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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 trying to conceive

8 replies

Hjudge56 · 28/08/2024 17:31

We’re not quite there yet with trying for a second baby but I’ve just become aware that it can be difficult to fall pregnant when you are breastfeeding. For context, I have a 13 month old who is a boob monster (never taken a bottle/formula)! Not great with her food and still has milk on demand (that being said she only has 2-3 feeds in the day) but she uses me for comfort overnight too (not long feeds just a quick suckle). We were hoping to start TTC for baby 2# maybe beginning of next year so my LO will be 18 months and I am hoping to stop breastfeeding at that time however I’m not sure if I’ll carry on longer.

My question is, has anyone found it difficult TTC whilst still breastfeeding? As I say she will be 18 months so hopefully more into her food and less feeds (more for comfort) if I do continue to breastfeed longer. Has anyone got any success stories too? This difficulty is news to me so I’d like to hear any experiences :) for context I got my period back when she was 7 months and have regular periods, and seem to ‘ovulate’ (or so I think from cervical mucous and symptoms) the same time every month!

OP posts:
Roarasaurus · 28/08/2024 17:54

No problems for us with breastfeeding and conceiving. My ds is 15 months and I'm over 7 weeks now. He's been feeding a couple of times overnight and a couple of feeds in the day too. In fact it took less time to conceive this current, surprise baby and we weren't even really trying. Some people it happens really soon after giving birth. I was only on my third cycle after my periods returned and it happened.

jf1992x · 28/08/2024 17:56

Nope! I was breastfeeding my then 3 year old and fell pregnant after the first time 🤣

CosmicLove · 28/08/2024 23:07

I've not had any problems either. My daughter (now 21 months) was also a boob monster and I honestly couldn't see how I would ever manage to fully wean her! My period returned when she was 8 months and was a regular cycle, seeming to ovulate each month going by ewcm. We decided to actively start trying in January when she was 13 months and fell pregnant in second cycle. Still BF on demand during day and overnight while co sleeping. Sadly this pregnancy ended in MC in April but we have been lucky enough to fall pregnant again after one period and are now 14 weeks. I've been gradually weaning my daughter during the last 3 months and have just dropped the final bedtime feed in the last couple of weeks. She has adjusted to it so well. I could definitely have continued feeding her longer but my nipples are very sore (!) and I don't want to tandem feed. I also want there to be a decent break between her feeding ending and the baby beginning to feed so that it's not confusing or upsetting for my daughter to see a new baby doing this, if she thinks it's her thing. If that makes sense! Wishing you lots of luck when the time comes xx

Flittingaboutagain · 28/08/2024 23:10

I'm a breastfeeding peer support worker. Some mums find their periods don't return until they are feeding just a couple of times a day but if your periods have returned then do continue feeding as ovulation isn't impacted by bf. Many of our mums including me are tandem feeders throughout and beyond pregnancy. You might find La Leche League a good reassuring site.

muggart · 28/08/2024 23:17

I conceived while bf and unfortunately at the time my 2 year old had a sore throat and as a result she would ONLY have milk (and a lot of it because by that age they require a huge amount of milk if they go off solids). anyway that pregnancy turned into a chemical and I did wonder if the relentless feeding had an impact. I read something online about progesterone levels in pregnancy and how bf can impact that so decided to night wean her so that my body would have at least a break from feeding for several hours every day. After night weaning I conceived again the next month and carried a pregnancy. She self weaned whenI was around 20 weeks pregnant.

Original poster
Hjudge56 · 01/09/2024 08:57

CosmicLove · 28/08/2024 23:07

I've not had any problems either. My daughter (now 21 months) was also a boob monster and I honestly couldn't see how I would ever manage to fully wean her! My period returned when she was 8 months and was a regular cycle, seeming to ovulate each month going by ewcm. We decided to actively start trying in January when she was 13 months and fell pregnant in second cycle. Still BF on demand during day and overnight while co sleeping. Sadly this pregnancy ended in MC in April but we have been lucky enough to fall pregnant again after one period and are now 14 weeks. I've been gradually weaning my daughter during the last 3 months and have just dropped the final bedtime feed in the last couple of weeks. She has adjusted to it so well. I could definitely have continued feeding her longer but my nipples are very sore (!) and I don't want to tandem feed. I also want there to be a decent break between her feeding ending and the baby beginning to feed so that it's not confusing or upsetting for my daughter to see a new baby doing this, if she thinks it's her thing. If that makes sense! Wishing you lots of luck when the time comes xx

Ah your situation sounds very familiar!! Has your little girl ever taken bottle or milk from a cup? I don’t even know where to begin with weaning her as I feel like it’s going to go so horribly 😔 she’ll be around 18 months when I wish to start.. I mean I’d probably start sooner but she isn’t a foodie and won’t take milk from a cup or bottle. How did you go about weaning??

OP posts:
Original poster
Hjudge56 · 01/09/2024 08:58

Flittingaboutagain · 28/08/2024 23:10

I'm a breastfeeding peer support worker. Some mums find their periods don't return until they are feeding just a couple of times a day but if your periods have returned then do continue feeding as ovulation isn't impacted by bf. Many of our mums including me are tandem feeders throughout and beyond pregnancy. You might find La Leche League a good reassuring site.

Thank you for your comment this is great to hear! Yes period came back when my LG was 7 months and I’ve been having a 28 day cycle since and seem to ovulate (from Ewcm) the same time each month so I’d like to think there wouldn’t be too much of an issue TTC if I was still BF. I do hope to stop though when my LG is around 18 months but I do feel very stuck on where to start as she won’t drink milk from a cup or bottle

OP posts:
Original poster
Hjudge56 · 01/09/2024 08:59

muggart · 28/08/2024 23:17

I conceived while bf and unfortunately at the time my 2 year old had a sore throat and as a result she would ONLY have milk (and a lot of it because by that age they require a huge amount of milk if they go off solids). anyway that pregnancy turned into a chemical and I did wonder if the relentless feeding had an impact. I read something online about progesterone levels in pregnancy and how bf can impact that so decided to night wean her so that my body would have at least a break from feeding for several hours every day. After night weaning I conceived again the next month and carried a pregnancy. She self weaned whenI was around 20 weeks pregnant.

So sorry to hear about your chemical! But happy to hear you concieved again ♥️ how did you go about the night weaning? My LG loves boob in the night and won’t ever self settle

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