Absent AF, screwed up ovulation, luteal phase defects? Sign in for the all new ttc while breastfeeding thread! BFPs guaranteed!

[MrsHuxtable]

As if ttc wasn't nerve wrecking enough, we like the extra challenge of getting that BFP while still breastfeeding a baby or toddler. While this isn't an easy endouvour, it certainly isn't impossible as many graduates on the previous threads prove.

I'm posting a link here for any newcomers about fertility while breastfeeding.

kellymom.com/bf/normal/fertility/

Am also wonderig if you'd like to have some sort of stats for the tread members. I'll just start myself.

MrsHuxtable, 29, ttc#2 from April, on pp cycle 4, luteal phase defect

Just popping in to say hi and join the talk of flashing smileys . I used this when TTC, and found them a mix of helpful and confusing. First month of using them I got the textbook two days of flashing smileys (high fertility) followed by a fixed smiley (peak fertility). Then the next month I got some bizarrely long series of flashing smileys (6 days in total I think) before getting the fixed one. So quite tired of DTD by the end if that! But it did work as that's the month we conceived DC2. Good luck cat.

And good luck with the SWI blackberry!

Eggs - hope you're feeling alright and not too nauseous!

This one:

uk.clearblue.com/clearblue-ovulation-test-range/clearblue-digital-ovulation-test-with-dual-hormone-indicator

And click on 'read your results' lower down the page

Wild waterfalls maybe the manufacturers are playing a joke on us! But your approach sounds good!

Hi all, lurker on this thread, ds is 9months and we're still bf plus blw. He used to feed 1/2 times a night till last night he spontaneously slept through so operation night weaning has commenced tonight. Cuddles on tap,water in a bbottle but no boob...

Hoping this might be the trick to return fertility. Any thoughts? Suggestions?

We don't co sleep anymore unless he's I'll/teething but do baby wear and bf on demand still. That being said his demand during the day has dropped to first thing in the morning and last thing at night plus a biggish feed mid morning and mid afternoon. I do offer him water whenever I think he's thirsty but as soon as he indicates he wants proper boob then I give him that.

I don't want to be unnecessarily strict on nights and aren't bothered on the sleep front but really want him to have a sibling close in age as I did and we get on really well..

Thanks cat, you're a star, I understand now. I think this month once I see the ewcm I shall get bding and hopefully the smiley will just confirm ovulation (assuming it is happening and I'm not just surging).

Hi utopian. Lovely to have you on here

My story is I'm 38, DS is nearly 11 months old. Has been EBF, I co slept till he was three months and also wore him in an Ergo, still do sometimes. My periods naturally returned at three months even though I was still EBF, including copious night feeds.

I went in the pill (really wish I hadn't) and then we started trying again properly three cycles ago, we are now on our forth cycle and god I've learnt a lot lol

I think I ovulate but I'm not sure i have a long enough time after ovulation (LP) for the fertilised egg to implant. I suspect my last cycle my body may have been gearing up for pregnancy but the whole thing went wrong and I got a heavy period instead 3 days later than is normal for me.

So at the moment every cycle is different. I have definitely dropped his morning feed now, he took 4oz organic whole milk from a bottle happily this morn before his toast and porridge. Unfortunately his teeth were giving him trouble In the night so he had a bf before bed at about 7pm (this is usually only about 10 mins long) and then woke me up at 1.40am where he had a 30 min breast feed.

I think for the moment I am going to stick to the evening feed(s) as I feel he needs those antibodies. Also when he is shouting at 2am I don't think I have the strength to try and offer him water or soothing words. I just want to go back to bed lol

I hear you about not having the strength in the middle of the night to do anything but feed! DD had a horrible night, was up at 11, 1, 3 and up for the day at 5! Is back in bed now but means we'll miss toddler group (annoying as it is a bit of a sanity saver, can let her run riot, tire herself out then get a good afternoon nap).

Would go back to bed myself but we have our own company which is very busy at the minute so I'll take the opportunity to get some work done (once I've finished on here!).

Day 27 here, had 32 day cycle last month (first one since AF returned) so no idea how long to expect this one to be. Will test on Monday if no sign by then. No symptoms to speak of, tired and grouchy but we've not had much sleep this week. Some heartburn most nights but that wasn't an early symptom for me last time, didn't really kick in til about 6 months.

Hi blackberry - yes that was me considering having an AP! Really uncertain about it as I am quite a private person, iyswim, and wondering if having a stranger in my home will cause me lots of stress. It would be to help me with nursery drop off and pick up and if DD is sick - DH works long hours so can't do much during the week. Keen to hear your views / experiences! Sorry slight side-tracking of thread!

