Vitex To Bring Back Cycles/ Want to sway pink soon

[angelmamma]

Hi, I am currently breastfeeding and am wanting to have my cycle return so I can start charting to sway for pink this early fall.
I am 10 months postpartum and my cycle has yet to return.
I have day weaned my 2.5year old, he does feed once or twice over night, but I've been slowly hopefully eliminating the night feeds.
My 10 month old still feeds, but is going a bit longer between feeds now that he is eating solids.
With my 2.5 year old, despite exclusively breastfeeding day and night, my period returned at 6 weeks postpartum.
Well, 10mo pp with my second son and nothing.
I get what seems to be cyclical period like cramps and I get cervical mucus changes a couple times a month, but no dice on AF.
I have been on here before and have read an article about breastfeeding and TTC by atomic sagebrush.
Vitex was mentioned and I know a couple years ago while I was on here, it was mentioned, but is it still recommended to help a cycle return?
Thanks!

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[atomic sagebrush]

Well, I wrote that ages ago and while vitex did seem to help a few people, for the majority it did nothing (and for all we know may have made it take even longer - it has absolutely disrupted cycles badly for a good number of people). It also seems to reduce odds of conception even when the cycle stays normal. Plus, vitex has terrible results for pink, nearly 20% lower than the overall success rate of the site and I've all but dropped it from the rotation.

You do not need to chart your cycles in advance of swaying and in fact I advise against it. Your cycle can and likely will change while swaying (and this is especially true when you're nursing!) and so charting tells you absolutely nothing about when you'll ovulate for TTC. People chart and think they see these patterns but even without swaying/breastfeeding your cycle changes monthly anyway and the charting just gives us no reliable information.

What I would do instead is have you do OPK or else BD every 4 days.

Your cycle WILL resume, it's only a matter of time. With those practice cycles you are describing it will probably happen sooner rather than later.

[angelmamma]

Well, I wrote that ages ago and while vitex did seem to help a few people, for the majority it did nothing (and for all we know may have made it take even longer - it has absolutely disrupted cycles badly for a good number of people). It also seems to reduce odds of conception even when the cycle stays normal. Plus, vitex has terrible results for pink, nearly 20% lower than the overall success rate of the site and I've all but dropped it from the rotation.

You do not need to chart your cycles in advance of swaying and in fact I advise against it. Your cycle can and likely will change while swaying (and this is especially true when you're nursing!) and so charting tells you absolutely nothing about when you'll ovulate for TTC. People chart and think they see these patterns but even without swaying/breastfeeding your cycle changes monthly anyway and the charting just gives us no reliable information.

What I would do instead is have you do OPK or else BD every 4 days.

Your cycle WILL resume, it's only a matter of time. With those practice cycles you are describing it will probably happen sooner rather than later.

Thank you for your response. I will throw out the Vitex I have then!
I am wanting to buy one of the personalized $99 plans on this site for a girl sway, but do you recommend I wait until my cycle returns to do so?
Since vitex is not recommended, is there anything else I can do to increase my chances of af returning besides weaning?
Should I up my vitamins and minerals?
I have added some fat/dairy to my diet (a bit more eggs and full fat yogurt) in hopes it encourages AF returning.
As for my cyclical cramps, I've had cramps off and on where I swear I'm about to start my period or it feels like I'm on my period (minus the bleeding), but nothing. That has been happening for the past 3ish months.
I've noticed slick watery cm a couple times a month. Last month I had cramps and watery cm, so We BD just in case. However, I seem to be going through maybe fast practice cycles? Seems I'm getting the dry/creamy/watery cm with the cramps cycle twice a month, maybe more.

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[atomic sagebrush]

I regularly do custom plans for people whose cycles have not resumed yet. No need to wait.

I would have you at upper levels of LE (1800-2000 cals, 50-60 g protein and fat) and sometimes dropping night feedings (or one of them if you do more than one) can help. But the best cure is just Vitamin P - patience. :)

You don't need more vitamins and minerals. They really don't do anything. It's calories, fat, protein to help normalize cycles (and protein seems the least important by far altho people assume it's the most)

:agree: 4-6 eggs a week, a serving of salmon if you like it, red meat if you don't per week, and a serving of full fat dairy every day is my cure for cycle woes.

Yes what you report is all very normal. I'd def. have you try every time you see that CM just in case!

