TTC whilst breastfeeding support thread - join me to share your ups and downs!

[smallblackflowers]

Hi!
A little about me - I'm pushing 34, have a 10 month old DD that I'm still breastfeeding and really want to conceive no.2 asap!
I am on my second cycle since AF returned and am temp / CM / CP charting using fertility friend and have OPKs!
I ovulated on day 29 of my last cycle, and am on day 21 at the moment.
Have been having fun and games with very fertile signs over the past week, so lots of BD, but no ovulation, poor DH is full of a cold and not feeling very energetic but I keep insisting that he perform until my temps go up

So anyway - hoping that there are others out there in a similar boat who can help to keep me sane and hopefully share some good news in the coming months.

[QueenFee]

Hello sbf

I am 28. I have 3 DCs
DD - 5
DS1 - 3
DS2 - 7 months

I think you already know that I haven't yet had a visit from AF Like the idea of a support thread and it's very frustrating not knowing where I stand.

Have to admit because of the above DC's there isn't too much SWI going on but I do try.

[euromum]

Hi,

I'm not a very regular poster here and if it's ok will just keep an eye on this thread and pop in occasionally - but came on mn tonight basically to ask about exactly this!

I have dd (2.5yrs) and ds (8mo) and ever since he was born we have known we'd like no3 pretty soon. He was ebf until 6 months, then weaned onto solids and formula, but still bf at night (once or twice maximum) until 7 months. Haven't bf at all for the last 6 weeks. Still no sign of AF and it's beginning to depress me.

Anyone have any idea how long I can expect to wait??

greenblanket I think it is possible to ovulate before your period returns but don't know how you would know about it. Maybe someone wiser will be along soon!

QueenFee we too are finding the current kids prevent too many actual efforts being made for dc3... glad we're not the only ones!

[euromum]

Meant to add, good luck to everyone!

[QueenFee]

As I understand it in order for AF to arrive you have to have ovulated. Therefore you could ovulate for the first time then get pregnant so AF never arrive.
AF didn't return for me previously till I completely weaned at 14/16 months respectively, Even though I was down to only 1 feed at this point.

I have just finished reading the politics of breastfeeding and she talks in there about long term breastfeeding and 4 years age gaps in cultures where the kids feed as and when so I suppose it depends on a combination of how often you are feeding and also how your body reacts to the hormones, some women I know AF came back after 1 month of exclusive BF what a bummer

[smallblackflowers]

Hi all - lovely to have some company on the thread I started

To back up queenfee's answer, if you have ovulated and not conceived you will definately have AF arrive in the 10 to 14 days after ovulation.

You can however have an anovulatory cycle where you have a bleed but have not released an egg.

I stopped feeding at night when DD was about 7 months - we moved her into a cot in her own room and she started sleeping through.
I then started to take agnus castus (herbal supplement that is supposed to help regulate your cycle) and got some spotting about 3 weeks later, followed by a proper AF about 30 days later, and regular cycles since.

I started temping when AF returned and have def been ovulating, although with a very short Luteal Phase (spotting from 8 days, AF at 10 DPO), so after more frantic googling have been self medicating with high strength vitamin B6 to try and remedy it.
Think it may be working as showing fertile signs today (cycle day 11), which is a lot earlier then it was last cycle.

DD is 11 months today and only BF 3 times today - the least ever...am pleased in some ways as it will help the TTC, but sad in others as I really love that special time with her [cheese emoticon!].

[Davidsmom]

Hi,

I dont often post but was in a similar situation TTC DC2 while BF my DS and just wanted to say I was successful and DD is now 11 months old. I hope you dont mind me sharing my story.

I stopped feeding DS at night when he was 7 months as he was happy with a dummy and had first AF when he was 9 months old. We had not been taking precautions since he was born as I was getting on a bit and knew we wanted another but nothing had happened so went for it after AF arrived like smallblackflowers i.e. CM/Temps/OPKs/fertility friend (great site) then eventually invested in a a clearblue fertility monitor. The monitor recommends waiting for 2 cycles before using if you are breastfeeding but it predicted ovulation for me after 1.

Conceived DD when DS was 11 months old. By then I had had 3 AF but couldnt try the previous month as was having a GA for a minor procedure. Then BF until DS was 15 months.

I found some sites helpful for TTC while BF and others just said to wean or nothing would happen!

this one was particularly helpful: link

I would love to TTC again but DH not keen and will be 41 later this year so will be grateful for my 2 DC and lurk round the conception site

Good luck to you all with TTC

[Davidsmom]

PS Euromum- have you checked that you aren't already pg?

[Lpsmum]

Hi all, may I join you?
My ds is 14 mo and still bf. AF returned last month - woohoo! We're desperate to start TTC #2.
I got a very faint line on a cheapy opk today so hubby is on a promise this weekend
for info I still bf first thing, last thing and (what feels like) continuously throughout the night

looking forward to offering and receiving support from you girls

[smallblackflowers]

Hi Lpsmum and welcome! Congrats on the return of AF, its a strange thing to be desperate for her return and to then be desperate not to see her again!
My DH is also on a promise until I've ov'd, but may be difficult tomorrow night as I have a house full to celebrate my 34th Bday (on monday).