Had a really good night last night. Seb had an evening feed from both boobs for about 20 mins and then slept through till 6.30am! He then had 5oz whole milk on waking and his normal breakfast

I'm hoping that becomes the routine. Apparently it's the suckling that triggers the hormone that disrupts our usual hormone regulation and the less suckling the less disruption. I'm hoping 20 mins would be classed as not much over a 24 hour period!!

Thanks blackberry. Today has been less successful as he had a feed in the afternoon and is feeding now but keeps dropping off. So it will prob end up being an hour for us too.

I bought pre seed today as I've heard some really good things about it and can do no harm.

Huge fingers crossed for you. I should ov in about 12 days time if last month is anything to go by. Doing my temp charts too so hoping to be able to chart exactly when it takes place and if it correlates to the opks.

We used internet cheapies and they were spot on. You can get them from amazon or eBay.

On impending signs i',be had ewm and headaches now you mention it, but no cramping or actual AF... Ho hum.
He is radically cutting down feeds on his own I think; I have huge rock hard page three boobs this morning.

I can remember when my boobs used to wake me up, they were rock hard until he used to feed.

Well woke up at 3am last night dreaming that he was crying (he wasn't) and could not get back to sleep afterwards! I'm so bloody tired now!!

I am sure Internet cheapies are fine. Just don't convince yourself the evap lines are faint bfps! Only believe them if the second line is nice and strong.

Blackberry I think the cheapies are just as reliable, just not quite as pretty / user friendly. I get them from amazon. Huge difference in price!

Thank you for the AP advice!

DD seems to have spent most of last night bf-ing. Had a tentative plan to wean before new DC arrives but seem to be going in the opposite direction. She's picking up all the nursery bugs at the moment.

Waterfalls I can imagine I would find it a lot more difficult to wean if my child was actually verbally asking me for breast. You have my sympathies xx

Hi all, waves blackberry

I'm on day 4 flashing smiley, day 15. No idea what that means but am trying to pin dh down as much as possible!

Sebsmummy thought I'd share with you although perhaps seb is ok with the cup but we had issues - this week at long last dd had 100ml of bm from her cup, it's the first time I didn't feed her at lunchtime. Have been persevering with cup on daily basis for about 6 weeks, longer still on occasional basis, she suddenly just seems to get it! I'm stupidly excited about this!

Awww bless you! Is this ebm? Fortunately seb took to his cup really well but he won't have anything to do with a sippy cup and has only just accepted a bottle lol. We are working backwards it seems!!!

What's your plan? Are you trying to wean slowly?

My short term plan is to get to 12 months and then maybe drop another feed so we just do evening. Ideally I would like to get pregnant whilst still nursing but I know I maybe one of those people who will not be able to conceive until I wean completely.

Yes it's ebm. I'd like to carry on bf morning, evening and night for as long as dd wants, I just need to get to no daytime feeds which means just dropping the midday feed. I'm happy with this as long as dd can drink something during the day.

We are up feeding all night tonight dd keeps throwing up and has blocked nose, I think it may be teething.

Hi sorry has been a really hectic week ! Finally getting over the lurgy but still (sorry this is totally tmi and in a non ttc way!) gagging a lot from the snot running down my throat! only saving grace is that DH and DD didn't get this one!

Blackberry, IC hpts are good I bought some on ebay for 10p each! Lines faded quicker than the FRs (only a problem if you're gross like me and need to check it's still positive a week later!) I had standard 25IU ones, but some people get supersensitive 10iu ones you can test really early with Great to hear the swi has been going to plan this week too without illness of DS waking up at critical moments

Great to hear from you Wild! Have you had your 12 week scan yet? Must be excited! I'm not feeling too bad thanks, I have an insatiable hunger rather than MS at the moment and reaaaaaaally tired, but that could be just from DDs new waking up time of 5am! Is your DD walking yet? My DD has been walking properly for a couple of weeks now, it's all she wants to do and she is soooooo much happier!

Cate, any fixed smiley for you yet? Great you are getting to dtd anyway And great to hear DD is accepting a cup! We are still fighting that battle!

Great to hear dropping feed went ok Sebs I was contemplating trying some preseed too after hearing such good things! you can try eating grapefruit/drinking juice around your fertile days too to get more EWCM going I tried it last month and seemed to work really well!

oooh ok, I like grapefruit juice so that will be easy lol