Dr refusing fertility assistance as I'm still BF

[1940s]

My periods returned when I was EBF my 6 month old (first baby is 26 months old now)

I've had fairly regular cycles 30-41 days long and use OPKs and temperature check every month and see from that data set that I am ovulating.

But after a long time we're still not pregnant.

I breastfeed maybe once a day for a short feed and Dr said that it's definitely that which is stopping me falling pregnant and is refusing to help until I stop breastfeeding.

Surely the fact it looks like I'm ovulating is enough? She also said 'in Africa breastfeeding is a contraception'?! Lots and lots of women get pregnant if breastfeeding and their periods have returned!

Anyone faced similar feedback?

I got pregnant while breastfeeding so your GP is wrong in saying that’s the reason. It could well be affecting things though as every woman is different. As you already have a child then I think the most a GP will do is order some blood tests to see if you’ve ovulated, check thyroid etc. if you want something more detailed you’ll have to contact a fertility clinic privately

[quote 1940s]@beestrees I do appreciate that perspective and realise that certainly I'm in a super fortunate healthy position.

I think my frustration is that the Dr seemed so dismissive and that ultimately finishing breastfeeding isn't something I wanted to do as a step one. I would have appreciated an in depth conversation about my cycle, my history and how infertility assistance may even be processed as I already have a child. Making the first call to the Dr after waiting over a year was a pretty tough thing to do and she didn't explain why I may be lower priority or what else may come if finishing breastfeeding doesn't result in a pregnancy.

[/quote]
In the kindest way, the pandemic is a clear reason you might be lower priority for a GP referral right now when the backlog of potentially life threatening things is still enormous.

Jeez - how totally self indulgent.

If you want a full work up on why you’re not getting pregnant despite continuing to do something that has been known for millennia to suppress fertility then I’m sure someone in the private sector will take your money.

If you are serious about getting pregnant then stop breastfeeding and see how you get on. Otherwise go private or google is your friend.

And this is spoken as someone who breastfed both times past one year and got pregnant two months after I stopped breastfeeding after trying for six months previously.

Seriously op you are very entitled and deluded. If you want to see if you struggle to conceive naturally, stop breastfeeding. Some women can conceive whilst bf some can’t. If you want additional tests and conversations re: fertility, pay for them.

[quote 1940s]@NailsNeedDoing is this from personal experience or you just reasoning that I shouldn't expect a consultative approach from speaking to my NHS GP? [/quote]
I’d expect most of us have experienced the NHS doing enough, but not everything that they could possibly do. It’s well know that GPs have a ridiculously short amount of time in a standard appointment.

It’s like an obese person going to the doctor to complain about snoring. Clearly the most obvious solution is going to be suggested before finding out if anything else needs to be done to rectify the problem. People can and should be expected to help themselves first before going to a GP. Especially when part of what they want could be achieved by the patient doing some of their own research.

Breastfeeding produces the hormone prolactin, this means that even though you may be having regular periods, it could be blocking ovulation. You are unlikely to conceive whilst still breastfeeding due to this, even if only once a day as your prolactin levels will be high.

You can get pregnant BFing, but as PPs have mentioned, your chances can be lower even when your periods have returned. Unfortunately although this is understandably important to you, to a GP it's very low priority at the moment.

@NailsNeedDoing I've been tracking my cycles, using OPKs and tracking temperatures every month. All signal that I'm ovulating. I've already researched and since I've been having monthly cycles for 20ish months all research from google indicates I am in fact ovulating. It's very rare for someone to have had so many monthly periods to not be ovulating at all.

I'm assuming anyone here accusing me of being self indulgent or should have done my research have never felt the pain and anguish of months of trying for a baby.

I'm breastfeeding my 26 month old currently as they have issues with their diet and me breastfeeding has been a source of nutrition that's been really important.

At no stage have I been rude or entitled. I simply sought advice from anyone who has had similar feedback.

