AF, ovulation and bfing

While exclusively breastfeeding, is it possible to have a period
without ovulation? Is it possible to ovulate without a period? Can
anyone explain how?

I bled 4 weeks straight after delivery. I got periods on my 3rd and
4th months pp and then no period for two months. I don't know if those
were actually periods. They lasted as long and ofcourse I never had
cramps even before pregnancy so I don't know if it hurt the same. So I
don't know if I'm ovulating or not because I haven't had AF in two
months. I'm NOT pregnant. DD is 6.5 months old and I pump about 4
hours apart during the day and nurse once at night.

Thanks.

Lucy wrote:

"ted" wrote in message
om...

While exclusively breastfeeding, is it possible to have a period
without ovulation? Is it possible to ovulate without a period? Can
anyone explain how?


Others here have way more knowledge about this than I do, but here is my
understanding:

AFAIK, it is always possible to have a period without ovulating, regardless
of whether you're breastfeeding. Your uterus lining thickens in preparation
for a fertilized egg, but no egg is released. Since no egg was fertilized,
your uterus sheds its lining i.e. you have your period.

Not quite. A "period" without an egg/ovulation is called anovulatory
bleeding, and it's not technically a period. An egg is "usually"
released every cycle, and if unfertilised, then yes, you're right, a
period happens. Small but critical distinction we PCOSers are highly
aware of. :-(

If you get pregnant, you will have ovulated, then the fertilized egg
implants in the uterus wall, so you get no period. I don't know of any other
situation where you could ovulate without getting a period.

Nope, you're right...if you ovulate you either get a period or are pregnant.

Don't forget that the ovulation happens BEFORE the period, so it's
entirely possible as someone else here reported, that you can get
pregnant without ever seeing AF return, if you get pregnant on the first
ovulation, before AF.

Dawn

"Dawn Lawson" wrote in message
.ca...
Not quite. A "period" without an egg/ovulation is called anovulatory
bleeding, and it's not technically a period. An egg is "usually"
released every cycle, and if unfertilised, then yes, you're right, a
period happens. Small but critical distinction we PCOSers are highly
aware of. :-(

Ah. Thanks for the clarification.

Well not exactly 30 days (37, 29, 33, 26, 31 and 29 - does that make me
irregular?)

Thanks,

--
Michelle P
Ava Marie July 14, 2002
"Dawn Lawson" wrote in message
.ca...


Lucy wrote:

"ted" wrote in message
om...

While exclusively breastfeeding, is it possible to have a period
without ovulation? Is it possible to ovulate without a period? Can
anyone explain how?


Others here have way more knowledge about this than I do, but here is my
understanding:

AFAIK, it is always possible to have a period without ovulating,
regardless
of whether you're breastfeeding. Your uterus lining thickens in
preparation
for a fertilized egg, but no egg is released. Since no egg was
fertilized,
your uterus sheds its lining i.e. you have your period.

Not quite. A "period" without an egg/ovulation is called anovulatory
bleeding, and it's not technically a period. An egg is "usually"
released every cycle, and if unfertilised, then yes, you're right, a
period happens. Small but critical distinction we PCOSers are highly
aware of. :-(

If you get pregnant, you will have ovulated, then the fertilized egg
implants in the uterus wall, so you get no period. I don't know of any
other
situation where you could ovulate without getting a period.

Nope, you're right...if you ovulate you either get a period or are
pregnant.

Don't forget that the ovulation happens BEFORE the period, so it's
entirely possible as someone else here reported, that you can get
pregnant without ever seeing AF return, if you get pregnant on the first
ovulation, before AF.

Dawn

Michelle Podnar wrote:
Dawn, question for you. Can you tell the difference between annovulatory
bleeding and a period.


um.....sometimes?
:-)
Anov. bleeding, ime, tends to be less "organised" then a period, starts
less distinctly, goes longer, ends less completely. No signs of
ovulation prior, like a distinct EWM phase, or other indicators (BBT
dip/spike, etc)

Some anovulatory women still get what appears to be regular periods.
But an OPT would show no LH spike or a constant high level of LH,
depending on the problem.

My DD is 14 months, and I am still BF. AF has
returned at ~9m pp. I would like to conceive again, but had infertility
issues before DD (short luteal phase, and low sperm count). If I am having
regular 30-31 days intervals between bleeding can I assume that I am
ovulating again?


