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!

jp I've heard you can safely continue to breastfeed too, so I'm not sure why your GP advised against it. Have you had a blood draw and was progesterone found to be especially low or something? I'm sorry you've got such a stressful wait ahead of you, but fewer symptoms doesn't mean there's anything wrong. I had very little with my DD until sickness hit between 7-14w, but everything was fine. Every pregnancy is different. Wishing you all the best!

Oracle Great, things are sounding promising!

expat You're not out yet then... keeping fingers tightly crossed for you! Yes, AF is most definitely here - much heavier than my previous two PPAFs, crampy and altogether much closer to my "normal" pre-baby. It's annoying but I'm hoping that's a good sign, plus the 8-day LP last cycle was so much better. I'm still feeling weirdly emotional about the whole thing but maybe that's PMS kicking back in properly, ah the joys!

DH and I had a proper heart-to-heart about everything last night. To cut a long story short, we're considering weaning. My initial intention was to breastfeed until 6 months and we did try weaning onto a bottle around then, but DD was still feeding a lot and it was too hard on us both. Now she's almost 10 months, we're down to 2 feeds a day and she's taking some formula - albeit reluctantly - I'm wondering if we could give it another go...

I'm definitely ready to be done with breastfeeding and this whole TTC dilemma, but I feel so guilty, like I'm putting my own priorities above hers . But at the same time, I've been so emotional and preoccupied lately what with the bfing vs. TTC thing that maybe it would be better for us all to have a more chilled out mum around. I just need to make a decision and stick to it this time, rather than agonising over it and driving myself and everyone else crazy!

Jooni, I can really empathise with your decision. I weaned DD for selfish reasons too as we wanted another one and if I waited the timing wouldn't of been as good. I cried a lot at the time, and even thought about taking breastfeeding up again after I had for my bfp. But in all honesty to see the two of them together now, they are so close and the first words out of each of their mouths in the morning is their sibling so it was definitely worth it. I got my bfp straight away after I weaned didn't even get a period so if you do decide to wean, you aren't being selfish by wanting a sibling for your lo.

Expat can't wait to hear if you get a positive it is sounding very positive and I have a good feeling for you

Didn't manage to DTD again so not sure what my chances are, waiting for temps to confirm O then we'll see.

expat hope the spotting resolves itself one way or the other soon.

jooni sorry AF turned up

jp completely understand your anxiety and hope the 4 weeks before the scan fly by. Sadly I don't believe most GPs are properly trained on BFing and so I would only take advice from an IBCLC. Maybe your DC will be put off when you start producing colostrum? (Not sure when that is!)

pumkin yay another monitor user to obsess chat with.

oracle great news about the flashing smiley.

Oops missed the next page! jooni I sometimes think the same but then when DS has a bad night (lots at the moment!) I think what would I do without BF to get him back to sleep so it's a tough decision to make with lots of pros and cons.

jooni such a tough decision for you, sending strength whichever way you decide xx

Still no AF here, just a tiny bit of spotting for the last few days. Cd29 14dpo so I caved and poas this morning....this is after 10mins....am I deluding myself?!

expat I SEE A LINE! I'm pretty that's a positive, but test again tomorrow perhaps? Very excited, fingers triple X'd for good news!

lullaby and jp thanks guys. jp that's really sweet and I'm glad to hear it was the right decision for you first time round. I think we're bound to feel guilty but hopefully like you I'll be glad in the long-run that I was able to give DD a sibling so close in age. We too want/need to have them fairly close together for various reasons, which I think is why the wait is getting to me so much this time round.

DH is upstairs with her now giving a bottle and all is quiet on the monitor, but I doubt she'll take much at first. Last time we tried she would only take a few oz here and there and at only 6 months I didn't feel like I could let that go on for more than a couple of days, even though she was mostly fine with it and did start to take a bit more. This time at almost 10mo I feel a bit more comfortable with a few "off" days, especially since she's loving her food at the moment and I can sneak extra milk in there! So, I think we're doing this... gah the emotions

Sorry - pretty sure that's a positive expat, and the more I look the more clearly I can see it. Tentative congratulations to you!

Which cycle is this for you since weaning?

I hope she took a good amount jooni and 10 months is great as you say she's taking more food now and it will be so lovely for you to have another close to her! Good luck and hugs, even if you're ready it's still goodbye to a precious stage xxx
I'm cycle 7 since my periods started but only cycle 1 since weaning...keeping everything crossed. Have a cb digital here but think I'm going to hold out a couple more days xxxx

CONGRATULATIONS Expat, I knew you were going to get positive news this month

Thanks jp! Going to make myself wait till Tuesday and cracked out the digital! How are you feeling today, are you going to talk to a lactation consultant about weather other not to wean? What do you feel in your gut? Xx

I can't see weaning as an option, I am going to ring my consultants office on Monday and ask about the results of my recent blood tests and go from there. Feeling a bit crap today, exhausted and nauseous but in one way I am glad to be feeling crap!!

