STudies on breastfeeding and return of ovulation?

I know they are out there, but does anyone have a good summary or list
of studies addressing this?

I know they are out there, but does anyone have a good summary or list
of studies addressing this?

what to you want to know? a study may show you what the average is, but it's
not going to tell you anything. It really does vary so much, some exclusive
breastfeeders ovulate 6 weeks after the birth, others not for 2 years, so
knowing whether the average is 4, 6 or 8 months isn't going to tell you
much.

Cheers

Anne

Some studies try to figure out some of the factors that lead to this
difference. I heard a while back that some studies done for other
purposes had shown an early return of menses for women who had had
gestational diabetes and for women who regained lean muscle mass very
quickly after the birth. A study was being done at Washington State
University to test this. I don't know anything about its results or
whether it was designed well enough to have meaningful results.
Knowing the results of all the studies of this nature could help a
woman know whether she fit into a category that was likely to have
early or late return of menses.

I personally would not count on this and always watch for signs of
returning fertility. After 3 children, I have always had plenty of
warning. After my first I had bleeding before the first ovulation.
After the next two I had fertility signs and started charting a few
weeks before the first ovulation.

--Betsy

That sounds interesting. I would love to know more about this since
the longest I have ever gone without a period was 5.5 months, while
nursing excluisevlt and frequently, co-sleeping--the whole bit.

Leslie

Leslie wrote:
That sounds interesting. I would love to know more about this since
the longest I have ever gone without a period was 5.5 months, while
nursing excluisevlt and frequently, co-sleeping--the whole bit.

Leslie


I am at nine months + now.

Jo

Jo wrote:
Leslie wrote:

That sounds interesting. I would love to know more about this since
the longest I have ever gone without a period was 5.5 months, while
nursing excluisevlt and frequently, co-sleeping--the whole bit.

Leslie


I am at nine months + now.

Jo

I wanted to also say with my first 23 years ago, I went two years.

Jo

For me, as I've gotten older (and heavier) my period has stayed away
longer and longer. I've nursed them all on demand, some had pacis, some
had a thumb, one had nothing. Most started solids at 6 months and all
either co-slept or at least nursed on demand even through the night.

#1 4 months
#2 4months
#3 9 months
#4 11 months
#5 13 months
#6 15 months

Anne Rogers wrote:
I know they are out there, but does anyone have a good summary or list
of studies addressing this?

what to you want to know? a study may show you what the average is, but it's
not going to tell you anything. It really does vary so much, some exclusive
breastfeeders ovulate 6 weeks after the birth, others not for 2 years, so
knowing whether the average is 4, 6 or 8 months isn't going to tell you
much.


I was looking for published studies, I knew I'd seen them somewhere but
didn't have them handy. By Studies I mean scientific research
evaluating exclusive breastfeeding and ovulation in mothers. As a
scientist, I actually find studies much more useful than anecdotal
information when explaining lactional amenorrhea.

I did find what I was looking for in the end. In case anyone is
interested -
http://www.fhi.org/en/RH/Pubs/factsh...astfeeding.htm
http://www.breastfeeding.com/reading_room/lam_who.html
http://www.who.int/reproductive-heal...s/mec/lam.html

This is all based on one major study, however more exist, I just have
to get to pubmed. Thanks anyway.

Kmom wrote:
For me, as I've gotten older (and heavier) my period has stayed away
longer and longer. I've nursed them all on demand, some had pacis, some
had a thumb, one had nothing. Most started solids at 6 months and all
either co-slept or at least nursed on demand even through the night.

#1 4 months
#2 4months
#3 9 months
#4 11 months
#5 13 months
#6 15 months

Could it be that with 6 kids running around, you just didn't have time
to notice that you'd gotten it?

Not having a period for that long would be nice, but I don't think I'm
willing to have six kids to do it! I can barely keep up with one!!

Amy

"Amy" wrote in message
oups.com...

Kmom wrote:
For me, as I've gotten older (and heavier) my period has stayed away
longer and longer. I've nursed them all on demand, some had pacis, some
had a thumb, one had nothing. Most started solids at 6 months and all
either co-slept or at least nursed on demand even through the night.

#1 4 months
#2 4months
#3 9 months
#4 11 months
#5 13 months
#6 15 months

Could it be that with 6 kids running around, you just didn't have time
to notice that you'd gotten it?

Not having a period for that long would be nice, but I don't think I'm
willing to have six kids to do it! I can barely keep up with one!!

It didn't take six kids for me!

#1 7 months
#2 15 months
#3 18 months
#4 is 7 months, and I haven't had a return despite some events of not being
able to nurse for 8-24 hours

I have also gotten heavier with each child, and I've nursed on demand. I
think all have had a paci for a short time.


--
Joy

Rose 1-99
Iris 2-01
Spencer 3-03
Grant 9-05 www.caringbridge.org/visit/grantphilip