Want to TTC 4 months post-partum, no period

[AlexandraCamden]

I am 4.5 months post-partum & have a few months window of ideally TTC due to study restrictions. My 2 daughters were conceived on 1/2 month of trying.

However, with my first daughter I did not get my period back until 11 months, so I am mindful that this could be the case again. I am breastfeeding & also did so with my first daughter but neither were/are exclusively breastfed & have a lot of formula (& no night feeds)

Is the only way to convceive in the next 3 months if I cease breasfeeding alltogether? I love nursing my baby & didn't stop until my oldest was 2

Thank you for any advice / opinion!

This sounds too soon.

You would stop breastfeeding so you could have a third baby immediately? You need to let your body recover after two back to back pregnancies, not introduce a third.

Exactly. Feels a bit like self harm 😕

4 months pp is way too soon, give your body a chance to recover.

I'd try and wait at least a year.

I would advise to wait a little too. However, your body your choice. I would imagine that yes you will need to stop feeding altogether unfortunately. Or reduce it drastically down!

Why can't you just enjoy the baby you have before rushing to have another?

Your period not coming back yet is your body's way of saying its not ready for another baby. It will probably come back quicker if you stop breastfeeding but its not that uncommon for it to take a few months even when bottle feeding as the body is allowing you time to heal

I got pregnant with my second when my first was 5 months, period came back when he was 4 months. I was EBF and he still fed a lot during the night so I was surprised that it came back really quickly. With my second my period didn't come back until 8 months PP though, and with my third it was about 6 months. So you never know, it could come back next month.

Personally I've always loved having them 14 months apart, I then had 20 months between second and third babies!

You should know that the shorter the gap between two pregnancies, the biggest the risk of complications (such as preterm birth) in your subsequent pregnancy:

www.marchofdimes.org/find-support/topics/planning-baby/how-long-should-you-wait-getting-pregnant-again