Pregnant when breastfeeding?

scaredycat

Hi all,

I'm currently a mother of my first baby who's now 4 months old.
It took us a good few years to get pregnant so babsy is very precious to us.
I'm dying for baby no.2 and worry cos we are getting older (I'm 35, dh is 36) and considering it took us so long to get pregnant first time, I'm wondering is it possible to get pregnant when still Bf'ing?
I've done some research online and its all saying when you don't feed from 10pm to 6am, your cycles should return. I feed him a bottle at about 10/11 at night and try not to feed him before 6am (sometimes I have no choice but to feed him if he wakes crying for a feed).
We got pregnant using Chinese medicine last time, so thankfully didn't go down IUI or IVF route.
Anyone any tips etc to get pregnant asap? I'd like to stay Bf for 6 months but I read somewhere that ur periods won't return for a year if you do this, which I would hate to have happen. No sign of mine returning any time soon!!!
We are having se* without contraception, but have only had it a handful of times since babs was born for healing reasons etc (and trying to find time and energy if being honest).
Anyhow just trying to see if anyone has any suggestions/advise or been in similar situation?//
Tx a mill

Sauve

Hi OP,
I've moved your thread to what I think is a more appropriate forum for your query.
Best of luck,
Sauve

Neyite

I was 2.5 years ttc and finally with clomid I had my baby. I got pregnant while breastfeeding. Unfortunately miscarried but nevertheless:

I found that when I introduced solids at 6 months my periods came back. I got pregnant almost right away - probably the prolactin dip, as I used to give one formula bottle - the bedtime feed at 8pm from 3 months, so possibly all those things contributed to the dip in prolactin.

The second pregnancy was 9 months after that again probably my fertility was still quite high. That was Sept 13, and we are back to clomid again.

I would suggest gently getting back in to the swing of things with your partner- its really hard to find the time, so you do have to be inventive. Nap times can be utilised to great benefit here. In a couple of months you'll be introducing solids and usually thats when women see their cycles return.

I'd also recommend either an expressed or formula bottle to give you a longer break so the prolactin dips more for you.

scaredycat

Hi Neyite,

Thanks for your message. I've been bottle feeding him at night since he was 10 weeks old, so I feed him myself up to about 9pm and then he gets his bottle then any time from 10pm onwards and goes down until about 4am give or take an hr. I am aiming to give him some rice from 20 weeks or 22 weeks onwards as advised by the nurse if he needs it, so maybe that will speed things up. I'm only worried cos when I went off the pill my periods were irregular for about 2 yrs and I'm afraid the same thing is going to happen hence why I'm pushing to get pregnant a lot quicker this time around if possible.
I read something on the net saying you should try not to feed the baby yourself from 10pm to 6am to help get your periods back? Is it specific to those hours or is it just cos its a long break so your prolactin will dip? If so, I wonder should I give him 2 bottles at night time then, one at 8 and one at 10 or so? I feel bad giving him one bottle as it is, as I feel I'm not looking after him properly or something, but I know that's in my head.

volchitsa

scaredycat wrote: »

Hi all,

I'm currently a mother of my first baby who's now 4 months old.
It took us a good few years to get pregnant so babsy is very precious to us.
I'm dying for baby no.2 and worry cos we are getting older (I'm 35, dh is 36) and considering it took us so long to get pregnant first time, I'm wondering is it possible to get pregnant when still Bf'ing?
I've done some research online and its all saying when you don't feed from 10pm to 6am, your cycles should return. I feed him a bottle at about 10/11 at night and try not to feed him before 6am (sometimes I have no choice but to feed him if he wakes crying for a feed).
We got pregnant using Chinese medicine last time, so thankfully didn't go down IUI or IVF route.
Anyone any tips etc to get pregnant asap? I'd like to stay Bf for 6 months but I read somewhere that ur periods won't return for a year if you do this, which I would hate to have happen. No sign of mine returning any time soon!!!
We are having se* without contraception, but have only had it a handful of times since babs was born for healing reasons etc (and trying to find time and energy if being honest).
Anyhow just trying to see if anyone has any suggestions/advise or been in similar situation?//
Tx a mill

I would say maybe not to worry too much and just enjoy the breastfeeding while you can. If you get pregnant then well and good, but if not then you can start to be proactive all the sooner after you've stopped the feeding. I haven't been in your situation of trying to get pregnant again quickly, but I have a good friend who had all sorts of treatment and finally managed, at about your age to have a baby. As she left the clinic she asked her doctor, a specialist in fertility issues, if they would have to go through all that again for a second one, and he basically told her she should be happy with having one, and consider the one she had was a stroke of luck that might not be repeated.

