TTC whilst breastfeeding. Tips, advice and support

@A1b2c3d4e5f6g7 how do you track? I presume you can't temp when feeding through the night, does it mess it up?

Oooh, tmi, but... ewcm! First time I've seen that since before I was pregnant! Still haven't had a period, but ovulation has to come first right 🤞Off to pounce on DH, just in case 😁

That does sound positive @Porridgeaddiction and @Mc3209!
I'm CD16 over here and no signs of ovulation.... I think I remember it used to be later than this before pregnancy, but Flo is telling me I should have ovulated already. He's been very fussy and feeding in the night more and I'm wondering if this could be hindering things

Mood swings does sound hopeful, @Porridgeaddiction ! Even if it's just a slow increase, onwards and upwards eh. My DS has become a greedy guts recently too, and has naturally cut down on breastfeeding so that's good. I guess the two things go hand in hand a bit.
@Mc3209 I hope your periods come back soon!
Does anyone know how long it takes on average to get your period once you stop bf completely?

@Porridgeaddiction my moods have been all over the shop lately too. Have you done a pregnancy test by any chance? 😬

I have managed to cut down daytime feeds to 12 hours apart on most days, still feeding in the morning/evening and once in the night. I am chalking the moods to reducing happy milky hormones. Still no cycles here.

We are currently away on vacation, trying to get overexcited toddler to sleep in our bed, and as DS started to drift off DH wakes him up by making a phone call and loudly talking on the phone in the same room 😡 because he was too lazy to take it to the living room (we are in a cottage type thing) 🤬 I am so not impressed

@wannabeamummysobad babydust to us all indeed.. still waiting for my periods to come back, have a feeling I may need to just stop breastfeeding completely 😢

My DD is 4 months old we aren't TTC yet but will be at 12 months (had a CS so need to wait a year) so following you all.

I'm 36 so though DD1 came 1st cycle I'm not taking anything for granted. Baby dust to us all

@PinkDucks I'm 33 but not feeling a huge amount of time pressure yet -- although i would maybe like a third so we'll see if that changes!

How is everyone doing? i think i might be ovulating now going by CM - late again this month (currently on cycle day 20), but i also had some spotting last week so i honestly just don't know! I didn't use OPKs when trying for my first but it seems like my ovulation is all over the place (if it's even happening?) now while i'm feeding so if we don't have any luck this month i might start testing. it's really annoying as it means i'll most likely have another long cycle so even longer to wait! we're just DTD-ing every other day/sometimes more if we feel up to it, and will probs just keep doing that until my period comes, so we'll see what happens!

Yes i think so. I'm almost 39 and very grateful to have got this far.

I wasn't having proper periods as I did before and not at all regular in length but that didn't seem to matter.

*general healthy living 🙄

Mmm baby sick... Such a turn on! 🤣

I think we can manage sex every other day between periods, but for me this trouble is I don't yet have my periods back! I feel this is the first hurdle! DS is 10 months so am naively hoping they come back soon.

I think in your late thirties it's just more likely you'll have some duff eggs eh, so sadly more chemicals/MCs 😔 But most women would still conceive in time if they don't have any actual fertility issues. I'm sure eating well and generated healthy living must be a big help. But all this is fruitless if you don't have any flipping periods!!

@Porridgeaddiction I wouldn't say times not on your side either. I live in london so a lot of the mums I've met since having my little one are in their 40s. Im the same as a lot of you though, probably just want two. And yes at least we know it works!

@Flittingaboutagain that's interesting! I'm so sorry you had such a rough journey to get your first, but it's brilliant you got pregnant so quickly second time around. Hmm more sex... well first need to make sure I don't put on so much weight that my partner still wants to I guess, and then figure out how to feel in the mood constantly with sheets that invariably have baby sick on 🙈🤣

I just wanted to post as this came up in my active. . My one year old breastfeeds at least 8- 12 times in 24 hours and usually three times a night too. I am about 10 weeks pregnant. I caught up with my fertility consultant before starting to try four months ago who said it's luck of the draw and all down to increasing the odds sperm will meet egg. He said I didnt need to reduce feeds and many breastfeeding mums of babies one+ co-sleep thereby reducing the likelihood of sex at least every other day but attribute not getting pregnant to feeding. In order to conceive my current pregnancy we had sex every other day between periods. It took two cycles. This is after about two years and one second trimester MMC to get to meet my daughter. So the main advice I have is have as much sex as you possibly can! To conceive my daughter we had sex 17 times in the three weeks I could possibly have ovulated.

@Orangio my husband has a very similar mindset - he said we know we've managed to have one baby so odds are we'll successfully have another. I do feel a bit more chilled than first time around too knowing we have DD already.

@Mc3209 As a naive mum of 1 I think I'd like 3 as our kids won't have any wider family like cousins as they grow up as our siblings are older and very clear they're not having a kids. However, my husbands not as convinced for all the right reasons (space, costs, outnumbered etc) so we've agreed 2 and a 'chat' in a few years about number 3 😆

I'm 36 but not too worried about time tbh. Pretty sure we're only going to have two. If we do want a third I guess we might be able to squeeze another in but not devastated if we can't.
I know secondary infertility does happen, but I do feel more confident this time round, now we've already proved everything works as it should 🤣

I am 33, not feeling the pressure of time quite yet, but that's probably I know we will settle at 2 children. I wouldn't mind having a larger family but my husband won't be up for that for sure. It was a negotiation and a half to talk him into having a second.

You are right, not knowing is the most frustrating bit.

@A1b2c3d4e5f6g7 you're right, I think it does heighten your anxiety a bit! And I keep trying to tell myself there's no point worrying because I can't go back in time now so it is what it is. I also know lots of people having babies late 30s without any problems at all. If I could have a crystal ball that said you'll have x amount of children by the time you're 40 I'd be happy 😂 it's the not knowing when/if it will happen I think

@PinkDucks I'm really sorry to hear that. Sending hugs. Hope you're okay and yes ovulate quickly. I don't think you've left it too late at your ages honestly. But when things go wrong like this I think it's natural to be anxious and worry.

I'm 37, hence why I am aiming to go a bit quicker if possible. But many of my friends of a similar age to me have fallen pregnant pretty quickly. The ones that have had issues have had known issues - pcos, male factor etc.

Thank you @Mc3209 and @Porridgeaddiction. Just hoping I ovulate pretty quickly once this is all done 🤞

How old is everyone? I keep swaying from feeling really chilled thinking times on our side, we've got plenty of time etc to panic mode that we're getting on a bit and left it a bit late so we need to get a move on if we want more kids. I'm 32 and husband is 33. I always said I wanted to wait until our 30s but now where here I keep thinking should we have started sooner?!

@PinkDucks sending over a fluffy blanket, a cup of hot chocolate, and all the best wishes. Speedy recovery!

I will be on this thread for a while @northerngal20 😬