TTC whilst breastfeeding. Tips, advice and support

Hi, I'm new here. I'm bf my 10 month old once a day ~11pm for ~30mins but still waiting for my period to return. We've been wanting to conceive for the last couple of months. My baby is a great eater so I don't really need to do any bf but my understanding is he should be getting milk until 12 months and I've never done formula so reluctant to start that now. My gut is telling me there is something wrong hormonally (eg thyroid problem) so I'm going to try to get blood tests from GP because for the last few months I've been getting night sweats and on/off v dry skin on my face, which I think indicates v low oestrogen, which I don't think can be justified by such little bf.

After reading up on this thread I'm going to concentrate on getting more calories and sleep and start some pre-conception vitamins this month too to try to get period back. Please let me know any other advice you might have or if you've experienced similar. I'm grateful for finding this thread about mums going through similar

Just found this thread so hope it's okay to join?
Just stared TTC whilst exclusively breastfeeding my 13month old.

I'm taking a test tomorrow morning as today's one is either a vvv faint BFP or a evap line

Well CD14 and no sign of ovulation. Can your periods/ovulation start and stop!? 😫😫😫😫

BFN here. Will await first AF or see if I get another peak on the LH. Was convinced as I've felt so hot in bed but I guess that's just down to the progesterone release during luteal phase

@Golaz exactly I think that's half the battle, getting a decent luteal phase back!

@Orangio hope the nausea stays away til after Christmas so you can enjoy all of the food and your little ones first proper Xmas.

Have a lovely Christmas all

@Golaz oh that's a shame, sorry AF came 😞 But great your LP is growing! Sure it won't take long 🤞

Gonna be a busy couple of days, so hope everyone has a really lovely Christmas. Sure for most of us this will be the first Christmas our DCs actually enjoy! 🎄

AF just arrived for me too (very early!) it’s been a stressful week so could really do without it but there we are. Merry Christmas to everyone and fingers crossed for us all in the new year!

@Golaz
I don't think we can call what we've been doing so far actually 'trying' tbf, just not preventing falling pregnant! We were cautious in the early days after LO was born but we rarely DTD anyway 😂🙈
From the new year onwards we will actively TTC again, I expect it to take a few months as our first did.

Hope you have a lovely time away for Christmas, and more settled nights!

Ahhh congratulations @Orangio !! What a lovely Christmas present 💝

AF came for me at 12 dpo. Was a little sad, but that’s 2 days longer LP than last month. And this was our first proper cycle of trying, so I can’t really be too disappointed.
Also we are Currently away for Christmas and baby is unsettled (or something) and has been cluster feeding like a newborn 😒😒🙄. Absolutely exhausting.

@33Carr welcome! I’m also bf my 13-monther. Sorry your af arrived just before Christmas, that’s rubbish 😞. How long have you been trying?

Hi, hoping I can join!
TTC #2 while still BFing our 13 month old. Was going to be testing on Christmas morning but AF arrived today. Really disheartened as I'd been having so many 'odd' symptoms but oh well, new year - new start and all that!!

Thank you 😊 Fingers and toes all crossed that everyone on this thread is pregnant soon.
Overall it's been a pretty lucky thread so far I reckon (considering we are all hampered by dodgy hormones)!

Congrats @Orangio lovely news

Congrats @Orangio ! What good news to get for Christmas 😀

@Orangio congratulations!! What lovely news! Xx

@A1b2c3d4e5f6g7 that is so amazing! I really hope the easy transition continues. It will be brilliant to reclaim whole nights of sleep!

I got a BFP this morning. Am a bit shocked it happened so quickly to be honest! It hasn't sunk in yet. Sure it will once the sickness hits 😆

@Golaz how're you getting on also?

@Orangio how are you this morning??

I’m only 5DPO today so got a bit longer to wait yet! I did test early the first month but waited last month and tried to put it out of my head! It’s so hard though…

@Orangio I'm definitely an early tester 😂

@Orangio eek you have crazy patience! Good luck.

Ha yep fell asleep in three minutes - a little squeal then straight down. I've been dreading this and putting it off, and three bloody minutes 🤣

@Countingchicks that's good news ☺️ Are you an early tester or do you prefer to wait until missed period? Just wondering if you might know before Christmas!
What about you @Ciaonow , are you an early tester?

@A1b2c3d4e5f6g7 do you mean he fell asleep in 3 minutes on just the second night? That's amazing!!
I'm 14dpo today so I'd expect my period tomorrow morning. If she doesn't show up I guess I will do a test. A G&T for me tonight, just in case it's the last one for a while 😆

@Orangio how about you, have you tested?

Quick update here, we are sleep training (in the room with him, bottle in his cot etc) first night half an hour, 2nd night 3 minutes. Hoping it continues to go okay, then we will tackle the night wakings

@Orangio I think so. Nipples were really sore from the day after peak plus I have been feeling too warm in bed and a bit bloated and like I might be retaining a bit of water

How's everyone getting on? Sure you're all busy with Christmas prep! I'm just grabbing a second to message while DH is getting DS in the buggy - hopefully a slightly more chilled out day today 🤞

@Golaz any more tests? Or has AF arrived for you? Think you're 13dpo today too? If you're still AF free that's a great LP!

@Countingchicks do you reckon you've ovulated? Perfect timing if so! A few drinks over Christmas and keeping busy during the tww, ideal!

@Orangio no I don’t but thanks for the tip I will have to read more about it! DD1 was not really planned so all this TTC is new to me! It’s a bit of a minefield.