So she went home with no contraception etc, and was pregnant within 6 months. And has since had a third. She went on the pill after that!

OTOH, when I was breastfeedjng my first I didn't get my periods back till he was a year old. For the second, they came back soon after she slept through the night for the first time. So you never know.

But try not to worry. And good luck! You've had one, it's the best proof there is that you can have another.

Neyite

Scardy, I don't know if its specific to those times or not- i can't see how, unless they count where your prolactin might dip or peak throughout the night as well as the feed gaps. I'd say plan your gap how it suits you and baby, and let the hormones do what they have to do.

Anecdotally, many women get pregnant easier and quicker the second time around. Dunno why.

scaredycat

Ok thanks guys... I'm probably worrying over nothing. I've decided to introduce some baby rice and a second bottle in a weeks time and will just chill out until after 6 months when bf is finished. Panicing won't help the situation either way, so I may just relax and see what happens. Thanks for your help and advice... appreciate it.

10021

Hi, I do extended breastfeeding, with the first 6 months exclusive, I did tandem feeding for a while also. With our first my period returned around 4 months, he was a fantastic night sleeper right from the start. Our second had me up down all night long until about 9 months and my period returned between 3 and 4 months. On another site I am on this question is asked frequently and the answer varies greatly. Good luck, I have heard of many couples who have IVF with their first and fall pregnant suddenly with their second.

lazygal

Slightly OT but baby rice is awful stuff. No nutritional value whatsoever.

I was still BF when I got pregnant the second time. I was lucky, period came back once baby was sleeping through and then we got pregnant. I fed until I was about six months pregnant and then the child weaned herself off. I'm still BF our second, who is 15 months, and I got my period back a bit later at about nine months, but I'm putting that down to my body making sure I didn't get knocked up again quickly.

scaredycat

My fella has now started waking thru the night for a feed again, like literally every 3 hours again. Its interfering with my cycle now as my breasts have to make more milk again so cant see how my cycle will come back anytime soon.
I would have thought the older he's getting the more he'd sleep thru?

Lazygal, should I give him pureed natural food so instead? I didn't realise baby rice was so bad? The nurse told me give it to him along with my mother and co?

10021

Could be a growth spurt, there is normally one around 6 months which is different for every baby, I assume he is about 5 months now? My eldest was about five months for that growth spurt.

I am another who is not into rice cereal, our first had it because that was what everyone did and said to do, our second didn't because I read up about it. We didn't spoon feed at all with both children, we did something called baby lead weaning, it is were you give your child foods they can gum and they feed themselves. Even rice cereal went straight on the tray and our boy would dip his fingers in it then put them in his mouth. Our children have a great relationship with food and I believe it is because we never spoon feed.

lazygal

scaredycat wrote: »

My fella has now started waking thru the night for a feed again, like literally every 3 hours again. Its interfering with my cycle now as my breasts have to make more milk again so cant see how my cycle will come back anytime soon.
I would have thought the older he's getting the more he'd sleep thru?

Lazygal, should I give him pureed natural food so instead? I didn't realise baby rice was so bad? The nurse told me give it to him along with my mother and co?

I was way too lazy to puree. We did baby led weaning too and it worked great both times. Public health nurses are obsessed with rice and how many spoonfuls they swallow so don't mind them if you want to do a different approach.

73trix

How do you know your fertile days? Is basal body temp the only way? I'm over 40 with a 12 week old and 90% bfing. Would like to try for no 2 sooner than later given my age but seems such a shot in the dark with no cycle back.

10021

^ There are a few ways. Google "beautiful cervix project" also things like "natural family planning." We do cycle tracking as contraception, but it is a little difficult to type out all the details on my phone. Good luck.

73trix

Anyone else get pregnant while breastfeeding? My lad has started sleeping 8hrs at nite so hopefully this helps with prolactin dip. Tempted to throw caution to the wind soon as have no cycle back yet so prob highly unlikely to conceive yet. But if I do, I'd be happy regardless of a short gap. Due to my age i can't really feel like going for it sooner than later as it could take a while....If it happens at all of course!

