TTC whilst breastfeeding support thread - join me to share your ups and downs!

Bird thanks so much for giving my situation so much thought, I am touched (need a suitable emoticion)!

Have just booked in my HSG for 1st april and also talked to a really nice sounding fertility acupuncturist who is part of Zita West's network and has been trained by her. I have my first appointment with her on 1st April too. Am a bit about the 'fool's day' element of these appointments, but there we go . Am feeling very positive about the latter in particular. Also just feel a bit better for getting my period - I think a combination of PMS and generalised anxiety about my cycle is relieved by the aunty's arrival wierdly enough .

Anxiety might well be a factor with me and progesterone although sadly neither weight loss nor much of an increase in exercise are to blame . I have been cycling into work a bit more, but I guess the studies probably measure a bit more of an increase than that!

I am definitely planning to try the progesterone cream but think I will have to wait until I've done the days 3 and 21 blood tests this cycle (i.e. because they will show progestersone levels so don't want to mess with them). Does that thinking make sense? From what I have read you can use it in pregnancy, so why not give it a go, especially if it might help ease that MC anxiety, which sounds horrible.

PS. Just saw your latest post Lilysma - after all my rambling! Am glad you've got more certainty now. Must be a relief, and means you can pinpoint your dates for HSG. Am sure you'll get there without having to wean DD before her time. Stay positive!

Thanks for all your congrats messages ladies. Lpsmum, the sad truth is that we probably are one of those couples (although a fair bit of concentrated BDing preceded that particular BFP)!

I've been keeping a low profile for several reasons: we're moving house this weekend so I've been busy packing for that; re. the pregnancy, it's still very early days and I previously mc'd at 5.5-6 weeks so I don't feel justified in assuming everything will be ok - yet; and I guess I also feel a bit uncomfortable posting any well meaning advice when I am where I am and I know what you guys are going through...

...That said, I still feel drawn to this thread and I am genuinely interested in what's happening for you all.

Lilysma, I've found myself thinking a lot about your predicament and doing a bit of googling Internet research. There are quite a few positives in the pattern you describe: only BFing 2-3 times per day (not at all at night); AF returning after 18m; your cycle (usually) being regular; and OPKs (and presumably temps?) suggesting that you are OVing. These are all signs that you're already well on your way (if not already back to) full fertility. On the negative side you say that temps are usually dropping about 10DPO (which suggests a luteal phase defect); and that - for the last 3 months - you've started spotting before AF arrives. This leads me to wonder whether something has changed in the last 3 months to bring about a luteal phase defect/low progesterone levels? Before the spotting appeared were your temps staying elevated from 10DPO+?

I've read that stress/anxiety can cause fluctuations in progesterone. Dramatic weight loss and increased exercise can also be to blame. Think it's really positive that you are TCOYF and seeing a specialist. They can presumably run basic tests to check your post-ov progesterone levels? I wonder if going the progesterone route would be a gentler and easier solution to weaning, trying clomid etc. Some of the stuff I've been reading talks of the need to use sufficient levels of progesterone. Suppositories are available in addition to cream. Perhaps an idea to start small and, if necessary, work up to a greater dose? All that aside, I definitely think it helps to feel empowered by indulging in a bit of 'alternative' therapy (acupuncture, nutrition etc.).

sbf and LittleSilver - I'm following your progesterone cream updates with interest. Wondering if I should maybe consider using it up to week 12 of pg. Am anxious about things going downhill about the week 5/6 mark, as that's when I mc'd before, and that's when the spotting started with DD. Some really promising signs going on there for you sbf. My fingers are crossed that your HPTing in Cornwall is a BFP!

iloveholidays - sorry you were disappointed but good in many ways that AF has returned so you can start charting. It definitely made a huge difference to the accuracy of our TTC attempts. I can't recommend it highly enough.

