19 months of bf and ttc

[TTC our first]

My daughter is 19 months today and I can't believe we have made it this far breastfeeding. My dh and family All say it's time to stop she's very demanding and sometimes pulls my shirt just to pacify for a minute. Another issue is I haven't gotten a period since August 2012 since it hasn't returned. I'm so happy to not have it but we have been ttc for 7 months well to be honest we always try but we talked about ttc 7 months ago. I'm assuming that I can't get pregnant unless af comes back. My daughter nurses 2-3 times a day usually and loves her food. I've gone days where she only nurses once or I'm not home for her to nurse. I stopped pumping at 12 months.

Am I just one that has to stop 100% to fall pregnant?? I know my daughter isn't ready to stop and with her teething I'd feel horrible to take the comfort away. Any advice experience appreciated

 

[Rainstorm]

I'm in the same boat, 14 months BF, and we have been NTNP since LO's birth, and TTC for a few months now. I got my period last month for the first time pp. I went to my gyn yesterday to ask her about this and she said anything can happen, but my chances would be higher if I stopped BF. We don't want the age gap to be so big, and since it took us over a year to conceive lo, I decided to stop stone cold today. I figured it has to happen some time, and the sooner the better. So far it hasnt been nice. He nurses to sleep and he hasn't been able to nap, though he's overtired. I'm hating every minute of it

 

[TTC our first]

Oh no! He is like my daughter Zoey. Needs to nurse to sleep for comfort And relax. I love the bond and I agree it will have to stop and I don't want such a far age gap either. I wanted a year aNd half apart but didn't happen . How are you stopping him from trying? Distraction doesn't work with Zoey she flips out. She never used a pacifier and feel it could keep her quiet but just another habit of screaming to break later.

My Daughters pedi suggested squishing lemons on my self without her seeing and telling her that mommy milk went sour... Sounds crazy and haven't tried but I'm considering it.

Congratulations on getting af back. My friend had hers come and go for months before she feel pregnant but as soon as she stopped pumping (she never nursed) a month later she was pregnant she is due in feb. Can't help but be a little jealous as she just had to put her pump in closet used cabbage leafs and she regulated within a month of stopping.

Please let me know any tricks you may use? Do you cosleep or does he sleep in crib?

 

[SarahBear]

You can still ovulate without getting a period. I'm actually a bit surprised that you wouldn't have your period back already! I conceived my second when Violet was about 19 months. My period had, however, returned and become somewhat regular at that point. I'm now almost 30 weeks pregnant and Violet is still nursing. I would try to find out whether or not you're ovulating, before blaming it on nursing.

 

[Calif]

I never got my period after my baby was born and it's been 19 months. I am pregnant though! I started feeling nausea a few weeks ago and didn't believe it since I never got my period.

So it can happen. But what about frequency? I got down to nursing about 4 times (none during day work hours) when I got pregnant.

 

[TTC our first]

My dh and I bd quite often in past 17 months to ttc... At 6 months is when we started to really try though. She would nurse a ton and I pumped 3 x a day til she was 13 months... Then I stopped pumping and her nursing became less and less. For past 6 months she can nurse for maybe 5 mins around 11am/1130.... Then at nap time if we are home btw 330/4 for 20 mins... Sometimes I works And she can't nurse til 5/6 when I get home so she goes all day without... Then again at night before bed for 20 mins which the time varies btw 1030 & midnight... So I'd say total on a normal day 3x but if I'm not home then twice. If we go out she will not nurse she is too curious to want to anymore.

As for ovulating I am not using ovulation sticks since af hasn't returned. My OBGYN pretty much said I can't get pregnant without my period returning... I just took pregnancy test today for fun negative...

 

[TTC our first]

Sarahbear congratulations!! Violet will be a big sister soon how awesome! That's great you can still nurse

Calif congratulations!! That's awesome would love to have that happen. Brings me some hope. Hope your nausea subsides!

 

[SarahBear]

My OBGYN pretty much said I can't get pregnant without my period returning... I just took pregnancy test today for fun negative...

Well that's just silly. It happens to people all the time. I've heard of lots of people who didn't use any sort of contraceptive because they didn't have their period and then their family planning ended up all out of whack because they ended up pregnant. One person I talked to had about a 10 month gap between her kids!

 

[Cangaroo]

I didn't get my period back until 18months pp last time. It took about a year to regulate and I didn't get pregnant until I had a regular cycle. We tried from about 14 months for a year, then had a 6 month break in TTC for social reasons. I got pregnant as soon as we started trying again. I love the larger age gap we've ended up with! DD1 cut down breastfeeding dramatically during pregnancy, but has clung on to the night feed. I'm really glad we were able to just be patient and let nature take its course.

 

[Rainstorm]

I was told the lemon thing several times, I just don't think my LO would buy it, he's too smart for that. Once we were having a very spicy pizza and he wanted some, so we put some of his cookies in the pizza box without him looking, then offered him a piece of cookie and he took the cookie and looked at us as if saying: really?
Anyways, brest milk production raises the prolactin levels in our systems, my prolactine was already a bit high before pregnancy, so it is very likely that is in fact what was preventing ovulation. In fact, I got my period back a week after making a sudden change in the nursing schedule (I went 12 hours without nursing due to a trip). But, as my gyn said, anything can happen. As an update, I decided to continue nursing him to sleep for the time being, but he's already aware that it's restricted, and it's not an "open bar" anymore. We'll see... :: to both of us

 

[TTC our first]

Rainstorm I like that idea restricted nursing not open bar ... Hmm maybe the upcoming midnight to 6 pm without nursing will cause my af to show... I am anxious to see! The longest I usually go it midnight to 1130 or 12 usually and that is every day actually unless I work then she won't nurse til 1pm or after 6pm...
Aww lol he knew you had pizza! Yea I doubt my daughter will fall for lemon trick either but everyone thinks it's a good idea. I don't really want to lie to my child though either ...

to you this cycle! Since you had af maybe it'll happen for you

 

[TTC our first]

Sarabear it's discouraging.. My sister had a what she calls her child a mistake at 17. I feel for some they are just very fertile and others it's just luck. I'm hoping to not have to stop nursing my daughter til she wants to stop but idk if I'll fall pregnant unless I stop 100%
Cangroo I'm so glad it worked out for you!

 

[danielle1984]

My son is 18 months and bfs tons. We're been ntnp and now ttc for months, I do have my periods back however still not pregnant. Even if your periods came back, no guarentee you would be pregnant right away. It will happen when it's meant to happen. Let your child be a child and he/she will wean when ready.

 

[TTC our first]

Thank you Danielle1984! My dh and family are tried of me nursing and say Im preventing her from growing up my dh is saying I'm preventing our family from growing as well..

There is something going on with me atm though... Since Friday ( took pregnant test on weds got negative) but I feel nausea and headaches achy... Yesterday felt great today same strong symptoms no appitate.. Chalking it up to being sick but so odd for it to vanish Saturday and come back today... I go to my family dr on Thursday I'm sure I'm just sick though... I'm over thinking by wishing lol

Hope everyone is having a good weekend!

 

[Rainstorm]

I just got my BFP!!!