MastiffMrs

I'm in same boat here. had baby last summer & been hoping to get pg with number 2 ever since. Loads told me that breastfeeding hadn't stopped them from getting pg, so we've been TTC since physically able (after baby was 6 weeks due to bleeding after section).

Was really hoping for Irish twins but no such luck! I stopped bf in Nov & af returned early Jan. Haven't used ov tests but trying to dtd as much as possible, every 2 to 3 days throughout the month.

I know it's not a long time compared to others, but I got pg first time around in the very first cycle,despite only coming off the pill after 12 years. So I was kind of expecting to see a positive hpt fairly quickly this time around.

Its tougher now on both of us, as oh is working long hours & is very tired during the week. and baby takes up lots of time!

How are you getting on now after a few months?

73trix

No luck yet. Baby now 5 months. Stopped night bf a week ago. Currently in process of weaning of boob in the hope that fertility returns. No clue about cycle. Hopeless with temping as baby wakes me first and I automatically attend to him first and miss that early temp....Every bloody day! Might start ov strips soon just cos I'm in the dark completely. Also finding it very hard to dtd regularly cos a. I'm still very sore post section (really annoying) and 2. have very low libido and 3. we are both so knackered! Wish I knew my fertile windows to pour out energies into there and then. Not motivated when I have no clue.

So.... to answer your question. Not too well!

Kaylami

73trix wrote: »

No luck yet. Baby now 5 months. Stopped night bf a week ago. Currently in process of weaning of boob in the hope that fertility returns. No clue about cycle. Hopeless with temping as baby wakes me first and I automatically attend to him first and miss that early temp....Every bloody day! Might start ov strips soon just cos I'm in the dark completely. Also finding it very hard to dtd regularly cos a. I'm still very sore post section (really annoying) and 2. have very low libido and 3. we are both so knackered! Wish I knew my fertile windows to pour out energies into there and then. Not motivated when I have no clue.

So.... to answer your question. Not too well!

I had issues conceiving due to ovarian cysts. Took 18 months to conceive no 2 and 13 months for no 3 who arrived in august 14.

I was bf exclusively up until December 4th. I started expressing as I was going back to work. Had some spotting on Dec 13th and that was only bleeding since she was born and I'm now 12 weeks pregnant.

Stopped bf completely in the middle of January.

detoxkid

No luck here yet anyway. My daughter is 9 months and i gave up bfeeding her after a visit to the gp who told me id need to give it up to get preg again. Ive heard of lots of people who can get preg while bfeeding or when they cut back on feeds but it seems to vary from person to person and just wasnt happening for me. Doc gave me pills to stimulate a bleed because i hadnt had a period yet so that i could count that as day one of my cycle and try to plan from there. Hopefully it will happen again soon. That is the only downside of bfeeding from what i can see...

RentDayBlues

I conceived while breastfeeding, first was 9 months and on 3 feeds per day. I had been on mini pill, came off it when first was 7 months so just waited for period to return, first cycle was 45 days, second 32.

Continued to feed my first until she was 16 months, took 2 month break before the second arrived.

Once you have introduced solids at 6 months the chancing of fertility returning are very high. Unless you are trying for months there isn't really a need to stop breastfeeding if it's suiting everyone

73trix

Kaylami wrote: »

I had issues conceiving due to ovarian cysts. Took 18 months to conceive no 2 and 13 months for no 3 who arrived in august 14.

I was bf exclusively up until December 4th. I started expressing as I was going back to work. Had some spotting on Dec 13th and that was only bleeding since she was born and I'm now 12 weeks pregnant.

Stopped bf completely in the middle of January.

fantastic to hear that and congratulations!

73trix

RentDayBlues wrote: »

I conceived while breastfeeding, first was 9 months and on 3 feeds per day. I had been on mini pill, came off it when first was 7 months so just waited for period to return, first cycle was 45 days, second 32.

Continued to feed my first until she was 16 months, took 2 month break before the second arrived.

Once you have introduced solids at 6 months the chancing of fertility returning are very high. Unless you are trying for months there isn't really a need to stop breastfeeding if it's suiting everyone

Great to hear these stories. I agree with you only that if age is against you, as in my case, there is a need. I'm reluctantly weaning my little guy now but I would like him to have a sibling so it has to be one or the other. If I was younger I would love to have kept going.