TTC even though breastfeeding, how do I know when is the optimum time

[Sk1chick]

Midwives tell you it is easy to get pregnant when breastfeeding, but how do I know when I'm ovulating. Do I still need to monitor morning temperature I would prefer not to leave it to guesswork

Bump...watching with interest

I thought BF usually acted as a contraceptive...

So did I, but midwife led me to believe otherwise, saying it was much easier to get pregnant. Think I need a biology lesson - to my mind you can't get pregnant without ovulating, but surely if you aren't having periods you aren't ovulating, don't the two go hand in hand?

You can't get pregnant without ovulating, but you can get pregnant if you ovulate for the first time after giving birth before having a period.

You are much less fertile when bret feeding, if you feed on demand at least every three hours, co-sleep and haven't used bottles, dummies or introduced food bf is 99% effective.

I didn't get my period back until DS was 17 months, but got pregnant on the next cycle.

Interesting. So what exactly did the MW say, Sk1chick?

No period = no ovulating = no pg. But as above your first period could be on its way and you may not know it so you could get pg if your period was coming back. That's why the midwives warn you as you never know when that might be.

When breastfeeding you produce prolactin, which can prevent ovulation. Your body might start gearing up for ovulation, but then not actually going through with it as your hormones might not have gone back to normal. Usually it takes about three months after stopping or reducing breastfeeding to ovulate again.

If you ovulate and you're not pregnant you will get your AF, so if you don't have your period you're most likely not ovulating. Monitoring temperature will tell you if you have started ovulating again.