Ttc While Breastfeeding

I'm so happy for you that you guys have 'officially' started ttc. You make such beautiful children.

Are you still breastfeeding her exclusively? Pumping? During the night?

Thanks!

I wouldn't say exclusively - she eats table foods for all of her official meals and snacks. But she nurses off and on all day long, and we cosleep at night so she has a boob a few times a night. I'm being completely honest when I say she's addicted to the boob! I think most of it is a comfort thing, but I'm really trying to gently wean her now. I offer her whole milk in a cup before bed and during meals, and water in a sippy inbetween, but she prefers the boob.

I wouldn't be worried about weaning her at all, except my cycle is all over the place. I can only assume that breastfeeding is still affecting my hormones, which are affecting my system.

From what I understand, if you could just ween her from feeding at night it may cause you to start ovulating again. I would be pretty comfortable in saying that you aren't ovulating. You may have before, and you still could at any time. However, I doubt that your estrogen has returned to the levels needed to cause ovulation or to receive a period (I also have very low estrogen, so I can relate) The difference is, yours is probably going to be easier to fix. I suggest that you start trying to wean her from her night time feedings then work your way up from there if that doesn't do the trick.

There are some herbal treatments that are said to increase natural estrogen. Unfortunately, I'm not sure if they are safe to use while breastfeeding and I would never want to recommend something that I'm not sure would be 100% safe. However, if you want you can pm me and I tell you what they are if you want to ask your doctor about them.

Personal question: Feel free not to answer, Do you think you will be comfortable enough bding to start trying right now? Or have you guys been able to get back into the swing of things?

Oh absolutely. Sex isn't a problem anymore. It only took, what, the better part of a year?

Her nighttime feeds are going to be the hardest for her to give up. I have a better shot of getting her off her daytime feeds than nighttime. We cosleep, so she'll roll over and start feeling for a boob then drift right back off to sleep while she nurses. If she can't find one (say, if I'm rolled the other way) she wakes up and starts crying.

That's a huge part of why I'm so depressed right now - I'm pretty sure I'm not ovulating. Alyvia's not making weaning easy either, which only makes me more frustrated. Do you think if I started cutting back on her day feedings (not that it'll be easy) it might have some affect?

Absolutely, cutting back on the daytime feedings would do the same thing. I just suggested that you try the night feedings because I thought it may be easier on both of you.

Do you think it is more of an habit, that she is still breast feeding? I know you mentioned that you are giving her whole milk, but have you tried maybe pumping and seeing how she would take to that? Because if she would take the bottle/cup of breast milk during the day so that she wasn't hungry enough for the actual breast, she could still have the comfort/bonding from the night time feedings, and pumping doesn't provide the nipple stimulation needed to suppress estrogen.

Unfortunately, pumping has never worked for me. I can sit there for 30 minutes and get maybe an ounce of milk. Manual pumps worked better than electric, but even then... I could barely get anything out. I wish I could! I think she's iffy about whole milk because it's cold, and she's used to breastmilk which is obviously warm. Not to mention a sippy cup is not a boob. I swear, she loves boobs. She'll nurse from one and play with the other, then switch. She tries to take them out while we're in public (like at church!) or she'll shove her arm down my shirt and grope.

It's absolutely a habit for her, and it's one I'm trying to break. I'll try to crack down with the sippy cup and try to distract her when she wants to nurse. I really, really want to ovulate again.

Sorry, I can't help any with ways to help her wean. I've never been there myself. But, I hope it goes smoothly for you.

I will look online and see if I can find out exactly how much you can breastfeed and still ovulate.

I also know that once babies are a certain age, regardless of breatfeeding frequency, the mother can resuming regular ovulation. I'd bet that is what is happening to you. That would be why your cycle has come back a few times, it just isn't regular yet. It will get there. I'd bet that you have ovulated before. And even if you can't wean her soon, it still may return on its own.

I saw in your other post that your last cycle was on 9/22. How many cycles have you had before that? It there any way that you are pregnancy now?

I've had 3 or 4 since giving birth. I very much doubt that I'm pregnant right now - there was a span of about 3 weeks inbetween my last two periods, and I freaked out and tested twice. I think if I bought a test and saw a negative right now I might lose it.

I was hoping to at least get another period soon so I can get a rough idea of how long my cycles are now. Before I got pregnant the first time, they were like clockwork. It's so frustrating to be going through this now. Maybe this is my penance for getting pregnant so easily last time?

I hope you get pregnant just as easily the second time. It all comes down to timing. (look at Bridget )

This is some advice that I found online:
There are alternatives to night weaning if baby won’t go for it. The general consensus is that if you can go at least six hours between a feeding at least once a day, it may trigger ovulation. Doing it during the day may be easier, as you can distract the baby with other activities and, if he is ready, supplement with solids. (It is important not to deprive baby if he is really hungry, but by six months he should be able to go longer without eating and should be old enough for solids.)

Pretty much everything says that it will be up to the individual (as with any fertility issues) I also read that is may be more difficult for thin women to regain ovulation while breastfeeding/weaning. You may want to consider putting on a few pounds, just to see if that helps. But, that you would only be if you are comfortable with that.

Whoops, what I meant to say was that my last period was 3 weeks late. There was an additional three weeks between my periods. It was almost a month late, and I was convinced I was pregnant. But no, just my body messed up.

Ooh, six hours? I think I can swing 6 hours! I'm definitely going to try that!

Laura....welcome to the trying side

It so awesome that you guys are trying for number 2... I just want #1 but I will be patient.

I think you will have a good age difference between Alyvia and a new baby.

Good Luck - And

TONS OF BABY DUST!!!!

Thank you so much!

Yay good for you! Why not get some ovulation tests. That's why I'm doing right now. I haven't ovulated so far either.

We made it three hours yesterday - not the 6 I was hoping for, but it's progress! I'm feeling kind of bloated and crampy, so I'm praying for AF to show sometime this week.

Becks: I'm going to try to do this without ovulation tests. I'm going to ask Aaron if it's okay that I buy a BBT thermometer, but that's about all the expense I can shell out without feeling too guilty (besides preggy tests at the dollar store) - especially since I don't think I'm ovulating at all yet. I am charting though, and if I get a BBT thermometer, I'll be super happy.

I really think it will be worth your time. It might take a week or two to get into the habit of taking it at the same time. But once you do, it gets very addictive. And you feel horrible if you miss a day. Like you have absolutely no idea what is going on otherwise. (I think my thermometer costs $7, so they are pretty cheap)

I'm glad you two are making some progress. It will take some time, but I think you can make it. And like I said before, ovulation might come back before you get her to the six hour mark, unfortunately, there is no way of knowing. Just a lot of waiting!

Another thing I wanted to suggest was prenatal vitamins. We all know that they are good to take while ttc. However, sometimes, the body won't ovulate if it feels it can't support a pregnancy (nutrition/supplement wise) and because you are breast feeding (and that takes alot of nutrients from you) maybe it would help to be putting some back in?