I know everyone is always cautioning about how you have to be careful because you can still get pregnant while breastfeeding. But, I am in the OTHER boat. I am still breastfeeding my almost 10-month old and WANT to get pregnant again. But, I haven't started menstruating again since she was born. Ideally I would like to be pregnant when she turns 1. But, I do not want to stop nursing her. Obviously things don't work out perfectly when it comes to these wonderful little ones, but is there anything I can do to INCREASE chances of getting pregnant while breastfeeding? Or speed up ovulating again?
THANKS!
Hi,
I've gotten pregnant while BFing twice now. One thing that can make a difference in the return of ovulation is to cut out night nursing if your LO is still doing that. For me, AF always returned between 11 and 13 months so she may be just around the corner for you, too. Best of luck!
K.
Hi S.. I have always been like you. I never ovulate until baby is almost completely weaned, ie. down to probably twice a day. For me, that's usually been around the 11 or 12 month mark. I don't know of any way other than that to speed it up. Everyone's body is different that way. However, I can tell you that if you'd like to know when you ovulate, which may very well be before your first period, check out natural Family Planning ovulation method. You can find out more at your local catholic church even if you are not Catholic, or google it. It's also called the Creighton model and possibly some other names at this point, not sure. Or if you want some more specifics, message me directly, as it may be a little too graphic for some. There have been a few timeS I have gotten pregnant again before even menstruating. I am expecting #8 in April, and can pretty much pinpoint conception of most of them, due to this method. Good luck to you.
EDITED TO ADD: I would caution you against the low dose birth control someone else mentioned. It's actually supposed to keep you from ovulating, but if it doesn't, it tries to prevent implantation of the fertilized egg, so you could unwittingly be getting pregant and then aborting. A lot of people are unaware of this.
I got pregnant in the situation you are currently in. I had a 9 month old, who I was nursing at the time. If I remember correctly (it's all a little fuzzy now...), I had my period once or twice and then it stopped. I figured it was sketchy due to the nursing, but it turns out I was pregnant.
If you haven't got your period back, you might not be ovulating. Maybe go get some of those ovulation tests to see for sure. Good luck!
Hi, I got pregnant with baby #2 while still nursing, but it was after I had started weaning and was just down to a bedtime and morning feeding. I only had 2 periods before I got pregnant. I think the first came around 11-12 months. I have heard that you can begin ovulating before you get your period, so you may want to try one of those ovulation kits to monitor it (although they're pricey!). Good luck!!! Sure it will happen when it's meant to be...
If you stop breast feeding exclusively you will get your period back. Suppliment feedings with formula.
Hi S.,
I was in the same position... my soon was 2 and still breastfeeding and I still hadn't gotten my period and I really wanted to get pregnant again. I never weaned my son. I went for acupuncture and to a naturopath who put me on the lunar cycle of taking primrose oil and flax oil... you can probably google it and start taking the oils yourself. Try the lunar cycle first before you pay for acupuncture. I got my period within 1-2 months of starting the primrose/flax lunar cycle and I was pregnant within 2 months... I now now a 4 month old.
Good luck1
S.,
I didn't have to stop breastfeeding to get my period back but just by weaning my daughter a little I got it back. Of course everyone is different but I stopped nursing at night and the in between nurses and just kept the nursing in the morning, nap time and bed time and that worked for me.
Good luck,
L.
I'd talk to your OB. Cutting down the amount you nurse can help speed things up but I don't know any other natural way. I nursed both my kids until 18 mos. Both times I started menstruating just after they turned one. Even if you start menstruating you might not be ovulating. The estrogen needs to get high enough for that to happen. I was barely nursing anymore (maybe once a day) when I got pregnant with my second.
Good luck!
I was in the same boat at the same age. Luckily, I did get my period at 10 months and got pregant right off the bat. I did stop nursing for the last month and a 1/2 under the advice of my doctors. I know I could have kept going, but they didn't recommend it with me being so exhausted and they reminded me I needed to start looking out for #2 now as well as #1.
So, good luck and be patient...I didn't think it would take me so long to start menstruating again! With my son, it took a year, so you might just need to wait it out a couple more months.
Call your OB and tell her the situation and ask her to put you on a low dose birth control for a month. Since your milk supply is already established, it won't have any effect on your milk supply and it will kick your cycles back into gear. I did that when my 1st was 9 months old and got pregnant the very next month.
My cycle returned about a month after dropping to one feeding a day. I'm not aware of anything that can jump start your cycle while nursing.
Good luck!
I had the same situation as you - twice. :-) I got pregnant later than I had hoped (although it turns out I was thankful for the 2 year spacing - that has worked out PERFECTLY so far). I became pregnant with my 2nd while still nursing and had not had my cycle back yet. Apparently we hit it right (without knowing it) as far as when I had finally ovulated before what would have been my first cycle, I assume. We were hoping to get pregnant sooner than that becuase we are both over 30, but as it worked out they are almost exactly 2 years apart (3 weeks over) and that has been AWESOME. I nursed my 2nd til 17 months, but finally got my cycle at 16 months... Then I didn't get it again and thought it was just quirky since I hadn't had it in four years. But it turns out I was pregnant. Again just over two years between them. I don't have any great advice for you, except to encourage you not to give up, but to also encourage you not to stress about it. Also, I think what some of these other ladies are saying about how often you nurse having an influence on things is true. At the point I got pregnant while still nursing I was down to 1 and 2 feedings, respectively... Your little one is younger than mine were when I got pregnant so you might not be there yet. Do you what you feel is best, but I'm 25 weeks with #3 and going on 35, and apparently am still fertile enough! :) Try not to stress it too much. :-) Best wishes!
