What are the chances of being pregnant- EBF 17week old!

[MummaHG]

HI, im currently EBF my 17 week old and have a real strange feeling I may be pregnant!
We waiting until my DS was 10 weeks old before we got fruity (if you know what I mean [blushery] ) but since then we have NOT been careful at all. I keep meaning to call the doctors for the coil but with 3 boys to run around after I keep forgetting.
Just recently my boobs are so tender and my nipples sting when my DS first latches on, also I keep getting mild period pain which comes & goes daily. I did have a very ligh bleed for one day when DS was about 8 weeks but didnt think much of it. Now im slightly worried our carelessness has resulted in concieving baby 4!!! All the above symtoms are what I have had before when pregnant.
Im too scared to take a test so have left it & left it but now I cant sleep or think about anything else.
Is EBF a realiable form on contraception??? or am I kidding myself?
:)

[LindtLover]

I'd say its not massively likely but very, very possible, sorry! Go pee on a stick woman!!

[MoonUnitAlpha]

It's not 100% reliable! I think you'll have to take the test.

[PacificDogwood]

Go pee on a stick!!

Of course it is possible. Not likely, but possible.

I conceived DS2 when DS1 was 5 months old - admittedly I had stopped BFing the week before...

Having posted this, you realise you are obliged by law to tell us the result of your test ?

Good luck!

[largevirginbirthandtonic]

erm oh dear. Pee on a stick!

[NicholaGriff]

Sorry to be voice of doom, but my midwife told me that breastfeeding did not mean you couldn't get pregnant. I would do the test. Good luck!!

[CamperFan]

Oh my! Yes you could be pg. I had a light bleed though at around 8 weeks which the dr said could have been a light period. Having avoided all marital relations though, I am safe .

[Zimm]

did you test yet???

[japhrimel]

It's never 100% effective as contraception and stops being at all effective when you start dropping night feeds afaik.

Have you tested?

[Beasknees]

it depends on the frequency with which you bf - if it's 4hrs and under you should be ok, if more then you're not. So i discovered and hence have a 14 month gap between dc2 and 3

[MummaHG]

thanks so much for your advice ladies, looks like I will test tomorrow & let you all know!
I should know my own body really as I fell pregnant with my 3rd when my 2nd was 6 months & had only just stopped BF so I guess it is possible. On the down side if I am I will not be telling my Hubby for a bit as he will die of shock .

Does anyone know if its still safe to BF while pregnant as im really keen to keep going as we make a really good team!

Oh and also he currently feeds every 2-3 hours but does sleep though from 7.30pm to 6.30am!

Will keep you posted ladies, will be back on tomorrow evening to tell you my good or not so good news :)

[MoonUnitAlpha]

Yes, perfectly safe to continue breastfeeding while pregnant - some people continue feeding both babies after the new one is born too.

If he's sleeping through then I'm afraid there's a good chance that breastfeeding was no longer reliable as contraception.

[HighlandTea]

All it takes is one 5 hour period without breastfeeding for your body to start ovulating again so it's very possible since your ds is sleeping 11 hrs a night. For breastfeeding to be an effective contraception the baby must also not suck on anyting else such as a dummy.

[ShowOfHands]

My baby fed every 2hrs day and night and my periods were still back by 13 weeks. One long stretch is all it takes and in my case it didn't even need that.

It's fine to feed while pregnant and you can tandem feed once the baby is here if you're pregnant.

Good luck.

[HighlandTea]

Also, not sure if this is relevant to you but my friend's first dc was 6 weeks premature and she was 20 months and still breastfed when my friend found out she was expecting dc2. She decided to stop breastfeeding then as there was an increased risk of premature birth if she continued. Not sure of the figures though and she was already concerned because of dc1 but something you may want to look into more.

[Sarahlou8]

Another one here to say yes you could be! My periods returned last time at 16 weeks (EBF till 8 months). Apparently as others have said, you need to be feeding every three hours day and night and the baby less than 6 mths old for it to be reliable. That said, I wouldn't trust it!

Long stretches at night give your body the signal you are weaning.

[PacificDogwood]

Any news??



Hope you are ok, whatever the result.

[MumNWLondon]

Only "reliable" if no more than a 4 hour gap between feeds at night time and even then not totally reliable (ie 95%-98%).

With sleeping all night, not very reliable at all.

[MummaHG]

Ladies I tested this morning and IM NOT PREGNANT!!!! Phewww!!!!

And to top off my day I have just been to the loo to find my period has arrived....typical!

Thanks so much for your advice its been really helpful. I also did some shopping today and the bedside draw is now full of little rubber socks to use until my coil fitting!!

[PacificDogwood]

Ha, never fails, the negative test followed by a period !!
I am glad you got the result you hoped for.
Now off you trot to get your contraception sorted...

[EdgarAleNPie]

the actual chnce is 1 in 50 isn't it? which isn't, unfortunately les effective than the pill i am currently using...

[RavenHairedPrincess]

I breastfed my eldest every 3 hours and had the injection and still fell pregnant, 18mths later I still can't work out what went wrong... not that I'd change him for the world but seriously the chances of that happening was literally 2 out of 100 or so.