Several people have emailed me to chat about their own concerns regarding the return of postpartum menses, so I know it's something that lots of people are interested in. I'm pleased to report that my cycles have finally returned! My period started 2 years and 25 days after giving birth, and in future I shall treasure this time in amenorrhoea instead of worrying about it.
Did I ovulate? I don't take my temperatures, so I don't know for sure. But I know I had several days of fertile mucous and some serious mittelschmerz - the latter is something I had never experienced before. Thirteen days after the ovulation cramps subsided, I began to bleed, so I can only guess that I did ovulate.
Was my period any heavier/lighter/more painful than usual? I was expecting the worst but actually it has been very normal and perhaps slightly less painful than it used to be. I hope this is a taster for things to come!
What prompted my menses to resume? There doesn't seem to have been any change in Cave Baby's suckling habits. If anything, I would say she has been suckling more (particularly at night) in the last couple of months. Maybe her sessions are a bit shorter. I have been taking the herb agnus castus (usually called vitex in the US) for two months now. It is meant to stimulate hormone production and is generally purported to be a fertility wonder drug, so perhaps that has made the difference.
So when am I going to start trying to conceive another child? Cave Father and I need to have "the conversation". But I would like a 3 year age gap, so I think we'll start soon. Having said that, I really want to have a winter baby this time so it will not be the youngest in its school year like Cave Baby. Maybe I'll have to wait a bit longer. If I can. Aaah, baby lust.
Oh, and another thing. Cave Baby, the incredibly attached, booby-loving, tantrum-having sweetheart, went to sleep for her daddy when I went out for my first ever postpartum evening out! I wouldn't have predicted it. She's a clever little thing. It seems that when I'm around, boobie is all that will do, but she can actually get herself to sleep quite happily when boobie is unavailable. They know a thing or two, these babies.
Tuesday, September 28, 2010
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6 comments:
Virtually the timing I have in mind, and yes, they do know a thing or two, don't they? Glad things are working out for you thus far; I'll look forward to seeing how things go!
I only just figured that three years is the perfect age gap lol, having had gaps from as small as 14 months, right up to 9.5 years. Like you i had a long break after my last but one chid, periods only returning the month before his second birthday. I started to obsess a little over when they would come, whether something was wrong, looking for signs etc. This time around my little person is 15 months old and no period yet, despite being away from her two full days whilst I work. But I'm much more relaxed about it this time round. I say that now, let's see how I feel when the second birthday comes.......
Hope the talk goes well and you are soon blessed with a new life grwing within you.
xx
Hey, it's back! I'm really impressed at your long time of postpartum rest. My periods were definitely less crampy when they came back. They were starting to get crampy again, but not as severely, but now I'm pregnant, so I get another reprieve!
My periods started up almost 6 months to the day post partum and then they were reliable, easily predictable, and my body started really humming along. It's like pregnancy reset my body or something.
Congrats on the breastfeeding counseling gig. That's awesome. And also congrats on a new phase of breastfeeding with Cave Baby. My son self-weaned at 14 months and shocked me to death. He just refused my nipple one night and wouldn't look twice at it no matter what I tried. I'm happy it was that easy, but it was definitely too soon for me.
So happy you're back!
I was just wondering when mine would return actually. Last time it was 9 months after birth. My wee man is already 8 months!
Also wondered if you would care to join me in my year of Nourishment. Learning to nourish and take care of myself as well as others. Rediscovering the things that bring me to myself. A weekly post with a link back to me is all that's required, plus letting me know you are posting on the subject. Care to join? I thought it would be great to share about what nourishes us.
Nice article, thanks for the information
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