TTC while breastfeeding - Part 2

welcome Mackrel Good luck! I definitely think getting back into regular sex before TTC is a good idea - I wish we had but I didn't feel like sex until my periods returned - I think that it was the hormones for me. AF back at around 15 mos for me - basically it was a month or so after night feeds finished. I was still feeding 4-5 times in the day.

hey jaggy! In February, when DD was 23 mos we were on 4 feeds. I dropped one in February, then one in April, then another this month. Basically each time my period arrives! I'm not sure if I'll give it up totally next month though. I might wait a while. After going down to 2 feeds my next period was lighter and less painful, and I do wonder if there was a link there (for me) as I think hormone imbalances can cause heavy/painful periods. My last period was like they used to be pre-DD, so I am hoping I am now BF at a level where I can fall pg. Having said that DD may have got to a point where BF is less important to her now. 6 months ago I would not have imagined I could have dropped to 1 feed at this point - I would describe DD as a bit of a milk monster up to 2 yrs! But she has adapted really well. I simply explained that we'd have milk later, and in each case offered a cup of milk and reading stories. She just has a cup of milk at one of the dropped feeds (wake up) now, but we read stories at each dropped feed 'time', it replaces the BF with some quiet, relaxed 'together' time and DD seems fine with that, and I like the cuddles too. I think it helps that I've gone for a very slow & gentle weaning process, she would ask for milk for a few days at that time when I dropped each feed, but after a while she forgets. At bedtime she still has milk and loves it! But I think it would be fairly easy to drop if I want/need to.

Don't rush it - if you just follow DS back to a place where he's better, dropping the feeds back will come more easily, and less stressfully!

hi and good luck mackerel, hope there's not too much waiting for you. :)

isla how are you getting on with just one feed a day? we were kind of down to two on average, but the last couple of weeks have been a bit mad.

the teething, trip to a&e and antibiotics for skin infection all at once have been a bit much for him i think. he's been looking for a lot more comfort. he also lost the power of thumb sucking for a few days while his lip healed, think that might be where the feeding to sleep came back.

once the teeth are through, we'll maybe try to get back to where we were with a cup of milk and a story at bed time instead. as soon as i put him in the sleeping bag today he was after 'molk'.

Hello... Room for another newbie? I've been reading this thread for AGES and finally decided to delurk.

So, DD is 10months old, we'd both love to crack on with no2 but no sign of AF yet and as DD is still feeding normally 4x in day and 2 or 3 at night I reckon it'll be a while

I know she's still pretty little, and I'm 29 so there should be no real hurry but just would really love 2 quite close together, and also to be back on maternity leave sooner rather than later!

We've not really got back into regular sex since arrival of DD so it's all chat and no action atm. Should really work on that - don't think there's much chance of catching an ov before 1st AF but you never know and wld be better to get back into it before I start getting obsessed about the key days to do it.

Just feel v much in limbo now. On the one hand impatient for AF to start up again, but also kind of dreading all that anxious waiting and trying not to get hopes up again.

Anyway, been gibbering on long enough I should think. Been finding this thread really helpful so nice to finally join in!

I'm reading!!

good luck Queen, I am also in the 2WW - I think! I had some positive ovulation tests, but EWCM continued so not really sure. So I'm trying the same approach as you with the crossing!

silken that does sound like it could be ovulation spotting. It apparently can mean you are very fertile (I'm also a TCOYF follower). Get that thermometer out!!

Myself, I'm now down to 1 feed. I'm slightly sad at this, but at the same time, DD is over 2 years now and I'm starting to feel its the right time for the both of us to stop. We'll see. For the moment I still belong on this thread!

Silken sorry that things haven't hapoened this month for you.
I am now on the dreaded 2ww - my 1st so I am sure it will seem even longer :(
Everything except the essential parts crossed (just in case I got my cycle length wrong )

Yes I feel happier. It was hard to be enthusiastic when I didn't know if there was any chance or not of conceiving.
So far on schedule with swi

Silken lol get creative with swi location

Thats encouraging Isla
Will increase my swi efforts this month anyway
Hoping for that bfp!

