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Conception

When's the best time to get pregnant? Use our interactive ovulation calculator to work out when you're most fertile and most likely to conceive.

Original poster

TTC while breastfeeding - Part 2

879 replies

silkenladder · 16/12/2010 19:22

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!

OP posts:
dreamfeeder · 10/10/2011 11:57

jaggy, I was only doing 2 feeds a day. I'm 28. There is NO family history of twins either side. I'm white (increased twins in black populations) and so is DH. I am not on Clomid (for helping pop out eggs if ovulation a prob I think looopy) and have not had any fertility treatment so I would have said these twins were a miracle. Until someone said that about BF. But really, 2 feeds a day?!

I'm SO EXCITED about my twins!!!! Thanks for the reassurance looopy

dreamfeeder · 10/10/2011 11:59

oh, and grumpy, my mum got pregnant when bf, my stepsister got pg twice while bf, and 3 friends have got pg bf. No twins for them!!! Not sure how accurate that 10% is.... Someone else told me the whole bf and twins thing is an old wives' tale.

jaggythistle · 10/10/2011 12:41

aw. i think we're all excited for you too dream!

I'm about 5 years older than you but otherwise no history or anything either. no vigorous puking here either!

there are just too many days between now and Friday...

Grumpygils · 10/10/2011 13:09

TMI alert...

I STILL have fertile CM today (cd 22/23 wtf? Hope this cycle is longer than 30/31 days!) so sent dh a saucy text and managed some SWI whilst our toddler naps and the older 2 DCs are at school Grin.

[Never to be repeated emoticon]

agirlcalledvicky · 10/10/2011 21:19

Hi can I join you?
DS is 14 months and bf once or twice a day since I started back at work part-time 2 months ago. I haven't had AF yet but we stopped using contraception a few months ago and thought we'd see what happens. I know you hear of people that concieve before starting periods after a baby but don't know in reality how common that is and whether there is anything I can do to speed up the arrival of AF so we can start properly trying. DH is keen for me to stop bf but I would like to hang on a while longer as DS still asks and enjoys it. Its so hard to know isn't it? I've read a few pages back and encouraged by your successes - congrats to all who've hit the jackpot recently!

dreamfeeder · 10/10/2011 22:24

Hello agirlcalledvicky, I dropped a feed suddenly which triggered af. The kellymom website had all the info I needed. It also says if your child is over 1 you are more likely to ovulate before your first af so you maybe could get pg without ever having one!?

jaggy, nearer the twin age group and don't forget bartlet's friend who never felt sick had no symptoms and had twins. I puked rather nicely with dd, just not this bad!!!! Can't wait til Fri, join me with two!!!!

needinstructions · 11/10/2011 09:48

I got AF back literally the week I started back at work and had to drop the middle of the day feeds. It was uncomfortable for a few days but my boobs adjusted pretty quickly. Now a few more months down the line and down to just the bedtime feed.

I'm wondering now if I should drop that sharp-ish though, now I've read the stats about twins! Don't get me wrong, I'm sure twins are wonderful (congratulations Dreamfeeder!) but DH and I already have 3 DC between us and are getting on a bit, so one at a time's probably preferable for us...

agirlcalledvicky · 12/10/2011 21:28

Thanks for the advice - I have had a look at the Kellymom website. I did drop suddenly from 3 feeds a day to 2 when I started back at work part-time 2 months ago and nothing happened. I've also almost completely dropped the bedtime feed too a few weeks back and still nothing - can't believe I am wishing AF to come back after years of cursing it! I do have my fingers crossed for the ovulation before first af thing and trying to get in enough SWI to catch it but suspect it is pretty rare.
Just met up with DH sister who has a week old baby and feeling sooooo broody. It hit me big time when DS was 1 year old. I always though about 3 years seemed a sensible gap but I am feeling that another one soon would be lovely. Congrats dreamfeeder on the twins - very exciting! Smile

dreamfeeder · 12/10/2011 21:47

I agree vicky, a smaller gap will be lovely. My friend has had her second, who is 4 1/2 months now, and his big brother is nearly 3. She says he's just waiting for the baby to be big enough to play with him and she wishes she'd had her second sooner (she had convincing-DH-on-more-than-one issues anyway though). I always wanted about an 18 month gap though 3 under that age wasn't quite the plan I'm super excited about twins now and obsessed with googling twin things and frightening myslef

