just how fertile are you 3 months after having a baby?

[CornBreadQueen]

sooooo, ds is 3 months old (today actually) and I've had what I think was a period as he's been sleeping through nights now. DH and I have been using condoms (not very correctly though I have to admit ) and now I'm having what I think are very early pregnancy symptoms that I had with ds. Thrush (sorry tmi-I know), slight cramping, little bit of nausea last night, headaches and I'm so very tired (probably due to ds though). I'm agonising over whether to spend the money for a hpt or just get over it and quit worrying so much.

anyone have any ideas or advice?

[CornBreadQueen]

oh, forgot to mention that I'm exclusively bf.

[NorthernLurkerwithastarontop]

If you haven't used reliable contraception then yes you could be pregnant - lots and lots of people have children a year apart. Go test and good luck.

[belgo]

If he's sleeping through the night the chances are you are fertile. And if you haven't been using condoms correctly, the chances are you could be pregnant.....

I do think you need to buy that test.

[StopSittingOnTheTinselPlease]

Don't forget early pregnancy symtoms are also very similar to pre-menstrual stuff. When was your last period? They are often pretty spaced out after a baby, I mean it takes a while for them to get back to a regular cycle. Do you think you had a sex at a possibly fertile time?

TBH I'd splash on a test. Good to know either way.

[CornBreadQueen]

oh dear that's what i was afraid of.

[NorthernLurkerwithastarontop]

when did you have the period type thing?

[CornBreadQueen]

I had the first bleed after about 7 weeks which was really light and unlike the periods I had before getting pregnant. Then bled for 3 days last week but it was really light and redish instead of the usual brownish that's at the beginning iykwim. my cycles used to be 36 days long so I have no idea if they're following the same pattern, especially with bf. ooooh goodness. really not sure if i can deal with being pregnant again so soon.

[Lulumama]

if you have unprotected sex once there is always a chance of a pregnancy

breastfeeding can be effective contraception but you must be feeding every 2 hours day and night i think

do the test

[CornBreadQueen]

alright, alright you've convinced me. i needed to hear it from someone else. better to just get it over with instead of hmmm and haa over whether i am or not anyway. god what is dh going to say if there's another one!?

[belgo]

good luck, let us know.

[ilovelovemydog]

thought exclusive breastfeeding was protection... then again, I did get pregnant whilst breastfeeding, so what do I know

[belgo]

If you are pregnant, make sure you don't shoulder all the blame. It was him who didn't use the condoms correctly!

[ilovelovemydog]

Oh, and that your 3 month old is sleeping through....

[Lulumama]

well , it is contraceptive, but like all other contraveptives, it has a failure rate. approx 2 % i think

[belgo]

I would never use exclusive bfing as a contraceptive. My periods returned when dd1 was 8 weeks old and being bf two/three hourly day and night.

[CornBreadQueen]

no of course i wouldn't shoulder all the blame it's just that ds wasn't exactly planned (which now i can not even imagine life without him so don't get me wrong). all the family members have been asking when we were thinking of having another and we said not for another 3 years so it would be seriously embarrassing saying we're expecting another little surprise baby. haha they're going to think we're rabbits or something. plus we're planning on moving to the states next june once dh gets his green card and this would just really piss my family off because they want us back there. wow it would just really be difficult to deal with right now!

it's partly my fault as well as i hate condoms but don't really have a gp that i like/trust well enough to go in for a cap or coil. oh it's just a big ol mess atm.

[belgo]

do the test then you'll know either way. Maybe it's not the mess you think it is.

[CornBreadQueen]

yeah, definitely best to just make sure and go from there. next q.... to tell dh about testing or keep it a secret? kind of thinking of being sneaky until i know for sure.

[NorthernLurkerwithastarontop]

I think you should tell him you've tested - it might encourage him to take a bit more care with the condoms!

[CornBreadQueen]

ha northernlurker yeah i think after this I'll definitely be more careful with them as well.

[belgo]

Agreed NorthernLurker!

[3littlefrogs]

My friend went for her post natal check at 8 weeks, and found she was pregnant again.

[CornBreadQueen]

is it just me or does there seem to be some sort of stigma with women who get pregnant right after having a baby? i just feel like people will be funny if there is another one on the way.

[SleighGirl]

we planned for a really small gap, ended up with 14 months between them. I just loved it so much couldn't wait to have another!

Slightly mad I know!

[belgo]

It's absolutely none of their business CornBreadQueen.