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Infant feeding

Get advice and support with infant feeding from other users here.

Original poster

Breastfeeding and fertility - any experts/advice out there?

129 replies

alittleteapot · 02/01/2009 19:49

I'm still bfing 18mo dd. Af took ages to come back but I'm now on my 4th or 5th period. We are ttc but no luck yet.

I know it's early days but a) we got pg with dd straight away; b) I'm 38; and c) I've read that just because you've got your periods back doesn't mean your ovulating, I'm wondering if I should get checked that I am ovulating and all is fine. (This is not so much an oh no not pg yet thing, more a given all the circs I might as well be thorough and sure.) The other option is to wean but that's going to be HARD and it would be nice to know I don't need to.

Are the over-the-counter ovulation kits reliable? Is it worth talking to my gp? Anyone had any experience of all this?

Thanks

OP posts:
traceybath · 02/01/2009 19:53

how long have you been actively ttc? where i am over 35 and ttc for 6 months means the gp will run the ovulation blood tests.

oh and i've just got pregnant whilst bf ds2 - total surprise as took nearly 2 years to conceive ds2.

good luck!

llareggub · 02/01/2009 19:54

I took 2 years to conceive DS, who is 2 and a bit years old. I'm also 21 weeks pregnant, still breastfeeding and conceived straight away with my previous pregnancy earlier this year but miscarried.

I recommend [[http://www.amazon.co.uk/Taking-Charge-Your-Fertility-Reproductive/dp/0091887585/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8 &s=books&qid=1230926039&sr=8-1 this book]

llareggub · 02/01/2009 19:56

oops!

this book

scienceteacher · 02/01/2009 19:56

Apart from my first, I always conceived with breastfeedings.

Grendle · 02/01/2009 19:57

I used the fertility awareness techniques explained in Toni Weschler's "Taking Charge of Your Fertility".

Good luck

chandellina · 02/01/2009 20:06

definitely start taking your waking temp - can read about online or in the books mentioned above.

i never really liked the ovulation kits but some people swear by them.

reality is that it takes (on average) a lot longer to conceive at the age of 38 than even at 35 or 36 or 37. Not what one wants to hear but i was kindly shown the charts by more than one gynae/consultant ...

FeelingLucky · 02/01/2009 20:07

I'm no expert, but am in the same boat and have posted a fair few times asking advice about this. I've kind of concluded that it just depends from woman to woman and some are more lucky than others.
In the past few days I've decided I'm not one of the lucky ones and have stopped breastfeeding my 19 month DD and am hoping that I won;t regret it
Have been using OPKs which I bought really cheaply from BabyMad.com which test positive but still can't be sure I'm ovulating.

Good luck!

whomovedmychocolate · 02/01/2009 20:09

I am tandem feeding so obv I conceived while breastfeeding. I didn't get periods though - so it was even more of a surprise for us. Go see the GP and ask for a day 21 test and keep having sex.

Good luck.

mawbroon · 02/01/2009 20:11

alittleteapot - I am still feeding my 3yo ds and have been ttc no2 for 2 years now.

I have a regular cycle (26-30 days) and ovulate every month (confirmed with charting etc)however I ovulate much later in my cycle than I did pre ds and my luteal phase (time between ovulation and menstruation) is too short to allow implantation. I did get pg this time last year, but miscarried at 6 weeks and I guess that this is because of the short luteal phase.

How do I know all this? From reading and following Toni Weschler's book which has been mentioned below.

I would recommend that you try to establish exactly what is happening in your cycle and take it from there.

Over the counter ovulation kits only detect the surge in hormones which happens in the run up to ovulation. It is possible to have the hormone surge, but not ovulate, so you cannot 100% rely on the ovulations sticks. Also, there is a chance that you may test at the wrong time in your cycle, especially if it has changed since having your dd and still feeding.

Kellymom has some good info about this

I took the decision not to wean ds because it wouldn't neccesarily guarantee that I would conceive and I feel that our breastfeeding relationship was more important than conceiving right now. I am 37 btw, so not so far behind you!!

HTH

mawbroon · 02/01/2009 20:12

whomoved, I went to my GP and was told they wouldn't do any of the tests while I was still feeding. It might vary from region to region though

Original poster
alittleteapot · 02/01/2009 20:43

thanks everyone, some good info here, tho feel v depressed that fertility drops so quickly - it was so easy at 36 - i can't be THAT much older now

Think will talk to GP and go from there. We are just trying to night wean dd now so hopefully that will also help.

OP posts:
mawbroon · 02/01/2009 20:47

Good luck.

Original poster
alittleteapot · 02/01/2009 21:06

I think I'll do it privately if not with my gp. i actually suspect it's all ok and that i'll conceive naturally if ever we can find time to have sex! but given my age i think it's better to be safe than sorry. really good to get all your advice, thanks again

OP posts:
whomovedmychocolate · 02/01/2009 21:19

Mawbroon - well since they don't make a difference to the results. one could say oh yes I quit nursing and take the test.

mawbroon · 02/01/2009 21:36

whomoved, their reasoning was that because there was an explanation for the lack of conceiving then they wouldn't do the tests.

Original poster
alittleteapot · 02/01/2009 21:57

typical, you'd think the nhs would be doing more to encourage extended bfing.

OP posts:
llareggub · 02/01/2009 21:57

Ah but you don't need to tell them that you are still breastfeeding, do you? It is perfectly possible to ovulate while breastfeeding, so obviously it isn't a reason not to run the tests.

mawbroon · 02/01/2009 22:01

Ah, but now it's on my notes that I was breastfeeding when I went to the doc the other week. They said come back 6 months after weaning if still no joy, so i can't go back for a while!!

whomovedmychocolate · 02/01/2009 22:14

Mawbroon - that's really awful. Can you ask to be referred to a consultant - they will do the tests and your GP will probably refer you just to get rid of you.

mawbroon · 02/01/2009 22:29

They called the department at the hospital which does the tests, and it was the hospital who said they wouldn't do it.

Anyway, I can wait, no big deal really.

juuule · 02/01/2009 22:32

I can see the hospital's point, though. If bf-ing does affect fertility hormones then it's surely better from their point of veiw to wait until everything has settled down.

whomovedmychocolate · 02/01/2009 23:02

Breastfeeding can affect fertility - but so can a million other things which they don't prevent you getting treatment for. Being overweight will cut your fertility quite a bit. But they don't ask you to lose a stone before seeing you. You have just as much control over that and surely breastfeeding is a positive thing ?

Original poster
alittleteapot · 02/01/2009 23:18

I wonder what percentage of bfing mothers whose periods have returned have fertility issues. I know loads of women who have got pg soon after af returned (and some that got pg before it did!) so just on my extremely unscientific poll i'd say it was a minority. but then very few women bf as long as i am.

OP posts:
llareggub · 02/01/2009 23:32

If anything I'm far more fertile now, as a breastfeeder, than I was before I conceived DS1.

I got pregnant three times in 2008, although had 2 miscarriages. I'm now 21 weeks pregnant and worked out that I conceived every possible cycle from February-August 2008.

I had to have fertility treatment to conceive DS1. Another friend of mine got pregnant, while breastfeeding, when her DD was 4 months old. She hadn't even had a period.

Original poster
alittleteapot · 02/01/2009 23:38

That's great llareggub. Sorry about your mcs but congrats on current pg.

Can anyone describe exactly what the ovulation tests entail?

OP posts:
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