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Pregnancy whilst breastfeeding

KellyTrip profile image
21 Replies

Hi everyone

I just wondered if anyone has got pregnant whilst breastfeeding? I am feeding my ten month old still and I don't plan to stop anytime soon, although will need to reduce when I return to work. I am hoping to still express but I don't get much out these days!

We want to try for another baby later on in the year but I know it's a lot more difficult whilst breastfeeding, plus my periods haven't returned!!

Thanks!

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KellyTrip profile image
KellyTrip
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21 Replies
Muminspire1 profile image
Muminspire1

Hi there, this is the only time I decided not to use contraception and let nature take its course. Baby is almost 15 months still breastfeeding however the feeds are significantly reduced in the hope that will help fertility to fully return. All the other pregnancies I had to stop before. I started spotting when she was nine months and have continued to have what looks like a very light period lasting a couple of days. After the first birthday the ovulation sticks were testing positive and nothing has happened yet. 25/26 day cycle with good CM. I am hoping that not long now as the milk production has reduced and am trying not to breastfeed in the day time unless she is sick or won't settle. She eats and drinks everything and needs B/f mostly for comfort and bedtime. Definitely B/ F delays the return of fertility in SOME women not All. I am in the first category. Good luck to you and will keep you posted.

Cally1224 profile image
Cally1224

It is definitely possible although I didn't think it was ever going to happen, I needed more patience! my little girl is 18months and my cycles returned when she was a year (tied in with returning to work and reduced bf I think). At 16months I dropped the evening feed as I didn't think I was giving her as much as she needed (she was v unsettled all night) but continued with the morning and daytime for naps when I'm not At work. The same month by some miracle I became pregnant and am now 8 weeks and continue to feed her. I think maybe the sudden drop of a feed kick started my body a little. Good luck x

KellyTrip profile image
KellyTrip

thank you both! It's really hard as I don't want to wean off my milk anytime soon but I do want my cycles to return! I am going back to work at the end of June so I am hoping that will help then! I still wanted to express during the day though which won't help I guess! I should also just let nature take it's course but once I want something, I get a bit obsessed! I like plans! I should just focus on my son and giving him what he needs but I hate not knowing where my cycles are at or if I am even ovulating!

Cally1224 profile image
Cally1224 in reply to KellyTrip

That's only natural, it's really hard you feel pulled in two ways. I tried to refocus my efforts on exercise and eating as healthy as I could, I guess because they were the only things I could control. And after time your little boy will be wanting less and less anyway. Really good luck with it and don't get disheartened x

KellyTrip profile image
KellyTrip

thank you. Yes, that's usually something I can refocus on. That's a good idea. I feel really good when I am healthy and I was so fit and healthy before we conceived my son! He is great so really I don't need another baby anytime soon, I just like to know what's going on! I shall book some spin classes now 😁! X

rachf profile image
rachf

My period only returned when LO was 15.5 months. He's now 17 months and I'm into my second cycle. We are trying for another baby. My period came back two weeks after LO started when his nursing habits changed quite dramatically. He randomly started eating more solids after being an incredibly slow starter, and started sleeping better during the night, after previously being up every 3 hours! We are still nursing but only about 3 times in 24 hours, and it's been a very pleasant experience because he has guided this reduction. The wait for my period to return was very long and because I knew we wanted another baby soon I started to feel anxious about having to wean. I've read the average time is 15 months postpartum for your period to return. Hold in there, you're doing a great job xx

fairywomble profile image
fairywomble

It is definitely possible. My son is almost 18 months and I'm now 9 weeks pregnant! I breastfeed him about 3 times a day still, infact we are sat nursing right now :-)

My periods returned when he was about 6 months so it took a while for us to get pregnant but I didn't have to stop breastfeeding all together.

Good luck, and relax knowing that you will get pregnant when you're bodys ready xx

Muminspire1 profile image
Muminspire1

Definitely agree with all the Ladies, enjoy this time with your baby. As they get older they become too busy to look for Mums milk in the day time and gradually sleep better at night. It will happen when time is right. I have also resorted to exercise, eating healthy and now supplementing with Zita West's Vitamins, they are expensive but worth every penny. They helped me twice before to make my body have enough and right vitamins and give myself the best possible chance. Just enjoying my little girl and only time will tell 😊

magrtani profile image
magrtani

If I were you, I'd take pregnancy test. Periods usually come back after 6 months. It's possible you have gotten pregnant in the first cycle so it never ended up in period. You can still get pregnant while breastfeeding and it happens a lot. Just make sure you stop breastfeeding one before you have the new baby otherwise you will be stuck with both of them feeding at the same time ( it's exhausting) and it won't be easy to stop feeding the older child while feeding the younger one.... Just piece of advice. All the best

KellyTrip profile image
KellyTrip

thanks everyone. He has a cold at the minute so is feeding even more than usual lol! I think it's quite common for periods not to return yet as my breastfeeding friends are in the same situation. I am definitely not pregnant as I have taken a few tests just in case!!

