TTC whilst breastfeeding. Tips, advice and support

I'd love to join! Breastfeeding my baby (#2) who turned 1 in October. Second cycle off the pill (CD3) and the first was an atypical length so think I ovulated at a strange date. Not sure if due to POP of BF.
Haven't tried OPK's yet so might have a go this month. Wishing away the next few days of period misery- I'd forgotten the aches, pains and general grumbliness! Urgh.

Arrrghhhhhh

Will update in the morning.

Thanks everyone 🙂

@Billyv oh I really have everything crossed for you! I hope you caught that first egg and it's a viable and healthy pregnancy 😊
Keep us posted!

Theoretically sperm can survive up to five days right? So you could possibly have conceived five days after you last DTD? You could have had another peak potentially. So you would be more like 15dpo?
However it's definitely possible it was a chemical isn't it, and the HCG is still in your system. I really hope it isn't this.
Guess talking to the doctor is the only way to go, like you say. A frer in a couple of days should also provide a good line comparison if doctor won't do anything yet.
I really hope this is a viable pregnancy Billyv x

@Golaz yeah I could have done, but we didn't DTD after I got the positive OPK for various reasons, so I must have ovulated within a couple of days of getting the positive, you'd think.

What a headfuck. At first I was like, oh no way that's a viable pregnancy. Now I'm starting to hope...

Oh wow @Billyv fingers crossed for you! Is there any chance you ovulated later than you thought you did? If you are BF you can sometimes get a false positive and then another surge later..

@justwantobeamum yes, I had a BFN at 12dpo, some spotting at 13dpo which then turned into a light, 3 day long period. Then another day of spotting. So... I think I'd be around 20 or 21dpo now, but with a period say 14-17dpo and spotting 13 and 18dpo.

It's just weird to have an AF and then a light BFP.

Thanks for your help everyone, I'm a little stressed!

@Billyv have you had your first proper period back? This is basically what happened to me. Before my first period I caught the first egg got a BFP which then disappeared after a few days but no bleed. My BFP was mid/late sept and I still haven’t bled. Doctors didn’t seem concerned or concerned about ectopic

Erm just I think hgc (HCG? Can never remember) ought to be much higher by now. I know low levels are common for ectopic pregnancies. I tested before AF and I was negative. Testing negative at 12dpo and faint positive at 20 or 21dpo makes me think the HCG is rising slowly. With a chemical you'd expect faint BFPs then a bleed? Or BFPs that get fainter and a delayed period. So it makes me think I am still pregnant but something is wrong.

And basically I'm paranoid haha.

I'll speak to the Dr and report back 🙂

@Billyv why an ectopic?

@A1b2c3d4e5f6g7 yeah but I've basically convinced myself it's ectopic. Urgh! Waaay to light for when I ovulated (and we didn't have sex for 2wks between Ov and AF) AND a period can't be good, right?

Oh gosh @Billyv that's a definite positive. And you said your period was pretty light?

Well. You could knock me down with a feather

This is faint for 20dpo ish isn't it.

I've made a new thread on it to see if anyone has experience with the cheap Morrisons tests

Yes. But I would have implanted really late? Too late I think ... It's so faint. Worryingly faint.

Will see what a FRER result is later - I don't think I could have ovulated late. Or at least we didn't have sex between me getting a positive OPK and AF. So if it was late it would have been only a couple of days.

Maybe it's just the world's worst evap haha

Oh @Billyv this is an interesting update! That looks to me like a definite positive line! You said your period was really light, could you have mistaken implantation bleeding for AF? I've read that it can go on for a few days...

Lord not CD61. 6

Guys help. WTAF?

If I was CD22 I'd be delighted. I'm CD6l

Don't know why I tested as AF ended a few days ago. I have picked up some FRERs. Perhaps this is a crazy evap.

@Mc3209 I realized I hadn't really drunk much or had a wee since about 8am when I did the OPK this afternoon, so drank a pint of water and tried again in after a couple of hours, it was back to 20%. Must stay more hydrated! I seem to remember LH levels were comparatively high before DS came along too, so not too worried. Funny how much it varies from person to person. My peak is only 12hrs or so I think.

DS has a slight temperature now too so expecting a crappy night 😐

Good luck holding out until the 23rd, good you have lots to keep you distracted

@Billyv these are some solid LH lines. Mine is barely visible unless it's peak, then it was a proper positive for about 2 days, and went to faint again.
There is a lot going on this month with life, so it sort of keeps my mind off obsessing with TTC. I am going to try and hold out to test until 23/11 (that's when AF is supposedly due).
Hope those molars come through fast.

Actually my LH is quite high for me...it was 11% before ov last month. Hmmm. No idea what that means

@Orangio a bloodbath, how graphic 🫢haha I hope the same doesn't happen! Here's hoping for a BFP rather than torrents of blood.

@Mc3209 I'll be using OPKs, yes. Actually premom is suggesting I start now which seems early, I expect they want me to buy more from them... Good luck for fertile week. Your 2ww will be around again soon! Urgh I am not looking forward to mine. How are you feeling about it?

If anyone has any tips on how not to go mental waiting to test, please do let me know! I'm hoping I'll be less crazy this time round. No self control ...

Think I'll persist with the OPKs even if they aren't so reliable when breastfeeding... I'm feeding 3-4 times in 24hrs, hopefully the BF isn't interfering much. They seem reliable enough based on the grand total of 1 cycle so far. I got 1 peak and my AF came 14 days later so all normal. No point temping to confirm, DS is still waking a lot. Hope these bloody molars are out soon, they are taking WEEKS.

I didn't actually have any EWCM but I didn't when I conceived DS either 🤷

Right I've probably blabbed on enough hehe

Whoof, just catching up on everything!

@Billyv my first period was also pretty light. Then the second was a bloodbath! I'm hoping you don't get the same!

I think I am the same as lots of you in that my body is trying to ovulate multiple times. I've had some separate patches of ewcm, with gaps in between without any. CD19 I think, and still no O! DH is going to get knackered if this continues 🙈

@A1b2c3d4e5f6g7 sounds like you've been having a tough time. I hope it's not too bad being back at work? Let us know if you try acupuncture! I'm fascinated by it, even though I could never do it myself as needles freak me out big time.

Also, thinking of you @Porridgeaddiction and hoping you are making progress ❤️

@Mc3209 yep I need to muster some enthusiasm also 😅

Thank you so much all. My work was good as in they let me wfh, and my partner did the same, and we juggled it between us. Wasn't very fun! Sorry to hear you went through the same things with dreaded nursery bugs!

Yes I think I'm like @Golaz in that I have a few peaks, but I haven't used opks as they aren't effective when breastfeeding apparently. I've been using natural family planning - cervical mucus and I bloat after ovulation. I've tried temping but I keep getting woken so I've kind of given up a bit on that!

This is trickier than I thought it'd be. Has anyone tried acupuncture or anything to help with hormone balance? I did it after a miscarriage which had caused late ovulation, and got pregnant immediately. Wondering whether to try that again as they said it would help while breastfeeding