TTC while breastfeeding - Part 2

Hi Tweedledee! I know the AF feeling... How old is your little one? How long have you been trying?

AF arrived here a day early today, and actually started spotting yesterday. But calling today CD1. That makes my luteal phase 11-12 days... And my temps were fairly low in the 2WW this cycle so I wasn't optimistic about getting preg. So I've decided to drop one feed (we were at 4 feeds, and dropped the post nap feed today so now 3 feeds) to see if this does anything. She didn't even seem to notice but its the weekend so DH got her up from her nap. Hopefully in the week when its just me here she won't notice either! Plus DH is taking over bedtime! I'm still going to give her some bedtime milky but then DH will actually put her into bed (which is when she usually starts demanding more milk as a bedtime delaying tactic!). She wasn't impressed with this last night but we're going to stick at it! She's 23 months now so I don't feel too bad about it, but I didn't like hearing her cry for mummy last night we'll see if I have the motivation to stick with the new bedtime routine!

Hello everyone. Can I join? I'm on CD5 and feeling like poop.

Damn AF.

Marthamay commiserations. I know that BFN feeling. Just to say if you haven't ov'd yet you could still at CD42 if you haven't already, just very late. So keep an eye out for ov feelings as well as AF - as we've said BF can mean cycles are very erratic!

inukshuk I'm another one who looks at 'charts like mine'

Hey Inukshuk -very sensible to chart this way. Then you wouldn't find yourself in the frustrating position I am in!
I did a sensitive test today and still BFN so really do have to come to grips with just no ovulation this month.
Well, now I say QUICK HURRY UP AND COME AF!!!!!
I'm primed up for next month. 3rd day of
no caffeine, pre-natal vits, no feeding between 11 and 6....got to help!!

CD42 and counting....

Yes, charting is so useful yet also easy to get rather obsessed about. I've charted for several years (when not pregnant) and many a time I've found myself searching fertilityfriend.com for 'charts like mine' and seeing how many of them result in pregnancy...!

However, I do love the 'security' of knowing when I've ovulated as it means I know when it's 'ok' to test, rather than getting my hopes up that I'm pregnant when it's just late ovulation resulting in a long cycle. Obviously with my 5 day LP at present I haven't had a chance even to test 'early' as my period's arrived so quickly after ovulation!

Nothing to report here - like Queen Fee am still waiting for AF. DS 15 and a half months and counting...Are we the only ones? I have lost track with all the news and newbys :)

Loving Poppet's return of AF post, though slightly

Ok. So yesterday I read a thread where woman after woman were getting neg hpt but had signs etc etc but no actual positive hpt.
Today I've managed to google pretty much the reverse result with the same input!
Woman after woman saying their hpt came back neg but after weeks and more tests or blood tests, turns out they are infact P. So I guess the moral of the story is anything is possible!
Or, you'll find anything and everything and all permutations on the Internet. All grist to the obsession mill

All hopeful Martha!

Welcome Buba. Yes it's extremely hard to remain chilled.
We're only on our first official cycle ttc but think about it ALOT.

As for the charting Isla - I'm duly warned and will enter at my own risk!! Do I want to obsess more? No! But I do want a bfp.

Martha - exciting...?
I'm not sure what to say. I've been reading various threads of women with late af and -hpt, saying 'am I P? What's going on? I feel so P!'. So I'm trying not to get excited myself.
Am cd30 I think. And I guess no reason why af not going slightly longer this month. Was always more likely to be over 30 than under before. So probably settling into regular pattern.

But with each day I get ever more hopeful. DESPITE aforementioned research!
I did buy the cheapest hpt I could get in chemist yesterday. Not taken yet.
So I've no recommendations on the pricier front. Though I have promised myself the one that tells you how far along you are if the cheapo one is + ! Hope springs eternal.

I do feel exhausted. But often do am sure with constant broken nights. Am also having twinges down below, which I had with ds. But would my uterus need to stretch like first time? And already?

I know how powerful my wishful thinking can be. Though (cynical it could happen so soon) dp now seems on board and came home yesterday asking 'has it come yet?' (af)

Please let us know what happens if you test again anyway.

