TTC and still breastfeeding? Thread # 5 - Positive Vibes!

[peardrop2]

Peardrop - age 33, TTC cycle #9, DS is 26 months (stopped bf soon to be 4 months ago). Af returned when DS 14months, currently on CD14 and have had 4 flashing smileys. Praying for a static smiley tomorrow! Dangling legs in air!

Lea - have you tested again this morning?

Dpo 9 here. Once I get to Monday I will feel like the end is in sight. Good news next week would be very very welcomed because I have a serious case of the blues. I'm actually wondering if I'm suffering from PMT this month which I've never really noticed before! Would 8dpo be the right time to suffer or does it normally show the day before AF arrives? Just occurred to me that I'm now 5/6 days away from AF so maybe that explains why I'm so emotional this week.

Just did this ov test it's my first for a few days, so could it be either side of a surge or do they only get darker before?

That's - without temping you just won't know for sure I get 2/3 days of my ic looking like that. Have you been did? Definitely need to tonight

So, my gums are bleeding which is weird. I just bit into some cheese and saw blood I've read that bleeding gums is a sign of high progesterone levels. Normally my gums bleed when I brush my teeth around the two week wait but not on their own without brushing I know I say this every month but I really don't know how I'm going to cope with the disappointment of a BFN again

Ahhh just discovered that DH has Wednesday off so I'll be testing at home with him on 13dpo

DH is away tonight of course, typical isn't it! Have to be tomorrow instead, it's ok though, I wasn't expecting anything to happen for ages so hopefully won't be disappointed if we miss this month. It probably sounds stupid but in my head I'd like a subsequent to be born after DSs 2nd birthday which would mean conceiving in October onwards.

Glad you'll get to test with him there - symptoms sounding promising

That's - No it's not stupid I completely understand having a certain picture in your head!! I did the same thing last year when I started TTC dc2. I wanted to avoid an August baby and thought it would be nice to fall pregnant when DC1 was 2...4 months later!! Just be careful not to pin all your hopes on that dream as it's rather heart renching when it doesn't happen!!

So, I don't know if any of you remember but my skin was a real mess before AF arrived last month. This month at 10dpo, not 1 spot! Such an extreme opposite! I am incredibly emotional though and very short fused so I can't rule AF out. I'm really pleased with myself for not testing today. I really really want to save money on wasted sticks this month.

How is everyone else? Hope you're all having a lovely weekend!

Just done an ov test and it's much later so I'm guessing the peak must have been around Friday. Never mind, all a good sign I guess and might give me a rough idea of when to expect AF?

Much lighter

I've been a bit naughty and just looked up how pregnant I would be (going on my long crazy cycle) according to a doctor. I like to torture myself on the 2ww. Just for fun

I've had a hot bath and I'm going to be now. Not too late woop woop! Roll on dpo11 tomorrow!!!

That's - all I can say is that Ava fell pregnant and she only dtd once and claims it was 5 days before she OV'd so you never know I would not be surprised if you announce a bfp in 2 weeks and I'm still here in limbo land!

The 2ww is the worst! You're being strong not testing early

11dpo and flushed really quickly this morning. That's - I can't tell you hard it is not to test but I also don't want the sadness that comes with bfn!

Can I join please?

DD1 20 months, and to TTC I have cut down massively on bf in the past month to get AF back. Now, I try and only do bedtime, 1 night feed around 3 or 4 am, and morning. AF returned this weekend, but only 7 days after ovulating and very light. In that month, we managed one week where DP did all night wakes so I did no night feeds at all. But, he was so tired, I had to go back to doing the 3/4am wake (and I can't convince DD to not bf at that time - motivation is low when you're half asleep).

It took a lot of work to cut down bf to where I am now, and she still puts her hand down my top lots and lots. I can cut out the morning one next, but going to be really hard work to ditch the night and bedtime one. I have tried night weaning several times.

For DD1 it took me 3 months to conceive.

I'd appreciate experience on whether I should just wait and see if things improve with my cycle next month with just cutting the morning feed, or if I need to do something more drastic (wean everything, or all except bedtime).

I'm 35, so I really want to get it to happen quickly now.

Hi Espresso, I got my BFP recently and just wanted to let you know that my cycles improved over time without dropping any feeds so it is possible. However, everyone is different as Pear will no doubt tell you! Good Luck.

Hi Espresso, I have just come off the pill and am currently feeding at morning, nap time and bedtime; it doesn't sound like you're doing that many feeds, not like you're feeding constantly through the night? Hopefully like ispy said your cycles will sort themselves quickly

Well done Peardrop. Best of luck for Wednesday

Welcome Espresso. Our feeding schedule is similar to yours. Seeing as I'm not pregnant yet (though only TTC 1 month) I can't comment on the effectiveness.. I'm going to try for maybe 3 months and then reassess and perhaps be more proactive about weaning. I'm 34.

