TTC/Pregnancy while Breastfeeding and Tandem Nursing: Information and Support

[dinosaur2010]

Well mine were every 26 days to start but I only had two before I got pregnant. My lutenal phase had shortened from before pregnancy when imy cyclewas 28 days

My first two were 28 days, then they went all over the place. 40 days... I noticed EWCM when AF was due once so decided to start temping to see what was going on as I was getting nowhere with TTC. I think my luteal phase was fine but ovulation was often delayed. First full month temping and I'm finally pg again!

I'm on cycle day 28 of my first cycle so I'll see if and when AF comes- already it's longer as they used to be 25 days apart. I guess it's just a waiting game then till your body regulates itself. I'm not in any rush just now! Hoping for bfp this year though !

My pre-baby cycles were 23-26 days, post baby they started at 30 and lessened to 28.

I'm on CD 31 at the monent and nothing! Although my LO has been feeding constantly through the night as she's not been well for past 10 days so that's maybe delaying it? I dunno! I'm just going with the flow- no pun intended!!

 

[Mork]

Calling all long term breastfeeders -
My lo is almost 3, (been tandem feeding for 8 months now-wow how time flies!) anyway, tonight she went to bed for the second time only in her life (first being when i had her brother) without a breast feed. Do you reckon this is the start of her self weaning or just a one off?????? I'm not sure how i feel!!!!!!!!!!! x

 

[Tacey]

Calling all long term breastfeeders -
My lo is almost 3, (been tandem feeding for 8 months now-wow how time flies!) anyway, tonight she went to bed for the second time only in her life (first being when i had her brother) without a breast feed. Do you reckon this is the start of her self weaning or just a one off?????? I'm not sure how i feel!!!!!!!!!!! x

It's difficult to say. I know people who have had month long gaps between feeds. Has your LO mentioned it? Weaning was almost painfully sudden for Alice. She literally told me one day she didn't want it any more, and barring a single night time feed, that was that. It felt weird for me. If it is the end, I can really recommend writing your story, and your feelings all down. I wrote a letter for Alice, and it felt like I'd tied up the loose ends afterwards.

 

[Mork]

tacey - thanks for your quick response!! What a great idea writing our journey down!!! (also makes me cry thinking about it as seems so final ). Her dad has mentioned to her a couple of times that her friends dont have 'boobie' anymore (grrrrrrrr...) so Im wondering if that has prompted her to wean? She has been asking for it all day today - which is unusual as she has been twice a day only for ages now and never usually asks, I wondered if she was feeling poorly, but she went to bed quite happy tonight Is it mad that instead of feeling proud of how long we've managed i feel sad that we may not have made it to 3?
xx

 

[Tacey]

I think that's totally natural. If you'd asked me before the day she refused it, I'd have said I was ready for her to stop, but when it came, it was such a shock. It took me a week or two before I starting feeling at peace about it. Weird isn't it?

I posted my letter here when I wrote it.

 

[Mork]

Tacey - that is exactly how i feel - yesterday i would have said i was ready, now i want to cling on to it with all i have!! Your letter to your daughter is so beautiful and tells the story in an amazing way - you have reduced me to tears!! xx

 

[emmalg]

I haven't even read the letter yet and you've reduced me to tears. I'm so worried DD will stop feeding whilst I'm pg but hadn't really considered how it would make me feel. I never set out to self wean when I started bf but as time passed it just seemed like the natural conclusion. Plus I'm hoping that I can avoid such sore nipples if I keep going! ;-)

 

[LuckyD]

Oh god, totally made me cry too! So beautiful. I know I will feel similar the day that my daughter decides to stop. She recently dropped her morning feed by herself - every time I offered it she said 'not'. But still feeds to sleep for her nap and for bedtime. It makes me sad to think that this will end sometime...

 

[steph.]

Hi all, i'm new to the thread! Just found out i'm expecting number 2! Dd was just feeding once a day but for the past couple of days anytime i sit down on the couch or she catches a glimpse of my boobs she's start screaming "BOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOB" and trying to get my top off. Even when she was sitting on the supermarket trolley and she caught a glimpse of the bbs, she pulled at my top and flashed this poor lady who was walking past (who proceeded to tell me not to worry about flashing her as her sister used to the same to her mum ) So my question is, does anyone know if this sudden love for the boobies are due to the new pregnancy? Or just coincidence? And also every time she feeds i get cramps. Does anyone know whether breasfeeding has any effect on miscarriage rates? thanks ladies

 

[emmalg]

My DD has also been super feeding since I got PG. I wondered if this was normal and if encouraging it will help my milk not to dry up during the PG.