If I came on here and said 'I'm using breastfeeding as a sole contraception despite having monthly cycles that are fairly regular for 20 months' then I'd be accused of being crazy. Many many women get pregnant despite breastfeeding

'Entitled and deluded' I really think that's unnecessary and not in the spirit of this bots. Had I posted on AIBU to rant about GP / NHS then fair enough

Many of us have had that pain. And some of us before already having a baby. You're still being unreasonable and now I'm quite miffed with you as well.

I don't know if anyone's mentioned it but... pandemic.

But it’s no diff to an overweight person complaining of medical issues that could be exasperated my being overweight. You’ve been given advice, try it or don’t but the complaining because you had a google is odd to me. Just stop feeding and see what happens, touch wood that’s the only block.

You're miffed with me because I already have a child?

I think your GP is right, you shouldn’t have fertility investigation when breastfeeding, you should stop and see how you go. Just like they tell fat people to lose weight. It’s all about helping yourself in the first instance. It’s awful you’re struggling but you have a child already, resources should be for primary infertility IMO.

@1940s

You're miffed with me because I already have a child?

I'm miffed with you because you assume nobody who thinks you're wrong could possibly have experienced any kind of conception difficulties. You assumed.

[quote 1940s]@NailsNeedDoing I've been tracking my cycles, using OPKs and tracking temperatures every month. All signal that I'm ovulating. I've already researched and since I've been having monthly cycles for 20ish months all research from google indicates I am in fact ovulating. It's very rare for someone to have had so many monthly periods to not be ovulating at all.

I'm assuming anyone here accusing me of being self indulgent or should have done my research have never felt the pain and anguish of months of trying for a baby.

I'm breastfeeding my 26 month old currently as they have issues with their diet and me breastfeeding has been a source of nutrition that's been really important.

At no stage have I been rude or entitled. I simply sought advice from anyone who has had similar feedback.

If I came on here and said 'I'm using breastfeeding as a sole contraception despite having monthly cycles that are fairly regular for 20 months' then I'd be accused of being crazy. Many many women get pregnant despite breastfeeding[/quote]
Hey op, the first step is actually checking your DHs sperm count so a sympathetic go Def could have referred you now on the understanding that you would give up bf IF NECESSARY.
My GP referred me early because of my age and how long it takes so there are understanding ones out there. And yes that was with my second.

Can you get a 2nd opinion altho I THINK it's 2 years of trying officially before they'll refer you

1940s I am TTC and have unexplained secondary infertility. My gp was also not very supportive - perfectly nice, and gave me the blood tests, but said “this is probably a waste of time”. I’m now looking into seeing a private fertility doctor, but - in my area - it’s incredibly expensive so it’s a tough decision whether or not to keep (pointlessly) trying, or spend money and be proactive.

You have my sympathy!

I also bought “It Starts With The Egg” on kindle today. Might be worth a read? It’s a bit scaremongery, but people swear by it!

(Have also done the other easy fixes like supplements, using preseed and conceive plus etc, but didn’t work for me.)

I breastfed my DC's for over two and a half years each and even though my periods returned after 15 months I would say my periods didn't go back to normal until a couple of months after I stopped breastfeeding completely. The bleeding was different when I was breastfeeding even though the regularity of my periods was the same.

If you really want to fall pregnant I would stop breastfeeding if you are ready to or make peace with waiting until your DC has stopped.

I think your doctor is unfairly dismissing you! There is so much misinformation about breastfeeding out there and lots of it coming straight out of the mouths of medical professionals. If you’re tracking your cycles and are ovulating then your ability to get pregnant shouldn’t be impacted. It only does so when you’re not ovulating and exclusively feeding a baby as their only source of nutrition.

I had previous fertility issues, I’m still breastfeeding my 29 month old twice a day, and yet at the ripe old age of 40 managed to get pregnant.

