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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

Breastfeeding and fertility signs...

38 replies

suzi2 · 28/05/2006 20:17

My DS is almost 10 months old and is breastfed. My AF returned 2 cycles ago (2 AFs - both 28 days) and we are TTC - not overly actively but I'm keeping an eye out as to what's going on!

Last month I had very little fertile CM but we did the deed approaching and including the 14th day. Then I got loads of EWCM for the next 10 days so I wasn't sure if I had been too premature and we DTD some more. Anyhow, no pregnancy. This month I have had EWCM approaching day 14 and am now having a second phase of EWCM yesterday and today (day 17 & 18). My cervix is soft and high.

Can anyone shed any light on this? Could I still be anovulatory but getting AF? I think I might get an OPK next month to check things out as i'm thoroughly confused! Smile

OP posts:
bobblehead · 29/05/2006 16:55

Hi SuziSmile

Sorry, can't shed any light at all as I'm in the same situation, except have only just had first af since giving up breastfeeding! I am cd13 and so far some cm, but seems quite thick (sorry tmi!). I'd say its a good sign your periods seem regular so far, as I know they can take a while to settle down. I have been using an ovulation microscope but so far no ferns so I'm assuming I will not ovulate this cycle. Have also just ordered some opk's cheap off internet.

Good luck, hope you get your BFP soon!

Original poster
suzi2 · 29/05/2006 19:47

Hi bobblehead - is an ovulation microscope one of those things that you lick??? Smile or am I confusing that with something else? Are they cheap/reliable?

I was thinking of getting an OPK or something next month - more out of curiosity to see what's happening with my cycle. When we were TTC DS, I was using persona and was very familiar with my cycle. I ovulated like clockwork and had a 25 day cycle.

I'd just love to know what's going on! I have light period pain the last few days and loads of EWCM so it looks like my body is at least trying!

Hope you get your BFP soon too. Keep me informed of your progress Grin

OP posts:
PINKY8 · 29/05/2006 20:11

Hi,

I don't really have any advice either as i am also in the same situation. My dd is currently 11months and i am on day 15 of my 1st af. I think i may be ovulationg now but i am not really sure, I had a few cramps yesterday and quite a lot of cm so hopfully i will ovulate.

I fell pregnant with my 11 month old dd whilst b/f my first dd who was 15 months at the time, I had had approx 2-3 af before her and they were pretty regular.

This will be the 1st month of ttc for me, I have bought cheap internet opk but my doctore said they are not that reliable???But i will do them anyway as they are cheap.

My doctor also said to me that a sign of no ovulation can be longer and irregular periods than usual and not getting any pms? I did explain to him that i don't really get pms so he said i should watch the length then.He said that if you are usually 28days lateness by 4+ days may be a sign you are not ovulating.

My doctor also said that you can have a blood test to see if you are ovulating but this has to be done exactly 7 days before your next period so it may not be that easy to do if you do not know your cycle length.

I hope this helps, Hopefully we will all have bfp's soon (fingers crossed) :-)

Keep in touch,

Love

Becci xxx

Olivia-34 months
Chloe-11 months

Original poster
suzi2 · 29/05/2006 20:39

Hi Pinky - sounds hopeful then if my af has been regular. hope you get your BFP soon.

bobblehead - I've just read the ISIS scope thread - I want one NOW! Grin

OP posts:
bobblehead · 29/05/2006 23:02

Don't know how reliable they are Suzi, but it is funSmile (and you can justify using them as they last forever!). Not had much luck with my ferning but I suppose I can't expect too much after a year of no af!

cazzybabs · 29/05/2006 23:07

What good is a period if I am not ovulating! Damnnn - had always thought preiods = egg!!!!

Original poster
suzi2 · 30/05/2006 08:17

I had always kind of thought that too - period=egg. My cervix is still high and open. So it looks like I'm still trying to ovulate. But given that AF is due in 9 days I'm not hopeful of anything happening this month!

OP posts:
PINKY8 · 30/05/2006 08:33

I agree i always thought that af=egg. I can't reach my cervix at the moment so we will see.
Suzi2 are you always regular? It could be that maybe your cycle is lasting longer this month, Ovulation is 14 days b4 the start of your next period so it could just be a bit late this month?

Good luck with b/f and ttc fingers crossed we will all get bfp's xxx

Original poster
suzi2 · 30/05/2006 08:56

I've only had 2 AFs since DS and they were both bang on regular. I do recall last month went in similar way too though - so I'm not sure I ov then either.

I've ordered one of those ferny things to play with so hopefully that will help shed some light next month!

OP posts:
AttilaTheMeerkat · 30/05/2006 09:08

Ovulation is not an exact science and you can ovulate earlier, kater or not at all in any given cycle. It is quite possible to have periods without ovulating.

Ovulation does not always happen on the 14th day before your next period; that is just a guide and a very poor one at that!!.

