What is the likelihood of not getting your period back after a year of breastfeeding? My baby eats a ton of solids and is 15 months old, but I do still nurse and pump a little bit. I keep worrying that something is wrong, and I can’t find actual stats on this. I am not pregnant.
—Elyssa
Actual statistics on this are somewhat difficult to come by. The best data on it comes, I think, from studies in the developing world — mostly somewhat old — that looked at time to the return of a period after birth. In these cases, most people were breastfeeding, so it’s a reasonable comparison to your situation.
Estimates vary but tend to point to an average of about six months to return to menstruation, with a range from two months up to a bit more than 12.
Although there is a wide range, you are on the upper end of it. The nursing and pumping may be part of the explanation, but this is reflected in the behaviors in the data above too.
It doesn’t necessarily mean something is wrong! However, it may be worth talking to your doctor about. There are a variety of reasons you might not be menstruating that could be addressed, and worth considering now, especially if you are planning on more children in the future.
(Quick note: You do not mention what kind of birth control you are using. If you’re using an IUD, that’s almost certainly the reason you do not have a period, since they tend to eliminate it.)
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