Getting pregnant whilst still breast feeding..

[Boobz]

.. hi there. I'd like to get pregnant again, sharpish. Am still breast feeding my nearly-6-month-old in the morning and evening (and once in the night still, grrr) and she is on a bottle of formula for the 11am and 3pm feeds (not on solids yet) as she is due to start at childminder in a couple of weeks as I am going back to work.

I know breast feeding reduces your chances of falling pregnant (but think this might be exclusive breast feeding), but we'd like to start trying for another baby and I was wondering whether still breast-feeding in the morning and evening will reduce my chances significantly? For other mums whom have wanted to fall pregnant again quickly, did you stop breast feeding in order to get pregnant again? Or did it happen naturally and breast feeding isn't that good a contraception anyway?

Haven't had a period since the birth yet...

Cheers for anyone else's experiences...

[Chaotica]

Happened to me when dd was 8m. And I was on the mini pill

But OTOH some people can't conceive while bf

[cornflowers]

Well I've conceived twice whilst breastfeeding Currently pregnant with dc3.

[Boobz]

Ooo - all good news!

[holliejobber]

I conceived whilst bf my dd. My periods came back after around a year. However when i stopped bf my other son at 6m it still took another 6m for periods to return. So even if you stopped bf, no guarrented periods would come back any quicker than if you carry on.

[MrsGokWantstogocampingagain]

I was still BF my DS2 5/6 times a day and fell pregnant with DS3. Funny thing was I needed help with DS1 & 2 and they said I wouldn't be able to have more children due to my health but he proved them all wrong

[naturelover]

My periods returned when DD was 12 months old and I was feeding twice a day IIRC. Four cycles later I was pregnant, while still feeding twice a day. I fed her until I was 5 months pregnant or so.

Among my friends it varies wildly - some had to stop feeding to conceive, others didn't.

HTH

[Boobz]

Thanks everyone... I think I am going to stop breast feeding over the next couple of weeks anyway in prep for going back to work full time. Hopefully my period will come back soon (can't believe I just said that!)

[nowwearefour]

i was still feeding dd1 when i got pg with dd2. but my periods returned after only 8 weeks with dd1 so hard to make a direct comparison. i would think you need to get periods back first tbh though seems a shame to stop feeding just for that reason.

[MrsGokWantstogocampingagain]

Boobz you don't have to stop feeding altogether if you go back to work. You could feed in the morning and then again when you get home again. Lots of people do it that way.

[fleacircus]

I was still doing two feeds a day when I got pregnant, DD was 12mths. Periods came back when she was about 10mths and I was doing (I think) morning, evening and a getting home from work/CM feed at that point. If you're having unprotected sex you may still ovulate and get pregnant, so it's certainly not reliable!