Conceiving and breastfeeding

[SASM]

Hi! Just out of curiosity...I am wondering how many people were able to conceive while breastfeeding exclusively. Was it an "oops" pregnancy or planned? :-) Were you menstruating or was it just luck? As of right now, my DH and I are hoping to start TTC again in October/November ~ Ian will be 9-10 months old. Oh...I don't want to think about him being that old yet!!!

Thank you (I hope.) for the input :-)

[Momof3Labs]

Not me, but as long as you are ovulating (you may or may not be if nursing exclusively at 9-10 months), you can get pg! People's experiences are all over the charts - some get their period at 2 months post partum and some don't get it for over a year. Yes, it has happened to many people; hard to say if you will be one of them while still nursing until you get closer to that time!

Good luck!

[August Mom]

It can happen. My SIL and BIL conceived when their first child was only 5 months old. It was not planned and she hadn't gotten her period yet.

[stillplayswithbarbies]

Here is an article on the Lactation Amenorrhea Method of birth control:
http://www.engenderhealth.org/wh/fp/clam2.html

It tells you what to do if you want to use breastfeeding as birth control. If you do want to conceive, I guess you would have to do the opposite.

I will be facing this issue in less than a year. I want another baby after this one, but I want to nurse this one for at least 2 years. With my first baby, my period did not return until he weaned at 13 months. I had not read about LAM, but I was doing all the things they suggest; cosleeping, nursing at night and morning, etc.

...Karen
Mom to Jake age 12 and expecting Logan Elizabeth or Garrett Logan, EDD March 21

[SASM]

Karen,

Thanks for the article link. Good luck with the upcoming L&D ~ may it be quick and painless (ha-ha) :-)

[newbelly2002]

Wow, Sharyn. I'm impressed.

I wasn't even THINKING about sex (never mind another baby!)less than 2 months post-partum. Of course according to DH, I'm still not. . . :)

Paula

[SASM]

Hi Paula!

I am in the same boat, really. The thought of having another baby right now is not appealing just because I want to focus all of me towards Ian. The thought of "making another baby" is extremely unappealing!! I am still thinking about what happened "down there" 8 weeks ago!! Hopefully soon I can get past that one! :-) Trying to think about the future ~ just curious about what others have experienced... :-)

[mama2be]

Sharyn,

I am in the same boat...I too have been thinking about another baby in the near future...not the thought of producing it but the thought of having one... I want them to be close together. :)...

...and not the thought of doing what it takes to have one :)...(wink wink)...

[beckyr88]

I am with you too! I think I was still in the hospital when DH started asking about when we should start trying again (only half joking!!! :) ). And to be honest, I have already been looking back fondly at pregnancy and thinking about how lucky our pg neighbor is.... sick, I know!!
:)

Becky
mama to Stella 2-21-03

[skygoddess]

Hi!

Count me as one who got pregnant again while exclusively breastfeeding. I have an 8-month-old DD and am about 12 weeks pregnant with #2. I had only one period, at about 6 months post partum, and conceived a couple of weeks later. I'm still stunned about it. We were planning to have kids close together, but I never imagined it would be this close! I didn't think I would be able to breastfeed and ovulate as I'm waaaaaaay past peak fertility years and I figured it would take awhile to get the ol' hormones up again. So you never know. Good luck TTC!

Nancy

[SASM]

Congratulations, Nancy!!

Wow! I only hope that we are that lucky when we start TTC again. Thanks and GOOD LUCK to you :-) Enjoy the pregnancy! :-)