[angelmamma]

I apologize, I went on vacation to see my parents and have been MIA.
Well, my cyclical cramps returned late last week and stuck around. Last night, my cramps got worse and I started spotting (very minimum) brown discharge. I'm getting all the signs of a period (aches, cramps, mood swings, but am just spotting).
Is this a sign that my cycles are returning? Is this an actual cycle? I'm still spotting (though very little, brown gooey dishchage, sorry for the tmi).
I've been reading some of the thread here and funny you should mention to count back the date of our last periods (from when I last conceived my son) as I've read some of your replies in other threads. I had an app that predicts cycles based on past cycles and info I've put in years ago. I haven't touched it since Christmas time 2017. You'd think it'd be off, but my spotting last night started right when the app predicted I would start a cycle.


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[atomic sagebrush]

I'ts probably not a true period but is more breakthrough bleeding. The good news is, it will still act as a hormonal reset on your cycle.

Isn't it interesting how our cycles tend to resume at that same time? I would never have believed it myself but it's been noticed by so many people! THank you for sharing that!

So tentatively I would expect that you might ovulate this cycle. Use protection if you don't want to conceive, or else try OPK and see if you do have a surge and try with the first positive OPK if you do want to try this cycle.

[angelmamma]

I'ts probably not a true period but is more breakthrough bleeding. The good news is, it will still act as a hormonal reset on your cycle.

Isn't it interesting how our cycles tend to resume at that same time? I would never have believed it myself but it's been noticed by so many people! THank you for sharing that!

So tentatively I would expect that you might ovulate this cycle. Use protection if you don't want to conceive, or else try OPK and see if you do have a surge and try with the first positive OPK if you do want to try this cycle.

Am I able to sway pink this month if I am able to ttc? Next month my husband and I will be purchasing your $99 plan, though I have been following your girl diet, but added some full fat dairy as you recommended a week or two ago.
What do you mean as a "hormal reset"? What does that mean?
Thank you for your responses! You are such a wealth of information and knowledge.

Edit: I actually started a pretty steady flow (it's been off and in all day, but the past few hours it's been fairly steady and picking up volume). Does this mean it's not a "hormonal reset"? I am fairly certain this is a period.

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[atomic sagebrush]

yes if you've been on diet, absolutely. Either do OPK and have one attempt at first positive OPK or else do the e4d method in the every 72 hour pattern.

"hormonal reset" means your body will think this is a period and will very likely ovulate in 2 weeks just like normal. (even if it isn't a true period.) If it's a true period, even more so!

[angelmamma]

yes if you've been on diet, absolutely. Either do OPK and have one attempt at first positive OPK or else do the e4d method in the every 72 hour pattern.

"hormonal reset" means your body will think this is a period and will very likely ovulate in 2 weeks just like normal. (even if it isn't a true period.) If it's a true period, even more so!Well, it was most likely a period two weeks ago (light flow/spotting for 6-7 days), but 2 days ago, AF came again (same light flow). That means my cycle was only 14 days...I've never been one to have short cycles (28 days exactly when not breastfeeding, last baby was 38 days).
Should I be worried? I've been on the LE diet, with added full fat dairy.
Usually if cycles are longer, does that mean Ovulation happened and my luteal phase was just nonexistent?
I've ditched charting per your reply earlier, should I start charting again? Or should I assume I'm not fertile yet?
Still breastfeeding my 11m old throughout the day and tandem feed my tot at night sometimes.

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[atomic sagebrush]

How much fat, calories and protein are you eating?

In a 14 day cycle you likely did not ovulate. this is almost certainly from breastfeeding (but I want to be sure you're eating enough just to be certain.) This will correct over time. It's not at all uncommon esp. given that you're not a year past postpartum and are occasionally tandem nursing.

No need to chart, that was not a fertile cycle.

[atomic sagebrush]

oh sorry accidentally hit send

this doesn't mean you aren't fertile yet, just that this cycle was not a fertile one. You may have been fertile in prev. cycles and in the next cycle.

[angelmamma]

How much fat, calories and protein are you eating?

In a 14 day cycle you likely did not ovulate. this is almost certainly from breastfeeding (but I want to be sure you're eating enough just to be certain.) This will correct over time. It's not at all uncommon esp. given that you're not a year past postpartum and are occasionally tandem nursing.