I had tried to cut day time feeds down as it awkward when I have to go to meetings for work and my bbs just get bigger and bigger and bigger and more painful all day!

 

[NDH]

My daughter has been doing it lately too, but only within the last month or so.

 

[steph.]

Thanks girls its good to know my lo isnt the only one who has suddenly turned into a boob crazed baby monster. She has even developed the lip blister she used to have as a newborn!

 

[jcg0506]

Yeah, my lo started the same thing about a month ago. We were happily nursing three times a day and now he wants it all the time, though I can often put him off if I'm busy or he just nursed like 5 minutes ago.
I'm now 34 weeks and my boobs just started getting really sore, especially when he latches on. It's like it was in the first days of the pregnancy. So for that reason I'm also trying to keep his feeds down. Anyone else had this happen in late pregnancy? My colostrum just came in a few weeks ago, around the same time the soreness started. I'm just now beginning to notice contractions when he nurses, although I have them all the time anyway, so not really sure if its due to the nursing or not. If they get too strong, we may have to cut back , especially his morning nurse, which is really long, like 45 minutes usually. I'm beginning to worry about how I'm going to manage the whole tandem thing.
Ps. My son got the lip blister about a month ago too.

 

[hopen4BFP]

Hey Ladies,

Just wanted to hear previous experience from mom's who have been there. I have a beautiful 13 month old girl. Love her to heaven and back and want another one! That being said, I recently decided to partially wean her in an effort to get pregnant with number 2. I've yet to have my period. Baby girl sleeps through the night and goes 8-9 hours in the day. I'm down to feeding her three times per day. I cramp every day. Some days more than others.

Just wondering if there is more I can do (besides wean her). Did anyone partially wean in order to get pregnant and if so how many feedings per day did you have to go down to? If you had a lot of cramping did AF just show or did you feel her coming? I know I can just continue to wait but I'm not getting any younger and we want a lot of kids. Sorry so long. Any help would be greatly appreciated! Thanks!

 

[emmalg]

I had to reduce feeding DD to go back to work when she was 10 months old and that's when my AF came back but it sounds like we weren't feeding any less than you are. I did have months and months with cramps before it came back though. I honestly thought about weaning her so I could start TTC but in my case a little patience paid off. Unfortunately everyone's body is different.

 

[dinosaur2010]

Hi, just looking for advice if you think this will work to jump start my period:
Had my first period in Feb and nothing since- this didn't surprise me though as my dd has been teething and feeding way more often.
She's back to her usual self now and I've stopped breastfeeding her during the day- I have started to give her a morning feed while we are still in bed, then when we get up- I pump as much as poss and give her that throughout the day in her sippy cup (along with her meals and snacks).
Then I give her a bedtime breastfeed and breastfeed her in the night if she wakes (usually about 3 short feeds)
Do you think this sounds enough of a change to kick start my periods again? I hear that the more sudden the change, the more your body reponds? It's been a pretty sudden change from about 5-6 breastfeeds/day up until yesterday- then today 10 hour stretch with no breastfeeds!

 

[steph.]

hi dinosaur. its hard to say as everyone is different but i did a similar thing to you and my period came back within a month, Mine too was quite sudden so fingers it works for you!

 

[marina294]

Anyone else have really sore nipples still at 18 weeks pregnant. We still nurse twice a day morning and night but is sooooo sore everytime she first latches Im flinching in anticipation everytime. Will it get better?

 

[Celesse]

I thnink mine were really sore first trimester, but got less sore by second. I don't think they were ever completely not sore like when not pregnant.

 

[Celesse]

So today DD is 3 and I've stopped nursing her.

Hopefully, the sudden reduction in nursing will give m fertility a chance to return..... though not until middle of April as I don't want another Christmas baby. A January baby would be much better!!! That said DS is back co-sleeping due to some nasty teeth giving him bother so he may be enough by himself to keep fertility at bay!!