TTC and still breastfeeding? Thread # 5 - Positive Vibes!

Hi Guys! I've started a new thread

New Thread

come on over!!

jooni I dunno is CD16 good? Seems a bit late FF thinks my cycle should be 30 days as a result! I think I mentioned up thread we conceived DS really early in the cycle (CD9?) so must have been a fluke... We will have to compare notes on Vitex or should we call him Angus haha!

Congratulations expat on the weaning and 2 years is such an achievement, I hope I make it that far! Hope this helps your cycles regulate soon. Also congrats pumkin on weaning too.

Agree we should roll over to a new thread soon and everyone who's weaned should still stay if they want to and keep us updated!

Re: weight loss I have always been lardy and got down to about 12kg below my pre-preg weight within a few of weeks of DS being born but did not keep it off! Have been eating very poorly recently so as of last week am being much more careful. I think BF help me lose weight in the early days and I also lost my appetite for a few weeks but not making much of a difference now, will be interesting to see if weaning helps in the future. Also good to be at a healthier weight for TTC #2 though a long way to go!

cineraria oh bless your DS! I'm sure he'll get the hang of it and find his balance soon. My DS was quite cautious when cruising and would usually grab back on to furniture if he let go for too long. We also have hard marble floors (not in the uk) and it's a good thing he has lots of hair or you'd see the number of bumps on the back of his poor head...😬 Good news on the FF ovulation, I love looking at the little temp graph.

jp good luck with the bloods, hope it reveals a BFP for you instead!

DS has officially dropped to 1 nap so is quite cranky by late morning, good news is as a result I've managed to get him down to 3 feeds for the past few days and he usually crashes out for a good sleep in the afternoons.

Hey
Jooni thanks for the info! I did the same thing gradual wean from 12 months, went really well. I will be 4 weeks without BF this weekend. I lost quite a bit of Weight im currently bout a stone under my pre preg weight. I quite like the slimmer me so trying to maintain it husband is not too keen says I'm too thin.
Cineraria the teething is taking its toll haven't had more than 3 hours sleep per night for over a week now it's taking its toll bit ppl have it far worse.
Great news on the pos opk , fingers crossed for you X
Jpclarke hope everything goes well tomorrow

Expatvet, you will have to share your weaning tips. Ds is nearly 19 months and still feeding, and waking at night. I have been trying to get him into the cot and out of the bed but not having much joy. And now my husband has started on the whole crap about how he is too old but yet he hasn't really offered to try to settle him. I can understand you being sad your time is finished but on the positive I have heard of so many who have gotten pregnant as soon as they finish feeding including myself. So best of luck to you.

Sounds like good news for ovulation cineraria so fingers crossed for you.

I am having day 21 bloods done tomorrow, according to my gynae from my scan tomorrow is day 21. So we will see. Strangely today I got a pregnancy feeling over me. I can't really explain it though. I won't be dissapointed this month though as I have not as much as taking even a prenatal never mind everything else I was taking. Just said I would give myself a complete month off. Also timing wouldn't be as good now for me although my gynae told me to forget that,

How exciting about the walking, lullaby. DS seems to have no idea that he can't walk and just let's go of whatever he is holding onto if he sees something interesting elsewhere. We keep having to grab him before he falls as we have hard floors.

How is the teething going Pumkin? Hope it doesn't last long this time. Hope you and Expatvet do stay on the thread; you're the experts after all and it will be great to hear your good news when you get it.

Despite my irregular waking times (I think he may shortly move from three to two nighttime feeds so his wakings are all over the place), I have a really clear temperature rise two days after a positive OPK and Fertility Friend puts ovulation at CD17, so I'm really pleased about that and just trying not to get my hopes up too much. My last cycles were 33 and 38 days so quite long. Not complaining at all but it seems like ages to wait compared to before when they were only 27 days long.

