TTC and still Breastfeeding? You are not alone - come to our bf-friendly cafe for a chat and some cake!

[MisterSafetyCatchIsNotOn]

Over here all breastfeeding ttcers! Welcome to our thread - a place for us to come for support, information and to talk about the extra challenges of ttc while still breastfeeding (or expressing like myself).

I thought I should go ahead and start the new thread as the old one is about to fill up and I didn't want anyone to get lost (hope that's ok Waiting and that you haven't already done this and I just missed it!)

For anyone who is new to the thread or needs a reminder, here are a few links to some useful websites (thanks Waiting for putting these together)

kellymom.com/bf/normal/ttc-while-bf/

kellymom.com/bf/normal/fertility/

www.llli.org/nb/nbmayjune04p114.html

www.fertilityfriend.com/Faqs/Fertility-charting-while-breastfeeding.html

-waves- at everyone

I am 9 weeks pregnant now and feeling sick and tired and miserable- didn't miss this bit! Bf still seems to be ok so sticking with it for now. DD is 16 months.

Can't wait til first trimester is over and it might start to seem a bit more real. Working hours are crazy and looking after a toddler is exhausting and the bf is probably kinda tiring too (though we only do it twice a day).

One great perk is that my boobs aren't bigger or hard or painful like they were first time, which I can only put down to the breastfeeding! I am relishing wearing my normal bras while I can! My boobs went back to their usual size around 12 months after birth and I ditched the nursing bras at that point...

Hi all, I'm breastfeeding my 3.5 year old and trying for no.2. Currently af is late and now when dd feeds I am getting irrationally angry and her hands on me is making me want to scream :(
Nursing aversion common when ttc? I've had one bfn and waiting a few days now for either af or retesting!

Hey everyone! Welcome Vicky

Noticed first bit of ewcm for this cycle today. I'm not sure what's wrong with me, but I'm just not feeling it this month. This ttc business can be trying at times. DS birthday is at the weekend. Not sure if that has something to do with it or I'm just run down and tired. Anyway, enough whinging. Someone's bought me a packet of m&s extremely chocolately milk chocolate biscuits which I'm planning to open imminently to go with my hot chocolate.

Weebairn - so close to first scan. How exciting! Don't envy feeling sick but as peeps says it's a good sign that all is well. I've definitely blocked out the first trimester from DS. Pleased to hear you're still BF!

DS has started biting me again. I think he does it when he's teething. Any tips on how to deal with it? I usually just ask him gently to stop biting mummy without scaring him because he has a tendency to get really upset. And after a couple of days it stops. Not sure it really works and he's been really hurting me this time.

Hellooo, can I join in? TTC number 2 while bf 3month old ds. Nothing like a small age gap

We're officially TTC as if tomorrow, I'm excited and scared all in one! I fell pregnant first month trying in 2011 which sadly ended in MC and then fell first month trying with DS a couple of months later, I'm wondering what this TTC adventure will be like.

Has anyone tried shettles or other methods to try and influence gender for #2?

Hi and welcome Vicky, Orchid and Daley, nice to have some new faces!
Vicky, that sounds difficult - any sign of AF? Are you thinking of testing again soon?

Orchid you couldn't wait til April hey good luck! What is shettles?

Wow Daley that is a small age gap! You are very brave to be thinking about it so soon, I was living in a sleep deprived haze at that stage I think!

Painty you must be due to ov soon, how are you feeling this month?

Happy birthday to your ds mrs! DS used to bite me when teething sometimes too, I used to tell him firmly not to the first time, then if he did it again I would take him off gently and put him down for a few minutes. He never did it for more than a day or so, but the thought of it still makes me wince!

I am 9dpo, not feeling much in the way of symptoms although I have had some period-like cramps already which is not usual for me. I am managing to temp reasonably consistently for the first time this month and temps are still going up at the moment, when do they usually come down again before AF?

You're right Painty, I would like a girl, but healthy is my main priority.

