Fertility while breastfeeding

susanincarolina

I read all these articles about women who get pregnant while breastfeeding.  I have yet to have a period and DH and I are thinking of trying for our second.  My DS is 9 1/2 months old. I am going to be 36 in October and want to have the second (and final) before I get too much older (my first pregnancy was rough enough, and I know the older I get the more difficult it will be for me).  We don't supplement at all any more, and he eats solids.  He refuses a bottle from me, so even though I have a bunch of milk frozen I can't stop BF.  Any ideas as to when my period will return?  And advice or suggestions?  Thanks so much! (This is my first post!  I read them a lot but have never posted).

danienross

I don't have any advice or suggestions since we are currently trying not to get pregnant but I can tell you that there is no way to know when your fertility will return.  DD is 8 1/2 months, I've had two periods and still haven't ovulated yet (I'm charting for BC purposes).  Hopefully someone else will have some advice.

tokenhoser

Have you tried offering milk in a sippy cup or regular cup rather than a bottle?

I have heard that it's the overnight feeds that keep your period/ovulation away. Is he still nursing overnight?

PAmiler82

tokenhoser:

Have you tried offering milk in a sippy cup or regular cup rather than a bottle?

I have heard that it's the overnight feeds that keep your period/ovulation away. Is he still nursing overnight?

The cup is a good suggestion.  Drew never took a bottle from me either but he did start to like the cup around 10 months.

Also, I've heard about the overnight thing triggering your period as well, but in my case it was not true.  I stopped nursing Drew at night around 2 months (which is way early IMO, but he was the one who would refuse) and I did not get my period at all.  I got PG again when he was 11 months old and did not have a period in between.  I have no hints or suggestions, I wasn't trying in any way to alter BFing so I would ovulate - it just happened.

There's really no way to know when you might get your period back.  If it's very important to you, cutting back on nursing sessions one way or another (cup, giving formula) is one way to speed things along, but there's still no telling how much you'll have to cut back or how quickly it will work.

Steph_NJ

tokenhoser:

Have you tried offering milk in a sippy cup or regular cup rather than a bottle?

I have heard that it's the overnight feeds that keep your period/ovulation away. Is he still nursing overnight?

I just got my first period, right after DD turned 17 months. Which is a long time! We do nurse overnight, but I was able to cut back on it a bit and then I got my period.

My DD wouldn't take milk in a sippy when I was in the house until she was over a year old. Gradually she was OK with drinking milk from a sippy rather than nursing for some feedings. Some she still insists on nursing a few times a day -- when we get home from daycare, before bed, and middle of the night. DH can't get her back to sleep most nights, she just screams until I nurse her.

I'm 37 and thinking about #2. It is happening for us, just gradually. I decided not to push the issue with DD by weaning at all, nursing is just too important to her, and I figure it'll all work out how it should. Another 6 months or so to TTC aren't that much in the big scheme of things, for me.

susanincarolina

Thanks for replying! I appreciate anyone who has anything to tell me! 

Tell your husband thank you!