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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

Breastfeeding and conception

29 replies

Boogily · 20/05/2023 20:29

Hello all,

TTC for the second time. We were lucky the first and got preg straight away with my DD is 14 months old. I'm just wondering if continuing to breast feed might have an effect on getting pregnant again...
I know it can have a contraceptive effect when you're exclusively breastfeeding but I got my periods back at 6 weeks post partum and sort of assumed Id be fertile from then..but maybe the system doesn't quite snap back in the same way if you're still feeding ? We've only tried twice so I'm probably just overthinking but I'm not exactly a spring chicken so would love to think we could pregnant soonish..

Does anyone know or have experience of getting pregnant (or struggling to) while BF?

Many thanks ! Xx

OP posts:
Fipfop · 20/05/2023 20:51

I got pregnant quickly while breastfeeding my daughter. I was only feeding once a day by that point though.

AllAboutBread · 20/05/2023 20:53

My girls are 21 months apart. I breastfed DD1 till 13 months. I was pregnant on her first birthday, but didn't know it x

Mummy08m · 20/05/2023 20:59

I breastfed for 2y7m and conceived about a month after stopping (we hadn't used contraception in ages). My periods had come back 1y2m postpartum if I recall, so I'd had periods well over a year but still didn't conceive till I stopped bf. If this is relevant, we were still feeding quite a lot on my days off, and pretty much every bedtime until the last few weeks before weaning.

Every body is different obvs - but my story backs up the idea that you don't conceive till you wean. I'm sure there are heaps of exceptions though where women have conceived while bf.

Moriquendi · 20/05/2023 21:12

I’m still breastfeeding my 15 month old and 10 weeks pregnant. My son is a bit of a milk monster, feeds every 3 hours at night (only 5/10 mins each time), when he wakes up in the morning, before his midday nap and before he goes to sleep! (He has solid food too, promise 😂) I convinced first cycle.

I think it’s a bit of a lottery really whether you are someone for whom breastfeeding really affects fertility or not 🤷‍♀️

Original poster
Boogily · 20/05/2023 21:20

Thank you all so much for taking the time to reply . Its the first time I've posted on here and it's so helpful to hear others' stories .

@Moriquendi we are in the same boat, pretty much !! I had planned to stop when she was one - ish but she seems to really thrive on it and I don't want to deny her . If I thought she was just comforting I would try and stop but my instinct is she's still doing what she needs to do. Solidarity xx

OP posts:
dizzydizzydizzy · 20/05/2023 21:38

I breastfed DD1 most of the way through DD2's pregnancy.

SnookyPook · 20/05/2023 22:11

I struggled but my periods hadn't come back! Ended up pushing the weaning a bit at 21 months and as soon as he was fully weaned, my period returned the next month! I was pregnant again 3 cycles later (although unfortunately ended in MMC). I would think if your periods returned then hopefully all good! Xx

Original poster
Boogily · 20/05/2023 22:31

Thanks @SnookyPook and so very sorry to hear that. Xx

OP posts:
SkyeJ90 · 21/05/2023 08:34

Im also still breastfeeding and trying to conceive, I’ve been having the same worries. My daughter only breastfeeds before bed and on the odd occasion through the night so not overly often. I didn’t get my periods back until she was 18 months but it looks like I’m ovulating etc. I’m only on cycle 2 so trying not to worry about it too much yet.

Original poster
Boogily · 21/05/2023 09:33

Thanks @SkyeJ90 . I think I'm ovulating too, but my periods aren't as heavy as they were before she was born, so it occured to me that it's maybe the implantation bit that isn't working as the lining isn't strong enough as the body's resources are being used elsewhere . There's no science behind that whatsoever though , haha!

I'm the same, trying not to worry or speculate as it's only been two cycles xx

OP posts:
SkyeJ90 · 21/05/2023 20:53

@Boogily haha I have no idea if that’s a thing either that can happen. I think mine are about the same in terms of how heavy they are, they are a little all over the place in terms of cycle length but to be honest they always have been.

I got pregnant last time really quickly (Cycle 1) so a part of me is like well that’s not happened this time so it must be the breastfeeding but I know that’s totally silly to think so soon.

Fingers crossed for us both 😌

SkyeJ90 · 03/06/2023 19:36

Just to update on this, I did actually end up having a chemical this cycle, I know they are common so not necessarily linked to breastfeeding but I have noticed my luteal phase use to be consistently 14 days and it’s been 11/12 since my cycles returned…not majorly short but still could have an impact I guess 😕

MattieandmummyandIs · 03/06/2023 20:08

Just to say that I couldn't fall pregnant until I had completely weaned and then pregnant first month we tried after my periods had sorted themselves out. Everyone seems to be different int terms of how it effects them.

