TTC while breastfeeding - Part 2

I think only feeding morning and bedtime sounds very reasonable for a 12 month old looopy. My DD stopped feeding to sleep naturally- i totally panicked with how to get her to sleep the first time she didn't fall asleep feeding at bed time but she lay in her cot and went to sleep! Blooming miracle. The No Cry Sleep solution had some good pointers. Not that I managed to use them successfully, but don't know if i was determined enough. a lot of it was about rousing slightly before you put them down so they get used to settling themselves a bit. To be fair, I did start doing that- making sure i winded her and she'd opened her eyes before i left the room, but i didn't make a big deal of it and if i was too tired no chance i was risking it!!!!

Bartlet, what a shame, i wish our bodies would NOT play tricks on us. Before DD i was a regular-as-clockwork 28 day cycle person. my one cycle since DD was 34 days, and I'm so worried i've stuffed it by increasing feeding in this cycle again... and also hoping that maybe i'm already pg- day 32 here, so if had same length cycle again i'm not even late... worried like mackrelmint i could just be on for a super-long cycle with no BFP
I am thinking of stopping at 12 months if i don't get pg.... maybe... but really should get DD drinking some, ANY other milk before then. Now its bf or nothing...

loopy, you might want to repost your question as a new thread in the Breast and Bottle feeding section so that more people have a look at it. We are a rather niche group here! There are folk like Tiktok who are really helpful.

For us, my DS is 12 months and has been feeding twice a day (with a bit of gentle encouragement for me but no outright refusal if he really wants milk) for about a month now, morning and evening.

Before then though, he would happily miss a feed if I wasn't around and his dad was looking after him.

The No Cry Sleep Solution has some suggestions about how to stop feeding to sleep.

www.mumsnet.com/Talk/breast_and_bottle_feeding

hoping you can all help me....i am going to have to go back to work around the time DS turns 12 months, but it will only mean a couple of 5 hour days at nursery each week as mostly i work from home, combined with a few client visits now and then, and a monthly meeting miles away which is compulsory.

My question is, by 12 months, will DS still be feeding 3 times a day? He currently has milk about 9am before his nap, 1.45pm before afternoon nap and 7pm before bedtime. Or is there any likelihood he might drop the afternoon milk? If he drops it, then i could probably keep feeding him as could feed him in the mornings and evenings and the only time i'd need to express is once a month for the morning of the monthly meeting as i'd have to leave before he'd have had that feed.

Linked to this, how do you stop a baby needing to be fed to sleep? DS would never transfer into his cot in the day, but i can now get him to sleep in there, but only through feeding him to sleep. If i don't do this, the only way he will sleep is on me!!

Well, still no AF (day 30 now - have NEVER had a cycle longer than 29 days), so was beginning to get my hopes up a little bit. BFing has been quite uncomfortable, my super-spidey sense of taste appeared to be back, I felt a little nauseated yesterday morning.

So I did a test (FR) last night and it was BFN.

Still no AF this morning, did another test with FMU in case last night's was too dilute - very definite BFN. and [grumpy]

Feeling all a bit down about things and rather (however irrational I know a lot of my thoughts are) resenting breastfeeding. I've managed for a year now, perhaps it is time to stop?

2ww sucks! I'm 7dpo and going nuts already.

good luck! :)

Hi all. A quick update... I got a peak on my CBFM. (highly recommend them BTW). So I assume I ovulate tomorrow, That means Thursday, Saturday and Sunday's SWI count. Is that right?

Now the dreaded 2WW....

*dreamfeeder" i click "watch this thread" for any i have posted on, and then you just need to click the "i'm watching" tab at the top of the screen and it will bring up all the ones you are watching, and you can bump and reset them when you want to

bartlet, oh, that sounds so encouraging!!!! Are you planning on testing if AF doesn't show up in a day or 2? I'll cross my fingers for you!

I am on day 31. My last (and first) full cycle since DD's birth was 34 days, so not late yet though it feels like this month is taking forever... However, from having cut down to morning and bedtime feeds only which got AF started again, I have been feeding more in the day this month. Worried I've stuffed my cycle up again. However had a horribly uncomfortable night feed when she woke up last night- now allowing myself the 'maybe I am' fantasy. which sadly, i think will be all it is.

Does anyone know if that's likely? Or once AF is back, do a few extra feeds here and there not really matter?

Any hints for bf too? struggling with being uncomfortable for MONTHS now so is often not pleasant to feed her- but if I take her off to have another go at a better latch, thats usually it, she's not interested again. So I generally just grin and bear it as I do want to continue bf. All started since she hit 8 months and tried to self-wean overnight without drinking anything else- even water- instead!! hence big efforts at perseverance. Feeding lying down seems to be better in morning, but maybe thats just because i'm half asleep and not so tuned in to it!!!

