Ttc and still breastfeeding? Thread #3: Pull up a chair for some support from others on the journey!

[auroraboringalis]

Yes, we know all about how emotional and hard it can be! All the pros and cons, all about missing Aunty Flo's and wtf cycles with no ovulation, all about children being cute and pointy. No matter if you are five months or twenty months down the breastfeeding timeline, if you're ttc again, this is the thread to join! Welcome!

Oh Ava I think what you say about temping giving you someone warning on what may lie ahead does really help (I'm still trying to take my results with a pinch of salt)! And I know exactly what you mean about going past deadlines...although that hasn't seemed to have calmed me down lol I think I was calm for a week or two after Christmas when I had a 2015 baby in my head but then that quickly passed and I went back to being crazy TTC lady again post January Well done you for not symptom spotting! That is so impressive!!! Already I am symptom spotting an it's only the beginning

Did I mention that my Clearblue box has arrived? I haven't opened it as I am guessing it has similar things to Mumof1's box and thought it would be a treat for CD1...how sad am I for thinking that lol Anyway, at least I won't be shelling out on sticks next month and I'll be treating myself to a pedicure instead

So glad to hear your CB goodies finally arrived, Pear! And enjoy that well-earned pedicure

Arghhhh! Have woken up in night with annoying stitch pain which is now making me wonder. Don't symptom spot pear!!!!!!!!!!

Oh bugger. So my temp was a steady line, then took a big dip (below my steady line) and then got higher then my steady line 3x and now it's gone back down to my steady line. Not good news is it I think it's meant to stay up above my steady line.

Uughh - I'm at work and AF has suprised me with a nice visit a whole day earlier than expected I'm not at all suprised though really, my temp plummeted this morning (to where it fell right before AF last cycle) and I have awful cramping...

Plan of action - stay positive the sooner she arrives the sooner she'll leave. We are on hols next week and I'm thinking there couldn't be a better lead up to ov with all the distractions for DD ... and ice-cream My hope is that she will feed a LOT less and that my progesterone will be higher as a reault. I shall continue to take my bbt every day while we are away and keep fx. This cycle is my very last chance to have DC #2 while I'm still 35 btw...x

Pear, as long as it goes back up after going down, and stays above your cover line, I wouldn't read too much into it x

Oh Ava I'm sorry she crept up on you. How long was your LP this time? You won't believe this but I'm also going on holiday the week after my AF is due I don't understand what my cover line is. I'm not very good at this temping lark I think your positive plan sounds like a good plan A holiday is the best way to make time fly and you can relax and enjoy whatever food or drink you like (I know you'd prefer a baby though!)

My lp was 13/14 days this cycle

Your cover line will be a line just above the majority of your temps in the first half of your cycle, I think. Ignore blips or anomalies. It's not an exact science esp. when you're awake with a lo during the night - I just use it as a rough guide

Ooh, hadn't even thought about all the extra holiday calories during the first half of my cycle also aiding my plan! Must eat ice cream - it's for baby!!! haha!

Hope you have a lovely hol x

Ava - that's an amazing LP! what a improvement! You must be chuffed to see that lengthen! My AF is due on Monday so I'm hoping with a late OV date that AF will be delayed if she has to come, it's been that way in the past.

How's everyone else doing? Busy lead up to bank holiday weekend no doubt?

I'm feeling very much in limbo but I have a few busy days planned ahead which should help keep my mind off the 2ww. Today in toddler class a mum with 2 Dc announced her 3rd pregnancy. She looked so well. Hard to believe she is pregnant again with a 3 year old and 1 year old already keeping her busy. Not at all

Uh got my LP wrong by a day - with AF arriving early it should be 12/13 days now. Still, better than last month

One more day in work for me, then taking DD to see a show Friday, and packing like crazy all weekend for our hol next week

Keeping fx for you, Pear

Hope everyone else is good?x

Ava - That's still a great LP. I think next month will be your lucky month now that it looks like your body is settling. A perfect early February baby before Valentine's Day Good luck with the packing and have a lovely relaxing holiday eating lots and lots of ice cream

hmm, after a colleague last week 'advised' me to 'get a move on' due to the benefits of having children close in age another colleague, male, who isn't even based at my office just asked if/when are we going to have 'another one' ... "Just bear with me while I check my crystal ball"... Both had kind intentions I'm sure, but I am not going to discuss my ttc with colleagues ffs. I only work 2 days a week so that's 2 comments in 4 days. It's hard to keep a smile plastered on my face and appear nonchalant about it. Oh to have that placard I 'joked' about making in the last thread handy, eh?...

Oh and sugary treats were brought into the office by someone celebrating their birthday today. As I practically tore into the box of donuts and joked that I couldn't get to them fast enough (I blame AF ) the birthday boy 'joked' "oh that's a sign" and laughed. He actually outright asked if I was pg recently too, when I absentmindedly brushed my abdomen during a conversation about work...grrr!

Sorry, rant(s) over x

FYI about someone thinking I am pg - I'm a size 12, was wearing skinny jeans and a smart/fitting top and don't look pg (as far as I'm aware, anyway ) x

Sorry af got you Ava And how rude of your colleagues! People can be so thoughtless!