Original poster
Boogily · 05/06/2023 09:58

Thank you @MattieandmummyandIs . I'm now trying to wean her asap as I have a gut feeling the feeding is stopping us from conceiving..we've stopped the daytime feeds which is something but have no idea how we will stop in the night as she still seems to desperate for milk when she wakes up. AHH well!!

OP posts:
Original poster
Boogily · 05/06/2023 10:05

@SkyeJ90 , sorry to hear that :-( do you mind me asking, how do you tell if you've had a chemical pregnancy? No need to reply if it's too personal of course.

OP posts:
SkyeJ90 · 05/06/2023 16:51

Thanks @Boogily . I was getting faint positive tests which never got any darker for a few days along with cramps, followed by a heavier than normal ‘period’. I feel like i knew from the first test it wasn’t going to be so I’ve been ok and just focussing on next cycle.
I am also now weaning, I was only bf at night and we are 2 nights in now of stopping and it’s going ok, bedtimes are just taking a while as that was part of her routine for so long. To be honest I’ve wanted to stop for a while (my dd is nearly 2) so I think this has given me the motivation I needed to wean.

JC89 · 05/06/2023 16:55

I've got pregnant twice while feeding DS 2-3 times a day, both times within a couple of months of starting to try (similar to getting pregnant for the first time when there was obviously no breastfeeding!)

PeonyPaws · 05/06/2023 16:58

I am still feeding DD almost 16 months and currently 17 weeks pregnant. I conceived very quickly first time round but second time took about 5 months. I also got my period back around 6 weeks pp.

Original poster
Boogily · 05/06/2023 20:38

Thank you for your replies! Very hopeful stories.

@SkyeJ90 , thanks for explaining...I had been wondering if that happened to me a couple of months ago . I had two faint positives with clearblue, but they appeared after the 10 minute window. However I also had lots of symptoms and a strong feeling I was pregnant. But then they disappeared and I had a heavy period. Well done with the weaning , fingers crossed for us both in all areas xx

OP posts:
Golaz · 05/06/2023 20:52

Even if your periods come back you can definitely be “sub fertile” while breastfeeding. The hormones required in milk production counteract the hormones needed to sustain a pregnancy- this can result in any number of issues- lack of or delayed ovulation, poor egg maturation , lack of lining build up to enable implantation, lack of ability to produce enough progesterone to sustain pregnancy ,
short luteal phase etc.
Having said that lots of women of course do conceive when breastfeeding. It’s so variable- will depend how much you are feeding/ your own individual body/ hormone balance etc. I conceived DD2 whole breastfeeding DD1. It took a while though (7 months). My periods came back around 6 months. DD1 was 21 months when I conceived.
there’s a thread on ttc while breastfeeding where people have linked to resources that explain the science really well.
good luck xx

MattieandmummyandIs · 06/06/2023 07:27

Yes agreed, I was definitely sub fertile whilst breastfeeding - I had 3 chemicals whilst still feeding which could just be bad luck admittedly but I did quite a lot of research into it and it does seem that if you are quite sensitive hormone-wise then breastfeeding can really interrupt the feedback loop of estrogen and progesterone production to allow you to fall and stay pregnant. Plus I fall pregnant very quickly when not breastfeeding so I knew something was up.

The night feeds were the trickiest to drop for me too, it did actually make me quite sad but then that could also partly be the hormones 🙄. I was ready to wean though (she was over 2), just have to keep going and finding a new groove on the sleep front. Best of luck.

Original poster
Boogily · 06/06/2023 13:17

Thanks both @Golaz and @MattieandmummyandIs very interesting indeed.

I think I'll be sad too when we stop altogether, it's amazing how emotional these moments are. Even when I put her into her own bedroom I felt very low for a little while xx

OP posts:
glasspaw · 06/06/2023 13:28

This is really interesting to hear other people’s experiences. We are M#1 TTC and I’m still BF my 17 month old once a day . I really don’t want to stop before he seems ready for it and I know I’ll feel so sad knowing that we are having our last BF together, but I would also love a sub 2.5yr age gap if we can manage it so I feel like maybe I need to stop to maximise my chances?

it’s so hard knowing what to do 😔

MaxwellCat · 06/06/2023 13:30

I got pregnant 3 months after having dd despite ebf but my periods had returned straight away anyway 🙄

MixedCouple · 17/07/2023 06:43

I agree it is common not to concieve while breastfeeding.
I started up a thread as I am the same boat. Wanting to have 2 5yr age gap but now luck as each month my cycle has been a mess so this mo th will use OPKs I don't know of it is breastfeeding but my cycles are erratic 21days - 41days!!!! So we started to wean. The night has been the easiest and took 1 day for him to accept it. But the day is harder he can't get over it and no distraction works and he ends up nursing 4-7 times in the day. Despite eating very well.

He has a cold and os recovering so by the end of the week I am just going to have to push through and wean. I so at this point feel like nursing is messing up cycles and the frequency is messing up implantation etc. As someone rlse said some women are extra sensitive yo the hormones.