Also, is there a way of seeing when threads you're on have been posted on? the only way i know is to literally click on them and scroll to the bottom and see

Good luck all for this month!!

dreamfeeder, apologies for being away. I didn't understand how "threads I'm on" worked. I assumed that it would update with any threads that I posted on, not just ones I've posted on recently, so I assumed nothing was going on here.

duke, 12 times in a week! Gosh, that makes me tired just thinking about it! You are certainly dedicated to the cause!

We are still BF twice a day and occasionally a third time if he wakes in the night and won't settle with DH.

AF based on pre-pregnancy cycle was due on Thursday. By post-pregnancy cycles, AF is due between Friday and today, but no signs of it yet. I am desperately trying not to symptom spot but BFing has got rather uncomfortable over the last few days...

Now being mauled by a small boy so better go. Hello to everyone else.

oooh duke sounds optimistic for this month!!! I'm thinking of investing in the CBFM as i'm fed up and can't work out when i ov... Unless of course by some miracle i am preggers this month, but as we stopped on cd 22 or 23 i'm worried we stopped too early despite the 13 out of 15 nights marathon as on a 34 day cycle i could have ov even later than that...

oh, come ON body!!

Hi ladies.

I hope you're all doing well! I noticed that our topic is about fall off the first page, so I thought I'd update it.

My DP has been here on and off most of this week (he usually works away during the week) and we have been doing loads of SWI! I don't get to see him for a week or 2 now, so we have done all we can for this month.

I am on day 16 of 2nd cycle since DS was born in January. I OVed day 16 last cycle, but despite 7 days of high readings on my CBFM, I am yet to have a peak. So, in essence, I am waiting for the 2 week wait! Ha!

TMI warning... We DTD 12 times this week, so I think we did the best we could possibly do! Fingers and toes crossed.

I hope you are all well, and that we all get the news we want soon. x

Looopy, I'm feeding her first thing in the morning and at bedtime and if she gets really upset about something in the day. Touch a really bloody big piece of wood she hasn't woken up and needed feeding back to sleep in the night in nearly a month . So a similar amount to what you feed. The thing that got af back for me was I did the SUDDEN drop of a daytime feed or 2 (and now had 2 af i don't worry about the odd daytime feed as its not every day). I didn't specifically do it for that, but as DD kept giving me cracked nipples plus x 2 bouts of mastitis (agony!) and remembering my antibiotics for it for ages etc i decided wasn't worth it. Did have the ttc thing in the back of my mind too. Literally 2 1/2 weeks later, ta da!! AF!!

mackrelmint, sounds hard. I think your plan is very good though- carry on while she settles into nursery then you can look at stopping so it's not both together. 13 months is great!! I would like to drop the bed tie feed first but i do still love our morning cuddle and feed in bed together. And also i used to be a 28 dday cycle and my first af post-DD was 34 days. So I think it does delay things a bit

duke and df - good going on the swi front. wow. won't even tell you what we managed this month as it was pretty pitiful. Basically we are both too lazy... Need to take a leaf out of your book for next month I think!

jaggy - good luck for the 2ww and don't leave us if DS self-weans! after 2yrs bf I should think you'd still be an honorary member of the club!!

So, I haven't checked in for a while because I've been feeling quite sulky and fed up about it all. I'm on day 37 of my first cycle since DD. My cycles used to be 35 days, which means less chances per year than 28-day peeps anyway, and I am a bit pissed off that it is making me wait even longer this time! (or potentially AF has just disappeared again for a bit?). Defo not pg - poas two days ago and absolutely no symptoms.

I am also feeling a bit miserable about feeding. DD is down to 2 a day (she is 13mo), but I am struggling with it. Pretty much always enjoyed it up until a month or so ago, but now there are often teeth involved (as in I have big bite marks when she's done) and/or it gives me an icky feeling - nails down a blackboard kind of thing - and I am just not enjoying it.

But, tried the other night to do bedtime without a feed (offered some warm cows milk and water) and it caused a major meltdown and I felt dreadful for causing such heartfelt screaming.

Also she is just starting at nursery as I go back to work 3 days a week from Monday so I don't want her to lose the comfort of bf at the same time. So I have to stick with it. Perhaps the uncomfortableness is a hormonal thing and will pass with arrival of AF? Can only hope so... Or that she self-weans soon!

Long rant - sorry! Guess I could just be a bit PMS-y right now.

will check out my order history at home for you, also get sent discount codes for 5-10% off if you need some. All in my home email but at work just now.

BBT = basal body temp, it's your temp when you just wake up and don't move or get up for a wee etc, take the temp first. It shows a rise after ov so you can tell when egg has popped.

www.fertilityfriend.com/home/jaggythistle here are mine!

It looks complicated but is ok really. FF website has excellent TTC/charting advice and info.

