Link between breastfeeding and chemical pregnancy?

[LulaRose]

I've managed to work myself up into a ball of anxiety. I'm TTC #2 who is 12 months old. I managed to catch the first egg last month, but it sadly ended up being a chemical pregnancy.

Now I'm ovulating again, but wondering if anyone experienced chemical pregnancies while breastfeeding, and whether there is a possible link between the two?

I worry that my prolactin levels are too elevated, or my progesterone levels not high enough to maintain a pregnancy while breastfeeding. Not a science-based worry (I haven't googled it yet), but just wanted to hear if it had happened to anyone else, or if my CP is just a fluke.

• TTC #2 while breastfeeding DS who is 12 months old

Prolactin can prevent ovulation. Once you ovulate it's just chance as to whether the egg will implant and then develop. Chemical pregnancies are sadly very common but you shouldn't worry about this link as it doesn't fit the biological mechanisms...

Be kind to yourself.

I had a chemical pregnancy last month & im still breastfeeding my 13mo daughter. Not sure if it was related though or would have happened anyway? Hadn't thought about it before - good question though.

@LulaRose @Beautifulblue can I ask whilst breastfeeding when did your periods return? With my DS I EBF him and my periods came back as normal post partum however with my DD she's now 6 months and I've had 3 days of bleeding last month and now nothing again. (Sorry to be abit graphic). I really want to try again for #3 I know I should stop BF as that would probably help but wondered what your experiences were ? X

Thank you @physicskate, that's a relief. Do you know how progesterone levels are affected by breastfeeding? I worry that low progesterone might be the reason why I started bleeding at 9dpo after testing positive, and subsequently had my chemical pregnancy.

@tobeornottobe1 I'm EBF my DS who just turned 12 months. Last month was the first month I ovulated, and got pregnant straight away (without a period in between), and then had a CP. Two weeks later, I'm ovulating again so I guess my cycles have returned?

Lularose - you might (and this is a huge might) be correct. 10 seconds of dr google found this:

www.livestrong.com/article/447444-does-breastfeeding-cause-low-progesterone/

But there are a huge range of reasons for chemical pregnancies and I wouldn't dwell on any link to breast feeding. I've had two chemicals in my early 30s and never breastfed. So they happen.

Time and easing off the breastfeeding should sort both prolactin and progesterone levels. Until that happens, just enjoy the time you have with your current lo instead of any hypothetical ones...

@physicskate ha! Thanks.

@tobeornottobe1 I think my daughter was about 8 months when my periods came back. One she was eating more & feeding less I think.