Yay QueenFee thats brilliant! 1 week since EWCM might indicate a short LP, but might not. I get CM (but not EWCM) during the luteal phase, maybe you were mistaking just creamy CM for EWCM? If it was an week LP (you want at least 10 days LP, ideally 12+) then don't worry too much. I've found cycles while bf can be a bit wacky! I'm sure some months my LP has only been 9 days, but other months I've had 12 days. Also my first couple of cycles were definitely wacky - one was only 23 days long so I'm pretty sure the LP was really short in that case.
Good luck with the TTC!!

LittleBooPeeps I agree with Queen, DD was get very whiny when ill or recovering. I don't feed her extra when she's like this (now - when she was younger I would have), its just part of being a toddler I think! Do check in - would love to hear of you getting your BFP!

Whoop! Whoop!
AF has arrived! Yes! I am finally ovulating. However only 1 week since ewcm so does that mean my luteal phase is short? How long should it be?
Sorry for all who are getting af not bfp. For the record Alfie is 22 months and we have been ttc for 17 months. He still feeds a lot probably 5 or 6 times in 24 hours. I think the key change has been that he has started on occasion sleeping from 12 till 5.30.

Little bo peep my children change personality when they are ill and get upset by very silly things, however I think at that age they do get very frustrated by things and can get very upset. I find it usually improves as their speech and understanding improves

:( Isla

Have finished bf here - after feeding on demand for so long I felt it was just too confusing to DS to restrict him to one feed. He seems to have forgotten already - no longer asks etc - and I feel more positive about stopping since my last post so hormones must be stabilising.

DS has had a few moments of hysterical crying in the last week which may or may not be related to stopping bf. Doc says he has a viral infection so I'm hoping it is just related to that and he is back to his normal perky self soon but I can help feeling guilty/anxious about it all as it is so horrible to watch and nothing seems to calm him down. It happened at bedtime today and yesterday and then when he woke this morning. Plus other points - getting in the pushchair, car seat etc during the day. So not at times when he would have been bf in the past. I did a search on the mn archives for advice/similar experiences and people said that similar had happened when DC were unwell and/or overtired. Has anyone here been through this? He is 19months.

I prob shouldn't post here now as no longer fulfilling the thread criteria but I will check back as I would love to hear of bpf. It seems ages since the last one.

Month 8 for me. Think I was too spoiled after success month 2 the first time round!

Thanks for the optimism (sp?) :)

well I'll be optimistic for you then jaggy! good luck. I'm on month six now. Its very tiresome isn't it!

Aw, sorry isla :(

Only 2DPO i think so some waiting for me. Not feeling as optimistic this month really.

Af here again... :(

Queen I got EWCM when I was not getting AF, maybe I started noticing it when DD was 9 months old, and I got my period at about 14-15 months. So I think it was my body keeping on trying to ovulate but it didn't for a while. So sounds like things are happening, maybe AF will arrive soon! Have you tried ovulations tests when you have EWCM? You can buy a load of cheapies on the internet - thats what I did. If your in the mood and have EWCM might as well try - you don't know when that first ovulation will happen!

Alfie will be 2 in July so hope I can start those conversations!

Can I ask you? If I was ovulating would I definately get af if not preg. I am just wondering as I have assumed I am not ovulating as no af so therefore not been swi as much as I would if I knew I was IYSWIM. I have def has ewcm and felt more like dtd at that time.
I have never temped but maybe I should. Not sure how accurate it would be due to nocturnal interruptions!

silken if you're at CD18 then that is promising! I'm hoping for a relatively normal cycle for you this month. I know waiting is boring, but my feeling is always if something can happen on its own, then thats the best way to do it. Which I know is really frustrating and easy for me to say, but your doc's cautious approach is just trying to do the best thing for you. I took agnus castus for one cycle I was so anxious to get pg. But I stopped taking it as I decided I need to try just as normal for a while, before I start doing all kinds of things (I decided grapefruit juice was ok, as I was in Florida and got a taste for it!)

jaggy I hope so much every month that this is the month, I just cannot help it. Your feelings are SO normal! Really hoping this is your month.