QueenFee - Along the lines of what sbf was saying, my AF also returned at 9 months. Hope things start to move forward soon. Oh, and thanks for the tip. Did you manage to get the name of the LLL book on BFing and pregnancy/tandem feeding? I'm interested!

Dita - Welcome home! Sorry to hear about the less pleasant aspects of your trip but some positive signs there with the microscope. Keeping my fingers crossed for your test in April (or sooner!).

Jetli - thanks for your congrats. Hope the RL issues you're experiencing aren't too tricky.

Gosh this post has got ridiculously long! Sorry! I'll sign off here and get back to packing up...

Ps AF is now officially here. Phew! Never thought I'd say that...

littlesilver will go and look for that post! Hooray at the manifestation of man interest in the TTC business. Gotta love their way of expressing themselves haven't you ?!

sbf, you'll fly over me so wave! Good luck!

lilysma did you see my TCOYF post to you?

JUst wanted to share with SOMEONE (bearing in mind that we have never "been ttc" before despite having 3 DDs, DH has never, I think, wanted the pressure of us being actively "trying". But he has a new iphone and has just excitedly told me that he has found a Pregnancy app! Bless him.

Thanks for the info sbf. I have worse backache tonight so am now actually hoping it will be AF coming properly !

Hope you enjoy your week away and glad to hear that the demon spotting has still not popped up .

BTW sbf do you get 'proper' AF flow with the spotting?

The wierd thing for me is that the problem is getting worse rather than better (and I don't think it was there at all 6 months ago). My DDs bf habits have not changed. What is depressing me is that if this is a sign of 'second phase of returning fertility' for me and DD is 3.3, I have no chance of returning to full fertility without stopping BF and I have no idea how to do that without things being really hard for her, so it may well put the caibosh on us having another DC, as I'm 37 and running out of time .

On a brighter note I called a fertility acupuncturist today (can you tell I am beginning to grasp at straws?? )

Hi everyone.

Dita sorry for holiday shennanigans!

Sorry about AF holidays,

sbf the cream sounds v promising. Fingers crossed for no spotting!

Well I have spotted since 7DPO and in the last few days it picked up so I assumed AF would arrive 'properly' today (on assuming my usual 14 day luteal phase in the last few cycles of charting). I got a tiny bit of red blood this morning and assumed this was it, but it has now gone back to brown and not heavy at all, none of the usual cramps etc. So am now . Couldn't help myself doing another POAS, which of course was BFN. Do you think the fact that I've spotted for so long just means I'm going to miss a 'proper' AF? Not sure how to deal with it in charting. Also I need to schedule an HSG on CD 8-10 which is darn tricky if I can't pinpoint Day 1. Grrrr . Things are going from not great to worse. Any suggestions anyone??

Hi all

sbf - hope the cream works.

Dita - sorry to hear about your DD's sickness. Sounds positive about ovulating though... hope you get some good news soon!

I've just printed off a fertility chart from www.tcoyf.com which i'm going to start filling in now my AF has returned. I actually feel I can do something positive now rather than "just wait...". My periods have always been irregular though, so hoping I don't have to wait a few months!! I think the Agnus Cactus has helped me... definitely did with DD.

Hope all is well with everyone.

Ooh sbf that sounds promising! Hope the spotting stays away tomorrow.

Oh Dita sounds like you've had a bit of a time of it!

Hi all and huge huge congrats to Bird - such great news to come home to, really pleased for you

Sorry to hear about the BFN lilysma and the return of AF for you too, holidays.

We had a great trip away, marred slightly by two days of DD puking every few hours mid-week, followed by DH throwing up in the small hours on our last night and then DD puking over me on the plane, all of which meant that I didn't get in quite as much skiing as I wanted (but on the plus side means I've come home with a suitcase of clean clothes, as we had to do so much washing!).