Hi expat! Well done on the successful weaning, and I think you're AMAZING for getting to 2 years I'm planning on gradual weaning from 1 year, if DD will let me. I've found it really really tough on my body - have lost a ton of weight that I didn't really have to lose and really struggling to gain any back while still feeding, which can't be helping our TTC efforts either. Hope things get back on track for you now and best of luck for that BFP soon!

Pumkin Agnus castus / Vitex is a herb that is supposed to help with all manner of "women's problems": period pain, irregular periods, bringing on an absent period, lengthening LP, etc. etc. A google search will bring up plenty of examples of bfing mothers who have used it with apparent success and no adverse effects to kickstart ovulation, lengthen LP and regulate cycles while nursing, but it's a personal decision whether or not you want to take any supplements while nursing a LO who could potentially ingest some of whatever you're taking through your milk.

Hi lullaby yeah more teeth! Dreading the molars, I wish u good luck with them . Good news on the cycle looking nice n regular

Jooni what is vitex : Angus cactus ? And what dose it do ?

Ooh expatvet congrats on the weaning , sounds like u have cracked it !

I hope you / we get to stay I like this thread I've weaned my lo last month too but don't want to join another one

Hi Guys! huge congrats lacey so thrilled for you!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

welcome writer, jooni, Esme, Cine!!! So great to have you all here!

so sorry to hear about your MC writer. Everything crossed for a sticky one soon for you.

Good luck with the tests jp I hope you get a positive answer and all is well... sounds like a good idea to try and put the opks aside and relax (if you can!)... you never know - this month may work anyway... so great to know you are ovulating! sorry you've had some rubbish comments about bf'ing... people really should mind their own business!

So operation wean has been successful!!! DS turned 2 last month and we had our last feed together the day after his 2nd birthday and then I had to travel for work. He was fine without me and we just didn't start feeding again when I got back - it's been 2 weeks now - a little sad to say good bye to that phase but also so happy!

AF rocked up - 25 day cycle this time (6 cycles post partum now... ranging from 25 days to 45 days... ) really hope they become regular now.

I didn't have any luck with OPKs last month and then I got ewcm but really late in my cycle - also hoping it means I don't have a super short luteal phase :-(

going to try the clear blue digital opk this month - starting at cd7 (based on shortest cycle) but I do realize it could start getting expensive quickly!

Good luck everyone this month - we'll be onto a new thread soon ... do I get to stay here even though I've now weaned?!!

lullaby Oing on CD16 with a 27-28 day cycle sounds pretty good to me!

Vitex is indeed agnus castus, I've also ordered some and like you am going to give it a go this cycle. Apparently you see best results after 3-6 months of use so sounds like it might take a while to work. Hope it gives you the results you want!

jooni is Vitex Agnus Cactus? I've just ordered some as also worried about short LP. FF has me down as ovulating on CD16 based on temp, I only ever got a faint pos on ICs so must have missed the surge. My cycles are 27/28 days average lately. Back to using the clearblue monitor next cycle!

I have read that it can mess up your cycle but I might give it a go. I haven't tried the other supplements but I am taking a multivitamin. Temping is a PITA especially if you have been up with DC but it has been interesting to see the graph!

pumpkin oh will the teething never end?! One more bottom tooth for DS then the dreaded molars will be next not looking forward to them arriving!

Hi JP
At first she did because I think she was so used to it, more a routine, but the more settled she got and used to being in the cot the longer she slept. It took a few weeks before she was sleeping through but we got there and now she will even have naps in her cot

That's a good idea pumpkin pie, did you find your lo would still wake at night for feeds because they could smell you?

Hi new comers ! So happy for you Lacey xx
And really sorry JPx
JP my lo struggled to go in her cot, so I used to put the t shirt I had been wearing that day in the cot safely so she could smell me .
My cycle was a bit longer last month so fingers crossed I'm getting back to normal.
I have bough my self some cheap ovulation sticks from eBay 30 for £3:50 so going to see if I'm ovulating when I think I am ,
Lo is teething again so won't get much time to dtd as she likes to co sleep when teething.
Wish every one luck

Welcome Writer

lullaby Congrats to your DS on his walking! How exciting! Sorry to hear things haven't been going your way TTCwise this cycle, but hopefully you can hit the ground running next month.