I think some of the reluctance about treating for fertility issues when breastfeeding comes from the drugs you might get prescribed. I was prescribed progesterone- fairly standard drug for fertility/miscarriage support and the doctor told me in no uncertain terms to stop breastfeeding as I couldn’t take it if I continued. I did some research and then sent an email to the breastfeeding network pharmacy lead who clearly stated that I absolutely could take progesterone and continue feeding and It would cause no harm. The doctor had just quoted the back of the packet without any consideration for the actual facts.

It might be worth joining the Facebook group that exists for breastfeeding mums and fertility for advice from those in the same boat and who genuinely get your issues. I’m sorry, I can’t remember what it’s called but check the breastfeeding networks pages for more details.

Good luck.

In the nicest way, if you want investigations then stop breastfeeding, if you don’t want to stop breastfeeding then pay for investigations yourself. As others have said, breastfeeding is know to reduce fertility, so it’s highly likely they wouldn’t even accept a referral for you for fertility investigations on the NHS while you’re breastfeeding anyway, despite you believing (which you may well be correct about) that you are ovulating.

@Todaywewilldobetter anyone who had fertility struggles would understand why I'm disappointed a GP took no relevant notice or cared to ask any questions about why I'm concerned. I've been menstruating for 20 months and trying for 14/15 of those. I've tracked opk and temperature. I feed once a day if not every other day. I had an emergency c section which was very traumatic. I fell pregnant immediately when trying for baby one. I'm mid 30s. There are drugs you can be prescribed whilst breastfeeding for fertility issues which a previous poster has highlighted.
I believe that the gp latched into the easiest indicator and didn't want to cover any other Angles. If you had fertility struggles you'd be sympathetic as to why that's disappointed me.

Thank you so much @greytminds and other sympathetic posters even those saying giving up bf is my best bet. I didn't expect to be called deluded and entitled on a board full of women trying to get pregnant. I don't expect or even wish for full agreement with my opinion but the harsh find is more suited to AIBU than the conception board

[quote 1940s]@Todaywewilldobetter anyone who had fertility struggles would understand why I'm disappointed a GP took no relevant notice or cared to ask any questions about why I'm concerned. I've been menstruating for 20 months and trying for 14/15 of those. I've tracked opk and temperature. I feed once a day if not every other day. I had an emergency c section which was very traumatic. I fell pregnant immediately when trying for baby one. I'm mid 30s. There are drugs you can be prescribed whilst breastfeeding for fertility issues which a previous poster has highlighted.
I believe that the gp latched into the easiest indicator and didn't want to cover any other Angles. If you had fertility struggles you'd be sympathetic as to why that's disappointed me. [/quote]
Well then, I must be entirely wrong about my own life.

Agree with PPs-much as I sympathise with your difficulties getting pregnant, I’m struggling with what answer you want other than the one you’ve been given. You’re doing something that actively suppresses fertility (no one is saying it’s a reliable contraceptive but there is a middle ground) and refusing to stop it. That may be for very valid reasons but it’s for you to weigh up that choice and I’m sorry but the NHS is on it’s knees and it is not going to prioritise funding tests for your fertility while you are actively putting a potential obstacle in the way of a pregnancy!

If you want to carry on breastfeeding then you need to accept the consequences of that decision, one being that it is potentially (not definitely, but potentially) a factor in why you’re not getting pregnant. Stamping your feet about how breastfeeding isn’t a reliable contraceptive isn’t helping anyone. Yes people get pregnant while bf but your doctor is right in that many people around the world use it to help avoid pregnancy. So of course they’re not going to start doing tests on you until you stop, and as PPs have said, with a child already they may unfortunately not do anything even then.

I’m sorry you’re dealing with this but I think you need to be a bit realistic and listen to what people are saying.

@GeorginaTheGiant yep this is basically my thoughts on it. I have fertility issues but lm afraid lm not sympathetic. Clomid and other fertility little drugs have a number of side effects, Clomid has left me with ovarian cysts months after l stopped taking it. Plus weight gain

www.google.com/amp/s/www.ivf1.com/prolactin-infertility/%3famp

Would the GP arrange any blood tests. If your prolactin comes back high would you consider stopping breast feeding ?