It's definitely a positive, you must be over the moon as your one time did count!

Wow expat think I can see a pos squinter! Tentative congratulations! Hope the digi confirms it tomorrow

expat that's a line

jooni good luck with weaning. Remember that it can be rough emotionally with hormones changing so be kind to yourself over the next few weeks.

That's brill expat so happy for u!
Good luck with weaning jooni, i found it sad but positive at the same time if u get me .
Glad your starting to get the early pregnancy symptoms JP, sounds like your doing the sensible thing re weaning
Yes lullaby I can see the fertility monitor being an obsession lol
Well I got a positive on my cheapie ovulation sticks today yippee! ( going to start with my clear blue next cycle )
But cycle day 16 n husband away we did cycle day 13 so very slim chance this cycle

OK I couldn't wait till Tuesday....it's digital official!

Congratulations, wish u a very happy n healthy pregnancy

expat, massive congratulations! You must be so excited; wishing you a h+h pregnancy.

jp Sorry you're feeling crap, but I do know what you mean - makes it all seem more real somehow! Take it easy, and good luck with the bloods.

Pumkin Great! There's definitely still a chance this cycle, but even if the timings haven't worked out this time, at least you know you're O'ing now

Weaning's going surprisingly well. I'm still feeling pretty up and down about it, but DD's doing brilliantly. She only took 1oz at each of the first 2 feeds and I was steeling myself for a long slog, but then she had a whole 4oz bottle mid-morning yesterday and 3oz in the afternoon! That is unprecedented, so I'm feeling pretty positive that she's ready now and will cope.

AF's still going strong; it's been so much more "normal" this month, which I'm taking as a good sign. My PP cycles so far have been 28 days give or take a day or two, with the LP lengthening as O day moves forward (thanks I think to Angus and dropped feeds), and FF puts my next ovulation bang in the middle of our holiday at the end of the month. Wouldn't it be wonderful if we ended up with a holiday baby?!

Congratulations Expat how brilliant! This thread has been very lucky so far it's a good sign!

pumkin keeping fingers crossed for you.

jooni glad DD is taking more from her bottle sounds like she's getting used to it already. Take care of yourself especially if you're having any fullness don't want to get mastitis or anything.

Well FF / thermal shift puts me at 3DPO today which means 2 days later than last month so I'm concluding Angus hasn't helped (though I guess LP length remains to be seen) and will sack him off next month. So I am now impatiently in the TWW too

Will be interesting to see how this cycle ends up as currently looks like DH will be away slap bang in the middle of next month's FW which is a pain.

Wow, congratulations expat. Wishing you all the best of luck for your pregnancy.

Jooni - glad the weaning is going well so far.

JP - much as it isn't nice tiredness and nausea is definitely a good sign and I am very dubious about your GPs advice.

Question for those of you who have weaned how do you get on in the night when they are really upset. DD usually sleeps through but on Saturday night she woke with teething pain (front tooth breaking through gum bless her) and nursing was the only thing that would stop her crying (tbh I'm sure there was no milk after about ten mins). It's the first time I have fed her at night for weeks and she fed for an hour! I was worrying the whole time about the impact om my hormones!!

Glad weaning is going well jooni! Everything crossed for a holiday baby!

lullaby hope the 2ww goes as quick as possible for you!!!

boatrace send DH if at all possible!!!! :-)

jp hugs for the nausea and tiredness but definately v.healthy signs!

Xxx

Jooni so glad the weaning is going well, keep it it all be worth it

Fingers crossed for you lullaby, hope you get a positive result this month esp as your oh is away next O

Boat my oh is a bit rubbish at getting up in the night so I had to do it all, I caved a bit at first but I got better at distraction techniques.
Offered her the milk in a bottle b4 breast n she would comfort suck on that instead
It's hard when there teething
Expat keep us updated ur my inspiration l

Randomly n honestly ( I'm prob over analysing ) what do u reckon my chances are of getting a pos with dtd 3 days b4 Ov ?

To be fair to DH he always gets up first but then if she won't settle we give in. I guess we'll just have to toughen up!

Pumkin - I've read that sperm survive for up to 7 days and certainly for 2-3 so you've definitely got a chance. When ttc dd we dtd every 3 days and that did the trick!

Hi all. expat it's so great to see those words in writing!

I'm still getting a flashing smiley (day 4 now) and have depressed myself by googling and am now convinced that I'm getting my hopes up re: ovulation for nothing and it's just BF hormones. Seeing acupuncturist on Thursday and have ordered a fertility nutrition book (I need to lose a bit of weight anyway so it can't hurt).