getting pregnant whilst breasfeeding

[rufusmacdoofus]

dd is 7.5 months. am trying only to feed morning and evening and she is going 10 hours in the night. I occasionally feed her to sleep before her 9 am nap and her lunch nap, but this is hardly anything really - just comfort feeding. She is in nursery two days so on those days we can go all day without feeding. My question is does the inteensity or length of the feed affect fertility or is it simply the fact that you are feeding ( ie making milk/experiencing let-down)that makes a difference ? I really want to get pregnant as we tried for 3 years for dd but no periods yet ( have done test and am not pregnant already) I feel a bit 'periody' now and then but nothing happens. Don't want to stop feeding but want to start trying for another. Thanks for any advice. x

My GP was very adament that BFing is not a contraception and that it only lowers fertility slightly.

I'm sure someone with better info will be along to help you shortly.

It's very difficult to predict when fertility will return in individual women. That said, there is evidence that having babies too close together isn't good for health of mother or baby.

Talking to my bf'ing mates, it is apparant that we all got our periods back at different times. Some while exclusively bf'ing, some when they were only doing a few feeds a day, some only when they stopped bf'ing completely. So it really seems to be a very personal thing.

How about trying ovulation sticks to see if you are ovulating? You can get them on Ebay quite cheap.

I got pregnant when DD was 11 months and still EBF all day and night. I was on the pill for the first 6 months just in case so really it only took 5 months....

I also didn't have a period before I got pregnant, so haven't had one now for over 2 years!

Meant to add that even if your baby is exclusively breast fed it is stil possible to get pg. So not mutually exclusive to do both!

i think the contraceptive effects only happen whilst you are exclusively breastfeeding. ie before solids, extra bottles etc.
from what you describe, you seem to be well out of that zone. however, if your fertility is low to begin with, that may be enough to be adequate contraception. however you lo is still very young. enjoy her. dont get too stressed about having another one. it will happen

i read that conraception only happens when you are less than 4 hours between feeds in the day and 6 hours at night. Also I always had periods even when I was trying to get pregnant ( even if i didn't appear to ovulate)) so weird that they are not back yet. I have even missed a couple of morning feeds recently and still nothing. suppose i should accept that everyone is different and there is no 'norm'

There is no hard and fast rule. I got pregnant whilst I was ebf my dd (she was 4 mnths old) - I hadn't had AF and had no idea i was ovulating.

I'm in very similar situation - have a 7.5mth dd, am still bf 4 times per day and no periods as yet. Want a small age gap for no.2 as I'm getting on a bit. Hoping that fertility will return soon - trying to be patient! I felt a bit "periody" about 3 weeks ago and even did a test when nothing had happened after a week but BFN

i am also getting on a bit ! love being a mum so much just want millions of children. also loved being pregnant. Can't bear the thought of not breastfeeding though as we both love it. there should be a getting on a bit club for us mums that want to breed !

mini rant = should have added that tried to speak to HV about all this, she said - 'just stop breastfeeding then'.Helpful. she also said not to worry she knows someone who got pregnant for the first time at 42 ! I said that was the exception though rather than the rule wasn't it ? and her face fell a bit when she said yes. Am i alone in having terrible experiences with allthe HV's i meet ? They all seem like maiden aunts with medical advice from circa 1950