Also any tips on nightweaning before day weaning gratefully received. Very impressed!

Oooh marthamay - exciting times! Fingers crossed the long cycle is for all the right reasons. :)

IslandIsla - reassuring to read your post and hear that your cycles have lengthened (hopefully meaning LP lengthened). I've definitely ovulated each cycle - although temps are a bit erratic due to night waking, they definite shifted higher and tallying up with OPKs and CM = ovulation. Last 3 luteal phases have been 4 days, 4 days and 5 days... been taking agnus castus 1st half of the cycle this and previous cycle, and started on B6 (B complex) this cycle so we'll see if that makes a difference. CD22 today... no ovulation yet but I reckon it's close...

Hi buba and welcome (from another recently-joined-newbie, in my 5th cycle of trying) - yes, staying chilled is a good plan although you're right - easier said than done! We can but try....!

Now replying to the things that were on the previous age that I missed!

Poppet yay for AF! Now didn't think that was a phrase I'd ever say Maybe DS sleeping through some nights has kickstarted it.

inuk my first cycles I didn't chart so I don't know if I did ovulate, or anything like that. But they were shorter than they are now, so luteal phase could have lengthened (it was 13 days last cycle, with 33 day cycle, but one previous cycle had been as short as 23 days. I'm not sure if it was a short luteal phase or anovulatory. My cycles pre DD were around 35 days with ov at 21 ish days, and it seems to be settling to that again now, after 6-7 months of AF). Do you know you definitely ovulated with your temps? I was going to suggest agnus castus so good luck with it!

Hello. I've missed loads again!

Hi to inukshuk and Buba, welcome!

I am not sure what to comment on first Sorry if I miss anything out.

Buba I can relate. We conceived DD first time around, despite being irregular and being told I had PCOS. I feel so lucky it happened so quickly with #1 but now for TTC#2 it was hard to get AF when we didn't conceive last month. Now in cycle 2 of trying, and I'm pretty sure I'm not pregnant. Had a BFN this morning, its only 11DPO and AF due Sunday - but I just don't feel pregnant at all so I think its definitely a negative for this month. especially as we gave it a good go this month.

Can't say about periods changing after weaning, as I've only night weaned, not totally weaned. My second period was long at 9 days though.

melody charting gives you so much insight into your cycle and it definitely helped us conceive #1 quickly. But it also helps the obsession!! So it had its pros and cons!

Yank My SIL is pregnant again (they had their first a few months after us). I really want to be pg again by the time theirs is born (August). Its hard when family are in a similar position to you not to compare etc. SIL does sound very insensitive!

marthamay great news on the night feed front. So nice to get that stretch of sleep. It will be worth it. I know just what you mean about the easy option. Which makes me think do I really want to get pg again and at least another yr of sleepless nights?!! Well yes... I do!

oooh yes! Forgot to say... I managed not to night feed between 11 and 6 last night!!!!! YAY! DS was mighty P-Off at about 3am, but after 1/2 an hour of rocking and pacing went back to sleep. It was SO hard not to just go for the easy option....I feel good about it this morning though.

HI buba, welcome and good luck to you.It is def easier said than done to take it easy when TTC!!! I thought that too just a couple of cycles back and I'm still trying hard not to let it dominate my life!

Well, for me AF hasn't arrived still which would mean that I am CD41. Either a crazy long anovulatory cycle or I am indeed up the duff.
Haven't tested again this week but the temptation is growing by the second. I am going to do a bit of shopping this afternoon and I just don't know if I'll be able to resist. I'm tempted to try one of the expensive more sensitive ones....
any recommendations?

I have also been feeling bone tired and a bit queasy, a feeling I remember from DS1 preg. Although this does coincide with me going cold turkey on the caffeine so....could also be that?

oh dear, got to stop obsessing.

hi buba
I think each pregnancy is different. I fell preg the the 1st cycle with dd 2nd with ds1 and wasn't really trying with ds2. However bf has meant we have been ttc for 13 months with no luck for dc4 . As for changing periods sorry i'm not much help as only had a couple in the last 7 years
Welcome to the thread!

