Trying to conceive while breastfeeding

[PeterPipersPepper]

I have a daughter who is nearly 2 and a half and am still breastfeeding - twice a day most days but can be more on weekends.

Periods came back when she was 13 months and I have one every month although my shortest cycle has been 24 days and my longest 34 days.

My understanding is that if I am having periods, I am fertile, but does breastfeeding affect how fertile I am? I’d rather let my daughter wean naturally if I can, rather than stopping so we can try to conceive.

Thanks all.

I was feeding my 1 year old about 3x/day, more at weekends too when I conceived my 2nd. Had trouble getting pregnant with my first too, so was surprised it was that easy 2nd time around.

Thanks mylittlepony. Were your periods quite regular then?

I didn't have a period for 18 months with DD and then we conceived DS after the second period. I'm currently 13 weeks pregnant and this time my period didn't return until 20 months and I fell pregnant after that first period. For me it seems like my periods take quite a while to return but then I'm very fertile immediately and the periods returning seems to coincide with dropping night feeds completely.

Thanks Aloe. I think my concern comes from a friend who was advised by her doctor to stop breastfeeding before she tried for her next child.

I conceived dd2 while breastfeeding dd1 who was 8mo at the time. IIRC, I'd only just had my second period.

Hi, I'm TTC and still breastfeeding my 14mo. Likewise will let him wean naturally. It's my first month TTc and I've had two periods but they're irregular. I've found using the OPK sticks helpful this time round so I know exactly when I'm ovulating.

Good luck x

As long as your periods have returned and are regular then you're fertile again. Lots of people are told to stop bf but once your periods have returned it doesn't actually have any baring.

My periods came back at 6 months PP (despite constant night feeding, I was very annoyed!) and I got pregnant again when my son was 14mo (we started TTC when he turned 1yo), still breastfeeding but a lot less at night by then. I wouldn’t consider stopping breastfeeding unless you are struggling to conceive and it seems like that might be interfering, because there’s no guarantee that it will stop you conceiving

It's different for everyone tbh. I got my periods back at 9 months pp while breastfeeding and as far as I can tell was fully fertile straightaway. Conceived immediately when stopped contraception while feeding and conceived again immediately while BF later. But some people find they can't conceive until they stop completely even if they are only feeding minimally.

I'd say unless you are 40+ and have no time to lose, give it a try as you are and if after some months you haven't conceived you could consider weaning.

Thanks all. I think I need to read up a bit more about it! Because if you are having a period and ovulating - is it that breastfeeding stops the fertilisation process in some way?!

Breastfeeding normally stops the actual ovulation (full time feeding day and night every 4-6 hours) when you drop your feeds when baby starts weaning, or if you have a baby that sleeps through straight away, you start ovulating again.

It’s really hard to say how it will affect you personally. I wouldn’t worry until/unless there is something to worry about if I were you

Thanks all. It’s only the advice from my friends GP that has been worrying me. As I assumed if I was ovulating every month my chances of getting pregnant were the same as if I wasn’t breastfeeding - but I have no medical training

I got pregnant with dd2 when dd1 was 16 months and still constantly breastfeeding day and night. I’m breastfeeding 2 1/2 year old dd2 now and about to start ttc again. I know I ovulate every month because I can feel it.
Anecdotally some people conceive with no problem while breastfeeding and others just can’t. There doesn’t seem to be any reason why. Hopefully it works for you.

kellymom.com/ages/older-infant/fertility/

I found this link which is really informative.

Looks like there is a small risk it might affect fertility.

When I was TTC #2 I was still breast feeding my two year old about two times a day.

My periods were regular and had been for well over 18 months so no reason to think TTC would be a problem.

However, after 11 months of trying I hadn’t gotten pregnant. People kept saying it was because I was BF’ing which I refuted first to having regular cycles and so therefore I just be fertile.

However, after a year I went to see my GP who said that in some women, breast feeding will always prevent pregnancy even if your periods are back and even if you only feed once a day.

She explained there is a hormone involved with breast feeding that can, in some women prevent any fertilised egg from being able to implant into the endometrium wall. She said that I may have conceived every month whilst TTC over the last year but I may be one of the women who was susceptible to the hormone so my fertilised eggs couldn’t implant and so technically couldn’t get actively pregnant.

As a result I forced weaning on my son that week and then 5 weeks later I got my BFP. It was amazing!! I did feel a bit bad about cutting him off cold turkey but it was worth it

Ime most gps are not great at understanding bf at all. I would do your own research and act accordingly. I got pg while still bf as well and ended up tandem feeding for nine months.

I’ve been tracking my cycles for a few months and even though I’m getting positive ovulation tests I have a short luteal phase which is commonly caused by high prolactin from breastfeeding.

Mine has slept through the night from early on and periods returned a few months later. I’ve been dropping feeds gradually since I went back to work in June and am down to one evening feed now.

Ignore your friend's gp's advice Your friend might be paraphrasing and getting it wrong or the gp might not have a clue and be thinking of conception chances in the early months of breastfeeding, not past 2 years of it. My period returned after 18 months while I was still feeding my ds, we started ttc again soon after and I got pregnant twice in 2 months, first was a chemical pregnancy, the second is in front of me eating toast

In my case my periods returned while still BF DC1 at 13 months, which was just after I stopped expressing at work. Baby had already night weaned around 9 months. I conceived the first cycle after I stopped BF at 16 months. So in my case seems I am quite sensitive to prolactin as everyone else I know got their period back as soon as they'd night weaned.

My honest comment: BF affected my libido and when I stopped, our sex life dramatically improved, hence getting pregnant within a month of stopping

Thank you @QueenofmyPrinces - the advice you got seems to match what it says on the Kelly Mom website.

Just thought I'd pop back on and say I'm breastfeeding. Periods came back when he turned 1 and I've just found out I'm pregnant. It's totally possible so good luck x

My periods returned 4 months after giving birth despite EBF on demand a very hungry baby. Since my periods have returned they've been like clockwork with other fertile symptoms such as lots of egg white mucus! I hope this means I can fall easily as I want to TTC whilst breastfeeding (baby will be 16 months when we TTC)

I don't think there's any rhyme or reason to it, quite honestly.

My periods came back when both DC were 5 months old, even though I was still exclusively breastfeeding (i.e. hadn't even started weaning yet).

We started TTC when DC1 was 7 months old, so still EBF and only just starting on solids. Got pregnant 2 months later, and continued to BF DS until he was over a year.

I also fell pregnant with DS2 while still breastfeeding DS1.

We weren't officially trying but were delighted-although did think that explained why I was so tired

Good luck!!