Although we are probably a year away from TTC #2, I'm wondering about this because I'm enjoying BF'ing more than expected and would like to continue it longer than originally planned. My clinic requires that you be finished with BF'ing before starting a cycle (I'd be doing a frozen transfer). As AF has already returned (pretty much 3 months after c-section), I'm wondering if I should discuss asking them to waive this requirement - assuming AF remains regular. HOWEVER, when I thought about this, I realized that if I'm injecting hormones - which I will be during the Frosty cycle - then I don't want them flowing through to DS via breastmilk. Does anyone know anything about this?
Hmmm I don't know anything about it to be honest but clinics usually have good reasons for these things. Perhaps call them and ask for some more information.
I do remember a similar thread to this started a while back. (I am on my phone ATM so I can't look sorry!!) I remember a couple of women did BF and do a cycle. I guess, personally, I would be concerned about the hormones.
Will you definitely be 'shooting-up' during a thaw cycle? Could you get them to monitor you and see if you can get by on a natural cycle?
The Monash pharmacy would be able to give you advice on the drugs passing into the milk. They are very helpful.
I was only doing a natural thaw cycle and I was using OPK's so no drugs. My FS said yes, give up BF. He accepted that the hormone changes due to breastfeeding were not necessarily going to impact the cycle, and seeing as I had partially weaned DS1 and got AF back, he was none the wiser as to whether i was secretly breastfeeding (which i was, as i found weaning SO painful and the easiest relief was a quick bf )
I asked at my ABA and although they knew very little about AC, they did agree that breasfeeding does impact fertility. I sought out advice and in the end I decided that i wanted to give up BF (the day before the transfer ). I did conceive DS2 that cycle, which was amazingly lucky. I'll never know if BF made a difference, but my choice was right for me.
ETA - if you need the phone number for Monash (or is it RWH?) I'll find it somewhere...
Lenny - it won't be a natural thaw cycle - my clinic uses lots of support (and although it's a frostie cycle, it's a bit more complicated in my case) and I'll be on a fair amount of progesterone starting a few days before transfer and building up through the first 8-10 weeks plus whatever drug they use to stop ovulation before transfer (to let the lining really build up) - can't believe I am not remembering the name of the drug! I'm going to look up my notes from my last cycle and call Monash.
Alrighty, there are other threads on this but I can't remember where they are.
Check out podcast 22 HERE. She goes through many of the usual drugs what effect they have on baby if still breastfeeding.
The main thing is whether you're having normal, ovulatory cycles or not while breastfeeding. If you are, then you're fertile regardless. If you're not, then it may be impacting fertility.
I continued to breastfeed through a HRT FET cycle, though the drugs killed my supply anyway (which is the other problem with elevated estrogen levels).
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IVF and BF'ing
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). I did conceive DS2 that cycle, which was amazingly lucky. I'll never know if BF made a difference, but my choice was right for me.
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