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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.

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Original poster

"Your fertility resets itself for a year after birth" - IS THIS TRUE?

20 replies

Secondtimelucky1980 · 15/08/2017 21:13

Hello all

Five months ago I gave birth to my first son. He is a dream come true as before I fell pregnant with him, we had four 4 miscarriages in the space of a year which was utterly heartbreaking.

We've now started to think about number 2 and a midwife recently said to us that 'for a year after birth your fertility resets itself and women who struggled before successfully conceive much more quickly and without the same complications'.

So my question to you all... IS THIS TRUE? It sounds too good to be true, so I just wondered whether anyone else has any experience, knowledge or opinion on this?

I am 37 and my partner is 44 so even without the history of MCs, time isn't on our side. The doctors never found any reason for our miscarriages, although my AMH and FSH levels were tested and they showed that I was potentially entering the peri-menopause.

The thought of going through loads more miscarriages again to try and conceive number two is too much to contemplate. BUT if this golden year is real - whether medically proven or anecdotally - then it will change everything for us, and we'll start trying asap.

Any advice or help would be massively appreciated!

Thanks so much x

OP posts:

Clickncollect · 16/08/2017 21:01

Never heard of this before but I really hope it's true!

Chattycat78 · 16/08/2017 21:16

There's possibly something in it, although I don't know if it's more to do with your body knowing what to do or something...

The concept worked for me. I struggled the first time, was told I needed ivf due to low amh levels (although I did conceive naturally but had a miscarriage) and ds1 was the result of ivf. I had the same thoughts as you and assumed we needed to try asap for a second (;if it was even possible). I was working on the assumption that there was a good chance it wouldn't be possible to conceive again tbh.

As a result, we started ttc naturally as soon as my period came back when ds was 9 months old. 4 weeks later, no period...positive pregnancy test! and ds2 was born 8 months later - There's 17 months between them.

Then again, some people find it more difficult the second time, so I don't know- it might have been a total fluke I suppose....

verystressedmum · 16/08/2017 22:11

I wasn't using contraception for years and didn't get pregnant, I didn't even have periods and I was beginning to have investigations then I became pregnant by surprise and a few months after she was born my periods came bang on every month and I get pregnant quite easily (pregnant 5 times have 3 dc) so I don't know if it's fact but it definitely happened to me!

NewJourney · 16/08/2017 22:13

There might be some truth in it, I ovulate all over the place but for a year after my little one was born everything was 28 days like clockwork.

Good luck!

Scrumptiousbears · 16/08/2017 22:21

Not heard that myself. I conceived with Clomid the first time round. When she was 6month we started trying again. Managed to conceive naturally the week of my DD 1st birthday.

WellErrr · 16/08/2017 22:25

Animals get pregnant much easier after having babies so it makes sense.

WellErrr · 16/08/2017 22:25

Soon after, I mean.

DramaAlpaca · 16/08/2017 22:27

There might be something in it, I hope so for you OP.

I took ages to conceive DC1 but got pregnant immediately we started trying for DC2. I certainly wasn't expecting to have a 16 month age gap, that was a bit of a shock.

Good luck!

Passthecake30 · 16/08/2017 22:27

It took me 6months to conceive my first pregnancy (non viable) and then 6months (first dc) and 3 months to conceive my 2nd dc, so it might have some truth?

BubbleBed · 16/08/2017 22:28

DS1 was two years of trying and fertility treatment after being told I would never conceive naturally. DS2 was a complete accident 9 months later.....

Alabasterangel6 · 16/08/2017 22:30

I was told I could never have babies. I fell pregnant naturally to everyone's surprise (after years of trying and treatment and DH being told he had next to zero motility). We thought we were done/wouldn't be lucky enough again. Decided to try and just see....conceived immediately, first cycle.

Phoenix76 · 16/08/2017 22:36

This is really interesting! After giving birth to dd2 and my periods returning they were so regular to the exact day and almost exact hour (honestly!) now she's approaching 18 months my last 3 cycles have been about a week out! My periods weren't regular when I conceived dd1 which is one of the reasons I didn't know I was pregnant. Looking back, they were the most regular I'd had after giving birth.
On another note, my very good friend tried for years to conceive her dd1, suffering mc's along the way. She didn't hold out much hope for another but conceived her dd2 when her dd1 was 3 months! Good luck op, I hope this is the case for you.

SaigonSaigon · 16/08/2017 22:38

I do believe there's truth in it.

I was told by a midwife you are more fertile for 6 months following a miscarriage as your body has been pregnant and is geared up for it. So this probability would increase with the birth of a baby. Good luck!

DartmoorDoughnut · 16/08/2017 22:40

Happened here, took 3 years + to conceive DS1, then periods came back, totally regular having been utterly insanely all over the place and DS2 conceived within 3months of them coming back

BikeRunSki · 16/08/2017 22:41

I know several women who struggled to conceive/carry their first child, and then became "unexpectedly" pg before the first child's first birthday.

Mustang27 · 16/08/2017 22:53

For some it's easier to get pregnant second time round. It certainly was for us. Good luck trying.

Babykoala1 · 16/08/2017 23:01

I was told this as well, I think it is definitely the case for some women but it would depend on the reasons you were struggling to conceive in the first place. I've never considered myself very fertile as I have PCOS and my periods are all over the place, but I got pregnant again on my first cycle after giving birth to my DD. It was a total shock but I then remembered what my midwife said about being super fertile after giving birth so I guess it had some truth in it. Unfortunately we lost the baby but it's given me hope that when we do try again the second time round hopefully it won't be so difficult.

TiramisuQueenoftheFaeries · 17/08/2017 08:35

There is some legit evidence to suggest it is true, yes: expectingscience.com/2015/02/06/does-giving-birth-reset-your-fertility/

However, it's far from conclusive. Mostly giving birth seems to temporarily counter the effects of age. From age 34 conceiving your first seems to get harder, but if you've already given birth you don't experience that drop until 38 or so. Anecdotally lots of people notice that it seems a lot easier to conceive a 3rd, 4th, 5th+ baby in your late 30s/early 40s than your first.

TheMrs04 · 17/08/2017 21:27

We were TTC for 6 years before I fell pregnant with my DS! We started trying for #2 in April and now I'm 9 weeks pregnant!
I can say my fertility has reset itself!

greendale17 · 17/08/2017 21:30

This was true for two couples I know

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