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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.

Original poster

Conception whilst breastfeeding

30 replies

Goodasgold · 12/01/2007 21:27

Hello there what are your experiences of getting pregnant whilst breastfeeding? Has anybody done it, if so how old was your bfing baby? and how often were you bfing?

OP posts:
mears · 12/01/2007 21:38

My DS was 7 months old when I became pregnant with DS3. He was on solids but had a breastfeed at each meal and anytime inbetween he wanted. He was sleeping all night so no night feeds.

Original poster
Goodasgold · 12/01/2007 22:47

Maybe no night feeds is the answer.
My dd2 is 9 months and the midwives told me that bf would only work as contraception if I fed her every two hours, which I don't, I work part time. I haven't had a period yet though.

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Jennster · 12/01/2007 23:07

Am 3 months pregnant now not having had a period since before dd was conceived nearly a year ago. Was feeding on demand (3 feeds during day) when not working, and expressing 3 times during the day when working. Was only feeding once in the night and conceived on first occasion of fertile cervical mucus I had felt since dd born.

Am still bf morning and night. Expressing became impossible as soon as I got pregnant. I felt pregnant immediately and knew after 13 days.

HTH and good luck.

Jennster · 12/01/2007 23:12

I read somewhere (think it was this site that gave really good advice.)

Original poster
Goodasgold · 12/01/2007 23:13

Ow ow ow I want a baby so much.
Thanks for posting

OP posts:
Jennster · 12/01/2007 23:13

Sorry just reread post. DD is going to be one next week so whe was conceived 21 months ago not 12

aviatrix · 12/01/2007 23:18

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn

pointydog · 12/01/2007 23:46

good asgold is a hoaxster. A dirty scoundrel

Kristingle · 12/01/2007 23:57

DS1 was 8 montsh and I was still Bf 5-6 times a day as far as i remember. Got pg on first cycle after AF returned

You CAN get pg before you have your first AF because its the end of a cycle not the beginning. i think you can also have AF but not ovulate for the first few cycles. So dont get disheartened if you dont get a BFP for a few months after your AF return

with DS2 they didnt return until nearly 12 months, but he was feeding more in the night

Original poster
Goodasgold · 13/01/2007 00:43

Pointydog do you think I'm someone I'm not?
You are rather horrid about me IYSWIM.

OP posts:
fortyplus · 13/01/2007 00:44

One of my friends has an 11 month gap between her 2 and my bil and sil have a 13 month gap. 2nd babies both conceived when supposedly 'safe' as bf

Original poster
Goodasgold · 13/01/2007 00:48

That's what I always thought fortyplus that breastfeeding was not effective contraception. Just starting to worry, in an ideal world I'd have liked 18 months between dd2 and dc3 and it's not happening, or looking like happening.

OP posts:
Twinklemegan · 13/01/2007 00:50

Are you sure pointydog? I know she said some things that a few of us didn't agree with on the other thread, but that doesn't necessarily make her a hoaxster...

fortyplus · 13/01/2007 00:51

I think it depends on the individual and how much you are bf. I've got 18 months between my 2 but I stopped bf ds1 at 7 months - or rather I should say he gave up.

Original poster
Goodasgold · 13/01/2007 01:24

Thanks Twinklemum.
And thanks fortyplus you were on the otherr thread too.
I didn't actually mean anything to be controversial, I didn't think that anything I posted was more out there than anybody else. The last thing I would want would be to upset anybody.
I am not a hoax.
just like anybody else, love my family and want more babies. Very much.

OP posts:
Original poster
Goodasgold · 13/01/2007 01:25

Sorry Twinklemegan.

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KristinaM · 14/01/2007 20:42

God as gold - trust me , you DONT want 18 montsh gap. I have an 18 month gap between my two yougest and its MURDER

belgianmama · 14/01/2007 20:52

I got pregnant while bf-ing. DS was 15m though when dd was conceived. Have you had any periods yet? Did find it a bit harder to feel if I was ovulating as I did not really have the sore boobs and cervical mucus as when not bf-ing.

Original poster
Goodasgold · 14/01/2007 21:34

No no periods yet. I think I had one when dd1 was 9 months and I fed her more frequently than dd2. I won't be having an 18 month age gap now.
When I had my six week check the gp asked me about contraception and I told her that I would like to be pregnant before dd2 is 1. I am shocked as I thought that breastfeeding offered scant contraception. I really did.
When you were feeding your 15 month lo was it very frequent-any nights? Agree about not feeling like ovulating-nothing.

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foundintranslation · 14/01/2007 21:44

despite very frequent day and night feeds, my periods returned with ds was 6 months, and I conceived twice when he was 13.5 and 15 months (miscarried both pgs, sadly, but the mcs certainly had nothing to do with bf). Was feeding roughly once a night when I conceived.

foundintranslation · 14/01/2007 21:47

13.5 and 15.5 months, sorry. Mc in consecutive cycles.

Original poster
Goodasgold · 14/01/2007 22:54

Sorry about your mcs Foundintranslation.

OP posts:
melpomene · 14/01/2007 23:37

I got pg while bfing when dd1 was 15 months old. She was feeding 2-5 times a day and several times during the night (very bad sleeper at that time). I had just one af before getting pg.

Even if it takes a few months for you to get pg, I think a 2 year (or more) gap is often easier to manage than an 18 month one. A 2 year old is more emotionally mature than an 18 month old (all relative, of course!), better at verbal communication and doesn't need so much physical lifting and carrying, which makes it easier to handle them together with a new baby.

Original poster
Goodasgold · 14/01/2007 23:45

How long did you carry on feeding when you got pg?
I agree that the age gap is not the most important thing, but had also hoped to get pg before a milestone birthday.

OP posts:
fortyplus · 15/01/2007 10:26

18 month gap is hell on earth for the first year, but it's been BRILLIANT ever since! I love having my 2 relatively close together - they're in consecutive academic years and share a lot of friends. Go for it!