Marmom profile image
Marmom

Congratulations on breastfeeding for 10 months already :D. Yes, it's definitely posible. I breastfed my son for 18 months. He went to nursery since he was 6 months, but I kept expressing twice daily while at work and he was an all-night nurser (some nights he would nurse like 10 times!). I got my period back when he was ~12 months and we started trying. We got pregnant when he was 16 months and still nursing all night. We did use an ovulation test for the last 3 months to make sure we tried on the right days as I was getting worried that it was not happening. Now, we are 25 weeks pregnant :-).

KellyTrip profile image
KellyTrip

thank you and congratulations on your pregnancy! Yes, my son nurses a lot at night too! I enjoy it still but it is tiring at night! Your reply has made me feel more positive! It's good to know that it can happen whilst still feeding!! X

Marmom profile image
Marmom in reply to KellyTrip

Aw, thanks! I completely know what you mean, I was also super tired at night but at the same time didn't want to stop breastfeeding. But seriously, as everyone say, you are doing the right thing and not sleeping is only temporary, so don't worry about it and try to enjoy breastfeeding and loving him. I was at the same time sure I didn't want to stop breastfeeding, but also a bit worried I was spoiling him by breastfeeding him whenever he wanted and teaching him bad sleeping habits etc., and so was reading everything I could about sleep, and trying all the gentle methods I could find, with no success at all! I cannot believe I'm saying this but my son is now sleeping through the night, and we have always done only attachment parenting techniques (he just started at 22 months). Short story, after we got pregnant, I decided it was time to wean him slowly, mainly because I was worried that otherwise he would probably have to stop cold turkey if I had to stay in hospital for a few days when I had his sister. It took us 3 months and it was not as bad as I imagined: we only extended the periods of time between feeds little by little and gave him lots of cuddles, and sometimes bananas and water or cow's milk instead if he was really hungry (eg. at first no feed from 10-1am, then from 10-5am, then from 7-5am, 7-7am, then dropping the feeds during the day, etc). He went slowly from waking up every hour and sleeping in our bed, to sleeping from 8:30pm-7:30am in his own room -- had I believed this was actually going to happen, I would not have stressed out about his sleep habits and spoiling him so much.

KellyTrip profile image
KellyTrip

ha ha that's the funniest reply yet! I am guessing it's a joke as it's so judgemental. Would hate to be in your wold where everything is so negative!

marmon, I intend to to reply you your post when I am on the laptop!

KellyTrip profile image
KellyTrip

lol now it looks like I am writing a random comment. I reported the post so now it's gone. Didn't think it was helpful.

Tlove profile image
Tlove in reply to KellyTrip

That person was trolling other posts too, so you're not the only one who reported them! They literally joined overnight and began posting fairly nasty comments that were unhelpful in a forum that is meant to be supportive, not judgemental.

KellyTrip profile image
KellyTrip

what sad lives people lead if they have nothing better to do with their time!!

Muminspire1 profile image
Muminspire1

A quick update to this post, I have decided to completely stop B/F as it's about time and we are both ready. Princess is 15 Months plus 1 week and she is eating and drinking well, almost wants to try everything, walking and running after her Sisters, AF improved a bit but not significantly still was light and Lasting a couple of days. After actively trying since she turned one with significant reduction in the breastfeed/s, positive ovulation tests e.t.c It's been a wonderful 15 months plus and Princess I believe had the best start ( not offending any one please) had best immunity and the growth and development has been amazing 😊

KellyTrip profile image
KellyTrip

Thanks for the update!! Glad to hear it's all going well. I guess our bodies know when we are ready! They are clever things really! I can only do short replies on my kindle! Too hard to type!

Muminspire1 profile image
Muminspire1

Thanks KellyTrip, our bodies are all unique and do things differently. In my case I guess its one at a time kind. Well well lets wait and see 😊

Ftm2014 profile image
Ftm2014

I was in exactly your position. My little boy turned one in november, also when I returned to work 3 days a week, and my period came back then (I think because I went back to work). I felt a bit torn between wanting another baby (as i wanted about a 2 year age gap and it took us a year to concieve him) and loving nursing him so much I didn't want to cut down any more than he (or I) wanted to. I had a period in November and one in December, then nothing until March. Then that cycle I got pregnant! Still feeding my boy at bedtime and morning and through the night, and 15 weeks pregnant. :) So I'm sure it will happen naturally for you when your body is ready. in the meantime, enjoy every precious moment nursing your little boy!

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