Breastfeeding 23 month ds and been TTC no2 for 12 months. Should I worry??

[Jakeyblueblue]

Hi, I've also posted in conception as wasn't sure where I'd get the best audience!
I'm still bf my pfb at 23 months. I've fed on demand from the start and still do, we also co sleep and I'm very pro extended bf. I've made no attempt to curb his nursing and nurses mainly for comfort throughout the day (when I'm not at work) and when he likes overnight. I really don't have any problems with it continuing but been TTC number two since ds was about 13 months and nothing. Not sure If I should be worried or if its def the continued bf?? Was hoping for some advice from others who've been there.
AF returned when he was 11 months and coincided with me returning to work part time. It took one or two months for things to settle down and have had a short LP some cycles. But the last few months AF is pretty regular and LP seems to be lengthening. Consistently 10 days but this cycle was an impressive 13. Def Dtd enough too as charting.
Has anyone struggled ttc whilst bf even though they were having regular AF? It did take some time for ds and I'm getting a bit worried that I'm resting on my laurels thinking its all to do with bf when it might be another problem. I have no intention if weaning to conceive. Ds is too attached and doesn't quote have the understanding for me to start bargaining with him to stop or reduce. He'd just think I was being mean and I'm not prepared for it to end with tears as its something we've both loved.
Do you think I ought to go the gp and discuss? Maybe ask for initial bloods to check ov and progesterone and stuff? Reluctant as I think they will just tell me to wean. Not sure what to do??
Thanks in advance.

[JiltedJohnsJulie]

Haven't got any advice but didnt want you to go unanswered. Have you read the fertility info in kellymom?

[feekerry]

well on the flip side i am about 6 weeks pg with dc2 and still feeding dd1 who is now 15m. we weren't really trying either so i don't think it can be bf thats stomping you... could u maybe try and distract him in the day when he does want feeding just to cut down thru bf a bit to see if that makes a difference? i was down to just evening feeds when i fell preggers

[LittleMouseontheDairy]

Sorry not much advice Jakeyblueblue but am watching with interest as I came on to post almost the exact same thing. I am similarly concerned that I am resting on my laurels thinking any delay in successfully conceiving is due to bf not another underlying cause.

DS is 15 mo, my periods came back at 9 months and have been very regular - which made me think I was ok but I've noticed that my periods start off VERY scanty indeed for a few days which makes me think there might be some problem after all. Does anyone else have this while bf'ing?

Congrats btw to feekerry!

[Jakeyblueblue]

Thanks for your replies.
Little mouse it's frustrating isn't it? I used to frequent the ttc whilst bf thread but everyone was falling preg and It was getting very disheartening. I've done a far but of research about it all and did find a very interesting article about ecological breastfeeding. Don't know if you've heard about it before but basically it's feeding totally on demand, day and night and allowing baby to nurse to pacify. Apperently this is the way other cultures bf, especially the african tribes who have thier babies slinged day and night well into toddlerhood. The article stated that in those cultures, without contraception, natural child spacing is 3-4 years. It suggested that anyone falling pregnant whilst bf prior to this was not practising ecological bf and had made some break away from demand feeding. This would explain why people such as feekerry fall pregs ( congrats by the way! )
This did make me feel better as I'm def ecological bf so to not be preg 2 years in is not excessive.
Feekerry, yes I could distract him in the day but tbh I think it's the night feeds / co sleeping that's buggering things up and there's no way I could stop that without screaming an dabs.
The words rock and hard place spring to mind!

[mawbroon]

I was ttc for 2.5yrs before I got pg with ds2.

DS1 was feeding a lot, and still feeding at night until he was 3.5yo, and I got pg the following month after night weaning him.

I had a regular cycle, but a short LP.

DS1 went on to nurse right through my pregnancy and he and I eventually came to a mutual agreement about him stopping after I got thorough sick and fed up of tandem nursing for a couple of years.

[LittleMouseontheDairy]

That's interesting about the ecological bf! I feed DS at bedtime, morning and pre-naps (on my non-working days). So between 2-4 times a day. He doesn't usually wake in the night now but I often have to do an early morning bf pre-proper 'wake-up', so between 5.30 and 6.15. Is this all enough to disrupt TTC?

Mawbroon how does one know if there's a short luteal phase? Is light spotting before period properly 'kicks in' an indication of this?

[mawbroon]

To know the length of the luteal phase, you have to know when you ovulated. I did this by temping, observing cervical mucus and checking the position of the cervix.

Then, it's just a case of seeing how many days there are between ovulation and your period. Mine was around 9 days when I started temping etc which obviously wasn't long enough

[LittleMouseontheDairy]

Thanks for the info! I'll see if I can work mine out next time.