TTC whilst breastfeeding support thread - join me to share your ups and downs!

[smallblackflowers]

Hi!
A little about me - I'm pushing 34, have a 10 month old DD that I'm still breastfeeding and really want to conceive no.2 asap!
I am on my second cycle since AF returned and am temp / CM / CP charting using fertility friend and have OPKs!
I ovulated on day 29 of my last cycle, and am on day 21 at the moment.
Have been having fun and games with very fertile signs over the past week, so lots of BD, but no ovulation, poor DH is full of a cold and not feeling very energetic but I keep insisting that he perform until my temps go up

So anyway - hoping that there are others out there in a similar boat who can help to keep me sane and hopefully share some good news in the coming months.

Hi All

Dita - I would say the 4-5am wee (I have one of those too most nights!). How annoying for you, glad I didn't go to Tesco for my test today.

LifeofKate - well that is progress at least, fingers crossed for you

Update on me - I am POAS tomorrow morning! Currently on CD26, haven't really got any PMT and feeding DS was quite painful this morning. Not the actual nipple but the aureole. I am so nervous and excited, going to be massively disappointed if don't get a BFP as I've (stupidly) all but convinced myself that I am.
I didn't have to wash my hair for 4 days this week as it just didn't get greasy - this is something that happened when I was PG with DS, normally I have to wash it every other day, every day sometimes.

Aaarrrgghh

dita feeling your frustration. Fingers crossed

kate glad the pesseries seem to be helping

ali waiting to hear the result

As for me I feel like I am wasting my time SWI when AF hasn't even returned. It is starting to bother me now. DS's feeds are becoming more errattic and has dropped some as I have been full to bursting a couple of days so hopefully that will help. I am seriously thinking of weaning him because I don't wan't a big gap, partly for financial reasons and partly because I don't want to have a big age difference between my oldest and youngest and DD was 6 this week. Yes it's not a big gap but it's not what I want.
At the same time I feel he is only little and it's not fair to stop feeding him for somewhat selfish reasons. I am moving him out of my room in with his brother next week (figured the hols were a good time for sleepless nights!) Maybe that will put himof night feeds a bit if I am not in the next bed.

him off I really should start previewing posts!

QueenFee how old is your DS? It is so hard knowing what to do isn't it? Weighing up your desire for another baby with the needs of the existing one(s)!
If he is naturally dropping feeds by himself though then you won't have long to wait before AF comes back I wouldn't think. I would just SWI when you feel like it but not be worrying about when etc etc.

Oooooh Ali that's so exciting - good luck! Will be on here bright and early to check how you got on.

Fee Hope you're okay. It's really tough staying positive at times, isn't it? If it helps, not waiting until AF came back was what let my SIL get to three months' pg without even realising so it can happen ...

Weeeeell, I POyetanotherS yesterday morning and got another faint faint glimmer - I think I'm looking hard enough to see the place where the line would appear now (it must be different from the rest of the test after all) - and then got an evap line an hour or so later (deffo an evap line this time, grey and two thin lines rather than one thick one). Then AF arrived yesterday evening, and didn't even bother teasing me with the could-be-implantation-bleeding thing for very long this time either, so that's me out for this month.

Feeling okay, just a bit panicky when I remember that this was my last month to get knocked up before turning 34 (it's my birthday at the beginning of August) and that my plan to fit in two more babies before hitting 35 is looking increasingly improbable. This morning, embarrassingly, was briefly weepy in baby group while sitting next to a very cute newborn but otherwise okay.

Last night tried night weaning yet again, so feeling like ten kinds of shit today after a night of DD waking up every 40 minutes or so. Hoping that tonight will go better Had a cry last night before we even started when I thought of how horrible it is to hear her crying and begging for boob when she can't understand why her favourite thing has suddenly been taken away but I don't know what else to do. DH is off work for a few nights next week so will be settling her when she wakes.

Final bit of obsessing - really not sure whether my cramping on CD20 was implantation followed by early miscarriage (if I was right about getting a +ive OPK on CD14 - my first evap line was the most convincing BFP, darkest and pinkest) or cramping was OVing followed by 13 day luteal phase and five or so evap lines after a year of ttc without experiencing a single one

Anyway - bed is not so much beckoning as cracking the whip and looking a bit threatening so best go and grab my first bit of disturbed sleep ... Hope all is good with everyone else

Oh Dita that is rubbish At least AF is here properly now though and you've not been left hanging for a hugely long cycle of 'what-ifs'.
The night weaning is very hard. I really recommend waiting until DH can do all the night time work for a few nights. DS was inconsolable when we did it, he sobbed and screamed on DH for an hour and a half before falling asleep exhausted, and I lay and cried in our bed for the entire time. Pretty awful.

I get cramping with OV, and through LP - so annoying that cramping/stretching pains etc etc all feels so similar!

