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)

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.