Maybe?
:-)
It's more likely perhaps than if you had far more irregular cycles than
you describe. You'll have to start looking for signs of
ovulation/fertility, which will improve the chances with a low sperm
count, too.
I'd try charting your first morning temp and see if there is any pattern
emerging. Keep in mind that the 14 day rule only works BACKwards from
the first day of menstruation. How did you determine you had a short
luteal phase? I've read that clomid can lengthen it, although for me it
was not a nice drug. Vitex agnus castus (a.k.a. vitex or chaste tree
berry) extract is fairly well documented to help LPD.

My addy is munged (I hope) ;-) but you can email if you want.

Dawn

You CAN have a regular menstrual period and not be ovulating....esp while
bf. I am living proof. My OB says it's pretty common.

I would recommend an OPK to see if you really are ovulating.

Annie
mom to Zach 6.19.02

"Michelle Podnar" wrote in message
.. .
Dawn, question for you. Can you tell the difference between annovulatory
bleeding and a period. My DD is 14 months, and I am still BF. AF has
returned at ~9m pp. I would like to conceive again, but had infertility
issues before DD (short luteal phase, and low sperm count). If I am
having
regular 30-31 days intervals between bleeding can I assume that I am
ovulating again?

--
Michelle P
Ava Marie July 14, 2002
"Dawn Lawson" wrote in message
.ca...


Lucy wrote:

"ted" wrote in message
om...

While exclusively breastfeeding, is it possible to have a period
without ovulation? Is it possible to ovulate without a period? Can
anyone explain how?


Others here have way more knowledge about this than I do, but here is
my
understanding:

AFAIK, it is always possible to have a period without ovulating,
regardless
of whether you're breastfeeding. Your uterus lining thickens in
preparation
for a fertilized egg, but no egg is released. Since no egg was
fertilized,
your uterus sheds its lining i.e. you have your period.

Not quite. A "period" without an egg/ovulation is called anovulatory
bleeding, and it's not technically a period. An egg is "usually"
released every cycle, and if unfertilised, then yes, you're right, a
period happens. Small but critical distinction we PCOSers are highly
aware of. :-(

If you get pregnant, you will have ovulated, then the fertilized egg
implants in the uterus wall, so you get no period. I don't know of any
other
situation where you could ovulate without getting a period.

Nope, you're right...if you ovulate you either get a period or are
pregnant.

Don't forget that the ovulation happens BEFORE the period, so it's
entirely possible as someone else here reported, that you can get
pregnant without ever seeing AF return, if you get pregnant on the first
ovulation, before AF.

Dawn

Spanannie wrote:
You CAN have a regular menstrual period and not be ovulating....esp while
bf. I am living proof. My OB says it's pretty common.

Yes, you can have regular bleeding, but it's technically anovulatory
bleeding and not a "real period"

I would recommend an OPK to see if you really are ovulating.

Sometimes they don't work (always show high LH) for PCOSers, but then
we're hormonally a strange lot anyhow ;-)

They're kind of expensive too. A BBT might be just as useful a tool.

Dawn

Annie
mom to Zach 6.19.02

"Michelle Podnar" wrote in message
.. .

Dawn, question for you. Can you tell the difference between annovulatory
bleeding and a period. My DD is 14 months, and I am still BF. AF has
returned at ~9m pp. I would like to conceive again, but had infertility
issues before DD (short luteal phase, and low sperm count). If I am

having

regular 30-31 days intervals between bleeding can I assume that I am
ovulating again?

--
Michelle P
Ava Marie July 14, 2002
"Dawn Lawson" wrote in message
aw.ca...


Lucy wrote:


"ted" wrote in message
le.com...


While exclusively breastfeeding, is it possible to have a period
without ovulation? Is it possible to ovulate without a period? Can
anyone explain how?


Others here have way more knowledge about this than I do, but here is

my

understanding:

AFAIK, it is always possible to have a period without ovulating,

regardless

of whether you're breastfeeding. Your uterus lining thickens in

preparation

for a fertilized egg, but no egg is released. Since no egg was

fertilized,

your uterus sheds its lining i.e. you have your period.

Not quite. A "period" without an egg/ovulation is called anovulatory
bleeding, and it's not technically a period. An egg is "usually"
released every cycle, and if unfertilised, then yes, you're right, a
period happens. Small but critical distinction we PCOSers are highly
aware of. :-(

If you get pregnant, you will have ovulated, then the fertilized egg
implants in the uterus wall, so you get no period. I don't know of any

other

situation where you could ovulate without getting a period.

Nope, you're right...if you ovulate you either get a period or are

pregnant.

Don't forget that the ovulation happens BEFORE the period, so it's
entirely possible as someone else here reported, that you can get
pregnant without ever seeing AF return, if you get pregnant on the first
ovulation, before AF.

Dawn