I have got a CB digital to use tomorrow, so if it says no then I will believe it - used one with DS which gave me a BFP 5 days before period was due and tomorrow will be just one day before period is due. If I'm not PG this month then I will buy myself a load of cheapies off Ebay because the likelihood will be that I'm in this for the long haul, and I can't afford £12 a month on PG tests!!

BFN Really gutted and now wondering what all these weird symptoms are....

Humph, onto next month then. Just hope AF shows up tomorrow as it ought, otherwise that will be a long cycle and maybe I got my OV dates wrong?

Oh Ali, I'm so sorry

ali/dita sorry about the BFN's

Thanks for that about SIL Dita has cheered me up no end

I have been testing monthly though so I know i'm not at the mo.
DS was 1 last week so still little really. After dropping those feeds he has made up for it by basically being attached for the last 24 hours I didn't get AF back with the other 2 till I completely weaned.
Oh well another month of SWI it is then.

I also hate the controlled cying thing, I did it with the other 2 but haven't managed to bring myself to do it with DS yet.

pass round a few s in case there are any other comfort eaters (like me) amongst us

So sorry Dita and Ali

I know what you mean about working out dates, Dita. It is so silly and puts us under such pressure. We wanted to have another baby by the end of next August (so DS and next baby are only a school year apart), but that is looking unlikely, with the complete lack of AF and DS not having dropped any feeds yet since the start of weaning. Also, we are currently organising a big trip away with lots of our uni friends for May next year, and I'm already starting to wonder if I will be pregnant by then and have little daydreams about being heavily pregnant and waddling round where we stay with helpful friends giving me a hand

QueenFee - I am sorry, but I did have a little smile to myself at your line about not seeing the point of SWIing if you couldn't get pregnant... I just look back at all those years of having sex and trying not to get pregnant! It all seems a little ironic! Also, I think my DH has been taking notes, he's far more interested in sex when we're TTC

kate it has that effect on my DH too that's the problem lol

I also wanted to have a baby before August so that it wasn't one of the oldest in the year and also so I can have all 4 of their birthdays within weeks of each other. The magic month with the other 3 is Oct/Nov so maybe I just have to wait till then!

QueenFee - very funny, I wonder why it is. My DH is the man who, 8 years ago, absolutely was never going to have children, so it makes it seem odder I do know he was quite impressed when I conceived so quickly the first time, maybe he has got some sort of manly 'boost' from it

Will cross fingers for both of us for Oct/Nov then!

Really sorry Dita and Ali.

Dita - FWIW I think it must have been a chemical/early miscarriage. It would be too much of a coincidence to have had all those evap lines. it seems that quite a few people on this thread have had chemical pregnancies. I wonder whether the incidence is actually higher with BFers.

I got AF today after an 11 day LP, so not good news. I've ordered some of that natural progesterone cream and B6 and am going to really focus on my diet and looking after myself this coming month. It should be easier once school breaks up next week. I'm pretty sure I'm going to give up BFing as well. I'm upset about it, but I think I really have to give myself the best possible chance of getting pregnant and I'm convinced BF's having an impact.

Until I actually start all that, I'm enjoying a well-deserved glass of wine this evening. Hope you're all doing OK.

Really sorry coconut

Well I am really confused, still no AF and another BFN. I think I must have had a long cycle and OV later than I thought, and that perhaps a lot of what seemed like early symptoms were in fact OV.
Just want AF to hurry up and come now so that we can get on with next month!

Just checking in to send virtual hugs to coconut and Ali. How confusing Ali, hope you get some sort of resolution soon - so annoying when you're just waiting for it to be over so you can start again, isn't it?

think I'm out too ladies, AF is on her way. Only first month of trying though so not too despondant and think my cycle was reasonably OK.
hugs to all
stargirl x

Hi everyone, I haven't posted for ages because I was becoming too distressed (and obsessed) TTC for almost 2 years...
Anyway last week got BFP!! had two chemical pregnancies since TTC so spent all of last week on tender hooks but looks like I'm actually pregnant - can't really believe it yet tho!!

Anyway I wanted to let you know to pass on some hope to you all!!!

2 cycles ago I had day 21 test and the nurse told me the problem was that I'd left it too late!! I'm 39! (been TTC since 36 so not sure if actually she was just being a bit rude ) anyway cycle before that I didn't ovulate at all...
Anyway I decided to wean DS in day ? he would often go all day if busy anyway but then other days if in the house would often ask for ?num? loads? that was 2 months ago and first cycle I did ovulate but no BFP?
Also I read the book by Marilyn Shannon - fertility cycles and nutrition. she basically recommends multi vit and min that have larger amounts of B6 amongst others... I think you can only get them on line and they are more expensive than pregnacare ones(which i was taking before for a couple of months) But I decided to try them. They took ages to come and only started to take them just before I ovulated this cycle but maybe they made just tiny bit of difference and added to less breastfeeding that was enough.

www.iherb.com/life-time-professional-pre-natal-formula-180-tablets/8349?at=0

If anyone wants to check out her book I'm sure your local LeLeche League group will have a copy!!

