TTC & breastfeeding chat

[Heyha]

Hi all
Just started TTC number two while still feeding 13 month old. Couldn't see a recent thread for others in same boat so wondered if anyone else wanted to chat along?
Had my first period pp only about 6 weeks ago then nothing since. Been using OPK just to start tracking again til my normal cycle returns, wasn't expecting anything interesting but had a real clear LH surge a few days ago and had been DTD so who knows, o guess I am in TWW now? Even a second period would be handy at this stage so I can get some more info about where my body is at!

Hey! I’m also ttc whilst breastfeeding my 9 month old. I’ve narrowed feeds down to just morning ones and my periods have returned, however my cycle is longer than usual. I’ve been using OPKs and DTD in my surge too so I’m hoping for a BFP in the next few days!

Ooh fingers crossed! We still have bedtime feed although she's starting nursery in a couple of weeks so I guess that will throw everything out of routine, I've read a long gap between feeds helps with fertility but then I've also heard it's the night feeds that inhibit it so I guess we will find out. I thought it would be easier to get my head round number two but it's more complicated now 😂

Well I've either got implantation bleeding or that long-awaited second period, will find out in a few days I guess! Spotting and cramps at 5dpo but heavier than how most people describe it. Barely a period though too so could go either way!

How did you get on OP?

We're ttc but yet to have first pp period and am still breastfeeding 11 month old. Had a positive OPK yesterday so now in the tww

Hi! I'm still only 7/8 dpo so may test tomorrow although I think this was a really pathetic period as it went on a few days...maybe I'll use and OPK and test at the same time, hoping things get to a more regular pattern if it's not BFP

So...I did a double POAS (power of suggestion) and had a low reading on the OPK....and a squinter on the HCG 😲 I'm not getting too excited as have had a chemical before and it really is a squinter line but it's deffo colour that's come up within the five mins. Watch this space!
Any news from you @Nov19? Hopefully good news for you too soon @kenobi94

@Heyha I hope that’s a BFP for you! I had a negative test 9dpo but a positive at 11dpo confirmed by a clear blue digital a few days ago. I can’t believe it as it was the first month I’d managed to actually DTD in my fertile window. Still early days so I’m hoping all goes well. With my other two I had really sore boobs before my positive test but this time they’re not sore. I’m not sure if that’s because I’m already breastfeeding though.

Good luck xx

Oh that's brill! Hope all continues to go well 😊

Hi ladies, hope you dont mind me jumping on with a question. I'm still feeding my 19 month old, though now only at bedtime, and got my bpf yesterday! Are you planning on continuing feeding through pregnancy? I had a bfp in March and continued feeding as I didn't want to mess up my hormones by stopping, but unfortunately ended up having a mmc at 11 weeks anyway. So now super nervous and think I will continue but not sure what is best!

Hi @Workingmama1 , congrats! I haven't thought that far ahead tbh but I've read loads about people tandem-feeding two, and about toddler self-weaning in the run-up to second baby too, so I think you could do whatever feels right.

Hi girls I just saw this thread and I thought you might like to hear my experiences with this.
I bf my son exclusively and the whole time my hubby and I used no contraception and had regular sex. We wanted another child without waiting. I started spotting at 7 months post partum, again at nine months and 11 months. Not proper periods just light spotting for a day. I spent the whole time feeling completely conflicted- shall I stop breastfeeding to conceive? The spotting got me all excited thinking af was on her way so I could start having cycles and my chance to try. Eventually I had my first period when my son was 13 months. I then got pg straight away but unfortunately mc at nine weeks (of course not bf related- bf and pregnancy is safe- just one of those things). My son then self weaned at 17 months and I’m still trying to conceive now he’s 20 months.

