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Original poster

TTC while breastfeeding

15 replies

Cardamom1 · 07/08/2022 15:01

Hi everyone, I would be really interested in your advice/experiences. I am still breastfeeding my son who is almost 18 months, and have yet to have a post partum period. Any advice for anything (other than weaning) that has helped bring back ovulation/periods? Getting pretty despondent when I think of the delay before being able to start TTC. Thank you.

OP posts:
Differentnamethistime · 07/08/2022 21:37

No advice I'm afraid, just hang on in there! My first postpartum period didn't return til 18 months, but it did come back even though I was still feeding frequently. Everyone's bodies are different and some people just take longer. I was still breastfeeding when I became pregnant (when DS turned 2) so it is possible! I found this page quite helpful: www.llli.org/breastfeeding-info/fertility/

Skylark1990 · 08/08/2022 09:09

Hi OP, I am still breastfeeding my 23mo. Currently 4 weeks pregnant. We started TTC in December, but I've had 3 miscarriages since. I am hopeful for this bean as now taking progesterone and only feeding once sometimes twice a day. Also no idea if the MC were actually caused by feeding, most medical professionals say it doesn't cause MC and loads of women can breastfeed all through pregnancy so I may have just been unlucky/something entirely different- I've been pretty run down in other ways.

Anyway. Wanted to say, there is a good group on FB called TTC and Pregnancy while breastfeeding, you can ask loads of questions. Are you still doing night feeds? I think the key thing to bring back fertility is to have a longer space between the feeds so e..g 8 hours overnight might help. But also know that it's nature's way of ensuring your body isn't overdoing itself and it will come back when the time is right. My period came back early at 4 months pp despite ebf all through the day night but no way was my body ready for another baby (and perhaps the MCs were slightly to do with this, who knows) so everyone is different but it can be good to know your body is looking out for you and your LO... Like, it's nourishing baby no one for now and that's it's focus 🥰

Nourish yourself and build back up your nutrient stores, take a good prenatal vitamin, eat well etc as that'll help too for TTC and in pregnancy. I've heard eating more calories in general can also help bring back a period while bf. Good luck! It'll happen when the time is right x

Dyra · 08/08/2022 10:15

I conceived my second while breastfeeding. However, it was only once a day and more for comfort at bedtime than anything. We started when DD was 17 months.

As I have PCOS I took metformin to kick start my periods. I was also taking myo-inositol as a supplement, as I heard it could aid ovulation. I've also heard it basically does the same thing as metformin, so could restart your periods. As part of the PCOS I was also trying to lose weight and was on a low carb diet as well. I think I was also taking pregnancy vitamins, but I don't remember now. Either way, I conceived after only 5 months (DC1 took 3 years!) and DC2 is now nearly 5 months.

I will warn you that I had to give up breastfeeding before the end of the first trimester (~8-10 weeks). My milk dried up, and it was getting painful. So you might end up weaning anyway.

Best of luck with TTC.

Kstar321 · 28/08/2022 20:37

Hi OP,
I’m in exactly the same position as you with my 18 month old. I desperately want a second baby, but first one LOVES breastfeeding and shows no signs of stopping. No sign of my period. I’ve no advice, but just wanted to say you’re not alone!

Keha · 28/08/2022 22:19

There is a TTC while breastfeeding Facebook group where there is loads of discussion on supplements, calorie increasing etc.

Also if you've not come across it you may find this interesting www.carolsmyth.co.uk/breastfeeding-resources/posts/2017/june/breastfeeding-fertility-and-subfertility-1/

Daisy4569 · 28/08/2022 22:24

I’m still breastfeeding on demand and just got my period back at 19months. No changes really it just appeared so I’m sure it will be back given time

Rowen32 · 28/08/2022 22:26

Do you get long stretches during the night? If you don't and could try that it might work.. You could still feed to sleep :-)

barneymcgroo · 28/08/2022 22:31

I got mine back around 17 months both times. Both times I cut back on feeding because of ttc. Was going to try dropping night feeds, but my pair of milk monsters weren't having it. So I ended up giving up feeding during the day - unless they asked for it. So much easier to distract them during the day time!

Kstar321 · 03/11/2022 14:45

Just jumping on here to see if there are any updates, still no period for me. Although, in the last week I’ve noticed some ‘changes’ which have led me to think I might have been ovulating - but OPK only showed faint line - so eagerly waiting to see if AF turns up in a few weeks.

Original poster
Cardamom1 · 03/11/2022 18:15

Sadly nothing for me yet either, and no change on OPKs either. I did months ago see a very faint line on them instead of my normal nothing. Do you know if a very faint line means anything or is that just as meaningless as no line at all? Good luck and hoping you get AF soon!

OP posts:
Kstar321 · 03/11/2022 19:06

I think a faint line is essentially still negative, although depends what you read really.
Fingers crossed for you too. I never thought there would be a day where I was actually willing my period to come! Being a woman is so strange!

Sawa75 · 04/11/2022 16:52

I stopped bf when my son was 12.5 months for ttc, I had had no period. Took 6 weeks for it to come back and then I had a 5 week cycle ( think it was delayed due to illness) and a chemical and the next month I had my normal length cycle and a bfp. Now 16 weeks. Some people need to give up totally to conceive unfortunately and even then it takes time to get normal cycles. I had 2 periods before my bfp.

Kstar321 · 05/11/2022 14:18

Well I was right, AF turned up today!

Original poster
Cardamom1 · 05/11/2022 17:40

Congratulations!! So happy for you! If you don't mind me asking, what signs did you get that made you suspicious that it may be coming back? How old is your baby now and is he/she still feeding pretty often? No signs of my one slowing up here, including during the night...

OP posts:
Kstar321 · 05/11/2022 17:53

So my little boy is 20 months - I’ve only been feeding him overnight since I went back to work in Jan. But he feeds to sleep and wakes a lot at night still, so I was and still am feeding often at night. Signs I noticed were bad skin (I’ve had really good skin while BF, which is not normal for me), what I thought (and probably were) ovulation pains and an increase in discharge (sorry if that’s TMI). I’ve also been pretty short tempered with my other half 😂. Like I say, my son still feeds a lot at night and thought that would mean that I wouldn’t get AF for ages, but just shows it can happen. Hopefully yours will come along soon, got my fingers crossed for you xx

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