The Shettles method is about TTC at certain times of the month to potentially give priority to girl sperm - I'm not sure I buy into it but as we are only just starting to TTC I'm happy to give it a try. It suggests TTC 4-2 days prior to ovulation and then not again until after your period (assuming you haven't gotten pregnant that month)

I think we'll try it for a month or two, if no BFP we'll probably go back to just having sex as and when

Oh well I might have unintentionally gone for a Shettles approach this cycle then Orchid as DH was away from the day before ovulation - if I do end up preg with a girl then I will let you know the method works! Not actually too worried about the gender though as I hope to have more than 2.

Get well soon Painty! Def a triphasic pattern for me at the moment but I'm not really feeling anything out of the ordinary so not getting any hopes up. I should know by Tuesday anyway.

Thanks for the welcome! I'm so excited :) that'll probably wear off soon I'm not really sure if AF has come back or not. I had a light, pain free bleed lasting about 7 days then a month later the same lasting a day. Before DS, AF was heavy and painful so I have no idea. Bought OPK's so we'll see if I'm OVing when they arrive.

I'm incredibly lucky in that DS is such an easy baby, sleeps through and has done since 7 weeks so I feel like I'll be able to handle two. I'm under no illusion that it'll be easy, just that it'll be worth it in the future. And hey, how much sleep does one person need?

Feel better painty

Going crazy symptom spotting tonight! My sister's Chinese STINKS and so does my favourite pate, this is how it started last time! And I'm crazy hormonal. Probably just projecting though.

Thanks mister and Painty for the biting tips. Had a busy weekend but its should be calmer today. Think I've ov a bit earlier this month more around cd 14 than 16/17. That's more like pre ds, No repeat of last months weebairn efforts but have managed to swi with ewcm. Had a good chat with dh yesterday about bf and we both agreed that although we'd hoped for a close gap between dc enjoying ds and continuing bf as long as possible is much more important.

I'm not very good at doing this on my phone. hope you feel better soon Painty x hello daley! Good luck with ttc. I couldn't think about ttc until ds was around 6 m but would love really close in age babies. Ds only started vaguely sleeping through at 10m. Always impressed when los sleep through early. And a tad jealous! Wouldn't swap ds for anything thou. Oh someone's made a smell. . . Nappy time. Big wave at everyone else!

good luck Painty! Sounds like a good plan. Fingers crossed you ov soon. Just thinking about the managing plenty swi makes me feel exhausted. Still recovering from last month!

Good luck for your 2ww mrs! It's great that your dh is so supportive of the extended bf - my dh has always been happy enough to go along with what I decide but not exactly been encouraging it, I'm not sure he sees the benefits tbh!

Yes Daley get lots of sleep in now in case of 4/6 month sleep regressions - fingers crossed your DS keeps up the good work though! Very jealous as mine still only sleeps through about 50% of the time at 20 months.

Sounds like a good pattern Painty - makes me feel tired just reading it but then I am now at 13dpo and I'm never that interested in sex at this time of the month! My temperatures are still high today, but no real pregnancy or AF symptoms - will see what tomorrow brings. I'm going to try to hold off testing until the end of he week if no AF and temp is still up as I'm not really feeling it this month and don't want to be disappointed!

Keep posting from my phone and it disappears!

I am on day 20 and positive opks day 16 and 17.. Not sure if there was enough swi-too tired! DD still doesn't sleep through and has started saying I can't sleep without mummy milk!

Here we go with 2ww although only 7days to go if cycles are 27 days.

Feeling optimistic this month!

Slow week for me so far. Oh no Painty. Fingers crossed he recovers swiftly!

Oh dear Painty, not another one! You sound like you're both a bit worn down with all these bugs, have you got any time off coming up to recover a bit? Fingers crossed DH is well enough by tomorrow.

No sign of AF yet (was due yesterday or today). I had some cramps yesterday morning so thought she was on the way, then (tmi) felt some leakage on the way in to work so assumed that I was out, but turned out to be large amounts of CM my temps are still high but I don't feel any different to normal, other than hungry all the time. With DS I knew almost immediately as I just felt different, so I'm still not expecting anything this month but I may test tomorrow or Friday if still no AF, depending on how patient I feel!