TTC and breastfeeding?

[Sally12345]

Hi everyone,
My husband and I are TTC baby #2. I breastfed my first baby until she was 13.5 months old (she's now 14.5 months old). It took us 2 months to conceive our first baby, but we are on month 6 now and still no luck with #2...I know it hasn't been that long, but I still have questions because my cycles have been a bit weird lately. I am 27 years old and have had periods for 8 months since baby #1 was born.

The past two months, I started charting my BBT. Last month, I ovulated on day 19 with a 28 day cycle - so only a 9 day luteal phase. This month, I ovulated on day 20...and I am currently 4dpo. I am not sure if I had short luteal phases before my first baby...this is my first time charting BBT's. I have been spotting a day or two before and after my period since my periods returned. All of my cycles have been around 27-28 days, so I am assuming I will have another short luteal phase this month.

I went to see my doctor, and she said my hormones are likely still adjusting and I will have to wait it out. She said if things haven't returned to normal one year from when I stopped breastfeeding, I can have some tests done to see if something is going on. I am trying and will be patient as she suggested, but it is easier said than done as we would love another baby soon!

I was wondering if anyone else has had irregular cycles since delivering their first baby - if so, did they return to normal soon after weaning? Do you have any suggestions that can help the cycles return to normal?

Thanks so much for any thoughts of comments.

 

[Ariannda]

Its not having a baby that has messed with your cycles, it's the breastfeeding Now while it's true lots of women end up pregnant while breastfeeding (because they think they wont ovulate, old wives tales etc) lots of women miss periods, sometimes ovulate, sometimes dont, because of the biological process of breastfeeding. The process in and of itself is "supposed" to suppress ovulation so that you can continue to breastfeed your baby.

Weaning is the first step, which you've taken, it can then take up to a year for your cycles to re-regulate, because breastfeeding is hormonal and akin to birth control. I would think after weaning that it wouldn't take a year for your cycles to regulate themselves, however i can't speak with any certainty (as i didn't breastfeed), and of course even the "general rules of thumb" have exceptions on either side of the normal line

I would say you're doing very well by beginning to chart and BBT, as thats the first step to tracking things. The other suggestion i would have is to try OPK's to detect LH surge. A positive LH surge doesn't actually indicate ovulation, it just indicates that it's possible (the charting is more indicative of ovulation than anything else). If you seem to be having issues (which you dont currently) then it's more likely you could press for some more information sooner rather than later (blood work and what not)

TTC is one of those things that takes patience, sometimes it happens very quickly and sometimes not so much

 

[Sally12345]

Thanks so much for your comment - you did a great job of explaining this to me. I guess patience it is! But I will likely try the OPK too