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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.

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

999 replies

eagle2010 · 28/09/2014 10:33

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.

Seeing as I filled up the old thread I thought I should start the new one!

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). I hope I've worked the links properly.

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

OP posts:
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hideandsqueak · 10/01/2015 17:21

Pear you are so good at explaining things. I hadn't really thought of it in such a logical way but understand now! (Slow learner)

peardrop2 · 10/01/2015 19:32

Hide ~ aww bless, I don't think I'm that good as I never know the technical terms Wink

peardrop2 · 10/01/2015 19:36

Tomorrow is DPO 1 for me. 10 days until AF...that's an extremely short LP Shock Hope that's doable! I got a BFP at DPO 11 with DS.

frazzledtofun · 10/01/2015 20:38

Hello everyone!

Hope you are having a lovely Saturday night!

Pear I don't think that is too short. And you never know your LP might be a bit longer because you ovulated late! Fingers crossed!!

Well I did another OPK and the second line was much fainter again! What does that mean?! Hmm
I have heard that you can get fluctuating hormones before THE surge that means you are about to ovulate but I can't help but feel a little disappointed. Anyway, at least we are off the hook for tonight! And let's see what tomorrow will bring... I am so impatient! I can barely contemplate the fact that I might not ovulate at all for another few weeks or even while I am still breastfeeding or ever again

peardrop2 · 10/01/2015 21:09

Frazzled ~ I really think you need to invest in some Clearblue smiley sticks otherwise the OPKs will drive you round the bend! Grin

frazzledtofun · 10/01/2015 21:56

I think you are right Pear. I have already been thinking that. I will finish this pack of the regular OPKs and will see where I can get a cheap-as-possible CBFM. Which one do you have? The "basic" one? Or the fancy one?

peardrop2 · 10/01/2015 22:08

No I wouldn't get the cbfm. I would buy the smiley sticks if I was you. The smiley sticks are great if you have no AF, want a clear yes or no answer, no idea when you ovulate, you're not confined to a window (hours) to test, they're cheaper long run because you can start testing and stop testing when you want (a cbfm will ask for tests early in your cycle (about cd6 on the first cycle) and won't stop asking when you could be saving sticks eg the day after you ovulated, you can use a smiley stick on any day on any cycle (with the cbfm you can only use one box of sticks for one cycle, I guess they're all coded, so even if you have leftover sticks you can't use them on the next cycle).

Here's the smiley sticks - Digital Ovulation Test Kit Dual Hormone Indicator - (Pack of 20) www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B00BSNL77I/ref=cm_sw_r_awd_JeASub0QRXT0E

frazzledtofun · 10/01/2015 22:23

Ooh! That sounds great Pear - and yes, I had forgotten that CBFM doesn't really work if you don't HAVE a cycle! Thank you! Smile

frazzledtofun · 10/01/2015 22:26

Wow they are quite expensive aren't they! Do you have to buy the whole thing every month?

peardrop2 · 10/01/2015 22:45

That pack has 2 cycle worths. To make it cost effective you could use OPKs and then as soon as you get any sort of line start using the smiley sticks. That way you will probably get 4 cycles worth which is really cost effective! When I used the smiley sticks to get pregnant with DS I only needed 1 pack. I had been trying for 3 months and then brought the smeh sticks (and the cbfm because I was crazy) and fell pregnant on the 4th month. AF hadn't returned after coming off the pill so I was desperate and a bit loopy! A new cbfm on Amazon is 73 pounds! And the box of sticks I have to buy each month is 20-25pounds.

frazzledtofun · 10/01/2015 23:44

Ah OK - that's a good plan Pear! OK I will give them a go! Nothing to lose anyway!!

peardrop2 · 11/01/2015 08:07

Frazzled ~ I'm not so sure I've given you the best plan. The smiley sticks determine 4 fertile days so maybe it's best to use them from cd14 or whenever your cm changes so that you get the best use of the 4 days. Both ways will work anyway Smile

Wow, my back is killing from all the dangling legs in the air action over the last 3 days. I'm feeling old and achey!!! Grin

australopithecus · 11/01/2015 15:25

Grin at pear's legs!

Frazzled, what was the verdict on your faint line? Was the consensus it is definitely a negative-negative, or could it be pre-surge? I bought some kits in the end, and today's test looks like the one you posted a photo of. Confused So now I'm wondering if LH would be in my system at all if I hadn't managed to succeed in kickstarting my cycle? Oh wise ones on this thread, please help?

peardrop2 · 11/01/2015 15:47

So annoying that I could never see Frazzles photo Hmm

australopithecus · 11/01/2015 16:00

Like what a positive pg test might look like. A definite line but fainter than the control. So presumably LH present but not mid-surge.

frazzledtofun · 11/01/2015 17:11

Evening ladies!