[QueenFee]

Oh Happy Birthday for tomorrow SBW Hope you get the birthday present you are hoping for

[hellymelly]

I got pregnant with dd2 at the first try (dh said "we should get on with it if we want another" ok said I,20 minutes later,start of dd2! Was feeding a lot at the time,dd1 was 18m and my periods had been back for five months.I was 42.Just to cheer you all up and say it can happen easily while breastfeeding. good luck everyone

[smallblackflowers]

queenfee thanks for the birthday wishes....fingers crossed

hellymelly thanks for the success story

[puddingcat]

hello!
can i join you please ladies?
dd is 9 months and we're just starting to think about providing her with some competition. i'm keen to have another one or two quickly before i get too old! no sign of af yet so any tips on hastening it's return would be much appreciated
pud

[puddingcat]

rubbish grammar - that should of course be its return -

[smallblackflowers]

hi puddingcat and welcome
my tips for getting AF back are to keep long gaps between feeds - ideally no night feeds, and from what I've read, try not to feed to a schedule - be as random as possible!
After reading a lot online I also started taking Agnus Castus - AF returned about 3 weeks later.

[LittleSilver]

Hieveryone! Can I join the gang? Have DDs 4, 2 and 9 mo, very impatient to be pg again. NO AFyet, but my plan of campaign is to stop BF on Sunday and hopefully she will turn up and I can get going. Actually thought she might have been on way; periods usually return at around 9mo post-birth, and am very spotty and crampy/backache. I did a hpt yesterday and think was neg, got very thin vertical line which I have no confidence in.

It's nice to hear about others in the same position.

[smallblackflowers]

Hi Littlesilver - welcome to the thread!
I'm interested to know how you plan to stop bf your 9 mo - are you mix feeding at the moment? Just asking as I have no idea how I'd go about stopping yet - DD loves her bf and I think she'd be distraught if I stopped (think I probably would too....)

[LittleSilver]

Hmm yes well, babysilver does love it too and is not going to be a happy girl. And I do feel guilty that I am effectively stopping solely to conceive again. And to get a full night's sleep; we are co-sleeping and she snacks a lot. And I will miss it too. I stopped cold turkey with dd2, but she wasn't terribly bothered (think we went to a wedding for the w/e, leaving her with my sister) dd1 on the other hand was bf til 18 mo.

DH and DDs 1 and 2 are going oop north for half term, leaving me with the baby. I plan to move her into her sister's room and do CC and not offer the breast

Am I mix feeding? Well, I sort of thought I was, but thinking about it, she refuses a bottle all day at nursery (she's there for about 5 hours), I offer a 5 oz one atbedtime but she usually only has one ouncebefore she gets mugged by the toddler! So not very keen really.

Good luck to everyone!

[smallblackflowers]

Good luck littlesilver - are you not worried about engorgement / mastitis etc from going cold turkey?
I'm a recently trained bf peer supporter and have been taught to advise a gradual tailing off (dropping a feed every 3 days).

Am toying with trying to drop my 1-2 daytime feeds, just leaving morning and bedtime, but as its the way I usually get her down for a nap I know I need to be prepared to deal with tears and upset. I just don't know if I can be consistent and not give in at the moment.

Perhaps if I don't conceive this cycle I'll be more motivated - pretty sure I ovulated yesterday, so on the 2WW now. In an ideal world I'd conceive in the next couple of cycles and carry on bf DD for as long as she wants to (within reason!)

[LittleSilver]

Oooh, good luck smallblackflowers! Keep us posted! I expect to get engorged but have not had problems going cold turkey before, so will try again I think. Husband getting increasingly anxious to try for DC4, so really wants me to stop bf. I would like to goa bit longer, but at the same time I really don't think I will conceive until I stop BF. With DDs 2 and 3 I conceived asoon as I stopped BF. I hope it will be the same again, please God!

Good luck everyone.

[LittleSilver]

Little update; on Sunday when I last posted I gave dd3 what I thought was last bf. Two hours later AF returned! How weird is that? Very excited started fertility friend and ordered fertility thermometer. THen yesterday call at work to say dd3 sick and has a temp

still unwell today so went to GP first thing who diagnosed a virus and said to re-start bf whilst she is ill, which I wanted to do. So that's my news. What about everyone else?

Cycle#1, CD3, TTC#4

[Lpsmum]

My very brief update:
cycle #1, CD 11, TTC # 2

...still tapping my fingers...

[Birdonthewing]

Hi all! I'd like to join the gang too, if I may? I have one DD (14 months) and, if possible, would love to have another DC soon. Conceiving DD1 was no walk in the park so I'm being cautiously optimistic!

I too am BF although I started supplementing with formula at around 8-9 months. AF returned shortly after that, but I'm convinced I'm not yet ovulating as I've not seen/felt any of the usual signs .

DD's demand for BF goes up and down depending on illness/teething/mood - you name it! Generally speaking I can distract her during the day but she still feeds regularly at night (we co-sleep), and I can't think how we're going to stop that easily...

Well, I now have my fertility thermometer at the ready. LittleSilver - hadn't heard of Fertility Friend before but am now signed up for that too - thank you for the tip!

Good luck to you all.

[iloveholidays]

Hi

Smallblackflowers - can you advise how much agnus cactus you take? I've been taking (half the advised dosage (2 400mg once a day, rather than twice) as says not to use if breastfeeding) for about a month now, but no joy. I've always been irregular and took agnus cactus before I conceived DD.

I'm thinking I might start taking 2 twice a day as advised, as it does not appear to have had any problems with my supply.

Thanks in advance