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.

Aww, thanks Breastmilk I should put some more recent ones on really, he was quite little when those ones were taken...

I admit that I am also hoping we are one of the few who have a 'happy accident' whilst breastfeeding
I've not heard specific stats... still, 6% isn't too bad, there are worse odds than that
The frustrating thing is that we get the odd night where he sleeps through (I'm guessing about 1/3 of the time, the rest of the time just one feed between 10 and 7), so I think that is getting my hopes up for AF coming back, but also making me feel more miserable when it doesn't as it looks more likely that I'll have to stop bfing completely to become fertile again I also had high hopes when we started weaning, but nothing there either. Mind you, we're doing blw, so they're always a bit slower to cut down on feeds then, so that could be it too.

hi

ttc whilst bfing here. cd2 as af arrived yesterday.

afs returned straight away for me, im not one of the lucky ones that get a few months off!

does anyone know if its possible im not ovulating but still getting af?

Yes, you can definately have AFs without ovulation. Unless you get very clear ovulation pains (I never have, but a friend can tell the precise second she ovulates by the specific sensation) then the only way to find out is by testing hormone levels (eg with an OPK).

But why is it that some women get AFs as normal whilst BFing whereas most of us don't?

LifeofKate, don't worry.

Most woman don't have to give up breastfeeding completely. I know that word 'most' is perhaps not very reassuring. However, it is not worrying at all that your AF has not returned yet - from what I've read, there are transitional stages; hormone levels slowly returning to normal etcetera.

AF is likely to return sooner if you change your feeding pattern later down the line - for example, I wanted to cut back on feeds when my son was about 16 months old. I made some tiny changes, and presto, AF returned. If I had made those same changes when my son was 7 months old, perhaps it wouldn't have been so 'presto' because of my hormone levels not being up to the challenge yet. Does this make sense?

And if it takes a bit longer for AF to return, you are also more likely to ovulate before your first period, and are therefore more prone to having a very happy accident. It could be...

Oops, I mean women. Most women.

Charlottes' Clan - If you want to know whether you are ovulating or not you could start charting your temperature every day. This site tells you how to do it and will pinpoint your ovulation day for you. If you are ovulating you will see your basal body temperature rise, and remain high until AF comes.

If Charlotte or anyone else wants a BBT thermometer I have one going spare - I got it off ebay along with a saliva microscope but already had one so it's just knocking about. It has been used but can be sterilised either with boiling water or Milton etc. Anyone? Or is that just too icky?

No news from me really, think I'm OVing as I type

Did you hear a pop, Dita? Get to it!

I practically used to hear it, used to get the old 'mittelschmertz' and everything!

We have had a better week as the latest batch of 4 teeth are almost through. But DD woke at 2am, and was latched on until 4.30am, so we're not out of the woods yet.

Tempted to wee on a cheap stick as it's the end of the month. Have no reason whatsoever to think that it's likely to come up favourably but in lieu of actual AF, I suppose it's a way of marking the month, IYSWIM?

Anyone seen this? drjaygordon.com/attachment/sleeppattern.html

Think I'm ready to give night weaning a second go.

Thanks, Primigravida, that does make sense, even if it's not particularly encouraging for conceiving soon!

DS is nearly 8 months now, I have given myself until he's 9 months and then I'll have a look at discovering if i'm ovulating at all. Do I have to take temperature, or could I just go with OPKs? Weeing seems a lot less invasive than taking a temperature!

Kate you can just go with OPKs I think but lots of people never get a + with them at all (but do get pg!) and they can be hard to read. Peeonastick.com has some good tips/info (eg testing at lunchtime as the hormone tends to increase during the day rather than fmu). Could be expensive too - thermometer is a one-off expense but then is only accurate if you're getting a few hours uninterrupted sleep and not drinking (I fell at both hurdles but did kind of work for me I think).

