Breastfeeding & IVF

[entreat]

So... Jack is 10 months now, and my plan has been to break my heart (cease breastfeeding) after 12 months. Clearly not on his birthday, because that's just mean. This plan was based on a rumour that I have to be fully weaned for a full 6 months before starting to make baby #2. We have no embryos left in the freezer, so I need to be harvested.

My question is: what is the truth here? Does the 6mths apply to just embryo transfer, or does it apply for egg retrieval also?

I think I'll just go see the FS in May, anyway. But I just wanted to know what other people have done.

Cheers.

[Gi Gi]

Hi
I have no idea what the answer to this is, but will be very interested to see others. I have recently fallen pregnant with our first IVF baby and am already wanting a plan for our next in the back of my mind
Gi Gi

[LizLemon]

I BFd DS up to 15 months, (but at that stage it was only one feed a day). When I had my FS appointment at about 14 months to start up for No 2 he said that I would need to have stopped by the time we started. This was because it lowers your fertility and they want you to have the best chance. (He didn't say anything about whether the hormones came through milk but I imagine they do and I didn't want DS getting a huge whack of oestrogen!).

I started an FET cycle about two weeks after I stopped BF and got a BFP! So for me it all worked out well, but I'm not sure if it would be different if I had been doing a fresh cycle. Also, the fact that I had had regular periods since about 5 months post DS and was only down to one feed per day probably made the difference too.

Good luck Entreat - it's a scary prospect going back to IVF land again ain't it!

[onthefly]

Er, no. It really depends on your cycles. Are you having them at the moment? You will get a different answer on this from pretty much everyone you ask, but if you're having normal cycles while breastfeeding, you may not need to wean at all (depends exactly on teh drugs you're going to take and obviously whether you want to continue)
The ABA may be able to give you more info - there's at least one counsellor who has investigated this. You can listen to a podcast she gave on the subject HERE (No. 22).
I did not wean when I did an HRT cycle. I had been having regular cycles for 6 months previously. The drugs dried up my milk and DS weaned once I was a couple of months pregnant.
The short answer is: You need to be having cycles, I don't see why you would need to have weaned for that long.

[entreat]

Sorry - I forgot about this... :blush:

Cycles are regular (about 4 months now). We're still feeding lots during the day & night, but I don't actually want to be pregnant until Jack is much closer to 2yo. I'd just like to get the eggies out a bit earlier.

Thanks for the podcast link. I'll get to that this week. MammaSue sent me this link too: Breastfeeding Through Fertility Treatments (IVF and FET) – updated with info on prolactin and implantation It has great info that one woman has dug up in regards to the hormone treatments. It makes me feel a lot better. I'll be calling the clinic this week & find out their procedures.

TBH, I'd only heard rumour & hear-say from various forums when I was googling for information. I really posted to see what other people had done. Not many of us out there by the looks of things.

Thanks again. I'll be back when I find out from the clinic.

[onthefly]

Thanks for that Entreat
I was actulaly never asked if I was still feeding and didn't volunteer the information. They probably just assumed I would have stopped by then I suppose.