the return of AF

[annaelise]

My baby's only 3 months old, I exclusively breastfeed and AF came today. I'm sooooo bummed. Did I do something wrong? Will my cycle returning affect breastfeeding at all? anyone have any experience with this?

[BabbyO]

Mine came a little later than that, about 7 mo and I don't think you've done anything wrong at all. My cousin who had her baby 6 days after I had DS got her about 4 mo. Everyone's body is a little different.

For some people AF may affect your ability to produce milk for a day or two. I noticed that I'd experience a day or two with a little less milk (I pumped at work, which is the only reason I noticed). But then it would be back to normal...or I'd have a day or two where I'd produce more milk. IMHO AF had little affect on my ability to nurse/pump for DS.

I think you'll be fine...other than the irritation of having AF back.

[mezzona]

I know. I got mine at 3mo while EBF too. What a bummer huh. It's normal, though. You didn't do anything wrong. You don't have to do anything different, IME.

[♥ms.pacman♥]

i don't think u did anything wrong. i know how you feel though. i was really bummed too (especially since with the lochia/post partum bleeding, i only had 1 or 2 weeks "break" from bleeding!! argh!!) i too exclusively breastfed my son and i got my period 6 weeks after he was born. and no, he wasn't sleeping through the night at that point (nowhere near that, he was nursing every 3 hrs still) and i did not supplement at all. i am a sahm so i didn't really pump much and i was with my ds constantly.

i think with this kind of thing it really varies from person to person and there's really not much that can be done.

and at least, for me, the return of AF did not affect breastfeeding my son at all. though of course the return of AF affects other things...i got pregnant when my ds was 7 months. even then, i managed to continue nursing him without needing to supplement, until he was about 10mos. i was still able to nurse for a full year before fully weaning. so hopefully in your case getting AF will not really affect nursing.

[AnnieW625]

With DD1 I got it back when she was just shy of 3 mos. old, and with DD2 I got it back right when she was 4 mos. old. I had already weaned DD2 the prior month, and with DD1 I got it back the last month she was breast fed and it didn't effect my breast feeding at all.

[chottumommy]

Mine came back at the 6 week mark. I was exclusively BF my DS who drank round the clock every 2 hours and every 3 at night. So BF did nothing to my cycles and in reverse my cycle did nothing to BFing. I did see a drop about 2 days before my cycle started but produced a lot about 3 days into the cycle, so I always compensated by pumping and storing. Never had to supplement and I continued to feed DS till he was 2 when I got pregnant with baby#2.

If you do see a drop, drink lots of water, and take some mother love milk plus and you will see an increase in about a day.

[annaelise]

thanks everyone for the encouragment...guess its just one of those things. On the plus side I hardly had ANY cramps and before i got pregnant I would be doubled over in pain for at least 2 days.