During my time ttc breastfeeding I constantly looked online trying to find the answers I needed and read about the experiences of so many different women. I wanted to tandem feed but it just hasn’t worked out this way for me. But looking back bf was still one of the best experiences of my life and I wouldn’t change it for the world. I really hope you guys get your bfps whilst breastfeeding. I did, even though it didn’t work out, so it is possible, especially if you had your first af. It seems so varied- some people conceive easily whilst bf and others don’t. You have a good space on here to support each other. Good luck 😊❤️

Hi ladies,
I'd like to join please! I'm 9 DPO of second cycle ttc number 2 and DD is 9 months and BF on demand still through the day with one bottle of formula now at bedtime. I've had regular periods since May and bang on 28 day cycles with positive opks and static smileys. I'm 40 in 6 months so really want to get on with things but am so conflicted l; I love BF so much and really want to get to a year after struggling massively at the start... I feel like it's my best achievement and don't want to stop.

If I read too much about fertility rates in your late 30s I get so  and I wonder if BF might affect implantation, even if I'm fairly confident I'm ovulating. Has anyone any thoughts about that? Did you come across anything in your reading @Mommybear05

I've also had an early mc before DD was conceived. That was cycle 2 ttc then I fell with her 6 months later. So I really do want to get on with things. Maybe when I go back to work 3 days I could just feed morning and afternoon and stick to that even when at home?

Hi @Mommybear05 sorry for your loss ☹️ but thank you for the words of encouragement! @glowingtwig sounds like your body is cooperating nicely so fingers crossed! When I I went back to work I dropped off BF apart from morning and night but then with WFH during lockdown some day feeds crept back in so have had to work hard to get back (DD doesn't eat a lot of solids if she has much daytime milk!). Oddly though it was during this time that my periods returned.

I've had nothing on my daily POAS stick of either sort (v low LH but nothing of note) since I got the squinter so I'm stopping think I'm x days PO and now in terms of CD instead, just hoping this is a regular boring textbook 30 day cycle as that's still progress!

Hey wanting to join please.

I'm still bf my 13 DD. Every night and some mornings. My periods returned at 5 months and have been awful since. My cycle is anywhere from 25 - 30 days. This is our first month ttc. Tried to use opk and got a faint spike but not enough for a positive. So think I'm ruled out this month. As not even sure I've ovulated this month. But wanting to join for next month

@glowingtwig congratulations on your breastfeeding journey I’m glad you are enjoying it. For some women, yes bf can affect implantation. Some women have elevated prolactin levels and this can cause low progesterone. This can create a short luteal phase and affect implantation. But it’s just for SOME women. And that’s what I found to be most annoying with bf and ttc. You can google lots and read lots of others’ experiences but that doesn’t mean you will have the same journey. Clearly plenty of people breastfeed and have other pregnancies.
Regarding ttc and your age only you can make this choice. The fact that you are having regular periods and static smileys are all such positive signs and very good indications of fertility. Did you say second cycle of ttc? Not long at all. So personally I would be so at peace with prioritising bf for the first year if that feels right for you. At one point it bugged me that much that I wasn’t ttc (no period yet) I decided to try to wean for the sake of ttc. I was an emotional wreck and my baby was upset. We were both not ready. So we carried on. I’m so glad we carried on even though I’m still not pregnant. You will both know when the time is right xx

@Heyha thank you ❤️ Yes it’s crazy when you increased the bf that’s when the periods returned. So unpredictable. I think this is what stresses many people out ttc when bf. Nothing makes any sense! 🤪

Hello ladies 👋🏼

I am still bf my 18 month DD and on cycle 3 of TTC #2. My cycle has been all over the place. It came back in December but then disappeared until April. I think this may be been because my daughter was sick in January so we started bf a lot more again and then just continued. I started tracking using OPK last month. I got a static on CD19 but then for my AF 9 days later. I’m assuming the bf meant I had a shorter luteal phase. This month my cycle has been even more weird...got a high on CD14 but then didn’t get my peak until CD33!! After a couple of weeks of flashy smileys I realised that it may be the bf that was stopping me from peaking so I cut down feeding to just going to asleep and waking up (before that she was feeding on demand on since lockdown that meant almost every hour having a drink). I was super excited to get my peak but looking at my BBT I don’t think I’ve actually ovulated. Finding it all so frustrating as I love bf and I know my DD loves it so much but feel like I might have no choice but to try and completely wean if we have any chance of conceiving soon

Hi @mylittlebean2019 welcome to the gang! I completely hear what you're saying about weird cycles, TTC is hard enough without unusual things going on!

