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Conceiving while still breast feeding

Hi guys,

I'm new on this forum- I'm a graduate from Long term trying to conceive!  My little miracle is now almost 6 months old and I'm loving breast feeding.  We've had to use the odd carton (literally 4 or 5 in total) of formula since I've gone back to work and expressing can be intermittant (sometimes 6 oz, sometimes 3oz!)  Anyway....since it took us 3 years to conceive our dd, I'm keen to start trying again soon (I've been told that my pcos symptoms should be suppressed for some time following treatment and pregnancy, so we might be lucky!)

So what I am interested in, is whether people conceived while still exclusively breast feeding or when their cycles re-started while still BF, but cutting down on feeds when introducing solids etc.  Your stories are very much appreciated!

Love Windy x

Replies

  • Hi WindyMiller, great to see you on here. I remember you from LT-TTC as I was on there myself for a while - you gave me some lovely words of encouragement! My little miracle is only 4 weeks so I can't say anything from my own experience about BF and conceiving but I do know that both the mw and GP have emphasised not relying on BFg as a contraception method so there must be people out there who've ovulated while BFg. Does your question mean your periods haven't returned yet? I guess you're close to introducing solids, if you've not already, so that might bring a change.

  • Hi Westergille,

    Congratulations on your little one!  Its something extra special when you've been through so much to get there, isn't it? Did you get a pink or blue one?

    My baby girl is 7 months now and weaning is well underway, but I'm still demand feeding (although back at work, so expressing once a day at work).  I'm not prepared to compromise her need to breast feed to start my cycles again.

    I have had another friend who took 3 years to conceive and then had an unplanned (but much welcome!) pregnancy when her baby was 8 1/2 months old- still feeding on demand and co-sleeping!  If it happens to us, that'd be lovely!

    I hope your breast feeding is going well?  I absolutely love it now, but it was tough at first- I wasn't prepared for the emotional distress it brought with it! xx

  • Thanks - we had a little girl. It is amazing to think I'm a mummy now - still keep expecting her real parents to come and collect her!

    Breastfeeding varies from ok to awful. Luckily the awful times are much fewer than at first (maybe two feeds a week now) but I kind of look forward to the day when I can stop, whenever that is. I guess the fact that I haven't stopped means it's ok really and also the things that stress me out most with BFg (e.g. her unfailing habit of being hungry just as dinner/tea is ready and hot) which formula feeding wouldn't solve anyway. I'm letting myself take it a week at a time, ie. every week I complete is good, rather than trying to aim for a certain number of months.

  • Hi Westergille,

    Sorry, I missed your post.  I don't come on here all that often (surprisingly, being a mum and working full time- I'm pooped!).  I hope BFg has got easier- it did for me, the first 8 ish weeks were pretty tough and I still have occasional blips (teething is interesting- she either feeds and nips, or just bites me and cries, but it only lasts a few days.  Stick with it, breast feeding is one of the proudest achievments of my life! xx

  • I conceived while bf'ing, but he was much older. He was 14-15months, and I think I was only doing morning and bedtime feeds by then. I wasn't having proper permust yet.

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