FET while/soon after breastfeeding?

[IVFat40]

Hello lovely group,

I just wondered if anyone has had a successful FET while still breastfeeding/soon after stopping?

I'm incredibly lucky to have my son (5 egg collections, 6 embryo transfers, and he was the 8th embryo); he's 20 months now and I'd love to try for a sibling using my frozen embryos. Currently I'm still breastfeeding twice a day, my periods haven't returned, and I'm wondering whether I'll need to stop breastfeeding, and possibly also wait for periods to hopefully return (I'm 44) before going for a FET? With my son I did a modified natural FET, but would consider a medicated cycle this time.

I've just thought, I need steroids for a successful transfer, I wonder if they could reach/harm my son via breastmilk?

[Twiglet2]

hi I would phone your clinic and ask. At ours they wanted your regular cycle to return and no breast feeding preferably but they do have ways to work around it. As I personally know people who made it work. They couldnt breast feed on the meds though so you need to pump and freeze before your cycle or use formula (at 20 months though that’s not an issue of course as they can eat solids a d drink blue milk). Defo speak to your clinic about their individual policy though so you know all your options before making your decision about stopping breast feeding etc xx

[IVFat40 in reply to Twiglet2]

Thank you hun. Yes my clinic have said to stop breastfeeding before a FET, which makes sense due to the impact on hormones, and I of course do want to give the FET the best possible chance, just will be sad to stop breastfeeding altogether. I do wonder whether my cycles will come back as normal due to my age (44), only time will tell.

[Scarpenter87]

I was breastfeeding my one year (now almost 3 year) old during and after our FET. I took estrogen orally as well as used patches, took medrol (methylprednisolone), doxycycline (had a hysteroscopy prior), and progesterone both vaginal and injected. None of the meds ever affected my daughter. I have no fallopian tubes (only had 1 and it was removed due to ectopic rupture) and still get my period back 6-7 weeks after delivery even while exclusively breastfeeding, so I can’t help at all with the period questions. 😵‍💫 😅 I envy you for not having to deal with a period, though. ❤️

During our first FET- We were lucky and our sweet baby boy (day 5 4AB embryo) stuck and is now a rambunctious 1 year old!!

We’re gearing up to transfer our last embryo next month (day 6 4BB) and I’m still tandem nursing BOTH of my IVF babies. Hoping for the same cycle/meds to make that magic happen.

Your milk supply will ebb and flow, but our RE said none of the hormones/meds will affect your breastmilk in any noticeable way. Both of my kiddos are happy, healthy, and hyper! lol

Sending you lots of baby dust and good vibes!

[IVFat40 in reply to Scarpenter87]

Thank you so much! That's wonderful news, congratulations. It sounds like the key here is having a regular cycle back, which sadly I don't (yet). So interesting how our bodies all react so differently.

[Scarpenter87 in reply to IVFat40]

I should add that I’m in POF- premature ovarian failure and have periods that are more like 31-35 days apart with other odd bleeding issues at times (so, when breastfeeding should have suppressed my period it never did…😅). I had to have a hysteroscopy/polypectomy before our first FET and just had another before the next to remove polyps. The synthetic hormones you take will get your cycle regulated to where it should be for transfer and doesn’t mess with breastfeeding other than the milk supply ebbing and flowing at times. ❤️

[IVFat40 in reply to Scarpenter87]

Thank you hun! For my son I had a natural modified cycle so I guess I had that in mind again, but I guess there's no reason at all I couldn't do a medicated one this time