TTC while Breastfeeding (or recently weaned!!) regular cycles and baby dust this way!

[expatvet]

Hi guys... here we are, shiny new thread for all those TTC while breast-feeding or recently weaned (for pumpkin and I!!)

come on over!

Hi anatidae sounds like we're in exactly the same situation, though your LO is a tad older than mine.

Welcome aboard!

I can imagine its difficult to stop breast feeding, especially when I can see my DD gets a lot of comfort from it & I love the close cuddles. We're trying to minimise night waking as both DH and I are exhausted with multiple night wakings. Has anyone tried giving water over night rather than BFing? DH thinks this will be the answer, though I'm sceptical tbh.

Dolphin I never used opks when ttc#1. Sadly the not drinking during the day requirement wouldn't be an issue as I'm pretty terrible at drinking fluids during the day

hey eclectic I've tried offering my LG water at night & she just gets annoyed, BF is such a comfort thing for her. But you might have more luck with ur LO!

Welcome anatidae :)

Eclectic DS was 22 months when AF returned, but he was probably still feeding around 5 or 6 times in 24 hours till then.

I don't use OPKs as just want to keep things as relaxed as possible at the mo and would never manage going a few hours without a drink, struggle if I go a couple of hours without fluid. I've always been thirsty, but breastfeeding has made me worse.

I'm hoping once DS's last 2 molars are through he won't be waking at night so much. Recently it seems to have been v wet nappies/leaks that are waking him, but still wants a feed back to sleep after a change, so gone up to 5+ nappies though tbh even they aren't cutting it some nights and may try some size 6.

Well AF finally rocked up this morning on CD37 . Thank God that cycle's over. I hated not knowing what was going on. Definitely ordering more opks and maybe even replacing my BBT thermometer which disappeared and giving temping another go. The frustration of last week was compounded by hearing that two (yes, two!) of my NCT pals are pregnant and due around our babies' second birthdays! To be completely honest, it's probably for the best that I'm not joining that little group, as if it takes a bit longer there's more chance my daughter will be walking by the time a sibling arrives (she has Down's, so is taking the milestones at her own pace - she's a mean commando crawler though!). But still underlines how many people seem to find conceiving DC2 a walk in the park, and I get the feeling it'll be a bit more of a slog for us.

Oh, and so far have completely failed on any resolve to cut down the breastfeeding!

It must be a relief that AF showed Curlie, I was like that with my 49 day cycle. Hoping this one isn't so long!

Difficult hearing others' pregnancy new isn't it, especially when it seems to have happened so easily. Know someone currently pregnant with #2 who wasn't even trying and then they couldn't be bothered to use condoms one night and what do you know, she conceived just like that! But at least it sounds that delaying number 2 might work in your favour, so good to look at it that way.

I only really decided to cut back big style on breastfeeding when DS turned 2, that's how long I'd wanted to feed for and had never imagined he'd still feed so frequently. The trigger was really the day he managed fine without me the first time I left him all day with DH, so just decided to keep going with no daytime feeds. I'm sure you'll be able to cut back on breastfeeding when the time is right for you both :)

Hello!
DD is 13months.. still breastfeeding..Alot!
Af returned after 3months despite ebf?
We didn't plan on ttc until dd was about 23months..but this month we have just dtd twice in the last 2days both knowing full well im ovulating in the next few days. Still have ovulation tests from last time and did one today and the line is dark but not as dark as the control yet.. i feel slightly mad to be embarking on this journey again hehe

Welcome BlueSpottyTiger and good luck! Now obviously feels a good time for you to ttc :) Would have liked a smaller age gap, but af didn't return till 22 months, so couldn't have less than 2y 7m, hoping for around 3 y now if possible.

Think DS still fed every 3-4 hours in day at around 13m and then the toddler in him kicked in at 15m and he wanted to feed every hour given the chance. Looking back I think if I hadn't kept feeding on demand he might not be feeding so much still at 26m, but we're getting there :) Feeding mainly at bedtime and then overnight, but think overnight has bigger impact on fertility, so may need to look at that a few months down the line if we don't get a bfp.

I'm pretty sure this is just Yet Another Grim Virus from kindergarten or psychological, but we stopped using contraception at the weekend and I've been puking since two days ago...

I had HG in my last pregnancy and was also puking from days after conception. But surely the chances are minescule if I haven't had a period yet??

Guess I'll find out in a couple of weeks but it would be insane if I was....

Hi all, can I jump on too please?? DS is 7mo, we want a small age gap so haven't bothered with contraception since he was born. AF still not back though so nothing likely to happen imminently - although Anatidae you've given me hope (good luck!)
DS is a big boy and loves his food, bf probably 3-4 times through the day and usually wakes once or twice a night, so we're not really feeding that much - I expected AF back by now; came back at 4mo with my first, who fed constantly! Just a waiting game I suppose. If we get to ~10mo and still nothing I'll probably think about winding down the bf - hoping it doesn't come to that as I'd like to carry on!

Fingers crossed for you anatidae! My first health visitor told me of several mums she currently saw who only had 10 months between their kids - I guess they probably weren't breastfeeding, but shows that getting pregnant before your first period is more likely than you might expect! Hopefully this time round you'll have an easier ride as far as sickness goes.

Good luck Fourforyou! Hopefully you won't have to give up breastfeeding till you feel ready :)

How are you doing anatidae?

Hope AF is nearing the end for you Curlie. I've found since periods returned mine are heavier, still last a week, but are less painful than before DS.