Good luck to you all!!

Proper catch-up from me.

Wow Ali I feel like a proper night-weaning novice after reading about your experience - DD only cried/s for ten minutes or so at the most while I lay silently crying next to her and that was bad enough We've been going since last week though, including a half-night away*, and things are definitely getting better - she's only waking a couple of times now and settling very quickly with hugs/water from daddy. I think she's making up for it in the day but I'm hoping the night hormone thing will help.

[*On Saturday we drove down to London for an evening show but were too worried to leave DD overnight as I thought either she'd wake up my mum every couple of hours or mum wouldn't wake up and DD would just be left to cry, neither of which appealed, so drove back after the show - PFB much? Anyway, I'd obviously picked up a bit of a tummy bug from somewhere, because I started feeling ill just before we set off, threw up several times during the course of the day, then passed out in the lobby on the way into the theatre, so spent most of the first half in the medical room before leaving early because DH wanted to get me home - not a great night out! In the meantime, DD was absolutely fine and didn't even seem to notice we'd gone - tchuh.]

Fee Glad my SIL's experience helped - I also have another friend whose eldest DC is the same age as my DD who now has another LO who had no AF between them either - slightly jealous that she hasn't had a period since 2007!

Kate I know just what you mean: I was so paranoid for years about getting pg by mistake - who knew you could have this much unprotected sex without getting knocked up?! I should have had a much wilder youth

coconut I'm still confused about the possible early miscarriage thing. I had an acupuncture session today and she asked whether part of this AF had been very fibrous, which it had, so not sure whether that is an indication? I was being daft and too shy to ask but will ask next week I think bfing can have an impact on implantation, which definitely seems to be borne out by our experiences on here

Sorry to hear about the short LP and good luck with the weaning. I think I'd like to wean once DD turns two in a couple of months' time but I don't even know how to start. I keep wondering if I've turned her into this crazed boob fiend!

Hugs to you stargirl and wishing you better luck next month

And a massive massive congrats strawberries - thank you for coming back to share your news and give us all some hope and wishing you a healthy pregnancy

Congratulations Strawberries

I can definitely say this, with the next dc (it will be the last!), I will be breastfeeding for as long as possible, if only for the benefit of not having a period again for a long long time

Congrats Strawberries
at the nurse, bet she didn't know any history really annoys me

I don't think day weaning is going to happen with DS when he wants milk he wants milk from mummy only and nothing will distract him. However he has dropped a night feed (I should have whispered that or I may have jinxed myself) and only seems to be having 1 between 7-5 all by himself so hoping he will drop the last one soon

Congratulations Strawberries! Wonderful news, and you give us all hope.

Gah to Ali and Stargirl. So frustrating, isn't it. Have you finally got AF Ali?

Dita - I would say talk to your acuuncturist about it if you can pluck up the courage. She probably wont have any definite answers but it might be good to mull it over with someone.

Sorry to hear about your thwarted night out as well!

I was convinced I've spawned a boob monster as well, but, we've gone 2 nights with no evening feed. Dp has been putting ds to bed and as long as he gets a big cuddle he doesn't make a fuss at all. The hardest bit is going to be dropping the early morning feed as milk in a cup just wont cut it for him at 4.30 in the morning. I'm not going to implement that for a week or so but I'm not looking forward to it at all.

It's my last day with my class today. I need to go and steel myself for the end of term party.

May I join you? DD is 8mo and still BF every 3-4hrs and no AF yet - but am trying..

Hi everyone

Strawberries congratulations! That is lovely news

Dita - glad the night weaning is going well That attempted evening out sounds terrible!

Stargirl - good luck for next month

Coconut - that sounds good progress with reducing the feeds, we find that warming the cup of milk and me cuddling him while he drinks it is a good tactic.

Cute story. Earlier DS said that he wanted mummy mik-mok (BF) and hauled up my top (fortunately we were at home). It's v.v.unusual for him to ask during the day these days so I was quite surprised. All he wanted was to cuddle my tummy and blow some raspberries on it, and then he pulled my top back down! [soppy face]

So, update. STILL NO AF! I am really crampy and really tired, as I have been for nearly 3 weeks now. I have bought a couple of cheaper pg tests in Boots today (can't afford ClearBlue if I'm needing loads each month!!) and am going to test again in the morning I think if AF doesn't show up over night.
My cycles have been dead on 28 days for 3/4 cycles now, and I'm now on CD33. If what I thought were early pg symptoms were in fact OV happening later in my cycle than I thought, then I would be on day 13 of LP today.

Welcome Breastmilk

Thanks