Must do some work now, shift finishes in 40 mins and I am up to my eyes, partly due to too much MNing!

jaggy which ones did you buy from Access Diagnostics? had a look earlier and was daunted by just how much stuff they sell to assist conceiving! and what is a BBT thermometer?

dreamfeeder ditto, DS and me both enjoying feeding, but he is slightly younger at 9 months, and now on 3 feeds a day and no night feeds, but no AF yet and not a clue if ovulating or getting an AF anytime soon. When are you feeding your DD now? And 13/15 nights? how the hell did you manage that?!

DD 11 months, happily feeding, and i don't want to stop. But oh, i DO want to know if i'm ovulating, 2 af since i dropped feeding her in the day, no evidence of any pregnancy, gah!!! Right jaggy, off to amazon cheapie ov kits i go... This month's marathon 13 out of 15 nights swi does not seem to have produced the desired result...

and duke, you get the SWI Badge Of Honour

good luck all for this month!!

Loooopy, I've only ever used cheap ov kits from Amazon / Access Diagnostics or cheap shops like Savers. Internet ones are mega cheap if you buy in reasonable bulk, Savers etc ones about £1-2 for 5 I think. I did actually get a positive on my Access diagnostics cheapie the other day so they seem to work ok for me.

If you can be bothered, you could try a BBT thermometer for a few £ and see if you see an ov pattern.

I might be disappearing off this thread soon, as my plan to drop DS's morning feed and see if it helped TTC has kind of backfired and he is now losing interest in BF altogether. :(

He is 2 next month, so I guess we have had a good run of it, I think I'm more bothered than him as I didn't mean to wean him! I liked the idea of him getting at least 1 feed a day, but at the moment it's maybe 30 seconds a day.

I am apparently 2dpo, yay 2ww time.....

nothing to report here. likewise DS is 9 months and not planning to stop BF yet, hoping to do till at least 12 months, maybe longer, would have to express to cover some feeds as i will have to do a day a weeks work from then, but not thought beyond that yet. No sign of AF returning, wondering if any point looking at ov kits, they sound pricey from comments on here!

My DS is 7 months old and I hadn't really though about it, but yes I'd tandem feed. The vague plan is to keep BF until DS doesn't want to. My friend planned to tandem feed but her DD decided to give up when she was about 20 weeks gone. I wonder if there are some hormones produced during pregnancy that mean breast milk changes taste.

Also I wonder how many tandem feeders literally feed both at the same time or if that us even logistically possible or beneficial.

Ps - currently relaxing in bed with legs up while OH is downstairs making me a snack- doesn't get better than that!

gaah - meant one day - clearly even getting the concept into my head is tricky!

DD is only 8.5 months so am not contemplating stopping BF any time soon - if we're lucky and it happens soon I susoect I might end up tandem feeding. Anyone else planning similar?

I was quite happy with 3 days in a row till I read that....

Morning! [more waving]

Nothing to report from this end... probably anyway! Finally had my IUD out on July 27th and since then a small bleed but no idea if it counts as AF or what's happening. Last time I had it out, bled and then got the blue line four weeks later - so I am living in hope! Admittedly last time we were SWI every other day, as opposed to every other week - but that shouldn't make a difference really... Hmmm. Must try harder.

Three times in one is just a blurred memory from at least a decade ago for me duke, so well done; a woman with stamina and enthusiasm!

Hi all! [waves manically at DF]

Just checking in. Am on day 11 (of 2nd cycle since birth of DS 7 months ago) and my clearblue fertility monitor has said 'high' yesterday and today. My OH has been home (he works away alot of the time) and we DTD 3 times today! More of the same planned for tomorrow and Thursday, so no-one can say we didn't give this month a good old go!

I was thinking, I wonder if this is the slowest moving conception club thread. Are the other (non BF ones) inundated with people getting knocked up?

I hope everyone else is having as much fun as I am, and we all get some good news soon.

Duke

Hello??? where are you all?

bartlet? mackrelmint? loopy? duke? goldrill? is no-one knocked up yet???? i'm hoping you are and are too busy dancing round celebrating to come on MN

Ok, back.

jaggy, you've done amazingly well to bf for 2 years. If you stopped tomorrow you'll have done your DS proud. I'd always hoped/imagined i'd do similar but i'm not sure about what DD will think!!

I think just the same about stopping- i'd feel totally dreadful if it made no difference. (and i wouldn't even consider it until she's over one) The expressing may have helped your AF return- according to the kellymom website anyway-where a study looked at EBF babies and babies fed exclusively breast milk but only given after expressing in a bottle- the mums expressing had higher fertility than those bf'ing.The site also says that feeding lying down to feed delays return of fertility
(Thats exactly what i do too- DD's favourite and most-drinking feed is first thing in the morning, cuddled up in bed with us happily on the boob).

the trouble with ttc with breastfeeding is the wondering if you will try and try and just never suceed. Having looked at the blooming kellymom site again it says about annovulatory periods, and first few cycles where you may not be fertile etc etc which makes me think all my trying may well be in vain...

i guess the only thing to try is as much swi as physically possible, like it or not!!!!!