer periods of lact. amn.

[Soror]

It seems that I'd read that smaller women were more likely to have longer absences. Of course that varies and there are lot of factors.

[Tmhearn]

As Soror mentioned, pacifiers do come into play. I haven't really seen anyone mention those. True LAM for the purposes of birth control has 3 key components:

 

1.) Baby is exclusively nursed and pacified at the breast. (no food, formula, paci, thumb-sucking)

 

2.) Baby is less than 6 months old.

 

3.) Mom hasn't gotten her period.

 

With that said, I've seen moms all over the place on this topic. I gave my 3rd child a paci and supplemented with formula and still managed to go 21 months. My close friend nurses exclusively and goes only 3 months.

[I.Dup.]

It is 100% determined by when baby sleeps through the night, for me. Within 2 months of baby going 6+ hours without nursing, I am either pregnant or having a period.

[MominIN]

My first two were at 4 months. I followed a schedule with them.

 

The next three were 7 months. They were demand fed. This is about when we started solid foods with them.

 

My youngest will be 9 months old this week and I still haven't started. He's been eating solid food for about a month. He still nurses very often, including at least once and sometimes twice at night. I'm thinking I'll start here in the next month ... but who knows?

[twoxcell]

With all of mine my cycle came back right around their first birthday. My 3rd slept through the night at 2 months, and my youngest didn't sleep through the night until about 18.;) That made no difference for me. I nursed my first for 10 months(he completely lost interest), second 11 months(would not stop biting), 3rd 15 months, and 4th 18 months.

[Bluegoat]

I was about 14 months both times, feeding on demand and co-sleeping.

 

From what I remember, any time there is more than about four hours between nursing, there's a chance that hormone levels may rise enough to trigger ovulation.

[Whereneverever]

Around 2 years, give or take a few months.

[Deb in NZ]

#1 = 6 months, #2 = 18 months, #3 = 12 months. With #2 I lost all of my 'baby weight' & got down to a weight that I hadn't been since highschool :) With #1 & #3 I stopped losing weight at 10#s above prepregnancy weight. That may have had something to do with the longer amenorrhea.

 

I nursed all 3dc exclusively for the first 6 months. #1 was weaned at 16 months ( I was already preg. with #2), #2 was weaned at 24 months, #3 was weaned at 12 months. None of my babies slept through the night until after weaning. That may have had an effect as well.

Edited October 16, 2011 by Deb in NZ

[Mommy22alyns]

Mine did not last very long at. all. In fact, with Rebecca, my PP bleeding ran right into my first post-baby AF. :glare: So I basically got no reprieve. I didn't have very long with Sylvia either because she was supplemented with formula from birth. (jaundiced, sleepy preemie)

[CourtneyBrooke]

My first two pregnancies, AF returned at 18 months post-partum. I co-slept, and they all nursed through the night until they were 3. No pacifiers.

 

With this baby, she will be 2 next week and I have not had a period (knock on wood!). She's my first child to use a pacifier and my first child to not nurse at night. I would've thought AF would return sooner given that she's not nursing nearly as much during the day OR night as the others, but it's actually 6+ months longer than the others.

 

Who knows?

[Lawana]

With my first, I was pumping (up to 35 oz. per day), not breast feeding, and cycle came back at 2 mos. With the second, I was exclusively bf'ing, no longer than 3 hours between feedings, co-sleeping, *NO* solids, very in-tune with baby, and cycle came back at ─wait for it─ *3* months. I have a friend that did all of the above, and amenorrhea lasted all of 4 weeks. Wait─I guess you can't call that amenorrhea at all.

[LisaKinVA]

You mean, your cycle stops after you have the baby because your nursing?

 

:lol: :lol: :lol: (I'd put a crying emoticon here... because it's kind of sad, too).

 

The only time I don't cycle (normally) is when I'm pregnant. 8-9 months off... 6 weeks post-partum discharge, 1 week of nothing, then it's back.

 

Happens that way when I nurse on-demand, no binkies, co-sleep, act as a pacifier, wear the baby, no bottles.

 

I'm just glad I didn't take my SIL's advice who told me that just because I was having my cycle didn't mean I was ovulating...:tongue_smilie:

[KidsHappen]

Progressively less time with each child. They all nursed on demand with no solids for the first year and the last four co-slept as well. I didn;t get my period back with the first two until they were weaned. WIth the third one, she refused to nurse as soon as I got pregnant with her sister. So nine months with the first two and seven months with the third.

 

The fourth was a specially case. I only had one day of postpartum bleeding and then no period for three months until my third trip to the hospital where they discovered that I had sepsis due to retained membranes. After a D&C and serious hospital time, I had about a month of bleeding a then it resumed a regular schedule.

 

I breast fed number five and six 2 1/2 and 3 and 1/2 years repectively but my period returned almost immediately.

 

My dd just weaned her three year old and her periods just returned a few months before that. So I have no idea what causes the variation.