TTC while BF'ing

[Anonymous]

For those of you who have TTC while breastfeeding, have you had any success tracking your fertility by monitoring cervical mucous, temperatures, cervix, etc.? My DD is 6 mo and I am 37, so we are going to start TTC again soon. I am EBF, though, and hoping to do so for as long as possible. We are down to one night nursing around 3 AM, so I go a good 8 hour stretch w/ no nursing, and I'm hoping that means I might ovulate soon (no AF yet), although I know women vary wildly on this point so it could be months and months. For now, I am finding that what used to be very clear cues (changes in CM, temp., cervix) are ALL over the place -- i.e. significant CM one day, open cervix, making me think I might ovulate, but then that pattern stays the same for weeks on end. I suspect my hormones are still all over the place, and may not regulate for some time, but I'm wondering if anyone else has had success TTC while still EBF. TIA.

[Anonymous]

If you are EBF, it's likely that it will take you a while to ovulate again. I EBF'd for 6 months, then continued to BF to some extent for the next 6 months, gradually tapering off til dd was about a year old. I didn't get my first post-pregnancy AF til she was about 13 months old.

[Anonymous]

Agree with what PP said.

Check out the book Taking Control of Your Fertility. There is a section on bfing.

I EBF'd for 12 mo., but it wasn't until 14 months post partem that I finally got a period (I was actually happy to have a period, who knew?).

The Dollar Store sells OPKs so buy a bunch (cheaper than brand name) if you want a hint of what is going on below the belt.

[Anonymous]

When you say your child is EBF - do you mean no formula OR no solids? I assume you mean no formula. At 6 months many woman who are EBF have not had AF return.

Here is my experience. [note - I am now 39 and was TTC #2 when I was 37]
I also charted to understand when I was ovulating BUT I did not start charting until my child was sleeping through the night. This happened at around 8-9 months. I had read enough to understand that every woman is different - but that for many they will not begin to ovulate again until you cut out the night feedings. For me once we eliminated them, AF returned.

I was still nursing/pumping during the day until 12 months when I introduced cows milk. At 12 months I nursed 1st thing in the AM and in the evening when I returned from work - but not pumping.

When AF returned at 9 months my cycles were initially really long - 45 days, 43 days. Through tracking CM and temp I was able to see when I was ovulating and conceived child #2 in the 3rd cycle (when DC #1 was 12MO). This did coincide with dropping the pumping sessions - but I think it was more that our timing was right.

We are now TTC #3. AF did not return this time until DC #2 was 12MO. This child does not sleep as well through the night and it took a lot of energy to cut out the night feedings. Once again, I EBF for a year, introduced milk, continue to nurse in the AM / PM (as requested).
As I started charting with CM and BBT they have been all over the place. Similar to my cycles after DC #1 they were very long - 40 + days for the 1st 2, 30 + for #3.

I am not sure if it is my age, or having 2 your children running around - or both but my CM is much harder to read - and taking a temp each morning is challenging as I frequently jump out of bed with the Oh crap - it is already 6:30! before taking my temp.

Hopefully this info will help. Goof luck!

[Anonymous]

Thanks very much for the feedback. I think we may be on our way to night weaning. We just started solids last week and for the first time, in the last 2 nights DD has slept 8 and 10 hours straight, respectively, without waking to nurse at night (that is if you don't call 4 or 5 AM "night"... a definition that has certainly changed for us now that we are parents!). I read Toni Wechsler's book a couple years ago when starting TTC #1, but didn't focus on the BFing chapter ... then gave it away to another woman TTC. I will pick up another copy to review that chapter, it is such a great book. Sounds like I could begin ovulating soon if DD continues to sleep these longer night stretches w/o nursing, or it could be another 6-8 months or more. This is what I expected, but it's good to hear concrete feedback from others confirming the same. Thanks again.

[Anonymous]

I got my first AF back at 6 months pp. At that point my son was EBF (no solids, no formula) and ate at least 3 times per night. I have had normal cycles since and plan on TTC next month when my son is 11 months old