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Conception

When's the best time to get pregnant? Use our interactive ovulation calculator to work out when you're most fertile and most likely to conceive.

Original poster

TTC whilst breastfeeding - cycle 4

318 replies

ThatNimbleOP · 01/01/2025 20:01

Hello,

Is there anyone who’d like to join me…

Currently on cycle 4, CD11. Still breastfeeding my nearly 2 year old and co-sleeping, wondering if it’s having an effect on fertility as we conceived in a blink of an eye the first time…trying not to overthink it all.

Anyone welcome to join, don’t have to be breastfeeding, just any support welcome!

Thought last month was the month but here we are again… :/

OP posts:
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6
Rosieliz04 · 15/08/2025 21:45

@ThatNimbleOP My chart knowledge is still a bit rusty, but yours deffo looks good so far!

Thanks for the advice and support! He’s 17 months, so doesn’t necessarily need it as much as he asks for it! I definitely use BFing to give myself an easy life; it gets him to sleep, helps him when he’s sick but he’s asking more and more and still waking overnight for it so we might just have to stop soon for both our sakes.

Glad to hear it went well for you and hopefully means a BFP soon!

Original poster
ThatNimbleOP · 15/08/2025 21:16

@Rosieliz04 that’s good to know. I’m such a chart virgin haha.

Also re: help night weaning. I really thought my little one would never wean but the night ones were the last to go and here we are.

Think once that bedtime one goes and they understand that there’s no more boobie (also the milk goes a bit funny fairly quickly haha!) it’s like a switch. She just stopped bothering at night. I really wish I’d stopped about 6 months ago with how easy it was!! Some tears but it’s soo all forgotten…☺️

How old is your little one again?

OP posts:
Rosieliz04 · 15/08/2025 20:20

@OneKookyPinkShaker wow, that worked really well for you! I think when DH has a few days off work, we’ll try him on the night wakes as we’ve spoken about it before and I’ve heard that it works.
Good tip re, the nipple covers too!

Rosieliz04 · 15/08/2025 20:17

@ThatNimbleOP your chart looks great! 9DPO is still really early, so deffo test again in a day or two!
I tested on 9DPO and got a BFN. Still not even sure if I’m even ovulating so I might just be doing all of this for fun/added stress!

Original poster
ThatNimbleOP · 15/08/2025 12:55

Hi everyone!

We’ve totally weaned now so I’ll probably be less active on this thread. Moved across to generic TTC haha.

I’ll keep updating you all though. First month TTC after fully weaning….9 DPO but testing negative this morning on easy@home.

Also anyone into charting? What do we think 🤔

Also welcome all newbies and happy baby-making!

xx

TTC whilst breastfeeding - cycle 4
OP posts:
OneKookyPinkShaker · 15/08/2025 12:09

@Rosieliz04 I had to with the overnights as no amount of gentle weaning was working overnight and I just couldn't cope being back to work with hourly/90 minute wake ups even with co-sleeping. So my husband had to do night wakes up and by night 3 he slept through! Though he then turned boob mad when I was with him not at work. So I bought stick on nipple covers and would just show him when he tried to feed and say no boob until bedtime and he got it quickly. I tried again with gentler methods but didn't really work

Rosieliz04 · 14/08/2025 22:14

@OneKookyPinkShaker I had some idea that it would take this long for my cycle to return, but I naively didn’t think it would actually take this long! 🙈

Yeah, I’m waiting for AF which will hopefully confirm that I did actually ovulate when I suspected!

You’ve got your feeds down a lot, that will almost certainly mean your period will be back soon. My DS seems to be getting more boob obsessed by the day! We had a night without him this weekend as well and now he’s been so unsettled overnight ever since and waking wanting to be fed! I feel like I’m never going to reduce it enough sometimes!

