TTC while breastfeeding - Part 2

[silkenladder]

This is the place to come to share the frustrations of ttc while still nursing.

Many of us are sleep-deprived, some of us don't even know if we're ovulating and none of us know whether taking agnus castus is a good idea or not. We all just want to do the best by the children we already have, but would really like to be pregnant again. Quickly.

Part 1 had plenty of graduates . Here's hoping Part 2 will be equally successful and supportive!

yay - well done silkenladder! Hope you're all well. V quick post - so sorry - but in a mad rush at work and working late tonight so must scurry along. Have great weekends and catch up with you next week! xx

Thanks for the new thread silken

Do feel I'm gearing up to O... come on, body!

(never actually SWI'd before these last few days... it feels, um, odd. I'm strangely disconnected and if I can't get over it may have to scale backto NTNP Am I alone in this?)

Manda I'm not quite at the stage of being able to SWI yet, but I got pregnant within hours of deciding to ttc first time round (not that conception actually happened then, but you get my drift ). I can imagine that it is rather strange knowing you are about to ovulate and feeling a sort of responsibility for it.

I'm feeling a bit in limbo at the moment. At the beginning of Nov I had greasy hair and teenage skin, which I had after coming off the pill to conceive DD. Then I had that one AF and then the spotting and now my hair and skin are back to "normal". I saw the dr yesterday as I mentioned. She did an ultrasound and said my ovaries look fine, but my uterine lining was very thin, as if I was just starting out. I guess she meant it looked like it was the beginning of my cycle, but officially I'm on CD29 She then said I should come back in six months if my cycle hadn't sorted itself out; she wouldn't want to give me the pill or anything until then.

Tbh I don't want to take the pill or any other hormones now unless I absolutely have to, but I wish things would get back to normal naturally a bit faster. Anyone have any ideas how I could flush the depo out of my system? I need to feel like I'm doing something.

silken depo isknown for screwing women up for some time. Obviously there are the exceptions to the rule but on the whole it seems most women take quite sometimeto get back to 'normal'. However, lots of women have good results from agnus castus (known as vitex stateside) as it acts directly on the pituitary to normalise hormones.

DS2 currently crying so I can't search out some articles for you to read... google is your friend?

Back in a bit if he ever stops

Stopped POP yesterday, it took 3 weeks to be brave enough to stop. A bit nervous about balancing pregnancy with 9 month old still BF and a demanding job. Now waiting for a period, never thought i'd actually be desperate for one again!! Already desperate for another baby...

hi nutty one good luck. I love having kids close in age so am a bit sad that the 2 year gap has already passed for me this time.
Thanks silken for the shiny new thread I can now see it on my phone again!
I had some ebay cheapy tests arrive in the post today and am trying to resist trying one! My monthly just in case test is not due till christmas day but the temptation...
I am off to google angus cactus as I need some help getting af to arrive

Hi all I'm a newby on the conception boards but finally thinking about having baby 2 if I can convince a halfway there but still very sleep deprived DH, but still BFing DS1 (16months). Conceived DS the first time we tried but haven't had AF and am not even sure I'm ovulating. Or how to find out... or what lots of the above acronyms mean POP, SBF, SWI, CDxx so lots to learn.
Settles in with comfy chair and alcohol free beer (sigh, still).

yay! thiss is a little more manageable for newcomers....
DD 7 months, BF morning and evening and 2-3 in the night.
We are ttc#2 coil has been out for 5 weeks, manky spotty skin etc...

Feeling a bit sad really to think that I might be stopping/ cutting down BF further to conceive; We are moving to Mozambique in June 2012 and I would really like to have another, and for it to be at least a little less 'newborn' by then...

Can we start doing what they did in the last thread to keep track?
Me: 25 BF DD 7months TTC#2 No AF yet

Thanks silken
Marking my place.

Following on from Gauntlet:

Thegauntlet: 25 BF DD 7months TTC#2 No AF yet
Pookamoo: 31 BF DD 24 months TTC

Actually, I am feeling a little bit of a fraud here now... last week DD declared "bubboo broken mummy" and seems to have self weaned overnight. Am a bit about it but am taking the "don't offer, don't refuse" line, so I don't consider myself to have weaned her... I hope I'm still allowed on this thread!

On the plus side, I did wonder if just maybe the reason it is "broken" is because of some kind of hormonal thing and maybe, maybe, maybe... we'll see.

Anyway, am still trying to hold my nerve and not test until Christmas day when AF is due!

Hi all.. Hope you don't mind me joining - I have attempted to read through the old thread but it was taking weeks and weeks and not even half way! Lots of useful info though.

I am currently ttc #5 (!) but still bf #4 who is 14 mths and stubbornly demanding at least 3 feeds a day/night. Wondering if I possibly just ovulated for the first time and getting quite excited!

If so, then on 5dpo.. time will tell

Hi All,

Sorry not been around for a little while.

Back from early scan.

Little wriggly, baked potato with a heartbeat of 176. Measuring just about spot on (one day out, 1.9cm!) so feel very reassured and going to try and enjoy this now. Blubbed my head off. Then blubbed again in supermarket at all the Mum's with two children happily playing with each other. Wahhh.

Just got 12 week scan to get through but apparently risk of mc drops a lot once you have seen a HB at 8 weeks - I know there are no guarantees but much, much happier.