Pear I reposted my photo on this thread - go back a page and it's there or look for a thread saying "is this a positive OPK"

Well, I have no idea what is going on. Got all excited and then never got a definitive positive! Tested yesterday and this afternoon and just got progressively fainter lines! So what does that mean?! Hmm
I guess my body was gearing up to try and do it but couldn't quite muster the hormonal power to pull the trigger. But who knows. This is v frustrating! It's like a secret code that I can't understand! Perhaps I will need to wean completely to get ovulation back on track! Sad

Oh well, will keep testing next week and see if it tries again!

Austral fingers crossed your tests get darker over the next few days!!

peardrop2 · 11/01/2015 20:11

I think it's my phone. Can't seem to see photos for some reason ??

peardrop2 · 11/01/2015 21:09

Hide ~ I hope you're drinking wine tonight Wine Wink

zoobaby · 11/01/2015 21:47

Previous poster, turned lurker, making a quick pitstop to say hello to everyone. Really sorry to hear the news of MrsD and MrsC. You've both had a really hard time. I truly hope that 2015 is a far better year for you both!

On the positive note, massive congratulations to gunpowder (so pleased you came back to let everyone know, I was wondering) and june and eagle. Hope everything is going smoothly for you ladies.

Hello to all the new people and congrats to those who have succeeded already. So glad that this thread continues to flourish as I found it really helpful in cheering/distracting me at the start of last year.

Over here we're no longer BFing. Milk dried up very quickly after becoming pg and there were a few weeks of dry nursing and it was getting more uncomfortable. Then over the course of about a week we had the "big boy" chats every night. We actually stopped the night the clocks went back and I just decided on the spur of the moment to see whether he'd cause a fuss. Gave him lots of cuddles and before I knew it he was sleeping. He asked for milk the following night, but no requests from then on. He was very reasonable and civil about the whole thing and I think I was more upset than him! So it was something like 2 years, one month and 4 days of BFing! Phew - wish I could count up all the minutes spent sitting in that glider chair (or maybe it's best not to know).

We're at 26 weeks now and found out at the 20-week scan that we're expecting a little girl. Six weeks down the track and nothing on the names front. It's frustrating because we agreed so quickly with DS, whereas this time we can't even really narrow down the list yet. I'm finding that girls names are so much harder, with much more range and scope. But we'll get there - after all there is a deadline!

I wonder if anyone on this thread would be happy to describe their experience in establishing BF after having a CS delivery? Surely it's similar to VB right? As in, bloody hard and painful before you both hit "the sweet spot" and it all falls into place? I'm leaning more and more towards requesting a CS this time due to trauma experienced first time round (I spent so much time and energy in TTC I barely thought about how baby would make his/her entry into the world, but the scans have a knack of sharpening your focus).

hideandsqueak · 11/01/2015 21:47

I don't think you can see photos on your phone if you are on the app?

I'm really off the wine I think I had too much at Christmas and now just need a month of fruit tea and relaxing scented baths. Grin

mrsdiddlydoo · 11/01/2015 22:29

Thanks zoobaby. Surviving here. Quite impressed with my determination to keep going tbh despite the set backs. So pleased to hear you're keeping well. 26 weeks?!! Where's that gone! You'll be on maternity leave before you know it.

Really good to see the thread's got busier. Hope those bfp for 2015 start rolling in soon. Welcome back eggs! Hope AF returns soon.

Actually popped by to see if madrigals has been by. . .

peardrop2 · 11/01/2015 22:35

Hide ~ I don't blame you. Jan is the best time to detox and help your temple TTC body along Wink

peardrop2 · 11/01/2015 22:42

Ahhh that explains why I can't see photos then as I'm using the Mn app

NewToAllThis11 · 11/01/2015 23:22

Hi all

zoo your description of the 'big boy' chats is so sweet. My own DS is only really interested in feeding first thing in the morning at 18months. Think I'll definitely be sadder than him when he stops. Also, re bf after a CS: I had a EMCS with DS (who was premature), so my experience was more complicated, but I don't think it makes any difference whether birth is vaginal or CS in terms of milk production. It was fine, after a while, for me.
Sorry, that's probably not very useful!

My theoretical 2ww (although not really due to v. irregular cycles) is up tomorrow so am testing in the morning. Not very confident though. Don't feel pg.