Exclusively Pumping/Nursing

tetiananina

Jackson is 2 months now and I have been pumping/nursing since my milk came in. I have not had AF and I hear that it's common. I don't want to get on BC because I feel that if it's meant to happen then it will happen yet I Really don't want to TTC til after my 30th in October. My cycle was always 28 days but now that I don't have one I have no idea when I ovulate or even if I am? Are there any Mom's out there that have advice? Or do you think that I am playing with fire and should look into getting on BC?

I was just reading the TTC post and it made me think about this. Sorry it's all over the place

Sonadora

Use condoms?

I didn't want to use the mini pill while nursing as I didn't really want AF if I didn't have to have it and I have several friends who got pg on the mini pill because it really does have to be taken precisely at the same time every day.

AF didn't come back for me until a full month after I stopped nursing and my cycle was wonky after that for a couple months, so I definitely wouldn't make any assumptions as to when you may or may not be fertile.

orangegoggles

I'll be curious to see what others say. I need to start thinking about this as I have my pp appt. next week and will need to ask for a script. I don't really want to go back on the pill but I don't know much about other types of BC. I am BF too so I don't know if my options will be limited. 

tetiananina

Thank you Ladies. I didn't even think condoms. ::sigh:: not a fan but I guess I should weigh out my options. And think would it really bother me if I got pg sooner. I know people probably think I'm crazy.

hopefulmom81

I EBF/Pumped and still randomly got AF at 4 months.  I read somewhere if LO sleeps a stretch more than 5 hours, you cannot rely on BF as birth control.

Honestly, though, I wouldn't rely on it as the sole BC anyways.   

melly918

BFing is NOT BC.

I was on the minipill when I BF'd DS. I AF never returned until 2 years after my LMP. At that time, I had been cutting down on nursing and pumping. I had very irregular bleeding that wouldn't stop until I stopped that pill and stopped BFing altogether. However, my cycles got very wonky. I did get pg right away for 2 but that ended up as a m/c. I still had wonky cycles after that but did get my little DD.

If you want to TTC again this soon, I say don't use the pill. Sorry. I hate condoms too.

amidkiff

DD is 3 weeks today, and I was going to have the BC talk with DH tonight. I wouldn't mind trying for another between DD's 1st and 2nd birthdays. But DH has said he's done because he'll be 41 in June. So, we have some talking to do...I do have an older DD as well from a previous relationship, she'll be 15 in March, so I would be ok being done too. Oh, I also hate condoms.lol And am no longer able to take hormonal BC.

ellebelle2384

Use condoms if you don't want to get pregnant now.  My first pp AF was at 6.5 months, but it is completely unpredictable and just depends on your body.  Even after I got my first AF back the cycles were a little wonky for a while since I am still BFing.  I would not depend on BFing being effective BC.

adoxyinherear

I didn't want to take any chances, so I went on the mini-pill. But I hate it. I wish I could chart, but with no CM and no AF I'd be too scared to rely on that as our only method. Even after knowing how hard it is to get pregnant, I feel like when it's not ideal, that's when it would happen.

damabo80

Use condoms. Or if you're more daring, pull n pray. 

I have an IUD in now. 

Each woman is different when it comes to periods and Bfing. Some don't get their periods back until full weaning, and others get them at 2m.

 

after DD, mine came back at 4.5 months. They clue varied between 30 days to 40 days, so it's not like when your period returns you go to perfect 28 day cycles. 

Also, DD was nursing every 2-3 hours around the clock. I was a human pacifier all day and all night. She didn't start sleeping or more than 4 hours at a time until I was 16w. Pg with DS. 

tetiananina

Thank you for all your input I wish I had AF soley for charting. I still do pull and pray obviously I know it's not a true BC, I hate the way I feel when I take BC and I would be terrified of my supply changing. Especially now that I just committed to pump longer so I can give my cousin milk. She hadn't produced any milk with DS and is pregnant now. I'm blessed with alot of milk.

I appreciate all your input. Now to figure out what will work best.

zombiemommy

I agree with the condoms comment. I've heard that just cause you don't have AF doesn't mean you aren't ovulating and vice versa. I'm pumping and I don't want any more kids, so we're using condoms until my husband gets his dreaded surgery.