[*Anna*]

When did you get your 1st AF and when did u have signs of AF?

Im past the 5 month mark and no signs yet. We're still EBFing so Im hoping to keep her away til 6-7 more months... I hope!!!

I stopped PPBleeding at 6wks PP and got AF every month right after But it's not uncommon for her to stay away for the full BFing time and beyond. Lucky you!!

[Resi]

I believe I got my first one at 9 month PP. I have had 3 AF's so far. I hoped to avoid it a little longer but I'm not complaining! I hope yours stays away from a few more months. It will most likely come back a few months into starting solids.

[SandKmommy]

With Seamus 6.5weeks PP (3yrs ago today was my first AF after Seamus was born, with 100% BF what a nice wedding gift huh?)

And Kieran at around 8weeks. Actually something is up, adnd of course I can't go to the doctor thanks to not being able to afford dh's works super expensive insurance. I will "bleed"(I dont really know if its af cause it starts if I do to much, can't clean much or I bleed, If I go on too long of walks I bleed....etc) for 1-2weeks then have 1-1.5 sometimes 2weeks off. In the last 5weeks I've bled for 3 of them And Kieran is still 100% EBF no food or anything yet all boob.

[*Anna*]

Originally Posted by SandKmommy

With Seamus 6.5weeks PP (3yrs ago today was my first AF after Seamus was born, with 100% BF what a nice wedding gift huh?)

And Kieran at around 8weeks. Actually something is up, adnd of course I can't go to the doctor thanks to not being able to afford dh's works super expensive insurance. I will "bleed"(I dont really know if its af cause it starts if I do to much, can't clean much or I bleed, If I go on too long of walks I bleed....etc) for 1-2weeks then have 1-1.5 sometimes 2weeks off. In the last 5weeks I've bled for 3 of them And Kieran is still 100% EBF no food or anything yet all boob.

Justine you should try to get that checked out....

I'm really hoping AF stays away til at least 9-10 months. We EBF, and I still nurse her about every 2-3 hrs... on demand, no schedule. I think thats why shes stayed away Justine and others who got it sooner, I'm curious... did you nurse on demand and over night... Alexa probably nurses a few times over night, I don't really know cuz she sleeps right next to me and I'm sleeping when she pulls at me to nurse. I think we'll start solids around 9-10 months and slowly transition her to her crib for part of the night then... then when she's over a year transition her to her crib more. I'm not worried about her sleeping through the night, cuz she likes to nurse during night, and if its keeping AF away then I'm happy

[SandKmommy]

With Seamus he would wake in the night to nurse, actually he was up alot, he was a horrible sleeper.

I nurse/d both kids on demand, I follow what they want I dont believe in schedules. Kieran I had to force to wake because she started sleeping through the night at around 5days old. At around 2mo we let her start sleeping through again once her weight, now she goes around 8-10hrs without nursing at night.

[*Anna*]

the research I've done and read in books about EBFing and AF staying way says that its your body's way of knowing when to prepare for another child. So with nursing every 2-3 hrs on demand, overnight as often as baby wants and needs, will keep AF away. Then when you let baby sleep longer, throughout night, your body thinks the baby doesn't "need" to nurse and is ready to prepare for another baby, and there comes AF... (so Justine the 8-10 hrs sleep tells your body its ready for another baby.)

I'm trying to see if other BF/EBF moms have experienced this... like with Resi, who EBF on demand, over night with no long stretches of non BFing... then solids and BAMMMMM- AF!!!

[Resi]

^ Yep. I always did and still do BF on demand. He still nurses about every 3 hours and is on the off the boob all night. I'm always offering my boob to him. I still pump at least 2 times when I'm at work too. 3 months into solids and bam.. she was back. I started solids slow too.

[LisanAndy]

I got AF for the whole 4.5 months I BF, poo

[SandKmommy]

Originally Posted by *Anna*

the research I've done and read in books about EBFing and AF staying way says that its your body's way of knowing when to prepare for another child. So with nursing every 2-3 hrs on demand, overnight as often as baby wants and needs, will keep AF away. Then when you let baby sleep longer, throughout night, your body thinks the baby doesn't "need" to nurse and is ready to prepare for another baby, and there comes AF... (so Justine the 8-10 hrs sleep tells your body its ready for another baby.)

