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!

Thanks, everyone. Still don't have an EDD. I was at the EPU twice this week -- the first time they couldn't see anything but the bloodwork showed my hormone levels were good. Second visit they were finally able to spot the pg (definitely intrauterine, which was great news), but baby is still too small to see much else. Right now, they're estimating I'm around 5 or 6 weeks, but I should know for sure when I go back in two more weeks. Looks likely to be an early November baby, I think.

Keeping my Fx for good news for the rest of you soon.

everso glad you got some reassurance at your scan eventually, hope all goes well at the next one.

thinking how was your night out? Mine was cut short at 10pm, wondering if I'll ever get a proper night out again! I did manage a couple of frozen margaritas though, after annoying all the staff trying to find out how alcoholic they were :o

So I've decided to start taking vit B6 again, was taking it when I got my BFP with DD. Am considering agnus castus but not sure whether it's okay whilst BF. Keep thinking about switching DDs feeds up a bit to give my body a little push then feeling guilty as I always said I'd stick to being baby led and let her self wean when she's ready. I really need to relax and go with the flow but I keep thinking it's going to take us ages again so I want to start trying now!

How's everone else doing?

eversomuch Fab news about the early scan - I hope this week has been less worrying?

span78 Good news about ovulating again, hopefully this is your time.

CD18 here. Not a hint of ovulation and the baby's sleep is awful again. I'm on folic acid and vit c and d with my breastfeeding healthy start vitamin which are also suitable during pregnancy (get them from your local health centre - only 78p!) but am also mainlining coffee again. This might not be ideal...

I'm starting also to have doubts if now is the time so I may disappear off for a bit whilst we have a think (DP is keen but he isn't the one who gets pregnant)

highheels Shame your night got cut short but at least you got a couple of cocktails in. I hope your night was good thinkingof4? I am out Friday, woo!

Waves to Stealth from the March 2011 thread in awe of her brood.

halo I have also gradulaay gone from no coffee to just decaf to one cup of full caf every now and then to two cups a day. Really should give it up again but there's only so much I can handle at once!!

Hi
Night out was great, not too late (luckily) as when I got home DH told me baby wasn't well- v high temp,cold,cough etc. He coped with it of course but I was glad to be home and take over.
Anyway he's better than he was but still got cold and cough, and now we all have flu type symptoms and feeling awful. Really bad timing as I started back at work this week(but only part time)

I'd been having a bit of a panic about having another but DH is confident we will cope fine with another and I'm sure he's right. Just been worrying about how my body will cope with another pregnancy!! Anyone else feel like that?

Absolutely no sign on ovulation or AF at the moment though and ds3 is feeding more at the moment because hes been poorly

Btw re caffeine, I'm still on decaf from last pregnancy so no issue there for me! I don't really notice it anymore

Hi - I'm new to this thread, so haven't read all 807 of your posts.

Anyone able to advise me on whether I'm jeopardising the chances of a fertilised egg implanting/staying implanted by bfing? Just got my 1st period last month (DS is 12 ms, still glued to my boob) and it's now Day 17 of my cycle. Felt something that I kind-of recognise from my ivf days as an implantation pain (am I dreaming?).

Hi totally
I believe bfing has no negative effects on pregnancy so that shouldn't be a problem. I got pregnant with ds3 while still feeding ds2, and lots of others have done the same. Exciting for you, let us know how you get on

I hope someone can help me. I have a 7 month old DS and I have reduced my breastfeeding drastically as I want to conceive another baby. It took me 7 IVF attempts to get him so I want to push on and try again naturally (not hopeful but you never know).

However, I am doing one or two feeds in the night only (quickest and easiest way to get him back to sleep). I have been doing this now for a couple of weeks and still no sign of a period.

Could these night feeds be stopping my period returning?

LOL totallynaive I haven't read all the posts either. Not sure if there are any long standing posters of this thread still around? There seems to be a few of us just starting out TTC the next DC as our babies get a bit older. If there are please correct me.

Could what you are feeling now be ovulation? From what i've read breastfeeding can sometimes shorten your luteal phase (the gap between ovulation and AF) which makes a fertilised egg less likely to implant. The only way to know if this is an issue would be to track your ovulation. Not sure what you do then? Maybe look to reduce feeding further? However it might have no effect as thinkingof4 said - there are lots of people who have conceived no problems during pregnancy.

Hiya stillhopeful Sounds like you went through alot to conceive your DS, no wonder you want to push on. Have your had your first AF yet?

According to kellymom - "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."

I feed many many times at least twice at night but am back at work. Seems the gap between feeding sessions during the day was enough to prompt the return of my periods (or one period anyway)

still no af.

Dd has only been having one feed at 4pm for about a month and no sign of af.

Could anyone tell me what agnus castus is meant to do to help ovulation? Does it help ovulation?

Hi everyone :) I'm new to this TTC while BF lark.

I'm after some basic biology lessons! I wonder if any of you could help?

I know BFing acts as contraception while your baby is young, but does it still work like that once your period has come back?

I'm BFing DS, he's 3y3m and only feeds at bedtime these days (and then only when I put him to bed, not DP, about every other night) and also most mornings. Will that effect my fertility?

