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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:
vlc · 03/01/2009 00:23

Interesting thread. I'm still bf dd at 17 months and no AF yet. I'll be 38 this year AND I know now that I have other complications which make a full term pg less likely than I want. I don't want to wean dd in case I have prematurely curtailed such an important aspect of my one and only baby's childhood. But yikes, tick tock tick tock.

Rock > hard place

Original poster
alittleteapot · 03/01/2009 01:18

Hi Vic, how many feeds a day is your dd having now? if i were you - depending of course how much you want to ttc again - i'd try and start winding things down. 17 months is a fantastic length of time to bf. but easy to say i know - i've found it so hard. i'm night-weaning at the moment (see my thread in sleep) and if ovulation tests come back with any problem will def force weaning - though this is terrifying and slightly impossible seeming... is your dd still feeding at night? this is supposed to be the main prevention of ovulation and periods - lots of people get theirs back when their babies start sleeping through.

Good luck!

OP posts:
vlc · 03/01/2009 01:25

dd has a lot of feeds still, maybe half a dozen in the day and the same through the night, sometimes more, occasionally less.

I am considering night weaning as I know the frequent night feeds are scuppering my fertility. I just wish I could let things take their course instead. If I weaned her deliberately and then failed to have another baby I'd find that very hard to come to terms with.

whomovedmychocolate · 03/01/2009 06:12

Like llareggub we had massive problems conceiving first time round, actually second, we miscarried the first, but after DD I miscarried (thought it was my periods returning at first) and then the very next month DS was conceived. I reckon it's because you stop stressing about getting pregnant when you are nursing.

whomovedmychocolate · 03/01/2009 06:14

alittleteapot - the initial tests are simply a blood test at day 21 of your cycle (really hard to work out if you don't have periods) to assess whether or not you are ovulating. You can then go on to have a hysteroscopy to check for any structural problems although if you've already got a child the docs are less likely to suggest this unless you suffered damage during your last pregnancy/birth.

mawbroon · 03/01/2009 08:35

Actually, re night weaning, the page I linked to on Kellymom says "Current research indicates that nursing frequency and total amount of time at the breast per 24 hours are the most important factors, rather than the time of day that the suckling occurs."

So, I don't know if this is the case or not.

Hmm, might start another thread about this because it is certainly a common belief that night feeding is somehow different to daytime feeding.

llareggub · 03/01/2009 10:24

I used the book I linked to below to identify my body's signs of ovulation. It was a real eye-opener for me, as until I read the book I had no idea, really, of how my body changed over my cycle. Everything from fluctuating body temperature, discharge, pains, are all signs of ovulation. I didn't actually take my temperature, as I was only half-heartedly looking to conceive as I thought I would experience the same problems conceiving as I did with my first pregnancy.

juuule · 03/01/2009 10:32

Whomovedmychocolate - I've known people who have been told to lose weight to conceive.

whomovedmychocolate · 03/01/2009 19:45

juuule - that's interesting. I actually agree with doing this - because I think if the NHS is going to invest several thousand pounds in trying to get me pregnant and then supporting that pregnancy, the least I can do is optimise my chances. However I was not told that losing weight could help by any of the six consultants we saw and my GP when questioned said 'we aren't really allowed to say that'

StarlightWonderStarlightBright · 03/01/2009 19:50

mawbroon Just lie, and tell them you have weaned!

mawbroon · 03/01/2009 20:21

See below though Starlight. They said they would see me 6 months after I weaned so even if I pretended I weaned the same day, I would still have to wait 6months IYSWIM.

I ordered some progesterone cream which arrived today, just in time to use this cycle to see if that will lengthen my LP.

StarlightWonderStarlightBright · 03/01/2009 20:34

Still, I might be tempted to just go back and tell them barefaced that their information was incorrect and you weaned yonks ago, or that you meant you had been feeding from copious stocks of ebm.

I am at their attitude tbh.

vlc · 04/01/2009 22:31

oooooh this is a magic fertility thread. After posting yesterday about no AF, today I got my first period since 2006!

spooky

Mawbroon, tell me everything you know about charting one's fertility over a cycle, please. In words of two syllables or less, if you please.

Original poster
alittleteapot · 05/01/2009 00:15

Hey, congratulations Vic, I was thinking it seemed like it would come back for you soon. want to join me in a ttc while bfing club?

OP posts:
vlc · 05/01/2009 00:32

yes!
(do I have to mention it to DH?)

Grendle · 05/01/2009 01:54

vlc I'm regretting reading this thread, as now have AF too for the first time since Nov 06 (dd almost 17 months) . No ttc in this household, so not a welcome visitor .

vlc · 05/01/2009 02:17

told you!!!! magic thread.

Original poster
alittleteapot · 05/01/2009 11:56

I'm very excited to have started a magic thread. Can we keep it going a couple of weeks and see if it can get me pregnant?

OP posts:
mawbroon · 05/01/2009 22:01

vlc, hmmm, that is a tricky one. I think it could be summarised with read the book!!

I really couldn't do the whole thing justice in a short post.

alittleteapot - i hope it is a magic thread! I have just started using progesterone cream and will know in a couple of weeks if it has made any difference to my luteal phase or not.

vlc · 05/01/2009 22:12

Ha! Fair enough, Mawbroon.

Actually I generally feel myself ovulate and I did happen to mention to my DH a couple of weeks ago that I was feeling something suspiciously like ovulation twinges, although given the fact that a couple of years had passed since the last one, I was prepared to be wrong. Seems like I could have been right though!

So I'll get back to noting any ovulation pain again for a start.

Original poster
alittleteapot · 05/01/2009 22:43

I can't feel myself ovulate but i do get very distinctive cm and a spot in the same place on my chin every month. that was how i knew af was on its way. i kind of reckon i am ovulating, but better to check. and i'd have to tell them i was bfing as i'm only doing it to see if bfing is stopping me ovulate. i don't think there's any other problem.

OP posts:
Grendle · 06/01/2009 00:39
vlc · 06/01/2009 01:01

run, Grendle, run

ovaries are popping all over this thread...

Stefka · 06/01/2009 10:02

My periods aren't back yet either but we want to start TTC. DS is 14 months now. Although I have had some eating issues too and just got my weight into the normal range to that probably didn't help. Really hoping they start soon.

Need to learn more about ovulation though - will try and get my hands on that book.

LoveGigi · 08/01/2009 20:21

I may be in the process of setting a world record!!!! It's now 30 months without a period due to breastfeeing!!! And if you include my DD's pregnancy, I haven't had a period in 3 years and 3 months!!!! Does anyone know anyone who's gone this long without a period due to bfing?? I went to the docs last month explained I was still bfing and she still straightaway did a blood test, inc thyroid, glucose, LH, FSH, testosterone, estradiol, and of course prolactin. My levels of prolactin are 923, upper normal level is 520. So it's a tad high. I was told to wean in order to resume my periods. This is what I expected, however I'm going to continue the way we've been doing as I've read somewhere that your body eventually begins to not react as much to the prolactin and my ovulation may well spontaneously resume. Well this is what I'm hoping. I've started to see more CM, not EWCM but it's better than before so I'm taking it as a sign that my body is gearing up. I also take my temp and have done for a few months now so I'm hoping to catch the first egg! Have posted here as I hope the magic thread will work for me too!