Are GPS generally this uninformed about fertility issues? Read for a laugh!

[blueberry23]

Just been advised by a GP that the fact I'm breastfeeding has absolutely nothing to do with my cycle being short and the fact I keep having chemical pregnancies (7/8 day luteal phase).

In fact she didn't even know what a luteal phase was and when I said I was having chemical pregnancies she said 'meaning?' And had no idea what it it was.

And she said 'why are you feeding a 15 month old child that child should be weaned from the breast' honestly I just gave up at that point

She followed up by saying - if you want to get pregnant have sex during ovulation' - ohhhh sure I didn't think of that. Must be where we are going wrong!

Are GPs generally this uninformed about fertility issues? I'm mind blown. First contact I've made after 6 months of TTC and two chem pregnancies. I've asked her to send me for a blood test and told her what I need to be tested for

Ridiculous!

That does sound rubbish. I don’t know what’s normal for a GP, but when they’re the gatekeeper for you accessing care from someone who knows theirs stuff, it’s reasonable to expect better.

Thanks @GlowUp2022 I think she was a little embarrassed. I'm not surprised

If she told you to stop breastfeeding you should make a complaint.

Mine was useless too. She honestly didn't really have anything to suggest and was googling my test results.

That said, if you are struggling to conceive, stopping bf is usually recommended, it absolutely does have links to reduced fertility

i get fertility issues, I really do. Ivf, miscarriage, etc. I also bf’d a long time. But I could never get pregnant while bf. So rather than going down the testing route, I would be v tempted to wean your current baby if you’re serious about getting pregnant. What are you expecting doctors to do if you don’t take this step yourself?

It's rubbish what the GP said, but on another note it might be that your periods haven't settled them yet into a regular pattern. I read online that the first few cycles after birth can have a short luteal phase.

That's the least of the complaints I'd be making

Yes I think they are.

my GP insisted it was ok to have my FSH/LH tests on any day of my cycle, even though I actually told her it should be done between days 2-5. She said that wasn’t true and instead made me have them in my luteal phase. It worries me to think how many other people she will have sent off and who will have totally meaningless blood results.

@Wasywasydoodah I was wondering if they could help in any way before I wean for lots of reasons. I just wanted to chat it through with a professional. I probably do need to wean, you're right.

@Decaffe she told me to have my blood test 7 days before my period is due, but after ovulation. Sometimes I ovulate on day 20 and get my period on day 23 so this could be an impossible feat 🤣

Complaint about what?
OP has gone in asking for help TTC
Breastfeeding is well known to be detrimental, it’s natures contraception!
most fertility clinics won’t take patients who are still BFing for that reason

OP, you only need to spend 10 mins googling the effect of prolactin on progesterone to see why there is probably a link between you feeding and your short LP and chemical pregnancies

you don’t need a blood test to tell you this…

Some women can conceive while feeding, others can’t. Your body is clearly telling you which you are, so there is a pretty logical course of action for you…

I think you are being a bit rude if I'm honest

Breastfeeding does affect your cycles. You asking / demanding a blood test is only going to tell you your hormones when they artificially affected by breastfeeding - not your natural cycle - many IVF clinic won't treat women who are still breastfeeding.....for a reason

I know when I mentioned a chemical pregnancy to my GP in 2018 she eyerolled at me and said the only place she had come across that term was MN and i should just call them miscarriages do I can access the fertility clinic quicker.

On the BF note, my LP phase remained short when BFing until around 20 months then by DS hit 2 I was back up to my usual 10 days length

Thanks everyone, I am well aware I probably need to stop feeding, but I wanted a chat with a professional about it first for many reasons. Also concerned about the latest chemical pregnancy and some pain I've been having but speaking to a doctor who had no idea what one even was was just a real treat

@TwittleBee that's good to know thank you!

Second this. I weaned to get pregnant at the 1 year mark. I was late 30s so didn't have time to mess around. If I had been younger, I'd have been more relaxed and would have bf longer. It was something I didn't actually realise fully until I had children - that bf would be so important to me and that giving it up to ttc would be so tough.
And some women do get pregnant when bf, there's no doubt. But it does make it harder and sometimes you're just out of time.

I'm quite surprised she didn't know what a luteal phase was.

I studied the female cycle in biology class at school and I remember we covered the different phases in the cycle ( I didn't go to school in the UK though, so not sure if this is part of the curriculum, but don't doctors learn this stuff at university?)

@blueberry23 I ate loads (metabolic load theory) and got my periods back and managed to conceive. I’m now tandem feeding.

I don’t know if that helps with a short luetal phase, though. I’m in a Facebook group called TTC while breastfeeding/fertility and beyond that is full of people with experience of this sort of
thing, it might be helpful.

I was having troubles ttc and spoke to my doctor who also knew ridiculously little about fertility and would have had me take my blood tests on the wrong day if I'd done as she said. It's ridiculous because you can't speak to anyone who actually knows about fertility until you've done the tests the GPS insist on which 9/10 are pointless and a, waste of time and resources because they are given out incorrect information

@OakAshBeech thanks for sharing. When you did wean did your cycle return to normal quickly? I'm kind of ready to stop but also don't feel ready at all. I'd love to continue for longer. I'm early/mid thirties but still don't feel I have loads of time.

i conceived whilst still BF my first. Went on to have a healthy second child and tandem fed.

it’s possible x x

As soon as we stopped night feeds I got pregnant. Something to do with hormones, can't remember what now but I was able to continue feeding baby one (13 months at conception of 2) right through.

She sounds like she needs to study a bit more and is generally a little clueless, which isn't ideal for a GP. Good luck!

My gp didn't know it either

It’s pretty widely known that breastfeeding can impact your fertility.