If you do not know your cycle length you can still have a blood test done; in this regard day 3 and 10 are standard tests where both LH and FSH are measured both levels should be compared. It can be done according to calendar days (i.e the 3rd, 10th and 21st of each month).

If periods are irregular it is less likely that ovulation is happening on a regular basis. It is often caused by hormonal imbalances which can be treated.

PINKY8 · 30/05/2006 12:37

Thanks for everyones advice, I am on day 17 so we will see what happens this month. Will you stop b/f when you fall pregnant?

xxx

Original poster
suzi2 · 30/05/2006 12:40

Will hopefully keep feeding DS should it happen. Some of the lovely ladieson breast & bottle feeding forum are proof that you can breastfeed through pregnancy and even feed two children.

OP posts:
compo · 30/05/2006 12:44

Just to say that I always thought I ovulated after day 14 becuse my cycle is usually 35+ days. However with my ds and current bump I have worked out that I probably conceived on day 11!! We just tried to do the deed every 2-3 days for first 2 weeks after period had stopped. Took 4 months the first time, and 2 months the second time

lua · 30/05/2006 12:50

Errr.. I have the opposite problem... I don't want to get pregnant and am still bfing, and haven't had an af yet. However, I have notice all of a sudden EWCM! Now I am worried!
HAs anyone out there had the typical CM changes while bfing and not having AF?

Suzi2 - In the past, when I got preganant with DS I had excessive CM right after I have gotten pregnant. Your cervix will remain high if it was succesful, right? I am keeping my fingers crossed to you

PINKY8 · 30/05/2006 12:53

That would be great, I think b/f through pregnancy is great it is a little tiring but was only for me in the 1st trimester.

I b/f my first dd throughout my second pregnancy and for 1 month after Chloe's birth. I stopped feeding Olivia on her 2nd birthday as she was ready, she only had a 2 min feed b4 bed and i felt that i wanted to stop, I had no problems Olivia didn't get upset or anything even though Chloe was still feeding? Many people said that I should stop feeding when i found out i was pregnant with Chloe which upset me, but i spoke to a few doctors and midwives and they said it was no problem atall. Good luck if you decide to :-)

bobblehead · 30/05/2006 14:36

Hi Lua, I started getting changes in CM months before I got AF (only had one so far..)Tbh I don't think I ovulated before and don't think I will this cycle, but everyone is different so if you don't want to be pg be careful! I noticed a heavy discharge (tmi!) in around the 2 week build up before af, and was actually starting to worry it was abnormal but SIL said that is what happened to her before first AF post-baby.

lua · 30/05/2006 15:03

Pheew...Thanks bobblehead!
I do hope is not a sign of AF comming back though....
I might consider having another one just to get rid of periods! ShockGrin

PINKY8 · 01/06/2006 14:18

How is everyone today?

Hope you are all well,

xxx

titchy77 · 01/06/2006 15:24

Sorry ladies this might sound dumb but can i ask what is "ferny" and what is an ovulation microscope and what does it do?!
I'm new to all this!!!

bobblehead · 01/06/2006 16:42

Hi Titchy, an ovulation microscope is a little microscope (looks like a lipstick!) and you lick the lens and when saliva dries you see a pattern, either just random blobs (not fertile) or ferns around ov time. There is a thread on it called Isis Scope Gang, it has some links on it.

I am on cd16 but fairly certain I have not ovulated so probably won't be happening this month for me anyone else having any luck?

titchy77 · 01/06/2006 16:57

Thanks bobblehead do you know where can i get one of those?been using boots ovk didn't find them very good so brought cb digital which said i was fertile on sun(though not sure if i done it right as it said not to pee for 4hrs and i had but did it anuway!,does this matter?)then i done one mon and it said i wasn't fertile so think i may of missed out on my ov days????

peachygirl · 01/06/2006 17:10

Hi a while ago I sent another poster, fresco, a chapter out of the book 'Fertility' by Clubb and knight which is all about TTC and breastfeeding. I am happy to send this again if your computers can cope wth it. I think I had to send her 7 separate emails as the folder was too huge! you can email me on [email protected]

Original poster
suzi2 · 01/06/2006 21:16

Hiya Pinky8 - no news from me. I would think that if I ovulated at all this month then the absolute earliest (10DPO) I could test would be Sunday. I got a whole load of cheap HPTs with my ov microscope thing (that arrived today) so I might try one early next week. Feeling a bit crampy already so I think that AF will be coming.

OP posts:
peachygirl · 02/06/2006 11:29

Hi suzy, the emails are on their way!

PINKY8 · 02/06/2006 14:09

Hi Suzi,

I think I am 6 dpo so when will be the earliest i could test? I am not sure whether i ovulated this month? Is there any pain when you ovulate?

Thanks,

Becci xxx

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