Will I have to stop feeding to get pregnant?

[dorisbonkers]

Forgive what may seem a daft question on the face of it, but I'm wondering how breastfeeding affects fertility exactly? I'm talking about well past the first year.

It's been almost 17 months since I gave birth and still no period and although I'm not desperate to get pregnant right away, I'm 38 and have had previous functional fertility issues (Asherman's Syndrome) so I don't want to leave it too late either if there is a problem. I'd quite like to know my period may come soon and if there is a problem I may need to fly back to Asia to see my ob/gyn (no joke, terrible lack of docs who can deal with this in the UK)

I work part time but feed on demand and co-sleep, but I really don't think DD is actually drinking that much, but using it as a sleep aid.

I wasn't aiming to stop feeding before 2 years and don't want to chuck away my ability to get my DD to sleep. But really, honestly, I'm going to have to stop feeding her if I want to get pregnant, aren't I?

Except I keep hearing of women getting pregnant while feeding, and even tandem feeding?

I didn't have a period until 16m, had 2 45 days apart then was pg.
However i have no underlying issues, don't know the effect that will have
Is it worth trying to night wean, see whether that helps?

oh and if/when you do get your period back, you can get ovulation sticks very cheaply on ebay

Thanks SPB. If only I were near my doctor (in Singapore) as I had a terribly long (3 years) and fraught time getting my Asherman's (inter-uterine adhesions caused by a D&C) diagnosed and can't afford the wait.

Obviously a doc is going to site my still feeding as the major cause of amenorrhea.

I thought I'd have had one by now, as although I still feed in the night, it's comfort really. Plus she goes 10 hours 3 days a week without a feed while I'm at work, so my body's getting that sign that I'm not regularly feeding.

Ho hum.

I had to stop feeding in order to get pg again.

I fed DS until he was about 13m and I had periods since he was 6m. During the time when he was 6m-13m, I tried to get pg whilst feeding and couldn't. Gave up feeding and got pg. (I got pg with DS in 2 months and with DD quickly after stopping feeding so I do think the feeding was stopping me getting pg).

Some people absolutely cannot get pg whilst feeding, even one feed a day. Some people can get pg even when exclusively feeding. hard to tell which category you fall into, but if you are desperate to get pg, I'd give up feeding.

No personal experience but my bf concveived numbers 2 and 3 while bfing the previous ones, iyswim? Took quite a while though. Depends on how desperate you are! She never had periods return btw. No idea about Asherman's, sorry.

I had fertility issues and it took me 8 years combined with help to get pregnant with DC1&2. The Dr's told me that was it, I wouldn't have another baby as my body wouldn't support another pregnacy. I was feeding DC2 up to 6 times a day at 15 months and was feeling very unwell. Went to the Dr's and he diagnosed DC3 . I was 9 weeks pregnant.

Thanks. Seems to be quite a wide variety then.

Not that with all the night feeds, co-sleeping and husband's night shifts, and my lack of libido daily s ex is on the agenda ... but I live in hope!

Maybe try night weaning but give a dealine - 6 months?? of if you haven't had a period by then that you'll wean entirely? how would you feel to wean?
Also, even though it's only comfort, it's the suckling that produces the hormones i think, not quantity of milk. could be wrong.
Good luck!

Thanks. I had never intended to feed this long, but having got over the hump, and really thinking it's been good to do this as I transition us both to my going back to work 3 days a week, I've carried on and now have 'around 20-24 months' in my head as a possible time to wean. To be honest, I've been continually moving goal posts so it's hard to say. It's so emotive as well, isn't it. Family sticking their oar in and wot not. Plus, I have to take my DD into account too. She loves it and seems to thrive with me doing this so am reluctant to stop right now. You never know, she ,might decide to stop soon, but I doubt it.

I suppose that if it's been 17 months it's probably quite unlikely it will come without me stopping.

Good to hear your experiences and I'll let you know how I get on. Although I have to say the thought of how to stop fills me with apprehension. They never tell you it might be hard to stop, do they!

Meant to say I had just turned 42 when DC3 was born.

FWIW I fed DC1 for 10 months, DC2 went off my me at 16 months and returned to feeding when DC3 was born so I tandem fed for a few months untill he decided he had had enoough, DC3 has only just weaned at 2.7yrs.

You are doing a great thing for you DD and don't let any one tell you any different.

My periods returned at 18 months when I was still breastfeeding maybe once or twice a day. Was wanting to try to conceive number 2 but didn't want to stop feeding DS before he was 2 because of WHO and because he was still keen and thriving on it.

I stopped feeding DS just after he turned 2 and by that stage he only wanted one really small feed first thing. Curiously, dropped his bedtime feed all by himself, and I discovered a couple of days later that I was pregnant! Managed to feed while pregnant for a couple more months by which time he was ready to stop, thank goodness. Really pleased I managed for so long and that the decision to stop was really his - maybe he realised that there was a new baby on the way.

Bit of a ramble, sorry about that! Just to say that it really is possible to conceive while breastfeeding, though I was convinced that it wasn't going to happen.

AmIDoinngThisRight, don't quote me on this, unless someone confirms, but I think the taste changes when you are pregnant.