TTC whilst breastfeeding. Tips, advice and support

Re vitamins, I am taking Zita West fertility and extra ubiquinone for egg quality. Considering starting inositol as well. [disclaimer - ubiquinone has no safety data in pregnant or breastfeeding. Please take care when taking advice from internet randomer 😬]

@Golaz that sounds so tiring! I’ll have to wait and see what happens. I use Natural Cycles and it just confirmed ovulation for me based on temping, but I still kind of don’t believe it.

@A1b2c3d4e5f6g7 my first AF back after DC was light and only like three days long too

Gosh, my son also picked up every bug going when he first started, and then passed it onto me 🙄 @A1b2c3d4e5f6g7 sending strength, it will get better.
@Billyv are you going to OPK this cycle?
I am entering fertile week in few days and need to muster enthusiasm for DTDs.

Oh guys, multiple positives sound so exhausting!

@A1b2c3d4e5f6g7 juggling childcare and your first week at work sounds exhausting too, what a pain. My DS was off nursery quite a bit due when I first went back to work. I felt so awkward about it as I'm usually very reliable, don't have sick days etc. But he got every nursery bug going to begin with. Hope your work was understanding.

CD4 here. My AF was very light, which is weird. It's pretty much finished. It was my first period in years, as I conceived DS straight off the pill. Curious to see what happens this cycle, whether I have another decent luteal phase etc

I have plus followed by negative, followed by + again. It’s so frustrating. I’m on CD 34 and just got my third “peak” so far this cycle. 🙄

@A1b2c3d4e5f6g7 the whole thing is very frustrating 😕 I don’t think I OPK’d this early in my cycle last month so I don’t know if I would have had a + or not, but I got a + on CD 21. When you notice that you’re trying to O, and then eventually Oing later, do you have positive OPK’s the whole way along or + followed by - followed by + again as your body tries for a second time?

Yay @Avocadocats great news on periods having returned!

@Orangio really hope your luteal phase is okay when you check. Hopefully reducing feeding will get fertility more fully back.

I'm okay thanks, just my first week back at work and has coincided with baby being pretty poorly and not allowed at nursery as a result. Been a difficult week of juggling childcare and work between each other.

@Mugascauld yes very interested! I think a few of us are having similar challenges, with possible later ovulation. My cycles are regular and bang on what they were pre-baby. However I think I'm trying to ovulate a few times and then eventually ovulating late in the cycle. I wonder if pumping rather than feeding during the days will change anything for me

Hi everyone, update from me for anyone interested! Based on OPK’s the last two months I had been ovulating around CD22 with and 8/9 day luteal phase. Very different to before DC when I O’d on CD14/15, right in the middle of my cycle.
Cut out the day feeds this month, still feeding overnight but still only amounts to about 25 boob mins per day. I got blazing positive OPK’s on CD14 this month so I think I was ovulating yesterday, CD15. It’s my first month temping too but this morning’s temp was ambiguous because of messed up sleep so I’m not 100% sure I did in fact ovulate ☹️ it’s possible I tried but it didn’t happen so my body will try again later, and again I’ll have another CD22 O. But it’s good at least that my body is trying to O right on schedule!

This is my 4th cycle (2nd TTC) and it’s have been super regular since it came back, so I presume I have been ovulating, just quite late in my cycle. Hopefully cutting the day feeds has done the trick!

Urgh posted too soon!
@A1b2c3d4e5f6g7 haven't heard from you for a while! How are you getting on?

Oh that's good (sort of!) Avacadocats. Since you got a positive opk you'll know how long your luteal phase is? Interested to know if it's a proper length as BF seems to shorten them unfortunately.
I'm temping this month to check ovulation happens and how long my LP is, and tbh if it is too short I might consider stopping BF 🙈 I really want a small age gap! Really hope I don't have to though.
@A1b2c3d4e5f6g7

@Billyv @Orangio thank you both.

Definitely af as it’s very heavy now and lots of cramping. Feeling a bit sad but equally pleased to see the positive opk followed by af actually returning. Definitely a step in the right direction 😊.

