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TTC while breastfeeding?

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katierouse
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TTC while breastfeeding?

#1 Unread post by katierouse » Wed Sep 28, 2011 12:42 am

Hi,

Has anyone had any luck TTC while breastfeeding? My son is 6 months old and i'm still feeding him about 4 times a day although he has started on solids now.

He was a fertility treatment baby and we've been advised to try again after 6 months for best chance of success in having another baby.
I would like to carry on feeding him for a little longer but at the same time am scared to risk not trying to ttc if I don't get my cycle back.

Any advice?

Thanks :D


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weezypops
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Re: TTC while breastfeeding?

#2 Unread post by weezypops » Wed Sep 28, 2011 9:36 am

It is definitely possible to get pregnant when breastfeeding though it does make it harder. We started trying for our second when my son was about 9 months old and I didn't get my period back until he was nearly a year. I was still breastfeeding then though, and didn't stop until he was about 14 months, so I did get my period back and get pregnanct whilst breastfeeding. However, by that time he was only eating a couple of times a day and had been on solids since 6 months. Breastfeeding can only really be counted as contraception (and even then not 100%) if your baby is exclusively breastfed and eating every three hours or so.

Good luck in making a decision, I don't think there's a wrong and right answer. You've done brilliantly to breastfeed until now, so stopping wouldn't be a bad choice necessarily but if you're enjoying it and he is too there's no harm in carrying on and seeing how things go. You could maybe just cut down his feeds to morning and bedtime ones to see if that gets your cycle going again.
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Re: TTC while breastfeeding?

#3 Unread post by bluewaterbabeiam » Wed Sep 28, 2011 9:38 am

Hi Katie, not had any experience of ttc whilst bresatfeeding but understand it is possible to get pregnant whilst breastfeeding so I would say go for it! Women are most fertile during the 1st year after having a baby so this may help!! Good luck xx
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Re: TTC while breastfeeding?

#4 Unread post by XxJack~AcexX » Thu Sep 29, 2011 11:38 am

No experience of it hun but I just wanted to wish you Good Luck with the ttc if you choose to do so :D x
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katierouse
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Re: TTC while breastfeeding?

#5 Unread post by katierouse » Mon Oct 03, 2011 11:04 pm

Hi, Sorry for a bit of a delayed reply to you all - I haven't had a chance to come on here for a few days.

Thanks for all of your replies - it's really lovely to hear from you all. That's great Louise that you fell pregnant whilst breastfeeding - glad to hear that. I think I'll take your advice and just cut down to AM/PM feeds as I think I'd be a bit sad to stop just yet. Jake is sleeping well at night so hopefully my cycle will kick back in. If that doesn't seem to start things then maybe I'll stop in a month or so.

Like you said Jo - if chances are best within the first year we should certainly give it a go.

Cheers for the Good luck wishes Gemma - fingers crossed eh?! xx


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Re: TTC while breastfeeding?

#6 Unread post by katierouse » Mon Dec 05, 2011 1:36 am

Hi Louise,

thanks, your advice worked - I cut down to am/pm and my cycle returned within 1 month....fingers crossed something happens soon! x

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Re: TTC while breastfeeding?

#7 Unread post by Jenn » Mon Dec 05, 2011 9:13 am

Good luck!
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Re: TTC while breastfeeding?

#8 Unread post by weezypops » Mon Dec 05, 2011 10:02 am

Good luck Katie, hope it happens quickly for you!
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Re: TTC while breastfeeding?

#9 Unread post by nickyh1983 » Mon Dec 05, 2011 1:27 pm

Good Luck. x
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Re: TTC while breastfeeding?

#10 Unread post by BirthAffinity » Mon Dec 05, 2011 3:37 pm

I conceived current pregnancy whilst still breastfeeding (he carried on feeding til I was 12weeks and stopped of his own accord!)

Everyone is slightly different re hormone levels at which fertile cycles start again - when you fully breastfeed (ie no solids, feed at least once in he night) and baby is 6 months or less, a fertile cycle is much less likely. As baby gradually stops feeding so frequently, most women see a gradual return to fertility. Often, though not always, the first few cycles are anovulatory - although you have a period, you usually don't start releasing eggs with first couple if cycles. Cycles then become ovulatory, but tend to have luteal phases that are too short to allow any fertilised egg sufficient time to implant (luteal phase is the the time from day of ovulation, until the start of your period. A "fertile" luteal phase is usually at least 10 days in length). Finally, the luteal phase lengthens and full fertility is resumed.

You can speed things along to fertility again by reducing the number if breastfeeds offered, particularly by cutting out night feeds. There are also a number of non medical ways to support the return of fertility - the use of vit b6 to lengthen luteal phase for example. Many women however, prefer to let nature return fertile cycles on it's own.

On average, you are looking at 3-6 full cycles before full fertility resumes, but again varies from woman to woman. Hope this helps and good luck! Xx
Lorraine Berry
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