Hi all, can I join you?
Bit of stats: DD 20mo, TTC#2 1 cycle

I am not breastfeeding anymore as I weaned my DD two months ago when she was 18 mo, but we still have many things in common :). We started TTC in January, so only 1 cycle so far. Unfortunately, not pregnant yet. Actually we sort of tried in Dec as well, but not really tried to hit my fertile days. But the next cycle we were really doing our homework properly, but no BFP so far :( I know it's to early, but with DD we conceived the first month we tried, so for some reason I figured it would be the same this time around.

I got my period 4 months post partum (even htough I EBF for 6 months), but at the time I was just not ready for another pregnancy. At the beginning my lutheal phase was very short 7-8 days which was due to breastfeeding I believe. I know it was not long enough to sustain a pregnancy. Now my lutheal phase is 12-13 days long which is enough I guess. Oh, and I can tell when my ovulation is as I have this typical pain in my ovary. But the thing is that weaning actually changed my period more than pregnancy did - the first period after weaning DD lasted for 8-9 days and finished off with pink spotting which is something that has never happened before. Anyone with the same experience? And my ovulation indicators are not same anymore - instead of one day of sharp pain in my ovaries, now I have 2 days of light pain followed by one day with sharp pain. So my guess is that the first 2 days are due to egg poking out and the the third is when it actually starts the journey and ovulation begins. Not sure if I am right, though.

Now that it didn't happen the first time around, I am trying not to get into TTC frenzy and to take it easy (easier said than done).

Poppet, my DS was born August 24, also out the sunroof! But his due date was August 25 so he wasn't 'overcooked' (love that phrase in relation to overdue babies!).

at 'wiping with intent'

will have a read of that once i'm on a pc not a phone.
Still no af here :( have been cramping though which i'm hoping is a sign as I have day weaned ds apart from his nap feed. I'm also glad i'm not the only one still feeding at night.

Ha ha:o

Thanks for bringing me back down to earth. I think -
Am getting v hopeful and told DP no AF yet and he just laughed. I said he didn't believe it could happen already and he said I was so hopeful! Then he pointed out that AF had been erratic before :(

Think I need to get with the charting programme. Have much to learn from you all!

Thanks for the link! I stumbled across it a while back just after my periods returned, but have now had a 'closer' read, given that I'm now a bit more "damnit, I wanna be pregnant now" rather than just 'seeing what happens'...!

I don't just WWI... I have a GOFWI... good ol' furtle with intent (it's fascinating what your cervix can tell you!) :o

It does seem like cycle lengths can be super-erratic whilst bf... it's so frustrating, isn't it? :(

Ditto!
Still no AF here either...keep telling myself not to get excited - was never v regular before, so why should I be now.
Have named my mucus watch WWI (wiping with intent!)

Thanks for the link Melody! Great reading.
Still no AF for me....
Yes, mucus-watching is lovely isn't it . I need to stop myself from talking about it to DH!!!!!!

Great article Melody. I've decided to start watching my mucus. Ik. :o

Inuk - that's the one I was talking about - it was such a lovely spot! We lived in Kitsilano for a few years so I know it well too.
Yank - yup DS was born August 19 - however I never joined the August bus, as his first DD was July 31st, then they moved my dates at the 12 week scan (incorrectly I think) back to August 16. Personally I think they were wrong and he was massively overdue. He ended up being huge 9lb 6oz, 55cm tall (!) and totally overcooked - with peeling skin on his hands and feet. Oh yes and well and truly stuck after a 19 hour labour so was hauled out through the sunroof. The wonders of scanning technology.

Just found this on a random Google. Might have some useful info/links for some-

forums.ivillage.com/t5/Helpful-Articles-Links-Info/TTC-WHILE-BREASTFEEDING-FACT-SHEET/m-p/64869248

Martha - glad I'm not the only one to feel like a brain-dead zombie on occasion! Feel sure other mothers think I'm just a moron!! Certainly worth it though.

Yank - you would be a bloody saint not to be bothered by in-laws antics in my opinion. Am sure I'd be bothered if they were complete stangers!
I'm very sorry to hear about your mIscarriage. (SIL sounds like thoughtless old so-and-so.)

Would be interesting if anyone out there has knowledge of comings and goings of AF whilst bf-ing...