I'm trying to see if other BF/EBF moms have experienced this... like with Resi, who EBF on demand, over night with no long stretches of non BFing... then solids and BAMMMMM- AF!!!

Eh sorry.

But seamus was nursed on demand every 2-3hrs(sometimes more often in the middle of the night and still af was back at 6.5weeks) so I think its just different for each person. Kieran is EBF and on demand (I dont force her to sleep she chooses to and chooses when to nurse)even with the long stretch its how she is even when pregnant she was sleeping alot.

I nursed on demand until Kirsty started solids then she automatically spaced out to 4 hourly nursing. So nursing on demand isn't technically what keeps her away

I'm curious - anyone's AFs a lot heavier since having babies?

[IamMom]

I hope she holds off for you too! I stopped EBF about 5 weeks ago (still doing it a little bit but mostly formula) and I still haven't seen AF. I actually kind of hope my cycle will be really long again like it was prebabies....I know its probably not good health wise (and for my PCOS) but its nice not to have to deal with it!

[Adriana's Mommy]

I exclusively pumped for 6 months and then stopped.. AF didn't return until 9 months PP.. It was great!

I EBF and pumped, and I think my AF returned at 7 months PP. It came when I started to slack on my pumping while at work Reid slept through the night from about 3 weeks-12 weeks old and AF didn't come back at that time.

My PP periods are heavier (more volume), but less painful (cramp wise). My PMS symptoms are a LOT worse though. I am very emotional....its terrible.

[Alison81]

Af came back for me when Elsa was 7 months old. That's when I started solids, and Elsa wasn't nursing as often during the day or at night. I do remember some signs, like cramping, about a week before I got AF. After that first one they weren't very regular until I weaned her completely at 11 months, then they got right back on track.

[Kristen_at_the_lake]

Leo stopped nursing at 9.5 months. I had my first PPAF last week when he was 11.5 months. It was actually pretty light and very manageable.

[Miracle]

I got my first ppd AF when Ella was 9 months. I still breastfed A LOT- like 5+ times in the night and every 3-4 hours in the daytime. I was really happy because I wanted to start ttc for our next baby.

I didn't think my AF's were much different than before. I was really surprised when I saw the blood for the first period, so I'm pretty sure I didn't have many symptoms.

Originally Posted by Bre+Will=Reid

My PP periods are heavier (more volume), but less painful (cramp wise). My PMS symptoms are a LOT worse though. I am very emotional....its terrible.

This is what I've been like too Bre! I used to get horrible cramps but haven't had any since giving birth, however they are deffo heavier... and yah... I am the PMS Queen DH knows when my AF is trying to start

[Mjp121212]

mine came back at 6m pp. and the first 3 were erratic and horrible LOL But that's just me. i had some cramping but it was mainly a nausea feeling that wouldn't go away during the first 3 AF's. After that I was normal and still bf'd for another 2 yars and 3 m. (2 yrs and 9 1/2 months total on the breastfeeding!)

[Resi]

Originally Posted by *Fiona*

I nursed on demand until Kirsty started solids then she automatically spaced out to 4 hourly nursing. So nursing on demand isn't technically what keeps her away

I'm curious - anyone's AFs a lot heavier since having babies?

Mine is heavier but not that bad. I always had very lite AF's before getting pregnant. The good thing is my cramps are not bad at all! They use to be awful if I didn't take Aleve.

Originally Posted by Bre+Will=Reid

I EBF and pumped, and I think my AF returned at 7 months PP. It came when I started to slack on my pumping while at work Reid slept through the night from about 3 weeks-12 weeks old and AF didn't come back at that time.

My PP periods are heavier (more volume), but less painful (cramp wise). My PMS symptoms are a LOT worse though. I am very emotional....its terrible.

Me too!