No need to chart, that was not a fertile cycle.About 2000 calories a day and about 80 grams of fat per day. As for protein, anywhere from 50-60 grams a day.
I'd love to dip lower, but I get so hungry throughout the day feeding my boys :(
I also am still taking prenatal vitamins.
I try to split it between more frequent, smaller meals.
So should I bother testing with OPKs this cycle then?
My period is being so odd again this time. I bled very lightly (like a lite, least absorbable tampon if that) for about 2 days. Now nothing, but if its like the last cycle, it starts and stops for about a week. How do I know if it's breakthrough bleeding or an actual period? I'm 90% sure what I had 2 weeks ago was a period since some days I would bleed more than others. Should I plan to O this month of my period seems to be like last period? What's weird is I am bleeding very minimum, but I'm having many cramps. Would this be because my body is trying to start my regular cycles up, but breastfeeding is keeping normality from happening? I am definitely not the type of person to have irregular cycles, so this is so odd to me.
Would I need to wean my elder son some more to normalize my cycles, or should I just expect them to normalize on their own with time, without me nudging my toddler to wean some more?


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[atomic sagebrush]

Ok that should be enough to continue you ovulating. I think this is down to nursing.

If this is breakthrough bleeding OR a period (I think both of them were breakthrough bleeding) it doens't matter because usually the breakthrough bleeding acts as a period and will "reset" the hormonal cycle. I know that didn't happen this last time but that is very much the exception. Most of the time after a breakthrough bleed (provided there is not an underlying probem like PCOS, HA, or in your case the nursing) a person will ovulate 14 days later just like they'd had a period. So to answer your question, you can't tell if it was a period (unlikely given the short cycle) or if it was a breakthrough bleed, but it doesn't matter since it will clean the slate anyway.

Re "I think tht was a period because some days I bled more than others" that can happen with a breakthrough bleed too and it doesn't mean anything. A BB can be exactly like a period or nothing like one. No rhyme or reason to it (that we know of)

We can't draw any conclusions about the light bleeding and heavy cramps. We just don't have any science to indicate that tells us anything and if so what it might be.

Your cycles WILL normalize over time. I tandem nursed my 3/4th and my 4/5th and it was very special to me, and I would NEVER EVER want to encourage anyone to wean before they were ready to. For all we know you could wean your older boy and your cycle may stay wonky even just nursing one. In both cases my cycle did go back to normal eventually. It took longer (especailly the last time through) but it did normalize eventually. So I would personally encourage you to put your nursing relationship first and then just see what happens with your cycle. :)

[angelmamma]

Hi there!
So looking back over the past month, my cycle has been 17/18 days. I'm on CD 18 and I started spotting today. Guess what? Last time per my chart I was CD 18 when I started spotting.
This would be my 3rd menstrual-like period since my cycles have started.
Should I mark this as annovulatory? Do women who have short cycles like this able to ovulate with luteal competence?
I am getting much more cervical mucus than before (like plenty of creamy, wet, etc.) during my cycle whereas in June, I'd get practically nothing.
Is there anything I can do to lengthen and normalize my cycle? Are annovulatory cycles usually this predictible? If it's breakthrough bleeding, is it usually this cyclical? Thanks!


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[atomic sagebrush]

I believe your cycle will normalize over time, I still think this is nursing-related.

Anov cycles can be predictable like this. Let me illustrate what happens. Your body makes a bunch of estrogen thinking to surge and ovulate, and then (probably because you're making prolactin from nursing) something suppresses ovulation, your body decides "nah not gonna release an egg now" and then estrogen drops suddenly. That triggers a breakthrough bleed. So since it's happening around about the same time you might ovulate, that's my suspicion about what is happening, either you're ovulating and having a super short LP (which can happen) but more likely you're surging, not releasing an egg, this causes estrogen to drop sharply, and there's a breakthrough bleed. It seems cyclical because your body is following as many of the rules as it can, developing an egg, surging, and then (probably prolactin) something is preventing ovulation from happening so it's all very much in a seeming pattern - but it doesn't have to stay like that. Next month it could be your body gears up to O on CD 21 or whatever.

Now, as for the CM and stuff. Hormones cause symptoms to happen. So when your estrogen goes up, you have CM and stuff but that doesn't mean you have/will ovulate. It's one of the more irritating things about all this is that the symptoms seem like something is happening, but the hormones can happen without the egg dropping and it's the hormones, not the egg, that make the symptoms! So while I do take that as a good sign that things are working themselves out, it doesn't help us know what is going on, unfortunately.