Loooopy · 12/10/2011 21:52

Hi agirlcalledvicky sounds like we are in similar situations. My DS is 11 months, and not got AF back. Was feeding 3 times a day, but as of Saturday have dropped the feed before his afternoon nap, giving him 3 oz of cow's milk after his dinner, then cuddling to sleep. i know he shouldn't have cow's milk just yet, but the hv reckons he should only need 2 feeds anyhow so figure if thats the case he is getting what he needs from me from those feeds so anything in the cows milk is a bonus. IYSWIM? Hoping that this might kick start things, but really worried that like you, it still won't be enough to bring back AF. No idea how soon it should come back, if this is enough to make it come back....( ie how long before i know it hasn't worked - anyone know??? )Like you, i can't wait for it to arrive, just so it can bugger off again!

dreamfeeder · 12/10/2011 21:59

looopy, after I dropped the feed, which worked for me, AF arrived bang on 2 and a bit weeks post-feed-drop if that makes sense. I'd say if it hasn't altered anything in a month it won't, from my experience only, not any evidence base bar me!! I have tried to give DD cows milk in the day as a drink from 9 months when I dropped her day feed. I mostly did it as I'd had mastitis twice from her on/off messing about tactics (partly to ttc- that encouraged me not to persevere with the bf in the day), and the hv said if she's not interested in milk forget formula, it tastes horrible, try cows, cows milk smoothies etc etc which I did. She still doesn't drink milk!! Apart from maybe 3 mouthfuls at bedtime.

dreamfeeder · 12/10/2011 22:01

I had said I'd give it 2 months for myself, before I did anything else or stopped altogether (which I would have done) but I didn't need to. I was surprised how quick the effect was for me! So I had one full cycle, then got pg. Have now dropped to morning feed only, which is getting uncomfortable and I'm only 13 weeks tomorrow, so considering trying to stop that one, but it's the only one DD really likes and protested when I tried to shorten it the other morning, so I just gave in... Any hints from those currently dropping feeds?!

dreamfeeder · 12/10/2011 22:16

oh, and also grumpy, I asked my midwife today about conceiving twins and bf and she said it's absolute rubbish, and bf does NOT increse your chances of twins. It's certainly not listed on the NHS website which has the 'real' increased liklihoods. Mine are just miracle twins as neither of us have any history or fit any twin category!

jaggythistle · 13/10/2011 14:37

When I dropped DS's morning feed, I replaced it with cuddles and stories on my knee. He enjoyed snuggling up with 43 a few books so much he seemed to prefer it to feeds after a while. We sat on the same chair we used for feeds and I kept him cosied up in his sleeping bag. It was a bit more effort than feeding though!!

He has gradually stopped asking for milk over the last few months...

jaggythistle · 14/10/2011 16:31

scan fine, just one baby for me though :)

Goldrill · 15/10/2011 16:32

BFP here! Am still in shock as we swi'd twice last month and I assumed there was no way in the world! I was teasing DP that it was supposed to be every other day, not every other week too!

We're still feeding between 2 and 5 times a day, depending on when I work, and we started TTC in august, so got there in the second month. I had an IUD put in after DD was born and I wonder whether having it taken out may have kick-started things a bit too. I work 4 days a week and am sure the very long gaps between daytime feeds (7am to 6pm) will have made a difference: I struggled to lose weight after she was born and my figure didn't start getting back to normal until she was down to 3 feeds most days.