I don't know what's happening here...had a load of bright whites then got a line again last night- not even a squinter, a proper reasonable one. But nothing today and low LH as well. I'm trying to hold my urine and all that but am really struggling, bladder is really playing up so could be symptom spotting (even though way too early for that joy) or starting to wonder if I've got an water infection! Will keep peeing on both sticks, can't believe how obsessive I've got about it this time round, just got through a couple of FRER with our first!

Thanks for your reply @Mommybear05 it's really hard having to even think about stopping, when there's no guarantee of a fairly quick conception and then thinking I've given up for nothing. Like you say though, only cycle 2 so early days and I feel like we started trying as soon as I was a flicker ready so no regrets if it's really hard. I hate thinking of missing chances and getting older.

Yes, I feel like we will know but your comment about not stopping if we aren't ready is reassuring; my little one loves BF and I'd be so sad not to hear her little chuckly noise she makes when she sees the boob coming out  plus all the extra antibodies at the moment.

I'm fairly sure I ovulate day 14 or 15 and then a 28 day cycle so hope that means my hormones are doing what they should. I very rarely need to do a night feed these days too.

Oh @Heyha I really hope you're not getting a water infection, so horrible.

I've been symptom spotting alllll day today!

@glowingtwig yes you sound like you are still definitely enjoying the breastfeeding and to give up would be heartache at this point.

There may come a time when you feel differently and feel like you need to take that chance and stop breastfeeding to help you with ttc- I’ve spoken to many people who have done this and actually when they took the plunge they realised it’s not so bad stopping breastfeeding it’s just ‘fear of the unknown’. This relationship is all you know and you can’t imagine it being any different without breastfeeding your child. But that love doesn’t go away when you stop breastfeeding. So try not to feel anxious about giving up when you do eventually choose to. It’s new routines but the love and the bond still feels as strong as ever.

But, a 28 day cycle with ovulation on day 14/15?? That’s fabulous and I really hope you get to conceive whilst breastfeeding if you wish! I definitely wouldn’t be making the decision to stop for ttc purposes just yet if I were you!! Continue to enjoy this magical time and feel empowered to know that your feelings and your baby’s feelings are What they are right now and could change in time. I used to say ‘I’ll stop feeding at * months’ but the truth is you don’t know how you will be feeling by that month. You need to go with your gut feelings, your instincts and what you feel is best at that time and allow yourself to change your mind too along the way if those feelings change ❤️ Good luck xxxx

Titchy squinter here again this afternoon after a bright white this morning on both sticks (so squinty I don't even want to post it on here for checking 😂) will have to put my big girl pants and my mask on tomorrow to get a different brand, I think, these ICs are stressful!

Thank you so much for your kind words @Mommybear05 , you're right, don't know what I'd do without the breastfeeding as my number 1 parenting aid. It's good to know that instinct tells you... it's just going to be hard even thinking about prioritising one over the other.

Ohhh @Heyha I so want to see your squinter but yes, get out there tomorrow and fetch a good test! 🤞🏼

I'm really going to try to resist testing until AF is late... because I'm terrible for then panicking when I've a positive test and AF would be imminent.

I know what you mean, I wish I knew when AF was due 😂 ok so here is my super bad squinter, I have to have my screen turned up bright. Looks grey in pic but there was colour in real life and I think I can see it on the inverse pic too...?

I wish it would just make its mind ionone way or another tbh instead of chucking the occasional (false?) positive in amongst a load of bright whites but that'll teach me for buying cheapies- only used FRER for baby number one so didn't waste them just on the off chance but the cheapies- are soooo tempting!

@Heyha I can see it on the one that isn't inverted!!!