Cycle length, ovulating and trying for a baby while breastfeeding (21 mth old)

[working9while5]

Hi my son is 21 months and feeds morning and night and during the day if he is at home with me and wants some (usually about an hour after breakfast and after lunch, to help him nap).

My period returned at 7 months and was 28 days until six months ago, when it started to reduce to 24 days. Last 6 months: 24, 24, 24, 28, 28, 24..

Am I not ovulating some months, but ovulating others? Is this just one of those things? I am 33 and there is no history of early menopause in my family or anything like that.. I have never had any other trouble and always had a regular cycle before.

Just wondering what is going on here.. time to have another baby! Should I wean?

I think it works like this: your cycle has two phases. The first is oestrogen driven and lasts approx 14 days till you ovulate. This bit is very variable between women and sometimes varies considerably in te sane woman so giving irregular cycles. The second phase us after you ovulate Nd called the luteal phase. It is progesterone driven and normally lasts between 12 and16 days. It varies between women but Almost always is fixed in one particular woman eg 12 days. This second phase is when implantation occurs and it needs to be a certain length eg over 10 days otherwise the womb lining sheds before the fertilised egg implants properly. As I understand it, it is this luteal phase that shortens during bf so implantation is less likely.

In answer, you may be ovulating but still
May not have the type of cycle required to conceive. Some people have found that they couldn't conceive until they stopped night feeds.

working, have you seen the info on Kellymom?