When was your first PP period?

I'll be 8 weeks postpartum on Saturday. I thought I had it documented somewhere when I started with my son, but I don't. I don't know if it was around this time frame or not.

If you can remember, when did it start for you?

[Samiel]

I think it was between 8 and 10 weeks. Not more than 3 months, definitely.

[ShawnaCAN]

Hmmm. I pumped exclusively with #4, so that doesn't count as BFing in terms of fertility. I'm pretty sure I got AF at 2 months.

[LJD3Tdance]

Sorry, always bf'd, but I have also always got my period back before 6 months postpartum, unlike some bf'ers who go for like a year!

Shawna, I'm curious as to why that is? If you're still getting milk from your breasts, why doesn't that count in terms of fertility?

[ShawnaCAN]

Because it's not the extraction of milk that suppresses fertility - it's the stimulation from the baby's suckling. Amazing that our bodies know the difference between manual stimulation from a pump and suckling stimulation from our babies, but they do! That's why the conditions for LAM stipulate that the baby has to get all nutrition AT the breast in order to rely on it.

Seriously? I had no idea. I just figured it was all due to milk extraction.

[ShawnaCAN]

Yup, seriously. It's all about the stimulation.

[benandali]

Yeah kelly I always thought that too. I exclusively pumped w/ my son and I still didn't get my period back till 7 months. This time around I'm hoping it takes longer to come since I only pump on days I work. We'll see!

I Breastfed Lauren for 5 weeks, but it was a lot of pumping, and she'd only nurse for 10 minutes at a time max. I had my PP bleeding for 6 weeks, then AF at about 8 or 9 weeks.

I breast fed Luke for less than a week.. had PP bleeding for four weeks and AF at about 7 or 8 weeks.

I really wish my boobs worked enough to successfully breast feed. I REALLY hate PMS.

[LJD3Tdance]

Awww