So, so pleased for you LadyGG . You must be so relieved!

Enjoy your Christmas now and relax until your 12 week scan. I have heard the same thing about the risk once you've seen the hb at 8 weeks. I think it drops to about 4% which is pretty great.

How's the ms?

Well done !!
8 week scan... man that is so exciting. I remember the little jelly bean at 7 weeks in my belly.

So..I have read today that Fenugreek can cause periods/ ovulation to start. This is v.confusing, as I thought it was a galactagogue, and surely if you are getting more milk/ prolactin you are less likely to ovulate?

It has been a tough week so far, last week was my first week back at work, and so dropped a feed quicker than i had hoped, as she just isn't interested when i come in at 430 as she is eating more lunch without me. Big fat sore norks. But maybe it will tip me over to burst out some super eggs? Heres hoping.

How much is everyone else feeding?

ladygg thats great news!

Fingers crosses gauntlet that the dropped feed works. Were feeding more than a newborn atm as ds is poorly.

Oh I'll add my details to the list:

Thegauntlet: 25 BF DD 7months TTC#2 No AF yet
Pookamoo: 31 BF DD 24 months TTC
Poppet: 32 BF DS 16 months, TTC#2, no AF, don't know about ovulation....

I thought something momentous might be about to start this week as I thought I saw some pinkish discharge (sorry for way tmi) but we were hit by a stomach bug shortly after and DS has been feeding for britain so probably scotched that.

Normally we're on morning feed, nap, bedtime and one in the night (which I'd like to drop first, yawn, but that's another story).

And congrats to the graduates, Pookamo I think that sounds very promising too btw!

Oh forgot to add.... I heard that if you're still nursing beyond a year you're more likely to ovulate first then have a period. Sooo how do you know if you're ovulating? It's been so long, if I ever knew, I've forgotten. :)

Thanks ladies! MS is yucky - not actually being sick but the constant nausea is quite wearing. Hopefully will ease ina few weeks though.

Poppet you could try charting temps but you could be charting for quite a long time but that would tell you, when you see the temp shift that you have ovulated. Have you been having egg white cervical mucus? That is a sign that your body is gearing up to ov. In my case I just waited til a period to arrive which it did when DS was 20 months old without having to change anything. But I wasn't desperate to TTC at that point.

Welcome lovely ladies - this is a great thread - lots of genuine support, it's fab

Am so so so happy for you LadyGG Glad you can enjoy now and wishing you all the very best hun xx

Good news from me. My AF turned up today - just when I was expecting it and with a LP of 14 days so hopefully I am back to normal now and we can start trying again soon. (For those who don't know, had a MC last month so am hoping to start trying again soon).

here are my stats: Mamafoof

Thegauntlet: 25 BF DD 7months TTC#2 No AF yet
Pookamoo: 31 BF DD 24 months TTC
Poppet: 32 BF DS 16 months, TTC#2, no AF, don't know about ovulation....
Mamafoof: 30 DD 13 months TTC#2 first AF

sorry on my phone so can't copy and paste but if someone could add me to the list please
Queenfee 29 Bf ds 17 months TTC #4 no af yet
Thanks
Mamafoof thats good news!
Poppet I had heard that also. We are taking the just keep at it and hope approach. Maybe once he is 2 I will take a more dedicated approach. Tbh I am still doing a lot of night feeding so not expecting anything soon. I didn't get af back till I completely weaned the other 2 albeit they were slightly younger. I have a feeling I will be feeding ds for a while yet :)

Thegauntlet: 25 BF DD 7months TTC#2 No AF yet
Pookamoo: 31 BF DD 24 months TTC AF since February
Poppet: 32 BF DS 16 months, TTC#2, no AF, don't know about ovulation....
Mamafoof: 30 DD 13 months TTC#2 first AF
Queenfee: 29 Bf ds 17 months TTC #4 no af yet

just thought I would message as I am feeling irrationally jealous of AF!! I run a mums group today and 2 of the mums were going on about there hellish periods, and their babies are 3 months and 5months and both BF.
AND my sister ( baby 3 weeks younger than mine) has had one too....

Its all about the night feeding I think as their babies all sleep thru... as they delight in telling me.

Feeling pretty sorry for myself and getting myself ready for a night of feeding every 2 hours again.

Poor gauntlet I feel your pain!

My DD didn't sleep through until 15 months, by which time I had been back at work for 3 months, and she was still having night feeds then. It will happen one day, then you won't believe it!

Does she nap in the day? Can you get some sleep when she does (obvious things, I know).

For me, AF came back when I went to work, literally one month in. I think you're right and the significant reduction in BF is what does it.

on another note... I know I am not due to test until Christmas day, but.... I got a BFP today! Keeping fingers and toes crossed it is a sticky one!

wow - congrats pookamoo!! hope it's a sticky one and wish you all the best! Any tips for us ladies??

thegauntlet - know how you feel. My periods didn't come back till after my MC. Got pg before having one but knew i was ovulating and my night feeds had slowed down somewhat but my DD was coming up to 1 and at 7 months, i was still nightfeeding lots too. It will happen - don't worry - your turn will come!

no tips, sorry mamafoof I have a pack of 3 more tests which I will be taking over the next week or so just to make sure! I hope the new year brings you some happy news too!