Breastfeeding ds 23 months and TTC no2 for 12 months. Should I worry?

[Jakeyblueblue]

Hi, I've also posted in breastfeeding as wasn't sure where I'd get the best audience!
I'm still bf my pfb at 23 months. I've fed on demand from the start and still do, we also co sleep and I'm very pro extended bf. I've made no attempt to curb his nursing and nurses mainly for comfort throughout the day (when I'm not at work) and when he likes overnight. I really don't have any problems with it continuing but been TTC number two since ds was about 13 months and nothing. Not sure If I should be worried or if its def the continued bf?? Was hoping for some advice from others who've been there.
AF returned when he was 11 months and coincided with me returning to work part time. It took one or two months for things to settle down and have had a short LP some cycles. But the last few months AF is pretty regular and LP seems to be lengthening. Consistently 10 days but this cycle was an impressive 13. Def Dtd enough too as charting.
Has anyone struggled ttc whilst bf even though they were having regular AF? It did take some time for ds and I'm getting a bit worried that I'm resting on my laurels thinking its all to do with bf when it might be another problem. I have no intention if weaning to conceive. Ds is too attached and doesn't quote have the understanding for me to start bargaining with him to stop or reduce. He'd just think I was being mean and I'm not prepared for it to end with tears as its something we've both loved.
Do you think I ought to go the gp and discuss? Maybe ask for initial bloods to check ov and progesterone and stuff? Reluctant as I think they will just tell me to wean. Not sure what to do??
Thanks in advance.

There's no harm in nipping along to the gp for a once over BUT it's normal for it to take a year, regardless of bfing. My gp when I was trying to conceive first time round wasn't British and said that where he's from they give it 2 years before they investigate as 12 months really isn't indicative of a problem in most cases. I was about to start primary investigations after 14 months and fell pregnant. BUT if you've been trying for 12 months and you're anxious, see your gp for a few routine blood tests to see if you're back to normal ovulation yet.

It is of course normal for it to take a while for your cycle to settle while still bfing. My periods came back while feeding dd and I know for a fact that while I was ovulating, I wasn't fertile. My lp was 4 days at first and slowly lengthened over time. It took months for it to be more than 10 days. This is normal and still part of your body cleverly protecting against two pregnancies close together. DS is 21 months and my periods came back at 12 months. My cycle is normal ish but my luteal phase still has a couple of days to lengthen to get back to my true norm. It sounds to me like your body is just settling back down and given that it takes a wee while to get pregnant generally, it's likely a combination of those factors.

No harm in seeing the GP as I said but I wouldn't wean either. You could consider cutting out night feeds if you really wanted to feel like you were doing something but I understand how important night feeds can be (ds isn't giving them up yet either) and I'm not sure you need to even consider it anyway.

There is a blood test they do when you're getting fertility treatment which shows whether you've got the hormones right to conceive (not just the anti-mullerian/FSH you get when you see the GP). In other words, the hormones that are suppressed when you're breastfeeding. Mine showed I was fine when still giving mine a feed a day at 19 months, but I had deliberately cracked down in order to optimise my chances of conception.