Anyone got anything nice planned for the weekend? DH is away on a stag do, but think fertile period has been and gone so not missing any critical dtd time :)

Still feeling awful :(
I wonder if It's my periods returning? Lots of cramping too. Toddler up teething so have had virtually no sleep for a few days which doesn't help. Good luck to all!

Sorry to hear you're feeling so rough :( And up with teething too, that's hard at the best of times. Hope you feel better soon or at least get a bfp :)

Anatidae- were up with teething too!
Dd got 4 teeth in 3days last week and another 2 coming through now... so tired being awake everyhour comfort feeding!

Can i ask a stupid question?

• if I'm still bf'ing if and when i have another baby will my milk be as nourishing for the second baby as it was for dd when she was born as shes still feeding? Like will i have colostum again??? Im confused.

Hi, can I join? Dd1 is 18 months and no sign of period yet. She still feeds loads and I don't want to try night weaning just yet. We've been ttc (sort of) for last few months but no signs of ovulation. Is anyone else in this situation? I'm trying to eat as healthily as possible to get my nutrition levels up, taking pregnancy vitamins and folate.

I've been reading up on relative metabolic load, and am trying that theory. Basically, you don't need to drop feeds, you just need to eat more to signal to your body that you have enough resources/ energy to support a pregnancy and breastfeed at the same time. Has anyone tried this? I will find the article if anyone is interested.

www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3305908/

And in simpler terms www.thealphaparent.com/2014/12/how-to-get-pregnant-whilst-breastfeeding.html?m=1

Hello all, I've been on a remote Scottish island for the past few days and haven't been checking in.

Hello duck thanks for the links, I'll take a look. That would be a great excuse to eat more (already eating way more than normal, thankfully BFing is keeping me from gaining weight)

How are you baking? Is your DH back from the stag? Where are you at in your cycle? Fingers crossed for a bfp...

I'm not sure blue but I think you do have colostrum again. I'd imagine your body works to nourish the newborn, and the older one just tags along for the comfort

Any news anatidae? Hope your better, or up the duff...

Eclecticmama- ah i hope so! You would think wouldn't you!
Ducking- that's interesting and so true especially the second link! Very frustrating indeed

So is there anyone else who has had af return on here while still bf-ing?? Like i said mine returned at 3months... and 27/28 days regular since then! I have done opks so i have definitely ovulated this month i think around cd 15. So in the 2ww now.. Af/bfp due on the 18/19th
I just don't feel hopeful this month

Sorry not sure why I clicked onto this thread, not relavent for me at all, but read question by Blue and wanted to comment:
BlueSpottyTiger Can i ask a stupid question? - if I'm still bf'ing if and when i have another baby will my milk be as nourishing for the second baby as it was for dd when she was born as shes still feeding? Like will i have colostum again??? Im confused.

I wondered about this too but never got to find out the answer as my ds1 self-weaned when I got pregnant. I never knew that pregnancy changes the milk. I got my periods back when 4 weeks pp !!!. 4 months (4 cycles) later I was pregnant while still breastfeeding. At around 12 weeks pregnant my son who was an avid breastfeeder one day latched took one swallow and spat out the breast. I tried repeatedly for 3 days, but he would not feed from me, we ended up having to bottle feed him. It was only after this that I found out that the taste of the milk changes during pregnancy, and he just did not like the change in taste. So he stopped himself breastfeeding at 7 months old. Hence why I never found out more about tandem feeding.

Willitbe- oooooh no way! I really do enjoy breastfeeding but i do hope she will stop on her on own i wouldn't stop her feeding but could not imagine feeding 2! I guess we will need to wait and see then, thanks! :)

Still not better - still feeling very dizzy and nauseous. Peed on a stick yesterday (negative) but it's still too early really.

I wonder if it's just my body gearing up to have periods again? I feel so sick it's horrible, but I don't think I'm ill - no temperature or viral symptoms, just nausea, cramps etc. No spotting or periods at all for almost 18m....

I'm also extremely tired. Ds is a poor sleeper and has decided that 2:30sm is a Fabulous time to get up :( I've been managing to keep him in bed with me until 4:30-5 but then he will not be restrained and getting up so early, plus broken nights (he wakes loads) , plus long commute for childcare and working is killing me. I'm not feeling good at all

Hi all I've been reading this thread for a while and thought I'd better join in rather than just be a stalker!

DD1 will be 18 months in a couple of weeks and is still a boob monster! Having said that she does go to nursery 3 days a week whilst I'm at work and has no problems there, but keen for milk as soon as we get home. We co-sleep so she feeds at night whenever she needs to, which can vary from once or twice to almost continuously (if teething/ poorly).
There's been no sign of period returning and as it took a while (9 months) to conceive last time thinking it's time to take some action! Have been talking about night weaning for a while but I've always made excuses to put it off, saying oh she's teething or after the next wonder week leap or she's ill etc. So last night my husband just said there will never be a perfect time and said he would take her for the night and I slept in the spare room. It went better than I feared, I woke up hearing her crying only twice and only for 5 mins or so each time then she slept through from 1am to 6:30am. Hubby seemed to survive so says he wants to persevere!
I had read about the boosting nutrition idea, but realistically I don't think I could eat much more than I already do!! I eat loads more than I did before pregnant, but weigh less! Is there any good group in particular that is supposed to make a difference?
Good luck in your quests everyone anyway! It's hard sometimes to explain to friends who stopped bfing earlier why I don't want to just stop feeding her, think they all think I'm a bit weird for still doing it but I really enjoy it and dd still seems to need it so I hope I don't have to stop altogether xx