Is bf my 12 month old reducing my fertility?

[Inspirachion]

Hi
I bf ds only when he wakes in the night now but that us still probably 2-3 times( i know I know but it does get me at least some sleep that way and I really don't mind it too much). But being 40 already don't want to reduce my chances of conceiving dc2. My cycle seems pretty regular since he was 6 weeks old.
Any ideas?
TIA

I had a regular cycle since DD1 was about 9 weeks old but I didn't conceive until I night-weaned her at around 18 months. I think a lot of people find the same thing. You can ask on the pregnant and breastfeeding thread here, you'll get lots of replies on there. I think there's also a TTC while BF thread in a different forum.

Anyway, you may not have to stop BF to get pregnant. I would give night-weaning a go and see if it works. There's nothing wrong with night-feeds, I went back to doing it when I was pregnant with DD2. I wouldn't get any sleep otherwise

Have you looked at using the clear blue fertility monitor to see if you are ovulating? Bf will only reduce your chance to conceive if you aren't ovulating yet iyswim.

lilham, it's not quite true to say that breastfeeding will only reduce fertility if it is preventing ovulation.

It is perfectly possible to be ovulating and having a regular cycle, but with a short luteal phase. This is the time between ovulation and menstruation, and it needs to be around 12 days or else the lining of the uterus will not be sufficiently developed to allow or sustain implatation.

I was breastfeeding and ttc for 2.5yrs and charting showed me that this is exactly what was happening. My luteal phase was 7 days or thereabout until I night weaned at 3.5yo, and lo and behold I was pregnant on the next cycle.

With ds2 , my last two cycles had a 4 day luteal phase. He's been sleeping better and this cycle has lengthened, so in my case, it seems to be directly related to night feeding.

Good luck with the ttc OP

Thanks for the clues everyone I didn't realise that the regular cycle might be hiding a short lutal phase so I might set about a temperature chart this month to see if that shows up. With irregular sleeping though I'm not sure how accurate temps will be. Am largely offline his week as moving house so sorry for slow response will go to suggested threads too, thanks again.

I find it hard to temp as well, but for ttc I just used fluid checking and cervical position. I know none of this confirms that I was indeed ovulating, but it gave me enough info to go on.

I wouldn't rely on it for contraception though, I would do temps as well. But that's not what you are asking!!

Thanks mawbroom . . . Will go for the temps first off as having checked cervix position once since giving birth and being at it's odd location I daren't do that anymore!

This is a fantastic book:

www.amazon.co.uk/Taking-Charge-Your-Fertility-Reproductive/dp/0091887585/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1315123768&sr=8-1

and this website also is helpful: www.fertilityfriend.com/