OneKookyPinkShaker · 14/08/2025 14:52

@Rosieliz04 I'm in a very similar situation, still no period so have been trying to do tests in hopes of catching first ovulation for a while but levels seemed to be all over. Have been having lots of twinges for months so thought something was coming. I'm down to two feeds a day - first thing in the morning and before bed.

I actually had a really strong positive Monday showing as a peak on premom and awful cramping and lots of cm so think I may have ovulated this month

Rosieliz04 · 11/08/2025 11:53

Hi, hoping I could join!
I’m 17 months pp, with a little boy who still loves the boob, my period hasn’t returned yet but my DH and I are still giving it a whirl with ttc #2!
I started opks to see if I could find out if I was starting to ovulate and caught a high (not peak) last weekend so we DTD!
If I did ovulate then I’m probably about 6DPO, but today have had some light spotting so unsure if period is returning or it’s implantation? If I’m right about when I ovulated then it might to early for implantation?
I think as my period still hasn’t returned, it’s so hard to tell what anything means! It’s a bit of a minefield postpartum!!
If we don’t get a positive then I’m going to try reducing down feeding and get on the supplements too!

Original poster
ThatNimbleOP · 11/08/2025 11:11

Hello! @Strongbrewplease long time no speak!

Oh wow, great to hear your cycles are sorting themselves out. How much acupuncture are you having? I also had a session at the beginning of my cycle!

Still TTC. 5DPO here so not far off you haha. Started temping this cycle which has been fascinating. Makes me feel like I’m working on it more lol.

Also over 1 month since stopping the boobie!

OP posts:
Strongbrewplease · 09/08/2025 13:35

How is everyone doing?

Thankfully on a much shorter cycle this month, ovulated CD16 - coincidentally i got the super strong result on the ovulation tests the day after my first accunpunture!

About 9dpo over here so firmly in the tww.

OneKookyPinkShaker · 21/07/2025 21:40

@ThatNimbleOP I was considering the oura ring not sure if it's worth the cost but been tempted!

I'm week five now I think of no night time feeds and now day 6 of two feeds a day - first thing on a morning and bedtime. Really hoping this helps my period return as not sure at 15 months he is ready for me to fully stop feeding.

Hormones feel all over I just feel rage all the time

Original poster
ThatNimbleOP · 21/07/2025 21:34

@Strongbrewplease sensing thoughts out to you too but also can imagine the relief it came, 44days is LONG!

Im picking it up tomorrow so it’s ready to go beginning of my cycle. Just want to use it for temp and to see exactly when I ovulated. Also good for seeing if im pregnant? Anything helps right.

Just starting to feel very sad about it all…could not ever believe it would take this long. Hope everyone else is holding up.

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Strongbrewplease · 21/07/2025 21:14

@ThatNimbleOP sorry to hear you're on another cycle! Me too! My period eventually came but I think i was just relieved after 44 days 🫠 let us know how you get on with the oura ring! Im so intrigued by them!!

This long cycle has given me a bit of a kick to get myself sorted. Trying to get in with the GP and have an appointment back with my acupuncturist too.

We're down to just a quick feed with a story at bed time now. It's entirely just for comfort but she absolutely demands it 😅

Original poster
ThatNimbleOP · 20/07/2025 11:41

Period came ladies!! Beyond gutted, had a cry…onwards and upwards. Plus sides are that this is the most emotional period I’ve had for over a year (maybe since my periods returned PP) so something is going on.

Also got period cramps which sounds crazy but I’ve had zero cramps with my periods, they just appear out of nowhere. Really felt this one coming, nausea and dizziness in abundance, hence why I thought I was pregnant!!

@january1244 hoping it won’t be long till a BFP now. Will count this as CD1 of a true cycle haha. How long did it take you to fall pregnant after stopping? I stopped 2 weeks ago the day I ovulated.

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Original poster
ThatNimbleOP · 20/07/2025 05:22

@january1244 yeah!! Tbh cramps have stopped now, was just a couple of days so hoping it could have been implantation. I normally get mid-cycle cramping but this was another level! Very isolated on the front and to the side I ovulated, normally I get it around my back too. Praying to the baby gods but ,equally, know it could take a few months to see the effects of weaning (if any).

