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

Hi jooni welcome aboard!

Good luck with getting your DD to take milk from a cup, my DS is very uninterested in cows milk at the moment! My first 3 AFs were abnormally light and short (for me) but after that they felt a bit more normal. Still not sure if I'm ovulating though, temping is not showing anything this month

I have decided to drop DS's post morning nap feed so he down to 3 feeds now. He seems to be ok with water and a snack and takes more at bedtime which I want him to so he sleeps through! Does anyone know is it frequency of feeding or quantity of milk produced that affects fertility??

Hi everyone, a bit late to the party but hoping I can join you? Congratulations on your BFP Lacey and wishing you a healthy 9 months!

I have an 8-month-old DD who I'm breastfeeding 2-4 times a day at the moment. I've recently started introducing formula in a sippy cup because I'm hoping to drop down to just the morning and evening feeds by about 9 months, but she's never had milk from a bottle/cup before so it's been pretty slow-going! The last couple of days I've managed to get her to take an oz in the morning and afternoon, which is definite progress! She does get around 6-8oz of formula per day mixed into her solid meals.

I got my first PPAF last month, which makes this cd25 of our first cycle TTC. I'm not hugely hopeful for this cycle as my first AF was very light and short and came only 7-9 days after I think I ovulated (based on CM), so a pretty short LP. But I'm hoping for a reasonably regular cycle length at least, so that I know things are getting back on track and roughly when to expect O and AF in the future.

I had A LOT of patchy EWCM in the weeks leading up to my first PPAF, and this month I've had constant EWCM of varying amounts since about cd14, still ongoing! So not really sure what's going on but I'm hoping it will suddenly dry up so I can start counting

Looking forward to getting to know you all!

Brilliant news Lacey & great hope for the rest of us too!

Huge congrats Lacey, I am genuinely thrilled for you. And it gives the rest of us hope

Congratulations! Such good news. Hope you're feeling ok and that everything goes well for you.

Got pregnant 2-3 on a clear blue! Did it in the airport toilets! Good luck to everyone, just to say I am still breastfeeding evening and morning so it is possible!

Thanks lullaby and cineria I will definitely update you. I am now feeling quite hopeful as I'm on cd 31 when I'm normally 26,27 days and my boobs seem a bit sore. Also my resting heart rate has risen (according to my Fitbit) and apparently that's a sign... But I won't know until sat!! Can't wait to poas hehe. Good luck to you lullaby glad DH is back at the right time!!

How exciting, Lacey. Wishing you lots of luck for Saturday.

Fingers crossed for you lacey don't know how you can stand the suspense!

I had no luck on first sort of official month of trying but no idea if I'm actually ovulating yet so attempting opk/temping this month to see what happens. Luckily DH is back from business trip before my expected fertile window!

Sorry to hear that some people are having to wean completely to get pregnant but understand this might be the only way! I'm still clinging onto hope I can continue BF a bit longer although ideally I want to have #2 before we return to the UK and time is ticking

Hi jp that sounds really positive getting tests done. Good plan.

Welcome cineraria that does sound like quite a lot of feeding to be able to conceive but you never know. And it will gradually reduce as he eats a bit more or sleeps a little more.

Well I'm on holiday now and still no af. Don't have a test and I'm kinda in the middle of nowhere so I can't find one anywhere!!! Trying (and failing) not to obsess! No symptoms except lack of af (3days late now aprx) and some spotting at 7/8 dpo. Will be heading straight to boots as soon as I'm off the plane on say if af doesn't turn up!!

Hi,

Hoping to join all of you this month. It's been really interesting to read everyone's stories and especially inspiring to hear how long some of you have managed to breast feed for. I'm really hoping to let DS decide himself when is the right time to stop but at the same time, because I'm over forty and I know that I don't want to miss the chance of giving him a little brother or sister, I know that I need to get started on trying to conceive again now my cycle has returned.

DS is just eight months old and I had a period at eight weeks, when he was having some feeding problems due to silent reflux, then nothing until he was 24 weeks, which was a 38 day cycle followed by a 33 day one. During the day he feeds after breakfast and lunch, then before dinner and before he goes to bed at ten. Overnight he feeds at 2, 6 and 8, then gets up at ten. He does eat a lot of solid food, I think, judging by what comes out, so I'm not sure how much he actually drinks. I'm guessing that I don't have much chance of conceiving currently with so many feeds but it's all good practice! I don't want to reduce his feeding as he is dairy free at the moment while we wait for allergy testing in July and at least I know breastfeeding is ok for him.

I'm going to try to temp and use OPKs this month as knowing if I don't ovulate will help me avoid getting my hopes up but it will be tricky due to the night wakings.

Good luck to everyone!

Thanks for the support and advice. I decided to do something proactive about everything. After I had ds I had really bad bleeding like gushes after about 2 weeks but that eventually that stopped and then I didn't get my period back until ds was 9 months. But since I have it back I literally am gushing again every month. So I am thinking that possible breastfeeding wasn't the reason I couldn't conceive but possibly I have something internally going on. So last week I had to take dd to the doctor so while I was there I spoke to him about all of this. He wants to take bloods and for me to go back to my gynae so I am having bloods taken tomorrow and I am going to the gynae next Tuesday so hopefully that brings some answers. Timing would be all wrong for me to conceive now so I might wait 6 months of I am now considering if we should be happy with the two we have. I really don't know I am so torn. But either way I feel better about getting some tests done, and ruling them out before i can say for sure that breastfeeding is my problem.

