breastfeeding and fertility

ilysarahd · August 2013

Anyone know the chances of getting pregnant while bf'ing(a lot but not round the clock)? DD only gets 2-4oz of solids in the evening, rarely gets formula and my period has not returned. We are not trying to get pregnant by any means. However, things happen and I will be needing to take pregnancy test in a few weeks. What are my chances of one "oops" equaling baby #2?

wifeofadam · August 2013

They say that you can ovulate before your first PP period. The chances, however, of that happening at the same time of your oops are very slim.

With that said, you can get pregnant while nursing - my last two children are evidence of that - but in my case, I have not been able to get pregnant until the first cycle after my first PP period.

IME, my periods, and thus fertility, do not return until around 14-16 months PP, despite the fact that my babies are eating solids and STTN by around 12 months.

tiffanyp · August 2013

Most people will have one annovulatory cycle before they start ovulating again. I'm sure everyone has a story about a friend of a friend who didn't though and got pregnant before their period returned... Good luck! I think you're most likely ok.

ilysarahd · August 2013

Thank you!

843andme · August 2013

I am that person who got pregnant before my period returned so it is possible....not sure of the chances, but it can happen

. I am exclusively breast feeding my daughter now still and have not gotten my period, but this time around we are using crazy precautions so a # 5 doesn't show up.....

musicalmama5 · August 2013

All I know is that every woman is different! I have a friend who didn't get her period for 2 years after her DD was born, and another friend who got hers 1 month after her DS was born (both were EBFers). So there's no hard and fast rules here.

I think I just had my first PP period. I'm not sure though because it was super super super light (only ever needed a pantiliner) and was more like 3 days of spotting. I have a Paraguard, which is supposed to make your periods heavier, so I don't know what that's all about.

GL and let us know the outcome of your test...

ilysarahd · August 2013

GL and let us know the outcome of your test...

Thank you! You ladies will be the first people I tell(after DH lol)

ilysarahd · September 2013

tonight I've had what I can only describe as period cramping. It's been on and off. I know it's way to early(if our oops turned into a baby) for implantation cramps. It's strange that I haven't had anything like this until we had an oops. I'm sure they'll go away and it's nothing. right?

penguingrrl · September 2013

I've delivered with 3 different OBs and all three made it clear that EBF provides very little protection so to use BC if you're opposed to getting pregnant. I'm so paranoid this time (because we're 100% certain we're done; we wanted 3 kids to begin with and 2 months of bedrest due to serious pregnancy induced hypertension confirmed it)) that DH had a vasectomy and has had one clear semen analysis and my period hasn't returned and I still won't have sex, even with a backup method, until he has his second clear analysis (his doctor will clear him after two clear analyses at least a month apart).