What would you do?

[mawbroon]

Some of you may be bored to tears with my endless posting about trying to cut down feeding 2.8yo ds during the day in an effort to help me ttc no2 which just isn't happening after 18 months.

Anyway, three weeks ago, we stopped feeding through the day and ds was much, much happier after a day or two. We had been doing never offer, never refuse, but the lack of boundary was confusing him and making his miserable.

Great, I thought. But now he has a constantly runny nose, itchy eyes, sometimes seems a bit short of breath which makes me think hayfever. He also has rough bumpy skin on the top of his arms which the allergy consultant said was mild eczema. He has an egg allergy and a dairy intolerence which is the main reason that I didn't cut down months ago. So, anyway, this rough skin is spreading down his arms and is now on his legs, which he seems to be finding itchy.

I find it hard to believe that this is just coincidence.

The obvious solution to me is to give him more breastmilk, but this probably going to mean waiting even longer to ttc no2.

Would it be madness to (hopefully) get pg soon and then up his breastmilk intake?

Anybody else been here?

Nobody? I'm off to bed now, so not ignoring replies.

bump

I can't remember your other threads, so forgive me if I am just repeating things.

Many women can conceive whilst still breastfeeding. As we all know breastfeeding is ONLY a contraceptive if you follow strict demand feeding day and night etc.

As you are only nursing during the day, it would be surprising (but not unheard of) for the breastfeeding to be the entire issue.

Have you had any signs of fertility return, periods, ovulation pains etc ?

Have you read the TCOYF book which shows you how to track your fertility cycle, I found this very helpful to get a grip with my cycles ?

No, not madness, sounds like a good compromise, but you need to be aware (no doubt you are already) that being preg can knacker your supply. Although it doesn't always, just to add to the lottery.

After 18 months, perhaps you've tried this, but I used ovulation sticks when ttc while breastfeeding. I found that my luteal phase was shortened, from 14 days to 12, so although I had the same dead regular cycle as always, I wasn't ovulating when I thought I was. I was feeding much less than you sound like are; though, just morning and night.

Thanks for your replies.

Yes, I have read TCOYF and have charting/checking fluid and cervix for 11 months now. Like you notanexcitingname, my luteal phase is much shorter. Before ds, I was ovulating around day 10, and now it is sometimes as late as day 18 in a 27 day cycle which doesn't appear to be long enough for implantation in my case.

Babies, I would say that breastfeeding is only a contraceptive if you are absolutely sure that you can spot the signs of your returning fertility. Many women would still become pregnant even whilst following the strict demand feeding that you describe. I am now feeding ds morning and night, and through the night once or maybe twice at the moment, which is probably less than half of what he was getting before I cut out the day feeding.