TTC whilst breastfeeding. Tips, advice and support

[Porridgeaddiction]

Hi all,

There doesn't seem to be a thread for TTC whilst breastfeeding, so I thought that I'd start one. All welcome to jump aboard if that's your journey too, or offer tips and insights if you've managed to conceive whilst feeding a young one.

@Billyv that definitely looks darker and is it not every 2nd day for line progression comparison. I don’t think the doctors will do much at this stage I think you need to keep testing and see if they get darker or lighter. Fingers crossed for you!! X

@Orangio maybe once or twice in the day if I'm not working- otherwise just evening, once evernight and once in morning. Probably 4 times in 24hrs max.
What about you?

@Orangio oh yep less cramps here too which is a bonus!

@LAgeDeRaisin and @Orangio oh gosh I still feed at least eight times, I think, sometimes more. I think I do need to cut back

@A1b2c3d4e5f6g7 so I counted today- once at lunch but I've already fed him 3x this evening. He is poorly so feeding more, but I'm thinking probably closer to 6x on a non work day.

We are about 2 or 3 times. Just in the day time. It's quite nice to be less physically attached, tbh 🤣 It's so tough when they're sick though and asking for more. I have caved on occasion!
Managed to ovulate at last, thankfully, and amazingly DH is not worn out! About 2/3 dpo today. Anyone else about the same?

@Orangio I'm 6DPO....and I've taken a bloody test this morning😂No surprise to anyone it's negative! I need a stern talking to I think. Lost the run of myself I think. Gonna hold out til 12DPO I think if I even make it that far before AF.

@Orangio and @Mugascauld ah yay glad you've both ovulated!

My baby is poorly again, and teething, so I must had fed for 3-4 hours last night. Sure that's affected my cycle again this month. He's at daycare also, but I pump three x a day for that, on top of the 6-8 feeds. At nine months I'm sure he should be feeding less? Do you remember how much you were then? He eats food (3 meals and a snack) also, he is a chunk.

@Billyv did you do another test this morning? How are you?

@A1b2c3d4e5f6g7 Oh at 9 months my little one was still feeding 12 times a day at least! Maybe an 1h30 total time or more on the boob in 24 hours. Through the day and night pretty much. To be honest he probably still would if I offered more, but I'm following the 'don't offer don't refuse' approach and he doesn't really ask for milk during the day anymore. I think 9 months is totally normal for them to still be having a lot of milk, you might find it tapers off slightly as he gets closer to 1.
He usually only has about 25/30 mins on the boob now, so I don't necessarily count the feeds, as I've read it's total suckling time in 24 hours that's the important thing for fertility.

Hello @A1b2c3d4e5f6g7 thanks for asking. I'm feeling kind of crappy to be honest. Then annoyed with myself for worrying so much over something I can't change.

I have a phone appointment with the Dr on Monday afternoon. I should at least know by then if the tests are getting consistently darker.

Line progression complicated by switching to cheapies, as I don't want to keep getting packs of FRERs from boots at £10 a go. Took one yesterday afternoon and one this morning. Definitely stronger, but because it's only 2 tests will be a couple of days before I know. Also it was FMU compared to afternoon U so yeh...

I do also have 1 Morrisons brand test left which I'll take this afternoon, as the first test I took was one of these on Weds afternoon. So you'd think that'll give me more of an indication.

I never overthink things, obviously.

Oh one thing that's quite interesting, people might remember me posting about getting an OPK at 60%. It's at 100% at least, as of yesterday.

Yeah so even if the tests keep getting darker, given the dates and the bleed, I think there's a v v slim chance this is a viable pregnancy. Hoping the Dr will agree to send me for a scan - not quite sure how the system works with that.

Sorry I'm just banging on about myself all the time, it's very distracting haha! I do hope you're all doing ok and good luck for those testing in a week or so.

@Mugascauld thank you, that's interesting. Hopefully it'll taper soon then!

@Billyv first don't apologise you aren't banging on, we're asking you, and here to support. It really sucks that it's unclear, and really leaves you in limbo. But that line does look darker for sure. I'm hoping it's good news for you.

I had a miscarriage in the past (brown spotting and bad pain starting at just over 6 weeks pregnant) and there wasn't much they would do, besides ruling out an ectopic due to the pain. However (and I don't know if this would be an option) you can get private hcg tests and check for doubling. And a private scan was about £60. They'll vaginally scan you from six weeks. That was useful for me, as turns out it was a failing pregnancy, they confirmed it was intrauterine (so not ectopic), and to just wait for a full miscarriage. And sure enough just over a week later I miscarried, but I had a heads-up it was happening and I just wanted to know really.

Really hoping it's not the case for you, and good luck with your call later

@Billyv its normal to get dark opks with a positive pregnancy test. A lot of people do opks as sometimes they go darker first. Hoping it’s viable for you. Maybe ovulation bleeding? I’ve never had it but I’ve heard of it!

@justwantobeamum if you don't mind me asking, how are you? How're you feeling with waiting for a bleed now, and did the Drs give any indication of when it might be?

Thanks @justwantobeamum it would have been one hell of an implantation bleed. And the dates wouldn't work as we didn't have much sex last month except from around when I got a positive OPK. Time will tell I guess!

@A1b2c3d4e5f6g7 thanks for your kind message and sharing your experience. Private scan isn't a bad shout, but the nearest place is an hour away, so will see what the Dr says first.

I think this is definitely easier to cope with than a miscarriage, as getting a BFP after a period type bleed means I'm not really expecting a baby out of this. That would be a lovely surprise, but I'm not thinking it's possible at this point.

@Billyv that’s a really good line progression! Got everything crossed for you 🤞🏻🤞🏻

I think I finally ovulated. If so, I’m 4dpo. If I don’t start bleeding today, that will be progress from last “cycle” at least 😂.

This afternoon's test. What do you all think?

If the test line on Sunday is getting close to the colour of the control line, that will be decent progression, I think?

Still not sure what progression actually means in this case though...

@Billyv it looks like a decent progression. I'd still want doubling blood HCG and an early scan for peace of mind though. See what the the doc says on Monday.

I've been really slacking off with OPKs this cycle, so not sure when/if I have ovulated. AF is due on 23rd, so still supposedly in my fertile window.

@Mc3209 yeah for sure, I'm hoping she'll send me for a scan right away 🤞 such a weird one!

Have you been managing to DTD plenty? Probably healthy not to worry too much about the OPKs really

@Billyv DH was away for some of this cycle, but otherwise did my best to DTD, and hopefully will squeeze in few more times before cycle is over.

Haha that's very inconsiderate of him. Oh well there's always a chance 🙂

At least it is progressing @Billyv ! It does seem light for 22dpo ish, if that's right, but I'm not familiar with that type of test so maybe that doesn't mean anything. It's so tough having to wait til Monday though!

@Mc3209

GAH that was meant to be @Golaz ! My thumbs just have a mind of their own sometimes 🤣 I was going to say I'm also about 4 dpo, so here's hoping for a nice lengthy LP for us both 🤞

@Orangio I know, I think I've got to be 18-19dpo at the very least, it's pale for that too. So I'm not even sure if progression is a good thing under the circumstances, if it's ectopic I certainly don't want it to be progressing... If it's a normal pregnancy it'll be some kind of miracle long lived sperm

Of course, DP already thinks he's got miracle sperm.

Of course he does! 🤣