I have always co slept with ds but I have started putting him in the cot now at night, we so far just as long as he stays in it before waking the first time. But I know I have to try and wean him at night. It's madness that he is still waking during the night, and after this length of time of sleepless nights I need to do something. My DD is 2.7 months so only 13 months between them! Anyway that's my update.

Hi all how we doing ?
Expatvet hope your little one is better now
Yeah laceylee from the people I have talked to MPA is more common that I ever thought fingers crossed lo grows out of it. Must be hard when your little one is intolerant to soya too .
Glad you got some adult time got my fingers crossed for u
Jpclarke I'm not really sure what a chemical is sorry for my ignorance but hope your feeling ok.
I think your right about breast feeding and conceiving some ppl will get pregnant while BF but most won't sadly.
Ignore ppl and their comments you do what is right for you and your baby . I BF to 13 months I loved doing it but it was the right time for me to stop and lo was happy.

Hi jpclarke that sounds hard and sorry about your chemical I think you should try your best to ignore negative comments, I've had one or two but I know I've done my best for my dd so try to ignore but it is hard. Maybe you could try weaning slowly? I've recently dropped one feed through distracting her and she's been fine.

Dtd last night when DH got back and afterwards (sorry for tmi ) there was some pink blood.... Then nothing this morning. I'm sure this is going to be the start of af as our timing was crap this week but my body is playing mind games a bit cos I am now of course wondering if it was implantation!! It was only 7dpo yesterday so if I do get af today I will be worried about 7 day luteal phase! Hope you all have a wonderful Friday

I have came to the conclusion that the only way to get pregnant is to wean completely. I had a chemical last month and tried again this month, but nothing. I am so fed up now, as timing has now caught up with me. So I don't know what to do, if owns to continue trying to get pregnant I would have to go back to work when the baby would only be 6 months and I just think this is too young. So now the alternative is to wait 6 months or just accept my family as it is now. I am so torn and so upset.

My Ds is 18 months and I have been getting a lot of judgemental comments this week about still breastfeeding him and how ridiculous it is that I can't go out at night. So on top of listening to all these comments my heart is breaking as I know it is probably the reason why I haven't conceived but at the same time I love the closeness that I have with my ds. I just don't want to upset him and force weaning on him.

Also expat I hope your ds gets better soon.

Pumpkin I'm sure your cycle will go back to normal now you've weaned. That's interesting that your lo has cmpa. Mine is also intolerant to soya but she does like some other milks. But I think she enjoys the process of bf-ing as a comfort, especially as I work full time. Feel bad about wanting to stop now I've thought of it that way! But today I distracted her from feeding with singing nursery rhymes so I'm sure she'd be fine.

Expat the travel thing makes it so hard! And I also worry about being on my own during the week with two do if we ever do manage to conceive! Would you be on your own withe two? We might move to wherever he's working, I guess.

Sorry to here no luck yet lacey...it's a bugger when you've got travel to contend with too (snap!). pumpkin I hope you're cycle settles soon...I'm hoping mine will one we've completely weaned. Unfortunately ds is ill this week (low grade fever, cough and sore throat :-( so had been out of nursey and boobing lots in the day....really hoping he's going to be ok before I leave him next week :-( feeling a bit guilty about it already .....

Hi things are going well so far, lo is happy not BF. Cycle has been a bit all over hoping for a better 1 this month fingers crossed.
Fingers crossed expatvet, your lo won't miss the feeds while ur away and you can continue not feeding!

Lacylee my lo has a milk protein allergy too, I have just weaned at 13 months lo drinks soya junior milk loves it so I was lucky he was happy to drink that

Hi all this thread had come off my threads. No luck last month. I'm about 5dpo now I think but just to add to the difficulty my husband is working away during the week and I think I ov'd midweek (he was away this weekend as well!) so bad timing. I had horrible ov pains that lasted for days this month, thinking of going to get this checked out as I'm worried it's a cyst.

That's great going expatvet, I think I'm ready to wean now at 17 months but she has a cows milk allergy so that makes it a bit more difficult. Glad there's some chat on this thread!

It's ok....no night feeds now for a couple of weeks but daytime feeds are still going strong. Have to travel and leave him for a few days next week and hoping that may help kick my cycles back into order. If I don't have a 'normal' cycle this month then I really want to wean completely...I'm really ready for my bfp now!!! How are things going for you?

How's the weaning going expatvet?
Hope every one is ok ?

Well done pumpkin so glad she took weaning so well! Everything crossed for you for next month!

Hey well done on the weaning, I have just got my lo fully weaned at 13months, she wasn't bothered so I just stopped offering her n and replaced with cows milk. I have mixed feelings happy that I can concentrate on TTC but sad as she is growing up.

I'm sure I've ovulated this month, but hubby away so not made the most of it sadly but still positive for next month

Thanks lullaby....I'm happy to have been able to...very well supported and work from home which really helps.