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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

Anyone conceive while breastfeeding?

31 replies

SunSoakedStone · 14/01/2011 19:58

Struggling with weaning 13-month-old, still having 3-4 shortish feeds a day.

Don't mind the breastfeeding but I really want a second baby.

I haven't used contraception since December '08! Is breastfeeding stopping me getting pregnant?

OP posts:
Guitargirl · 14/01/2011 20:00

I conceived when DD was 16 months and still bf.

Original poster
SunSoakedStone · 14/01/2011 20:32

That's good to know, how much were you breastfeeding?

OP posts:
dottyhenson · 14/01/2011 20:35

twice Smile

StealthPolarStuckSpaceBar · 14/01/2011 20:38

yes, when DS was 18 months, fter only 2 periods, 45 days apart you can imagine how excited I was after the first...)
You can get cheap ovulation sticks from ebay

Guitargirl · 14/01/2011 20:48

Probably about 2-3 times a day by that point I think.

Original poster
SunSoakedStone · 14/01/2011 20:54

that's great everyone, thank you. really don't want to stop breastfeeding if i can still conceive.

OP posts:
StealthPolarStuckSpaceBar · 14/01/2011 21:43

Would you consider tandem feeding? :)

whomovedmychocolate · 14/01/2011 21:46

Twice here two. Miscarried first time, second time produced DS. Tandem fed for a year or so.

pearlgirl · 14/01/2011 21:49

twice here as well. also miscarried first time. still feeding 3 or 4 times a day. got pregnant again witihn 4 weeks of mc and produced ds2

sweetkitty · 14/01/2011 21:53

DD1 was 9 months when I became pregnant with DD2 although my periods had returned since she was 6 weeks old.

When DD3 was 11 months we wanted to TTC#4 but no period so I dropped feeds down to two a day, period returned, got pregnant the next month.

Try dropping just one feed see if that does anything

NannyState · 14/01/2011 21:56

How much sex are you having? Do you know when you're ovulating?

Both of my best friends conceived their second children while exclusively breast feeding their first.

Rindercella · 14/01/2011 21:58

I conceived DD2 when still b/fing 22 month old DD1. I think I was only feeding her twice a day by that point. She self weaned shortly after her 2nd birthday when I was about 10 weeks pregnant.

pulapula · 14/01/2011 22:04

Are you having periods SSS? My periods didn't start until exactly a month after I stopped BF altogether each time (even when I was down to 1 feed a day) so for me, I doubt it would have been possible.

whomovedmychocolate · 14/01/2011 22:17

I had no periods between children pulapula.

Icoulddoitbetter · 14/01/2011 22:21

This is interesting as we've just started to ttc and I'm still BF DS (15 months). But my periods started again when he was 5 weeks old Angry!

I've actually convinced myself I'm pg after trying for two weeks! I've got pains and I'm sure this is how I felt with DS, though it is probably all psychosomatic.........

whomovedmychocolate · 14/01/2011 22:41

Fingers cross then Icoulddoitbetter. I knew with mine as well almost instantly.

whysolate · 14/01/2011 22:46

Yes here too. BF every three hours, day and night. Didn't have any periods and conceived dc3.

Original poster
SunSoakedStone · 16/01/2011 11:29

I was having periods, and actually i did get pregnant but miscarried at 6/7 weeks. I had no idea i was pregnant and haven't had periods since, and cant seem to conceive again. So frustrating!

Having sex EVERY day Wink so seriously doubting im ovulating at the moment, the sticks suggest not.

Yep I would definitely tandem feed

OP posts:
toytown · 16/01/2011 15:06

What is tandem feeding? sorry for ignorance.

MandaHugNKiss · 16/01/2011 15:43

I just conceived whilst bf'ing DS2(10months) - LOTS, especially through the night - currently 6 weeks. Periods returned 3/4 months post partum though.

Knowing if you're ovulating would be helpful; have you considered charting?

MandaHugNKiss · 16/01/2011 15:47

Oh, and tandem feeding is feeding two children of differing ages, toytown So, in my instance, I would continue feeding DS2 until the baby arrives and then feed them BOTH.

Apparently around the fifth month of pregnancy the milk changes back to colostrum and some/many will self ween at that point as they do not like the change. But, for me, if DS2 is happy to continue, then so am I Smile

toytown · 16/01/2011 16:10

oh. Thank you.
My DS is 9mo and I BF but have had to suppliment with formular from 1mo as I didn't have enough of a supply. AF returned in oct but I only ovulate once every 3 months so am due any day now. Symptom spotting like mad too but not testing till the end of the month.
Good luck to all Smile

EauRouge · 16/01/2011 16:16

I'm 35 weeks pregnant with DC2 and still BF DD quite a lot. I became pregnant as soon as DD was nightweaned when she was around 18 or 19 mo, I got my period when she was only about 9 weeks but we didn't start TTC properly until she was about 1 yo.

This is a really good book about tandem feeding and BF during pregnancy if you're interested.

kazmus · 16/01/2011 16:39

Breast fed through her heart surgery at 3 months expressing for intensive care period, continued when she returned home until 17 months, found out at 5 months was pregnant again having not had single period. Even had the polio booster myself before before realising i was pregnant again...result one perfectly healthy new baby who took over the breast feeding. Do not rely on breastfeeding as a form of contraception or lack of periods!

GreenMonkies · 16/01/2011 19:03

Yup!

DD1 was not quite two when I got pregnant with DD2. Periods came back when DD1 was about 14 months, she was nursing morning and bedtime, I was on the mini pill, got pregnant about 6 weeks after coming off it! Tandem nursed until DD1 self-weaned a while ago, DD2 still nurses bedtime and morning.

You're body knows when you are ready to conceive again, slowly cut down the feeds to 2-3 a day and you'll find you get pregnant again. You don't need to stop all together.