13 or 14DPO. Just constantly checking for red haha. But also normal for me to have no cramps before AF comes.

ALSO partners sperm test was all normal, in fact better then normal which a huge relief ☺️

Going to buy an oura ring when payday rolls around so hopefully that will help if not pregnant this cycle.

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january1244 · 18/07/2025 11:38

Also, I noticed some mood swings (short tempered) and some brain fog type feelings- apparently normal! I worried I had dementia for a bit 😫

Last time I weaned and was pregnant straight away, so maybe that could be a thing as well

january1244 · 18/07/2025 11:36

@ThatNimbleOPyes awful, I’ve had two periods now, and both have been weird, heavy, unusual spotting a few days before. Just hormones normalising I think, in a flood!

Original poster
ThatNimbleOP · 18/07/2025 09:47

Hi ladies, how are you all doing?

Just looking for some support with those who have weaned, was your first period just a hormonal shit show 😥

I'm cramping so bad and my mood is LOWWW. Period hasn't come yet and haven't tested at all this month. Could be pregnancy but either way, i feel awful!

When did hormones balance out again for you, how was your mood?

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Original poster
ThatNimbleOP · 16/07/2025 21:24

@Strongbrewplease how are you doing, how is everyone doing?

We’re officially 9 days past our last breastfeed, really hoping it helps with our chances. 9/10DPO and feel the same as every other month so who knows.

Refusing to test though which is helping.

OP posts:
Strongbrewplease · 12/07/2025 08:02

@ThatNimbleOP No confirmed PCOS, although I suspect perhaps there must be some degree of it. I did visit my GP years ago about my cycles, they were extremely dismissive of it. I managed to get a blood test but it was just one at a completely random point in my cycle and came back normal... although who knows what they were actually checking 🙃 once my next cycle starts I think I'll be heading back and be a bit more pushy this time around!

Womens health care hey!

Original poster
ThatNimbleOP · 08/07/2025 14:22

@Strongbrewplease funny was just coming on to post and saw your message! Can totally understand it must be so frustrating and agonisingly long when you just want to crack on with baby-making. Do you have PCOS? Anything longer than 35 days indicates annovulation. I know they can prescribe things to trigger it like Clomid - were you ever on it?

@OneKookyPinkShaker how are things progressing for you?

I came to say we have finally cut the breastfeeding down to one morning feed but hoping to cut that too by waking up before my daughter (still cosleeping).Not breastfed in 1.5 days now…no boobie this morning. Honestly, it feels great haha!Think i ovulated yesterday or about to today, either way we have done SMEP/doing SMEP so should be covered. Partners sperm test Friday, praying for good results!

OP posts:
Strongbrewplease · 08/07/2025 14:02

@OneKookyPinkShaker that's a shame the clear blues are negative, were they the blue dye ones? I've heard they can inaccurate.

I empathise on the irregular periods. Mine always were before DD and continue to be so now. CD37 over here with no positive ovulation sticks or signs or positive pregnancy tests either 🙄

Fully at the point of just being miserable now.

Original poster
ThatNimbleOP · 06/07/2025 09:47

@OneKookyPinkShaker sounds normal...i had a month of bleeding at 6 months PP and then my periods fully came back 14/15 month mark - which is the average for exclusively feeding mothers.

Are you doing ovulation stick testing and mucous tracking?

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OneKookyPinkShaker · 05/07/2025 20:53

@Mountainview8 I took clear blue today and both came back negative.

@ThatNimbleOP no it hasn't come back yet. Something is going on hormone wise as I had spotting, cramping and bloating. I'm 14 months into feeding my DS, it took around a year to concieve him as had irregular periods before so wanted to start sooner rather than later so I came off contraception at 6 months in the hope I'd get period back and have a few months of regular cycles but no such luck