Lady there's a support thread for people trying Dr JG's method over in the bfing forum though I haven't posted on it for a while so not sure how it's working for anyone else. Cold turkey has gone much better for us (that and time).

Beveridge nearly - I had a pain down on the right where I would expect an ovary to be and lots of cramps all day. Didn't manage to SWI last night though so really worried we've fucked up our chances for this month.

Having a bad day today. Saw a mum this morning who has a DD the same age as mine who is currently pg (mum not daughter ) and was saying how she got pg the first month they were trying and she didn't really want such a small age gap etc ... found it all a bit difficult. Then there's a thread over in AIBU which upset me too on all sorts of different levels. Had a good weep while DD had her nap

to everyone else

Thanks Dita will take a look. DS is 2 years and 2 months and as keen as ever to feed. In fact he is very cunning. I've said he's not allowed to feed during the day - just at naptime and to help him get to sleep at night. So he pretends he is tired. "I tired now, I want to go sleep" so we go up to bed, and then magically not tired after his feed!

Lady. That's funny about your ds.

Dita - Hope you're feeling a bit better by now. Quite a number of friends have announced their second pregnancies recently. It is hard when you feel like you're putting so much effort in to no avail. BTW when I got pregnant with ds it was from SWIing 2 days before ovulation so you you never know.

I know how you feel though. Dp was away for a couple of days just as I was getting close to O. Fortunately it's held off and he got home hungover and exhausted just in time so wasn't let off his duties. [evil cackle] Poor bugger.

Hi all,
Just popping in to wave to Dita.

We're ttc no.2 (since Dec 09). I gave up b'feeding in Feb as I thought it was affecting my cycles. 6 months later my cycles are still not regular, so I don't think it was anything to do with breastfeeding after all (which makes me sad that I gave up before I was really ready to).

Three of my friends have recently conceived their second babies whilst still feeding so I know it's possible. Good luck with the night weaning etc.

I might keep popping in to say hi to Dita, even though I'm now not feeding if you don't mind?

Orchid

Hello everyone, hope you are all well.
Just thought I'd let you know that I've night weaned DD so will see if it has any effect! Am having the longest AF ever (over a week now) so am hopeful that it means night weaning has had an effect on my hormones!
The night weaning went fine, DD was obviously ready as she used to get really upset if I tried to say now but this time round she wasn't bothered. So if you're finding night weaning a nightmare perhaps leave it a couple of weeks and try again?
stargirl x

stargirl way to go! How old is your dd? Did you use the Jay Gordon method or just cold turkey her?

She is just coming up to 22 months. We just went cold turkey, she has a bedtime feed and then we say night night to the boobies and that's it. She still wakes up but doesn't usually ask for a feed and if she does ask I tell her no and she's fine with it. She had water instead the first few nights but doesn't even ask for that now, I just cuddle her back to sleep.
She was obviously ready for it because it was no trouble at all really.
I'm not charting so I'm not really sure what effect the night feeds were having on my fertility but I was just ready to stop.
Good luck anyone else who is trying!

Ok, this is good news ladies: I have peed over two sticks and have TWO positive results - apparently, I am pregnant!

But. Immediately after the first test, I started feeling crampy and lo and behold, this morning noticed a bit of spotting. So not quite sure if it will all end well at this point. Fingers crossed.

So this is what has been going on. Cycle 4, DS 21 months, still drinks as often as he can. I've been having regular cycles since AF returned with (in my humble opinion, sans temping)an obvious OV.
I did not completely and rigorously nightwean, but cut my DS feeds short and substituted one nightfeed with a glass of milk and a banana. I halfheartedly drank grapefruitjuice.

I am still a bit . I mean, really? And with the spotting and all? But I promised to offer even a very faint glimmer of hope if I had one, so here it is!

oh prima fingers crossed for you and thanks for the hope!