Cine Thanks for the info/reassurance. Unfortunately I'm pretty sure that I did O only a few days before AF arrived because she was very, very light and short for me (again). I'm pretty sure low progesterone and a resultant super-short LP are to blame, but I've bitten the bullet and ordered a BBT thermometer so I can actually start charting. Never done it before but I want to know for sure what's up...

Another question for you all from the keen newbie: does anyone take any supplements to help with TTC while breastfeeding?

I'm sure it's been gone over a bajillion times before but I've been looking into it and have seen various things recommended: B6/B-complex, Vitex, Vit C + E... has anyone had any experience/success using any of these? And I know there's a lot of conflicting info out there but any insights as to safety/safe dosages while breastfeeding? I'm currently thinking of starting on a B-50 complex + 1000mg of Vitex this cycle to help lengthen my ridiculously short LP... thoughts?

Thanks ladies!

Thanks for all the kind messages of support. I decided not to take a single supplement or do an opk test this month.
And just see what happens. The gynae could see I was about to ovulate from the scan the other day and we have been busy in the bedroom department anyway so we will just see what happens. I just feel if it is breastfeeding holding up a positive pregnancy then taking all these things and driving myself mad with opk's is not going to change that.

Hi all, great to see so much activity I'm trying to keep up

Welcome Esmerelda & Writer. Esme you might want to get some internet cheapy OPKs from Amazon or wherever if you think you'll be testing a lot, the Clearblue ones are a pricey business!

Thanks Jooni for the interesting info on time spent feeding, we are definitely below 100 mins, I guess we dropped below that threshold when I started to schedule his feeds as AF returned 2 months later.

jp I had to get DS to get used to DH settling him at bedtime and for night wakes in order to wean him off night feeds.

Well still no positive OPK here but my temp did rise this morning dunno if that was a fluke and my body is trying but failing to ovulate, darn. DH has had a cold and has been grumpy so no DTD possibility anyway I have been in quarantine in the spare room! DS's sleep has gone to hell this past week, so my grand plans of dropping a feed/no night feeding has not really worked as I was worried it might be linked to him not settling. But I think he is transitioning down to 1 nap and also just started walking yesterday so lots going on in his little brain.

Re: dropping feeds I think DS will drop his morning feed last as he is always most interested and whines for milk at 7am, he is not that bothered about his bedtime feed (more interested in playing/chatting/kicking me in the face) & he doesn't feed to sleep any more so it's quite short.

Hi all, can I join?

My DS is 2yr and 2m and still beast feeds twice a day. Sometimes though, due to my shifts he doesn't breast feed for 48 hours.

Me and DH decided to TTC earlier this year, fell pregnant on cycle 1 but miscarried three weeks after my BFP.

This month we decided to try again but BFN sadly and I felt very disheartened by it.

Part of me is questioning whether BF is playing a role. I know it's very early in the TTC business to be thinking that but I can't shake my uneasiness about it

Ooh - good luck Cine! Fingers crossed for you!

jp sorry, I just read back a bit. Really sorry to hear about your loss. It hurts just as much no matter how early. Hoping you get the answers you need on Tuesday x

Hi Esme, LP is the luteal phase (the post ovulation half of the cycle) which is often shorter than normal when breastfeeding. If it's very short, it may not allow enough time for the fertilised egg to implant before the next cycle starts.

I'm not really sure if I used OPKs before my first pp period. I had bleeding at 8 weeks pp which might have been a period (DS was having feeding problems due to silent reflux, and drinking very little, so that may have brought it on) but might have still been bleeding related to the birth. I bought 30 cheapie OPKs on eBay and used them all after that but had no luck and then didn't have another period until he was 24 weeks.

Glad to hear you have things underway with the gynaecologist jp. Hope the tests will lead to a good outcome for you.