Tested again on Sunday and BFN so I'm out this month. I know that the odds are against getting pregnant first month trying, but we managed it twice before so I think I was secretly harbouring a notion that we'd manage again.. oh well! Trying to think of positive practical reasons why next month would be better.

11dpo - AF arrived this morning. That's how I feel!! A 36 day cycle makes it a long wait my LP was shorter this month which took me by surprise!!

Espresso - hello. You've talked about how you feel. My only advice to give is do what makes you happy. I stopped BF in March because cutting down didn't help me fall pregnant and I am desperate to have another one. It took me 4 months to conceive DS1. AF arrived back at 14 months when I was feeding 2x a day. When I first started using ovulation sticks a year a go they won't picking up anything so maybe I wasn't ovulating. I've been ovulating for the last 6 plus months and still nothing. My doctor says you can only say I've been TTC since I stopped BF so it hasn't officially taken a year. Some people fall pregnant really quickly and some take longer. My mum asks me if I wished I had stopped BF sooner. The answer will always be no. I stopped at the time that was right for me and DS. He would have never stopped so I had to tell him that we won't feeding anymore but we could hug instead. He was 22 months and he understood. I think it helped him that he knew I was still there. It was just a comfort thing. Like right now he is napping with the car key and a book

I have wine and the new dairy milk chocolate that you can smash. I'll be requiring both tonight. I'd rather be pregnant though. I think we will try one more month and then think about taking a little break because I seriously don't know how much more I can take of this!! If I have a break it will be over Nov/Dec and I'll start again in January.

Espresso - sorry I meant you've not talked about how you feel about cutting down

Also, even if you cut down. Don't expect to fall pregnant straight away. So many women on here have fallen pregnant really quickly. It's given me such false hope. I think it's better to know that it can happen either way. Hopefully you will join the quick line and not the slow line like me. Just be mentally prepared for both and then it will be a lot easier!

Sorry for AF Pear, gutted for you :(

And sorry for your bfn elle has AF showed or are you still technically in the 2ww?

I had BFns too, no AF yet but my temp has dropped back down today so expecting to show up soon... though it may not because my ov is speculation really lol!

Hi Espresso, welcome :) I hope everything settles down for you without cutting down. I cut down and stopped and had no effect on my cycles but since found that my ovaries are polycystic so probably stopped for nothing. Its a hard decision to make, but i was planning to slowly cut out feeds until i got an improvement in cycles. I know you've said you have tried but i think the night one is one of the best to lose first as will give you a long stretch without hormone fluctuations. TBH though, all of us on here have seen some get bfp without cutting down, some cut down a little, others a lot and some have to stop completely, seems completely different for everyone.

pear and elle and enjoy your wine and chocolate. Gutted for you. leamice hope AF decides not to show!

Woke up this morning and thought about poas. Clearly still getting my head around AF arriving early

Still no AF here, I woke up after having a vivid dream about being preggo and going for 12 week scan, I thought it was a sign so POAS but BFN :(
Im actually going a bit crazy ttc! I was so hoping my cycle was back on track but I'm guessing its not. Still have over a month until my gyno appointment too.

Hello all,

sorry for the long silence, and all round to those where AF has recently arrived. Pear, i hear you on taking a break, i am thinking about that too.

I was trying to update the day of the site hack, and then got locked out, v busy at work, been on holiday (which was great!) etc. Should be v busy at work right now, but still.

I've gone down the private gynae route. I have not fessed up that i am still BFing, just asked the Breast Feeding network if what i'm being prescribed is ok.

Last cycle she boosted by ovulation, i had really good EWCM, she confirmed ovulation with a scan, well timed DTD, she proscribed progesterone to treat my spotting in luteal phase. So less of that. Felt v positive, but AF arrived on day 27.

This month she thought i hadn't yet ovulated on day 12 (which would be usual for me) so gave me something to boost that. Had LH surge day 14, gynea confirmed ovulation day 15. Well timed DTD and i'm on a higher dose of progesterone. not such noticable EWCM this cycle though.

Also on holiday i cut down breast feeding a lot, ditching the morning feed, and as i wasn't at work, no welcome home feed. I've managed to make this stick now we're home and it really is one feed a day now, at bedtime.

I can see a path to stopping entirely now (which before seemed to hard on DD). If no success this cycle i will probably take a break for a cycle or two. Gynae is not cheap! Some days i can imagine stopping, other days my heart breaks for DD. She still asks for boobs most mornings, although she is accepting when i say no.

I will be away one night for work this week, so we will see how that goes. I think DH doing bedtimes for a good few days might be necessary if i stop entirely. Although, all other feeds she has skipped herself a few times before I've stopped them. That has not happened when I'm putting her to bed yet.

It's hard, i so wanted her to stop on her own timetable. But i'm starting to think it is time to focus on the big picture priority of giving DD a sibling, which i will be fabulous for her.