LittleBoPeeps yes, hormones!! Friends who have given up BF say they've had a hormone crash and felt weird afterwards. It'll just take a little while for your body to adjust (apparently, its the reduction of the feel good oxytocin, which is released when you breastfeed, that can make you feel blue after stopping BF). Yay for AF! Thats a good sign.

Yank my DD went through a similar phase of needing boob after falling over. Now though, she's fine with just morning and evening. I dropped daytime feeds when she was about 2 yrs (she's now nearly 2 yrs 2 months). She did ask for them for a while but accepted when I told her later. Referring to what silken says, I actually think that as they get older another window opens for weaning 'on your terms' as I'm almost having proper conversations with DD now about feeding. I've managed to shorten the morning and evening feeds (at bedtime she would be on for agggeeessss!), I did this just by telling her she could have some milk from one side in the morning, and after a couple of days she didn't ask for more afterwards.

Hi all, sorry have been away so long, RL keeping me busy.

Last cycle I had a 7 day luteal phase which was a bit worrying, and on the current cycle I ovulated on day 8 so didn't even get a shag in! On 11DPO now so thinking AF will be here very soon (my old average was 12 days).

Maybe next cycle eh?

DS now 20 months and still feeding like mad. On a good day I can keep him down to 3 (morning, before nap, & before bedtime), but most days it is more than that. Normally still sleeps through 7pm-6am though. I wish he didn't reach for 'bees' every time he falls over or bonks his head, because he's so active that it happens several times every day!

Wishing everyone luck on the SWI. We're finding it difficult to manage, just so bloody tired all the time.

Sorry i have been away from this thread so long. There was a long bout of nothing to report as no af.

I cut out day feeds at 17 months which was surprisingly easy then at 18.5 months (last week) I stopped the evening feed. This time there were a few tears so on the first night I held DS for around 5 mins til he calmed then cuddled him to sleep, next night the same but with a shorter holding time and then third night just cuddling. I still fed him in the early morning when he woke (around 1am and 4am ish).

After a chat with DH we then decided that this was sending the wrong signal so at that point I stopped feeding til morning proper, just cuddling and offering milk in a beaker.

Since friday he has only had one feed in the morning (sometime around 6.30am) and on sunday missed this altogether. Having gotten a bit fed up with the night feeds I am now quite sad as bf feels almost over. He hasn't asked for this later morning feed as such, I have offered, so I think it will stop soon of its own accord.

I guess I have doubts about whether we have done the right thing as up until now I felt very like QF desperate to get on TTC! AF turned up on Sun night so we succeeded in kick starting things on that front and he has started sleeping through til 5am so it is a success on there too.

I guess i just feel very much like its an end of an era and whilst I don't want to undo the hard work I didn't expect it all to happen so quickly. I always thought we would go til 2yrs at least. He is two weeks shy of 19 months now.

Do you think this is just my hormones changing making me sad? I guess I am a bit nervous now too as TTC becomes a reality so I am thinking about hopefully going through preg and birth etc again. I am a bit worried as well about coping with the disappointment if we don't conceive in a few months as until now TTC has been rather abstract, now with AF back (assuming my cycles are ok) I am in danger of getting rather consumed by it all.

Sorry for the long me me me post, I guess wanted to try and make sense of how i am feeling by writing it down. Also thought it might help those still waiting for cycles to resume. Also wondered what others would do about the last feed if they were me? Drop it or continue for a while longer? As I say DS isn't so interested now so perhaps it is the time to stop...

Still no af here.
I have decided we will keep trying for this baby till Christmas. If it doesn't happen by then we will remain a 3 child family.
I am now actively trying to wean Alfie too as I have had enough, unfortunately he has other ideas!
I am seriously thinking of sending on a holiday to Grandmas for a week.
Hoping that would break the cycle

yeah, af turned up on Wednesday. had got myself all worked up with imaginary symptoms as well.

so not temping was unsuccessful for keeping calm!

still only on approx 2 bf a day, no idea if it is affecting ttc. cycles are certainly fairly regular!

this month's plan is a different SWI pattern and trying to keep calm! didn't waste any tests but had got so excited that it was a bit of a big crash when af arrived.

good luck everybody :)