Breastfeeding & AF

bundle2baby · #1 April 28th, 2011, 09:19 AM

I stumbled upon this article on Breastfeeding and Fertility/AF...thought I'd share for those who are still exclusively BF:

LLLI | Breastfeeding and Fertility

Arei_720 · #2 April 28th, 2011, 11:24 AM

Interesting read. TYFS

Lilly Bella · #3 April 28th, 2011, 12:48 PM

yep yep! we follow all of this! though I did try really hard to get her to take a paci

it was a no go!

1.Exclusive breastfeeding (no other liquid or solid from any other source enters the infant's mouth) for the first six months of life.
2.Comfort your baby at the breast.
3.Don't use bottles and pacifiers.
4.Share sleep with your baby for night feedings.
5.Share sleep with your baby for daily nap feedings.
6.Nurse frequently day and night and avoid schedules.
7.Avoid any practice that restricts nursing or separates you from your baby.

and i'm still af free as of 9 months! hope to make it a year.

Hollybear · #4 April 28th, 2011, 01:00 PM

I still don't know how I got mine, it's a medical mystery LOL

starrsgirl · #5 April 28th, 2011, 08:44 PM

I know they SAY all those things that Kristen listed above, but it doesn't "feel" very true to me. I know so many people who do all those things and get their periods back. And then, in my case, I don't do a lot of them (because of work schedule or personal preference) and I haven't gotten mine. I kinda think there must be some genetic component to it that makes us individuals. It really seems random to me on when it will return after 6 months. Anyone else feel that way?

Hollybear · #6 April 28th, 2011, 08:53 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by starrsgirl

I know they SAY all those things that Kristen listed above, but it doesn't "feel" very true to me. I know so many people who do all those things and get their periods back. And then, in my case, I don't do a lot of them (because of work schedule or personal preference) and I haven't gotten mine. I kinda think there must be some genetic component to it that makes us individuals. It really seems random to me on when it will return after 6 months. Anyone else feel that way?

Me too. I mean I am telling you I have always had super perfect cycles. My period returned 28 days to the day after Sophie was born. I don't know how you can get more perfect than that. Sophie loves her binkie now but she didn't like it that first month. I had to "train" her to like it---now I sort of regret that. I used to do skin-to-skin like 24/7 because I had read it made your milk supply better. I didn't even get a double pump until August, so I was like nursing 24/7 in July.

AmandaEliz · #7 April 28th, 2011, 09:02 PM

Yeah, I certainly wouldn't rely on it as BC... especially for your first. I know my fertility doesn't return until baby is 100% done BFing & that definitely isn't the case for everyone.

bundle2baby · #8 April 29th, 2011, 08:49 AM

While I thought the article was an interesting read, I definitely don't think it holds true for all women. As Liz said, each body/genetics are different. Although we used Fertility Awareness/charting while trying to conceive Matthew, I wouldn't depend on FA and exclusively BF for BC (even b/f 6mos). That being said, (so far) for us, EBF has kept AF away. Kristen, we also tried the paci, but he always rejected it in favor of the boob (my daughter was the complete opposite).

Jule'sMomInOR · #9 April 29th, 2011, 09:07 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Lilly Bella

yep yep! we follow all of this! though I did try really hard to get her to take a paci

it was a no go!

1.Exclusive breastfeeding (no other liquid or solid from any other source enters the infant's mouth) for the first six months of life.
2.Comfort your baby at the breast.
3.Don't use bottles and pacifiers.
4.Share sleep with your baby for night feedings.
5.Share sleep with your baby for daily nap feedings.
6.Nurse frequently day and night and avoid schedules.
7.Avoid any practice that restricts nursing or separates you from your baby.

and i'm still af free as of 9 months! hope to make it a year.

Ditto. I do all of those things except Juliana does get a bottle when she goes out on trips with the nanny (which just started within the last 2 months) or when I have to go to the office (only 3 weeks now since she's been born). Still no sign of AF!

She does go more than 4 hours without nursing during the day now, but not at night. Go figure.

I would like to go a year with no AF but I don't want to go much longer than that. I'll start to get nervous about that time because I need my cycle to be back like clockwork when we start TTC just after 2 years.