Jooni, I didn't test in any official way for ovulation last month but I did have a day of stomach pains and diarrhoea, which is something that I usually notice on ovulation day or the day before and I had lots of ewcm after that. My son is the same age as your DD, but I think I'm feeding a lot more than you still.

I had a positive OPK today and the stomach and bowel symptoms too, so I'll be doing my best to check my temps for the next few mornings so I can see if I actually ovulate. Fingers crossed!

So sorry to read about your experience JP

Hello! Thanks fot the warm welcome :)

A beginners FAQ... is LP lunal phase? What is that?! And took me a long time to remember that CM isn't Childminder haha! (How did I ever conceive my 1st baby?!)

Ovulation test today = empty circle. Think this will be an expensive exercise! Anyone tried testing ovulation before their first pp period? Have been sure AF is due for months now...

So my second PPAF arrived today, exactly 28 days after the first. I'm a little bit disappointed to see her of course, but I'm glad I don't seem to have the super-long cycles that lots of people do while breastfeeding.

Not sure if or when I'm ovulating though, as my almost 2 weeks of varying amounts of EWCM only dried up a couple of days ago. Really hoping that means it continued for a while after ovulation, rather than that I have a 2-3 day LP! Has anyone ever experienced fertile-looking CM after they know they ovulated?

Welcome Esme and Jooni,

I can't really advise much on weaning as my ds definitely dictates. The day time feeds he dropped naturally as more food was introduced, but when I went back to work I had to wean him off one of the day time feeds.

We are still feeding during the night 18 months later but I know some of them are purely just comfort feeds so my plan is to try and try to get some energy together and work on dropping them now as we have never had a full night sleep in 18 months. So if anyone has any suggestions on how to get a very attached ds into a cot and any hints on night weaning they will be very welcome??

I went to the gynae today and he scanned me and could see I was about to ovulate. He said 2/3 of pregnancies end in very early miscarriages. He took some bloods and wants me to have day 21 bloods for the next 2 months and go from there then.

Hi Esme, another newbie!

I'm afraid I can't really help you on the dropping feeds front as my DD is younger and still having both of those feeds, but my understanding is that most people find it easier to drop the morning feed first, especially if your DD is used to feeding to sleep. I'm trying to replace daytime feedings with the cup atm but it is slow-going. Perseverance is the name of the game!

lullaby It's thought to be the actual suckling itself that suppresses fertility by stimulating prolactin production, so the more you can cut down on time spent at the breast the better. Anything that increases the efficiency of your LO nursing will help (e.g. feed when drowsy, space out feeds more or feed on schedule, get rid of distractions, cut down on "comfort suckling", etc. etc.) It's total time rather than quantity of milk or frequency per se. Apparently a threshold of about 100 mins of nursing a day is low enough for most women to become fertile again, though obviously it varies hugely from person to person. Hope that helps.

Hi everyone hope it's ok to join?

I'm still feeding my 15mo morning and at night. And sometimes once during the day when she asks.. would love to start TTC, still no af but we have been dtd just to see what happens but nothing yet. Just bought clear blue ovulation 4 day tests. Not sure if it'll show I'm ovulating and will just have to do a test everyday so might be a big waste of money! But would hate to miss out on a fertile day just because we're too tired to dtd as we'd make time for it otherwise!

Just to sympathise with a pp, im also getting the pity comments about how I can't go out at night. Drives me mad. It's a joint decision to keep feeding (baby's mainly, but I love the closeness) and I'm slowly starting to introduce the idea of weaning to her but I love how easy it is to feed her to sleep! I think my next move is to drop morning feeds but do people usually drop night feeds first? Should I give her a cup of milk in the am instead of my milk?! No idea about things like that as we just go with the flow. Think I need to chat it through with HV but would love to hear your tips too

Anyway that's me, sorry it's so long and rambling! Had a full night's sleep for once which always makes me feel more tired I think!! (Definitely not complaining though! Just not used to it!)