I have posted on here twice recently on my phone but for some reason it's not here

Will have to wait for me to use the pc from now on

Still nothing here. Been having crampy feelings which I am hoping is something starting to happen in the ov department. I am also seriously thinking of night weaning Alfie as he has started the whole snacking through the night thing (3 or 4 sucks and back to sleep) which just has to stop I am so dead on my feet. Admittedly I am giving it a couple of weeks though incase he is getting chickenpox as DS has just had it!

Just popping in and getting this back on to my active convos!

at Orchid - would be nice if we could co-ordinate our second children as well I'd love you to come back and see us (or just stick around) but I'm biased

Prima Everything crossed for you. FWIW I was crampy for most of my first trimester and did have a bit of spotting too and all was fine. Keep us posted

coconut Thanks, I am feeling better Back to feeling positive, sure it will all come crashing down in about ten days' time!

star Fab that it went so well We tried a few times with DD but she's 22 months too (or 23 ) and seems finally to be okay with it

No news from me really - on CD22 so on the 2WW I guess. No real idea if or when I OVed this month - I think it was around CD15 but I think one of the problems we've had is that I've been OVing very late and by then we've run out of steam on the SWI front Have been quite CMy this month (sorry ) - turned 34 yesterday so I don't know if my ovaries are just panicking and firing out everything they have Oh, I asked my acupuncturist about the fibrous day of AF I had and she said that it was generally a sign of some old stuff getting cleared out and was a positive as it meant my next lining would be nice and thick and nutrient-rich. No idea if that's medical fact or cobbler's, but sounds quite positive! (star she's also told me in the past that a long AF is a good sign of a clear out in progress!).

Prima has just reminded me I've completely forgotten about the grapefruit juice this month - pah!

Congrats on BFP Prima. Like Dita I spotted in my first pregnancy too for about a week. Can just mean the baby getting comfy in there. Have fingers crossed for you.

Update on the night weaning - two nights now with no boobie! First night he woke up about three times and cried but cuddled him back to sleep. Last night he didn't particularly bother asking and was happy with a cuddle! Bet it all goes horribly wrong tonight!

But my temps went up this morning so maybe I did ov anyway (FF not thinks on cd22) - although had a rare night out last night and too much gin so might also be that.

Thanks ladies, but unfortunate update here. The spotting has turned into AF-like flow. I think we can safely assume I just had/ am in the middle of an early miscarriage.

So now I am pretty dissappointed, even when I was making a sceptical face earlier. O well.

Analysis: I had a totally unprepared uterus and the egg had no soft place to land. Makes sense, cause I had some spotting earlier in this cycle (adios uterus lining..) and was rather suprised when that stopped and wasn't followed by AF.

I wish I had waited another week before testing; ignorance would have been bliss in this case. Lesson learned there.

Anyway, I've bought vitamin B6 today to help get my hormones up to par, because duh, that is KEY here. And will try to seriously push through nightweaning. Yay.

Oh prima, I'm so so sorry :(

Prima, I'm really sad for you I've been reading TYOYF though and it seems early miscarriage is a lot more common than you think.

Well the night weaning has had to be accelerated here. My Mum has been admitted to hospital so have to go up North and visit her so DS went to his Dad's (down South) without me for first time ever last night. I cried and cried but apparently he wasn't too bad. So no feeding since 7pm yesterday - may see him tonight or maybe Sunday depending how Mum is. I'm very glad I started night weaning him this week anyway (before I knew Mum was going into hospital) - very fortuitous.

Really sorry to hear that Prima. I've heard of a few people on here saying that they wished they hadn't tested so early so they would never have known. It's so hard not to though isn't it. It must be so disappointing.

Gaga - I hope it's nothing serious for your mum. I'd be in a right old state if I had to spend a night away from my ds.

Well, I'm 5dpo and am taking a huge cocktail of supplements this month, so we'll see how it goes. We're going on holiday on Monday for a week so I'm going to try not to think about it and just see what happens. We're down to one feed a day now, but I think I'm going to cut it out completely next month if we're not successful.

Hope everyone's having a good weekend!