TTC #2- but still breastfeeding DS

[Wellthatwasfun]

Hello, not quite sure where to post, but this looks like a good place.

I'm currently breastfeeding my 9month old, but would like to start trying for the next. He feeds 2-3 times through the day and 2 times during the night (also suckles for comfort sometimes).

AF still hasn't returned.

is there anyway I can kick start my body into gear?

Also, if you carry on with breastfeeding, for example, 2-3years, will AF just come back or do you have to completely stop?

Anyone's AF came back after a year even though you were still feeding?

[Sleepstarved]

I tried everything but in the end only thing that worked was cutting down breastfeeding.
DD was over one year and to get any kind of cycle back was to get down to one feed a day. Pregnant first proper cycle tho .
It started off with cycles of 40 days plus with two feeds per day.
I didn't believe bf was that good a contraceptive but a fertility doc friend of mine said we'd be over-run with babies if it wasn't!
You might not need to cut down that much but am pretty sure you will hav to feed less.

[OnTheRunFromTheAcademe]

Mine came back at 13 months and was still breastfeeding through the night and multiple times during the day. Had one full cycle then got pregnant!

Have a friend whose periods came back at 6 weeks, another who still hasn't had one at 2 years - both breastfeeding on demand. Everyone's different!

[NomDeClavier]

Mine didn't come back until I night weaned just before DS was 2 although I was still doing an evening feed until my milk stopped.

[AnotherStitchInTime]

I am still breastfeeding dd2 at bedtime and sometimes at night if teething and I am nearly 20 weeks pregnant with dc3.

She was still feeding through the night and in the day (no cows milk at all) when I got my first (and only af) when she was 14 months. She was on average having 5 feeds in 24 hours.

Things you can do that may work is make sure your nutrition is optimum by taking a breastfeeding supplement daily and also think about cutting down night feeds and offering water instead. Or if you have an early morning feed then drop it and give milky breakfast earlier than you would have done previously. Or drop a daytime feed and offer a yoghurt, some soft or hard cheese etc....

[MB34]

My DS is 9.5mo and my AF returned last week. I've made a conscious effort to cut down a little as I also want to TTC number 2.

I read that if you co-sleep, wear DC in a sling, feed on demand and night feed it can take longer for AF to return.

The only one of those I do now is feed on demand in the day. I cut down the night feeding to twice a night, then once a night and now DS can go until about 4am without feeding and then I'll give him about 3oz of ebm.

I've also been using OPKs to see if I am actually ovulating.

HTH

[Victoria2002]

There was a group on ttc topic here a few months ago of mums trying to conceive while breast feeding.(sorry I don't know how to find it)! From this I gleaned that as well as cutting down feeds/comfort suckling and co-sleeping and baby-wearing you can try: a supplements called agnus castus, b vitamins, co q enzime, evening primrose oil, folic acid & omega 3. Of course I recommend you get advice and do research before trying this cocktail! I started taking evening primrose and vitamin B6, (I also took Angus Castus but it gave me cramps and I was worried by that so stopped). My AF returned shortly afterwards, at 11m, I night-weaned ds at 6m so I don't think the weaning made the difference. When my AF returned I was feeding on demand about 4 times a day and sometimes at night.
Also when AF comes back it's common to have a short second phase eg: less than 10 days between ovulation and AF, and this can make it impossible to conceive, so if AF returns then make sure you use calendar and OPK's and ideally log your temps too, so you can try to figure out if your cycle is viable.
Good luck!

[Victoria2002]

www.mumsnet.com/Talk/conception/1689139-Absent-AF-screwed-up-ovulation-luteal-phase-defects-Sign-in-for-the-all-new-ttc-while-breastfeeding-thread-BFPs-guaranteed here is the thread I meant. X