Breastfeeding after 1 year, hormones and feeling a little bit emotional.

[haloflo]

Since the return of my periods 3 months ago (when DD was 10mo) I am feeling very all over the place and I think its do with my hormones. Before I visit my GP I wondered if anyone could help. I'm TTC so am not on the pill or anything.

Basically it feels as ovulation approaches my nipples hurt, I feel tired, sick, weepy, very angry and anxious - & this carrys on until my period. I'm expecting my period tomorrow - a 7 day luteal phase just like last cycle as I'm crampy already.

The worst part is that in the night I say I want to quit feeding forever, I can't cope etc etc. My partner tries to take DD but she can scream until she is fed and won't even be held by me or him until she is latched on. With sore nipples I just want to cry through every night feed. Clearly this isn't a good situation but DD is teething and I fear now isn't a good time to night wean (no idea if there ever will be a good time though as she is a commited night feeder)

Its unlikely i'm pg as i'm doing OPK's and we only had sex 6 days before the positive last saturday. Even if I am its clearly too early for symptoms.

I'm am trying to very gently wean with "don't offer, don't refuse" partly due to this, partly due to my wish to have another baby. As a night feeder we almost always feed at 11pm, 2am and 5am with the 5pm, 7pm and 7am ones hit and miss. Could the mixing about of feeds contribute to this? I don't feed in the day as I work 3 days a week, soon to be 4 days.

I hope this makes sense. Thanks xx

I'm not sure what kind of advice you're looking for so feel free to sift through anything below and take the bits you think suit you.

I might suggest a reasonably decent dose of Evening Primrose Oil for the weepiness. It works for me but I think you need to be off it when you find out you're pregnant. I believe it's a Dr's favourite instead of giving you serious drugs.

Your DD should be able to go through the night without a feed at 13mo so I'm going to suggest that you need to think about teaching her how to self settle when she wakes up. There's a few ways you can do that but a good book to help you is this one good sleep guide It might not seem it right now but you'll be doing you and her a favour by teaching her.

Oh i'm sure she could through the night without a feed (shes a 24lb chunk of baby) but I don't think i'm doing anything wrong by feeding her? She can self settle for naps and sometimes at bedtimes so i'm giving her chance to settle herself, just comforting her in the night the easiest way when she screams?

Anyway I'm not sure what advice I'm after either, sorry I knew it was rambled , I guess I just wondered if it was normal I guess and if it will get better. Or if I should take something for it. I'll look into evening primrose now. I think I read about it once but was nervous of taking anything whilst breastfeeding and of course if I fall pregnant.

oh sweetie, you're not doing anything wrong by feeding her when she screams, I'm just worried that this is hurting you, especially when your boobs are sore.

Maybe it's coming up to a time when the link between night waking and having free access to mum's boobs could be broken if you wanted to, it's your call though. I broke the link for my DD at 6 months when it was recommended as safe by my HV (my DD is the same age as yours btw and stil BF at 13mo).

best of luck xxx