We didn't do terribly well on the SWI-ing front. I can think of few things more likely to kill the mood than your toddler waking up, crawling over and latching on mid-SWI and one morning we chucked her out of the room to be entertained by granny, only to have her banging on the door and demanding entry ooh probably 20 seconds later. Bah. On top of all that, we managed to contract thrush (as I seem to do at the middle of every cycle at the moment) and had to head down to the pharmacy to ask for help in my best school-girl French. I said "Avez-vous quelque choses pour erm candida?" and she replied "Ou?", at which point my French failed me and I just had to point, causing her to grimace and utter a very sympathetic "Ooh!".

I think we did just about manage to do the deed at the right time, but still not sure whether I'm actually OVing or not. I was really excited the Thursday before we left as I seemed to have a transitional result on my microscope - the first surefire sign I was ovulating for over two years! - but after that never seemed to get a clear positive, just much more stuff floating around on the slide. My temps have gone up (I think) but only the last day or so ... I discovered I had loads of EWCM the night that I inserted the pessary the French chemist sold me (I am soooo sorry about the TMI ) but obviously couldn't do it then and couldn't get the damn thing out! I think I probably OVed on the 15th, but then had cramps for about three days afterwards, which baffled me (surely too late for OV pains and too early for implantation?). Would love to hold out for 1st April to test (I'm liking the thought of getting a BFP on April Fool's Day and then trying to convince DH) but suspect I won't last that long

Hi All

Haven't been on for a while, but thought I'd post that it looks like I have my first AF since having DD.

I've got mixed feelings - really pleased its come back but also disappointment. I was hoping it might be implantation but its got heavier this evening

I'd like to join in a bit more now - feel like I can start tracking my cycle now that I've got my AF.

Looking forward to chatting!

Thanks SBF. TBH I don't really feel that 'clean slate' feeling as I expect the spotting is affecting my chances of conceiving and I'm not sure why its happening. Have to try to find a way to be more positive, but its getting harder and harder as the months go by. I guess I will wallow in it until AF arrives and then pick myself up and go and see an acupuncturist...

Enjoy your night out and hope you don't pay for it too much in the morning .

Thanks sbf, I'll take a note and think about when to try it!

Bird I look forward to hearing about your news - sorry the bf continues to be a worry, but hope it resolves soon.

Well, my news is I couldn't wait and did a test this morning - BFN . Very light spotting continues, so I guess it is game over for this cycle. But I'll probably continue testing like a sap until AF arrives on Monday! Its so hard to quash the last remaining glimmers of hope .

bird whoop whoop! well done, really pleased for you.

Once a year bonk - ha ha thats us - my 3 have birthdays within 3 weeks of each other Even more interestingly it's about 9 months after our wedding anniversary

feeding when pregnant/ tandem nursing - La leche league have some great books on it. Will find out the name of it from the lactation consultant when I see her at the monthly breastfeeding meeting tomorrow.

Still no signs of anything happening here.

Bird - fab news that's brilliant but ouch for the sore nips I remember carrying my poor sore boobs when going up & down stairs in early pregnancy last time around so won't be looking forward to a regular mauling by DD

Sorry for lack of posting - loads of RL stuff going on.

lilysma - insomnia sucks. I like valerian under non-BF circumstances, but haven't used it for ages now since I'm not sure how safe it is with the BF.

Anyway, just a short post as there's a baby to bath and shagging to be done

Thanks for asking LittleSilver. I had bad insomnia last night so have been feeling awful today - hard to tell if premenstrual or not (except that insomnia probably is a sign ). The spotting has eased right off so I'm obsessively checking and not sure whether there is any or not! Think I will have to test tomorrow to quash my remaining hope!

Smallblackflowers I was hoping the gynae consultant might prescribe me progesterone cream for the same problem - my LP seems to be 14 days with temps staying up, but I do get spotting, which has started really early this month (7 DPO). Where did you get yours? Is it obvious how much to take etc? The only thing that's holding me back right now is that I'll be doing Day 3 and 21 tests next month so need the cycle to stay 'as is' really. Thoughts are turning to acupuncture though...!