Pregnant while breastfeeding

LegacyUser

Hi All,
my wife is continuing breast feeding on our 1st child (who is nearly 3) and she doesn't intend to stop breastfeeding untill the child stops. We were hoping she might get pregnant again as indeed many women have done while breastfeeding. She nurses the baby to sleep every night while breast feeding. I read somewhere the body may be telling itself its not ready for another baby while breastfeeding, but I would like to read more on the subject. If anyone could point me in the right direction for some factual insight that would be great as naturally my wife is a little sensitive around the subject of stopping feeding.

Grawns

Breastfeeding is not a contraceptive. If her periods have returned to a normal cycle she is most likely fertile again. I breastfed for 20 months but my cycle returned to normal within 2 months of the birth. Was well annoyed

Neyite

Breastfeeding, I read somewhere, is about 80 -90% effective against conception. To create breast milk the body raises the levels of prolactin which can inhibit ovulation and implantation. When breastfeeding stops, this level returns to normal and full fertility is usually restored

a common cause of infertility is a high level of prolactin in non pregnant/not breastfeeding women - I have this, and am taking Parlodel to lower the levels so that I can get pregnant. I have not been pregnant before despite trying for 19 months. All our other tests came back fine.

If you read up on the Prolactin hormone you will get some good understanding of how it affects not only ovulation and conception but also affects the other hormones required to get pregnant.

Morag

I know 3 women who have become pregnant while breastfeeding, it happens.
If you do not want to have another child soon then I suggest you use some extra contraception.

Rosy Posy

My son weaned himself when I became pregnant. He just refused to breastfeed one day and a couple of weeks later I found out I was pregnant. This also happened to a few of my friends, apparently the quality of the milk changes? Maybe when your wife does conceive your child will decide to give up the breast themselves.

EileenG

If her periods are back, she can get pregnant. In fact, if her her periods are back, breastfeeding could be an aid to conception, as it keeps all her hormones firing at full blast.

I got pregnant three times while breastfeeding. And I did extended breastfeeding on all of my babies, and they all did wean before they started school!