Have been TTC just one month, and have AF this morning

Sorry I see I could probably get my answers by reading the thread!

I hope you excuse me posting without reading, trying to get DS and myself breakfasted and out the house!

But if anyone has any advice I'd really appreciate it :)

Hi threeleftfeet
I can't imagine only feeding at night would affect your fertility but everyone is different! It is possible to have AF without ovulating but I think that's just while your body gets back to normal.

I wouldn't stop bfing for fertility reasons if I was you as you probably are ovulating. You could always try charting to make sure.

I still have no AF but increased cm so maybe something is happening. I read somewhere (?on this thread) about AF possibly returning within a few days of babies crawling- well ds3 is doing that funny backwards crawling thing so proper crawling can't be far away!!!

whenshewasbad agnus castus is supposed to help regulate hormones, can't remember much more than that but there's lots about it on the web.

threeleftfeet I think that if AF has returned and you're having 'normal' cycles BF shouldn't impact on your fertility.

Hi how is everyone doing?
Still no AF here but ds3 now in own cot and out of our room - as of last night. Co sleeping just wasn't working for us anymore. Anyway last night ge still had a few night feeds but I'm hoping to reduce these over next week or 2 which will give us all more sleep and possibly get me ovulating again. I haven't got round to temping yet but am getting some days with more fertile type cm which is good
Time will tell I suppose!

Nothing happening here. Still don't think i've ovulated and def no sign of AF. Would be about CD34 I think. I tested yesterday although chances to DTD have been few and far between - BFN as expected. DD is now in her own room as is spending as much of the night as we have the energy for in there but still feeding about 3 times over the 12 hour night. Need to cut back there most definitely!

Hi there.

I stopped breastfeeding completely a couple of weeks ago in an attempt to get my cycle restarted and tic no 2. My doctor advised me to stop the night feeds as this can most definitely prevent AF returning as the hormones are higher at night.

I was so sad to stop breastfeeding. However on the up side, my DS is sleeping so much better as there is no boob to wake up for!!

Still waiting for periods to start again. Getting vv impatient now, still no sign at all.

hi all - what a great thread! still nursing DD1 (17 months) and now period for over two years now (yay!). Am thinking about TTC again - will try for 2-3 months and if periods don't return might wean DD1 although at the mom it doesn't look like she would be thrilled.

wanted to ask those of you who got their periods back already after DC1.. how did it start? I have had a tiny discharge the last days and was wondering if this is some very early light pre-stage of period returning or if it could be from an egg implanting (very hopeful, I know!!). I just remember sth similar when I conceived DD1 - it was a tiny discharge for a day or two that made me think my period was coming and then it went, and a few weeks later I realised I was pregnant. Now I am wondering if it could have happened already? Or could this just be some extra-mild bleeding that precedes the actual period returning?

sorry for going into such details! but i figured this is probably the best place to ask! thanks all! good luck everyone!

Hi sanam
Not sure if about your discharge though could be hopeful!! I'm still waiting for AF but thinking I might poas again sometime just in case. I have been feeling tired and a bit sick but we've all had various viruses so is probably just that.
I did manage to get ds3 into his cot for about a week until the latest virus/tooth started upsetting things and he's back co- sleeping for a while until things settle.
He's 10months now so not long till I can give him cows milk to drink so he'll hopefully want less from me at night!

Are you planning to poas soon too?

i did already first thing but came back negative, might be too early though! need to wait a couple of weeks I think. will keep you updated!

Yes might be worth doing another test at weekend? I think I'll test then if still no AF- we are going away for a few days next week so sods law it will appear in time for that. Once we are back I will be outing ds3 back in own room and hopefully it will go a bit better this time round- he'll be nearly 11 months by then so def big enough to be sleeping through.
I actually dreamt I got a bfp last night so who knows...

Breastfeeding my 13 month old, day and night (at least every 3 hours during day and about 3 feeds a night, over 10 hours). Periods have returned v heavy and long but roughly 40 days apart. Been doing ovulation tests since periods returned (before Christmas) and I don't seem to be ovulating. Went to dr who did a blood test to check my FSH levels. She said they were 28, but did the test on about day 16, not on day 3 as I have since read it should be done. Does anyone know what this all means. I am terriffied it means I can't have any more children. Dr says I should try to concieve for 3 more months and then have a hysterectomy if not pregnant as it means I have hit the menopause. Surely this isn't right and I should at least be referred to a fertility specialist first.

nar
don't listen to your GP, on this occasion they are talking rubbish!! My suspicion would be that your breastfeeding is still affecting your cycles and you may be having anovulatory cycles ie bleeding but no egg released. This can happen for a few months when AF comes back after having a baby. I think the blood tests are not reliable when your are still feeding.
Having you tried night weaning? This might help ovulation start up again. What age are you? I'm sure it's not menopause.

I had a tiny bit of bleeding this morning so I think AF is finally on it's way just as we are about to go on holiday, nevermind at least something is happening!
I plan to start charting temps, cm and cp and hopefully this will give mr more info

Baby still likes to feed at night and have no idea how I would wean her off the night feeds. I am 37, so early menopause is possible. My sister's periods stopped when she was only 32. Don't know if she still ovulates as she has finished her family so hasn't checked.