Ava & pear hope you both have a lovely holiday. We are away for the BH & ive got to take my opks & urine sample pots with me... So romantic!

Pear, I had the same experience - also met a lady with 2 LOs pg with her 3rd! Very

Pear that's so funny you say that as I treated myself to a pedicure too! Was a bit annoyed though as I had bought 20 CB digital opks from amazon & when the free ones arrived I wanted to return the others but they were charging something ridiculous like £7 for postage so I didn't feel it was worthwhile returning them - will just save them for next month!

Sorry for the essay! Hope everyone is well

TBH Mumo, I have in the past said something along those lines to someone, innocently. Since ttc I now realise the plight some people go through and I try to be so sensitive to others and choose my words carefully when the topic comes up in conversation with people I don't know v.well. You don't know what struggles other people have had or are going through, so I tend to err on the side of caution so as not to have an awkward moment...but I once asked a lady in playgroup if she'd like more lo's and she said she couldn't as her mother had passed away since she had her DD so she wouldn't have the help with a newborn she'd had first time round... x

Evening everyone. Sorry I haven't posted much recently. I've been lurking keeping up though.

AF got me on Monday so no miracle bfp in the wtf cycle. At least my cycle seems to be back on track.

Ruth I can't see that Kate breasted for very long as she and William left George at home while they went on a second honeymoon when he was just 8 months old. I couldn't have done that. Haven't even had more than a night away in 2 1/2 years!

Ava - Oh Ava ?? It's so tough when you get asked questions. The thing is once you've had dc1 EVERYONE just assumes that gives them the key to start poking around to find out about DC2! You've got to admit that It's exciting news when you hear that someone is growing their family (unless you're TTC) and of course it is also hot gossip in the office! I know because I'm guilty of asking others at some point of time ?? All the questions Absolutely sucks for all of us currently TTC #2 though doesn't it!!!!!!! I did crack a little smile when you said that you had been rubbing your tummy ?? Won't be long until you'll have a real tummy to rub! Hold onto that thought ??

Mumof1 - have a fab BH away with your sticks ?? Don't worry if you fall pregnant this month, you can EBay the unused sticks and get your money back for another pedicure ??

Ruth - I am a big supporter of the duchess of Cambridge but it really annoyed me how she was seen to be bf but then went out on what felt like lots of public events in the early days, especially evening ones. It made me feel angry because I knew it was soooo unlikely that she was exclusively bf as I couldn't even go to dinner when I was at that point. However, I now understand a bit more about the whole experience from comparing my bf experience with friends. A lot of my friends were v keen to go out for dinner weeks after birth (some on holiday without Dc) and they were able to do this because they either expressed a lot, didn't bf or gave formula milk at night. None of these applied to me which meant I felt like an outcast but now I know that actually I was just doing the best thing for my child at the time. If I could have produced lots of milk then I would have probably expressed and given 1 bottle of express milk a day to give me a bit of freedom but that's not my body so that wasn't an option and my DS point blank refused any bottle on the market anyway (breast is best in his eyes and so it should be). It will help me a lot next time knowing what is to come and how long it will take to have freedom back (salon visits, dinner out and then eventually a night away). I'll have much better realistic expectations of myself and can tell friends and family upfront that I won't be doing xyz and I'm very proud of it because feeding my little chicks is the best thing in the world. Better then any dinner, drink or night away ?? I'm not convinced Kate bf for that long (maybe 5 months tops but probably more likely weeks). If she did even bf then good on her...too many don't!

Mary - Not the news you wanted but Woop Woop to getting back on the saddle and starting a fresh! Here's to May

Pear your early bf experience sounds a lot like mine. Dd cluster fed like crazy for the first few weeks. I really doubted myself when I saw other new mums having nights out so early on. I'm so glad I stayed in with her now though. I'd love to go back to those early days of cuddling and feeding to sleep. I've got the rest of my life to go out!

Oh Mary I know! The early self doubt stage was dreadful!! I wish I had looked for a bf Mumsnet thread for support on those long early nights just to be assured that I was normal How on earth I will cope if dc2 requires the same amount of feeding attention I just don't know! It took 6 weeks to find a lactation consultant to spot ds's tongue tie...I wouldn't have that delay again as now I know who to pay so that's 6 weeks less stress! I was also hoping for a Jan/Feb baby as this is DH's less busy period at work so he would have more time to help which would be wonderful for us all. Fx fx fx!!

Dh did virtually everything for me in those early weeks. I remember eating my dinner with one hand, holding a latched-on baby in the other. Food pre-chopped up and luke warm in case I dropped any on her head!
Those were the days.....

Oh Mary!! Hahhaha omg I forgot how you can't even eat with two hands ?? I remember buying myself a big plastic cup with a straw because of the ease of not having time to refill and only having one hand to drink! My DH went to work after 3 days because he runs his business...just wouldn't be able to happen next time!

My CBFM is flashing m for AF. Wow after 6 cycles it still doesn't know me at all lol

Oh yes, the constant hunger and thirst when you're ebf. I ate like a horse and still lost my baby weight. I had better be able to bf next time too! Trouble is, I'm still eating loads but only feeding dd once
a day