Anyway, reading about people getting BFPs on this thread really cheered me up when I thought it would take an age - so I hope this might have the same effect on someone else!

jaggythistle · 15/10/2011 16:54

Wow! good job goldrill. Lovely to hear your news! :) :)

dreamfeeder · 15/10/2011 18:00

Congratulations goldrill!!!! Wonderful news, and without a Shagathon, even better Wink

agirlcalledvicky · 15/10/2011 21:04

Congrats goldrill - lovely news! And great news about your first scan jaggythistle. Good news makes me feel a bit more positive.
Hi looopy - hope the dropping a feed works for you, as dreamfeeder says I imagine it would take a couple of week to see a difference if its going to? Well we are down to one feed a day now so no more dropping feeds for me unless we stop, which we don't want to yet. But I do think I will have to stop now in order for anything to happen. Suspect its more me than the breastfeeding as I always had very irregular periods pre-baby and it took an age for things to return to normal after coming off the pill. Keeping my fingers crossed for one of those pre-period ovulation babies. I am sure they are as rare as hens teeth but they have to happen every now again to someone Hmm

Loooopy · 15/10/2011 21:22

agirlcalled vicky i have everything crossed that AF will start for me but not convinced, but would love to be proved wrong! Re pre period babies, one of the midwives i used to see has 3 children, and i remember her saying that she didn't have a period before conceiving her 2nd and 3rd children whilst still breastfeeding, and that her doctor wasn't pleased with her as it meant they'd no dates to work from initially! So it can happen!

I'm in two minds what to do if dropping a feed doesn't work. i'd like to keep feeding him, but as i know he enjoys cows milk, switching all his feeds to cows milk once he turns 1 would probably be very easy. And i keep thinking about age gaps, and my age, and that i'd ideally like 3 more children. Although if i popped out two at the same time like dreamfeeder then that would help my age issue lol as if got pregnant right now with twins, they would be born whilst i am still 35 and so i would only need to fit in one more pregnancy over the age of 35 then! doesn't sound as bad then lol, although i'm sure carrying twins isn't much fun and the first 9 months or so would be very hard work...but then they could play together for life...secretly i'd love twins :)

harmonyb23 · 16/10/2011 11:22

Hello, can I join you guys. I have been TTC#3 for about 4 months now. I have been breastfeeding DS2 who is now 11 months during this whole time. I have been ovulating and menstruating normally (28 day cycle) but have yet to conceive. I think this may be down to the breastfeeding?

harmonyb23 (23) TTC#3

Loooopy · 17/10/2011 07:47

hi harmony, think you were on the same antenatal thread as me? (my DS was born last November too)

estya · 18/10/2011 18:13

Hello all of you - I'm looking for some advice and figure you guys know about this sort of thing.

I am BFing and have had 3 periods. The 2 gaps have been 27 and 28 days and I noticed the thicker discharge (sorry) in the middle of gap 2, so i'm pretty sure i was ovulating.
So when the discharge hit the knickers exactly 2 weeks into the next cycle I negotiated my way into DH's boxers and when there was no AF 2 weeks later I was sure I was pregnant. I was also feeling slightly nauseous and sensitive to smells but I'm wondering now if that was in my head.

But i am now 13 days late and still getting negative tests.

What should I do?
Could my periods have stopped again?
Could there be something wrong - should i see a doctor?

BTW harmony and loopy, my DD is a November baby too.

estya · 18/10/2011 20:30

ps - sorry about the 'you guys' etc.
Not sure what's come over me.

harmonyb23 · 23/10/2011 11:48

Yep Loooopy I remember you from the antenatal thread. How is life with you and your little one? I also would secretly love to have twins but it doesn't look likely being that it runs in neither mine or my partners genetics :(

Well I have stopped BF LO all together now. It was more his decision than mine as he bit me the other day and I let out a little scream whimper. He doesn't seem to want to go on since and seen as he is going to be one on Wednesday I figure now is a good time as any to move him on to the 1 year old formula milk. He really enjoys the milk anyway so it's not too much of a problem.

My periods have been normal since I came off the contraceptive implant in June. No luck so far and usually I am quick to conceive. The only thing I can think that is different this time is that I have been BF'ing. Hopefully now that this has come to an end I might get the BFP I have been waiting for.

How is everyone else? It's mighty quiet on here! :)