Active discussions

Meet the Other Phone. Protection built in.

Meet the Other Phone.
Protection built in.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Talk
Conception

When's the best time to get pregnant? Use our interactive ovulation calculator to work out when you're most fertile and most likely to conceive.

Original poster

TTC later on in 2023 but currently breastfeeding

10 replies

ZoomiesCat · 02/01/2023 23:20

Hi,

I hope everyone has had a good start to the New Year. My husband and I are hoping to start TTC baby no. 2 in the Summer/Autumn of 2023.

Being the complete over thinker I am I want to try and get prepared and in the best possible shape physically and mentally. Currently I am still breastfeeding baby no. 1 and my periods haven't returned yet so I am hoping to try and support their return in the next few months so I have had a few before TTC and will have more of an idea of when I'm ovulating. Prior to TTC baby no. 1 I had been using Natural Cycles for contraception for many years prior to TTC and having this data was super helpful to me to feel in tune with my body and know when I was ovulating. I have just ordered a load of ovulation sticks and will start back up with NC when periods return.

I have read about increasing calories to try and support periods return, and am being consistent with taking my vitamins.
Baby no. 1 will be starting nursery soon for a few days a week, whilst I'm back working. The other days of the week they will be with me. They currently feed on demand but I am trying to cut this down. After having co slept with baby no. 1 we will also be moving them to their own sleeping space this week, at least for the first part of the night, but I am fully expecting them to be back in our bed at some point in the night. So I am hoping these changes kick start things back for me.

Is there anyone else on here hoping to start TTC later on in 2023 and wanting to support one another, or currently breastfeeding too and patiently (or impatiently in my case) for their periods to return?

OP posts:
elevenplusdilemma · 02/01/2023 23:27

Periods are most likely to return as soon as baby is regularly going 3-4 hours without feeding. I'm assuming this isn't happening yet?
I conceived DC2 when DC1 was 11 months (and still breastfed), although they'd slept through the night (6-8 hrs) since 4 months, so despite still exclusively BF, my period returned at 5.5 months.

Good luck!

TheShellBeach · 02/01/2023 23:31

You won't ovulate while you're giving night breastfeeds. The body produces a lot of prolactin when you feed at night, and this inhibits ovulation. Did you mean that you were going to continue breastfeeding and were going to TTC?

I ended up giving up breastfeeding in order to conceive our second baby. It was very upsetting as our first was only 18 months, and I'd wanted to feed her for longer. However, I had no periods until I stopped feeding her.

TheShellBeach · 02/01/2023 23:32

How old is your baby, OP?

SirVixofVixHall · 02/01/2023 23:35

TheShellBeach · 02/01/2023 23:31

You won't ovulate while you're giving night breastfeeds. The body produces a lot of prolactin when you feed at night, and this inhibits ovulation. Did you mean that you were going to continue breastfeeding and were going to TTC?

I ended up giving up breastfeeding in order to conceive our second baby. It was very upsetting as our first was only 18 months, and I'd wanted to feed her for longer. However, I had no periods until I stopped feeding her.

I fed at night for years, having regular periods, and conceived my second dd while still feeding dd1, so I was definitely ovulating!
With both children my periods took a year to come back, and in each case dropping just one feed seemed to be the trigger.
I fed dd1 all through my second pregnancy actually, only stopped two or three weeks before giving birth .

Original poster
ZoomiesCat · 02/01/2023 23:41

Thanks for the replies, it is really useful to hear others'experiences. So thank you
@TheShellBeach and @SirVixofVixHall.

My first is currently 13 months old. They will go several hours not feeding, especially if I'm not there or they are busy (although there has been very few times I've left them yet.) I find often if they are playing with dad they won't ask for milk at all, it's only when they realise I'm still there. In the time it is hazy of how long they go without feeding as they are right next to me and latch on as they please, but definitely recently has woken up very full and suspect they may have not fed for a good 5-6hrs. Hoping them having their own sleep space will help with this.

OP posts:
TheShellBeach · 02/01/2023 23:47

SirVixofVixHall · 02/01/2023 23:35

I fed at night for years, having regular periods, and conceived my second dd while still feeding dd1, so I was definitely ovulating!
With both children my periods took a year to come back, and in each case dropping just one feed seemed to be the trigger.
I fed dd1 all through my second pregnancy actually, only stopped two or three weeks before giving birth .

Show quote history

Oh I wish I'd been able to do that!
Did you feed the toddler and the baby simultaneously?

TheShellBeach · 02/01/2023 23:52

Sorry, @SirVixofVixHall I should have realised that you'd already said you stopped feeding just before the baby was born.

SirVixofVixHall · 02/01/2023 23:59

I actually wished later on that I had just fed both . I had talked to my dd about the new baby coming and how the baby would need milk etc, and she said “the milk is for the baby now” and seemed ready to stop. She was a sensitive toddler and I think took what I was saying very seriously. (She was 26 months old) .

SirVixofVixHall · 03/01/2023 00:01

ZoomiesCat · 02/01/2023 23:41

Thanks for the replies, it is really useful to hear others'experiences. So thank you
@TheShellBeach and @SirVixofVixHall.

My first is currently 13 months old. They will go several hours not feeding, especially if I'm not there or they are busy (although there has been very few times I've left them yet.) I find often if they are playing with dad they won't ask for milk at all, it's only when they realise I'm still there. In the time it is hazy of how long they go without feeding as they are right next to me and latch on as they please, but definitely recently has woken up very full and suspect they may have not fed for a good 5-6hrs. Hoping them having their own sleep space will help with this.

Oh so you have twins ? Maybe that affects ovulation more as more feeds, I don’t know.

Original poster
ZoomiesCat · 03/01/2023 09:13

Oh sorry for the confusion @SirVixofVixHall , I don't have twins, was just using they instead he/she. Sounds like I'm probably being too impatient and need to see what the next month or so brings with starting nursery, going back to work, changing sleeping arrangements ☺️

OP posts:
New posts on this thread. Refresh page
Swipe left for the next trending thread