Dr refusing fertility assistance as I'm still BF

And also given your cycles are up to 41 days long that further supports you might not always be ovulating every month , but your uterus has to end the cycle eventually to allow the next one to start. Some months you might ovulate some months you might not be. Breastfeeding suppresses the release of hormones so in this case you produce enough oestrogen for the LH surge to commence (and get positive opk) but not enough to complete the process. Secondly is it can surpress the progesterone release to support implantation so even if you were lucky to conceive it again might not complete to pregnancy.

You don't know you have a fertility concerns until the above is definitely ruled out.

Will you stop bf?

Breastfeeding is part contraception for many but if ovulating, agreed it may not be that. What's your age? Can you get a second opinion?

kellymom.com/ages/older-infant/fertility/

For those of you who assume that breastfeeding = infertility, here is an article which talks about how and when breastfeeding affects fertility, how fertility gradually returns and why it is unlikely that a woman has to fully wean to her pregnant. This website is a fantastic source of breastfeeding information generally - well researched and intelligent advice.

I’m amazed at the lack of understanding and sympathy for OP amongst those posting here. Good old mumsnet.

To be honest I dont think the GP latched on to the easiest thing nor did she dismiss you, but in her experience (and textbook guidance) has given you fertility advice which is to stop breastfeeding in the first instance.

She is right, breastfeeding is used as a form of contraception in countries with less access to modern contraceptions and for women of certain religions.

Clearly this is not the answer you wanted to hear, but it is the first step you need to take to ensure your hormones return fully to normal. Going off OPKs and temp doesn't guarantee you are ovulating every month. And if you are ovulating every month, having had successful pregnancy and no previous endocrine health conditions, then there is less reason to consider fertility investigation at this time.

You can pay for private tests. the answer could still be the same.

In your shoes I would take your GP's advice and return if after 6 months you are not pregnant. Are you over 35?

@frangipani13 £200 is good value! The places I’ve been looking at near me are more like £500 (London).

Do you mind me asking if you’re in the southeast? Wondering if it’s more expensive in London and cheaper outside - and I should travel out!

OP, I’m sorry that people have not been more sympathetic to you on this thread. We are all in the same boat, after all, and perhaps you weren’t to know that the NHS would not investigate secondary infertility breastfeeding or not.

Private blood tests would probably be a good and relatively cost effective next step. I managed to get pregnant whilst BF my 22 month old, but miscarried recently at 8 weeks. I do not know if that was connected to breastfeeding but my private consultant has prescribed me progesterone to take as soon as I next get a bfp just in case. Worth looking into perhaps?

And you may get more support on groups specifically dedicated to breastfeeding older babies. Well done for bfing through all this

I’m sorry but if you’re that desperate to get pregnant then you would take on board the advice your GP has given.

You think you know best and are pissed off that you’re not being taken seriously.

I've had 7 years of fertility treatments. It's quite normal to be told what to do, if you agree with it or not. You can either listen and get the help they offer or be stubborn and don't. In the end the choice is yours. It's not just ovulation that needs to occur but a whole lot of other things as well and bf does prevent conception in some women. The problem is, we don't know which group of women you fall in and neither do you.

How big is this problem exactly? How long do you want to keep on breastfeeding? Maybe you should choose to breastfeed and postpone TTC if it's that important to you. You sound young enough to wait a little longer.

Every woman is different. For many women it is a contraceptive but there will obviously be lots for whom it isn't.

Even with one feed per day it will be effecting your hormones. It's not that common to breastfeed for this long in the UK but if you find women who have and ask about their periods, I'm sure you will get many saying their periods were different a few months after the completely stopping breastfeeding. Mine were far heavier after stopping and I had forgotten before then that was normal for me.

I'm struggling with secondary infertility too, we have been trying for almost 2.5 years now and have had three miscarriages. Sadly there is very little that can be done by the NHS aside from bloods which will confirm whether you are ovulating. You may get a referral to a fertility service if it's funded in your area but again this is a lengthy process and priority is given to women who haven't a child already. We ended up having some private tests done at a local fertility clinic, they do a package of tests that arent available on the NHS (scan, AMH, sperm analysis) for around £200 which was good value. I'm now waiting for my recurrent miscarriage appointment which has been booked and cancelled and then revoked about 6x so far due to covid. I understand how frustrated you must feel but you have to appreciate that this area of medicine isn't a priority for the NHS

medichecks.com/products/preparing-pregnancy-blood-test

@1940s have a look here. Private blood test to see if your cycle is doing what it should, you can take it yourself with a finger prick, £88. Then make an appointment with a private IVF clinic if they have any space and not taking over all the NHS people, like cancer patients trying to harvest their eggs pre treatment etc and delayed due to you know, pandemic.