I’ve been taking the Conception vitamins from Boots own brand and omega 3. Putting it down to consistently taking these and also gaining some weight. DS is allergic to eggs, soya and dairy so I had lost a lot of weight due to varying my diet.

Hi @Avocadocats , welcome to our (very long) journey. Has the spotting stopped or carried on? I've never had implantation bleeding either but I know some people do, so fingers crossed! A positive opk is a great step either way.
@Thumberline I'm not sure to be honest. I'm only taking folic acid at the moment, so interested to hear the answer too. The comfort suckling is a bummer eh! I love it when ds does this, but now in the back of my mind I'm thinking "new baby, new baby" 😬

Thanks @Mc3209 and @Orangio . The suckling time thing is really interesting, my dd goes at least 16 hours between feeds so perhaps I’m not seeing a return of periods due to her comfort suckling.
Are any vitamins particularly recommended?

Hello @Avocadocats good luck for this cycle, must have been exciting seeing that positive OPK.

Hi, is it ok if I join?

I'm breastfeeding my 17m old, varies on frequency depending on teething etc, but mostly feeds during the night and once in the morning. I am about 9dpo and this is the first month i've had a positive opk (testing on and off since June). I've had a bit of cramping on the left hand side for 3 days now and just started spotting. Hoping this is implantation bleeding but don't remember having it with DS.

Mugascauld - looking back I got pregnant with DC3 quicker than DC2. Possibly because DC2 was a much quicker feeder than DC1

@mrwalkensir yes for the first 6 months if you’re exclusively breastfeeding, so no formula or solids. Even then it’s only ~95% effective as some women’s fertility will return despite meeting this criteria. After 6 months it’s not considered effective, solids are introduced and typically baby is taking less feeds. I think the average time for fertility to return is between 10 and 18 months post partum, obviously with a lot of variation. Because ovulation can happen before the first post partum period you could be fertile and have no idea

Very confused coming across this thread - isn't one of the main known side-effects about breastfeeding being contraceptive?

I fell pregnant while exclusively breast feeding my 3 month old.

Hi thumberline, welcome! I did cold turkey for night weaning at 12 months. He was eating loads of food though. We offered him water in the night, which he did take a few times the first night. Also, he can self-settle. I wouldn't recommend the cold turkey method if you have no other way to get them to sleep (whether self-settling, rocking, dummy or whatever).
I think everyone is really different with when periods come back. Someone did dig out some interesting research upthread which concluded that fertility was more likely to be better the less total suckling time. I haven't phrased that well! I think it was near the beginning of the thread if you want to look at it.

@Thumberline welcome! I thought I'd have to wean completely to get my periods back, but they returned at 2 years. I am eating a lot, taking vitamins, but I think it's the increasing gaps between feeds that has done the trick in bringing back cycles. I have at least 8 hour gap during the day on 5-6 days per week.

With night weaning I am planning to go cold turkey.

Hi, can I join too please?
My dd is 14 months and still feeding through the night, those who managed to night wean did you cut down gradually or go cold turkey?
I still haven’t had a period, does anyone know if any supplements I can take to improve fertility or do some people just need to wean totally?

@Billyv who said anything about kissing 🤣🤣 @Orangio every 3 days is plenty. Hope your DH feels better soon.

Hi @Orangio yep seems to be here, although quite light at the moment which isn't usual for me - but it's my first period since DS so maybe it's the new normal.

Hehe maybe I'll suggest they take DS out for a walk and DP and I can get down to it 🙂

Every 3 days isn't too bad, annoying your partner has a cold, hopefully you won't catch it. I can see why he's not as keen as usual, who wants to kiss with a blocked nose?

Any sign of AF yet this morning @Billyv ? Don't worry about the parents staying, just conceive quietly! 🤣
Only managing every three days atm but still haven't ovulated so we need to step it up. DH has the cold and isn't as enthusiastic as usual! He's just going to have to man up (literally).