It's not a form of contraception but it is a suppressor of fertility.

I conceived my second while EBF my first. Fed throughout the pregnancy too. BF is not a form of contraception.

GP obviously didn't word it like that, but getting annoyed seems quite selfish to me actually. You're not entitled to investigations when you want them when you're actively doing something that suppresses fertility.

www.google.com/amp/s/www.ivf1.com/prolactin-infertility/%3famp

Would the GP arrange any blood tests. If your prolactin comes back high would you consider stopping breast feeding ?

@GeorginaTheGiant yep this is basically my thoughts on it. I have fertility issues but lm afraid lm not sympathetic. Clomid and other fertility little drugs have a number of side effects, Clomid has left me with ovarian cysts months after l stopped taking it. Plus weight gain

Agree with PPs-much as I sympathise with your difficulties getting pregnant, I’m struggling with what answer you want other than the one you’ve been given. You’re doing something that actively suppresses fertility (no one is saying it’s a reliable contraceptive but there is a middle ground) and refusing to stop it. That may be for very valid reasons but it’s for you to weigh up that choice and I’m sorry but the NHS is on it’s knees and it is not going to prioritise funding tests for your fertility while you are actively putting a potential obstacle in the way of a pregnancy!

If you want to carry on breastfeeding then you need to accept the consequences of that decision, one being that it is potentially (not definitely, but potentially) a factor in why you’re not getting pregnant. Stamping your feet about how breastfeeding isn’t a reliable contraceptive isn’t helping anyone. Yes people get pregnant while bf but your doctor is right in that many people around the world use it to help avoid pregnancy. So of course they’re not going to start doing tests on you until you stop, and as PPs have said, with a child already they may unfortunately not do anything even then.

I’m sorry you’re dealing with this but I think you need to be a bit realistic and listen to what people are saying.

[quote 1940s]@Todaywewilldobetter anyone who had fertility struggles would understand why I'm disappointed a GP took no relevant notice or cared to ask any questions about why I'm concerned. I've been menstruating for 20 months and trying for 14/15 of those. I've tracked opk and temperature. I feed once a day if not every other day. I had an emergency c section which was very traumatic. I fell pregnant immediately when trying for baby one. I'm mid 30s. There are drugs you can be prescribed whilst breastfeeding for fertility issues which a previous poster has highlighted.
I believe that the gp latched into the easiest indicator and didn't want to cover any other Angles. If you had fertility struggles you'd be sympathetic as to why that's disappointed me. [/quote]
Well then, I must be entirely wrong about my own life.

In the nicest way, if you want investigations then stop breastfeeding, if you don’t want to stop breastfeeding then pay for investigations yourself. As others have said, breastfeeding is know to reduce fertility, so it’s highly likely they wouldn’t even accept a referral for you for fertility investigations on the NHS while you’re breastfeeding anyway, despite you believing (which you may well be correct about) that you are ovulating.

I think your doctor is unfairly dismissing you! There is so much misinformation about breastfeeding out there and lots of it coming straight out of the mouths of medical professionals. If you’re tracking your cycles and are ovulating then your ability to get pregnant shouldn’t be impacted. It only does so when you’re not ovulating and exclusively feeding a baby as their only source of nutrition.

I had previous fertility issues, I’m still breastfeeding my 29 month old twice a day, and yet at the ripe old age of 40 managed to get pregnant.

I think some of the reluctance about treating for fertility issues when breastfeeding comes from the drugs you might get prescribed. I was prescribed progesterone- fairly standard drug for fertility/miscarriage support and the doctor told me in no uncertain terms to stop breastfeeding as I couldn’t take it if I continued. I did some research and then sent an email to the breastfeeding network pharmacy lead who clearly stated that I absolutely could take progesterone and continue feeding and It would cause no harm. The doctor had just quoted the back of the packet without any consideration for the actual facts.

It might be worth joining the Facebook group that exists for breastfeeding mums and fertility for advice from those in the same boat and who genuinely get your issues. I’m sorry, I can’t remember what it’s called but check the breastfeeding networks pages for more details.

Good luck.