Planning IVF for #2 - What if I'm still BFing and don't have a cycle yet?

Hi ladies,

Our ICSI bub DS is now 7 months old, and I am just starting to feel physically ready for another pregnancy, and although DP hasn't agreed to number 2 yet, I'm starting to think ahead, and I have a few questions. We have MFI (very low sperm count), and have almost no chance of conceiving naturally. We got 3 eggs, only 2 grew well, and both were transferred on day 3 - were lucky enough to fall pg on the 1st cycle.

Would my GP insist on us trying for 6 months again (I'm 38) before re-referring us to the FS?

My cycle hasn't returned yet - would it be worth seeing the FS until it has returned?

I am still BFing, though I only have about 50% supply... I guess this is why my cycle hasn't returned, but if you have had AC for #2 or more, did you/would you wean just to get your cycle back in order to ttc?

Would an FS start a treatment cycle (we would need to do egg collection, as we have no frosties) while I'm still BFing? Or would they insist on me weaning first?

And at 38, I'm reluctant to wait too long, though I'd love to let DS decide when to give up the boob, so would a GP/FS do the tests for egg aging, etc (is it AMH, or something?) to help me decide if we should wean and then ttc sooner or later?

Is there anything else I could be/should be thinking about at this stage?

I havent done IVF but have taken/ am taking clomid for cycles. I also didnt get a cycle back until i weaned DS at 13 months. My FS strongly recommended i wean before starting clomid, i was ready to so that is what i did.

From what Ive read (so could be a load of rubbish! lol) there is a good chance that the hormones etc you would need to take would dry up you milk anyways.. so you may not have a choice but to wean? But then it might not lol!

I cant offer any advice, but I love that your thinking about TTC No.2 :) Good luck with everything xxx

we are about to start ttc #2 and currently doing a trial cycle to see if I am ovulating naturally. I am still bf very much around the clock. my cycle returned straight away though. we made a plan with our fs that as long as I didn't need any hormonal support for ovulation we can easily do a thaw cycle without my needing to wean. he said that if I wasn't ovulating and they needed to give me drugs to ovulate then I would most likey need to wean due to ye medication. the fact your cycles haven't returned yet would be an issue i'd say

Hi Pholi, I found this previous thread that might help IVF and BF'ing. Wishing you all the best xx

Thanks ladies. :)

Alligator's Mum, I had wondered if the hormone treatment would dry up milk.

Thanks Baby Dreamtime, I didn't find that one. I hadn't thought about the hormone medications passing into breastmilk, and what that might do to bubs. I'll have to listen to that podcast sometime.

TT40, I hadn't even stopped bleeding by 3 months post birth - I was perfectly happy not to have my period return at that point, but now I'm starting to get a little bit anxious. I would have though with my poor supply that my cycle would be more likely to return, but maybe it's because my supply issues are a result of surgery, not hormones. Good luck to you!

My understanding is that the general "rule" is that you can't start IVF until 3 months after weaning. The reason being that the hormones related to BF (eg elevated prolactin) can actually reduce the chance of the IVF working. That said, the actual policy will vary from one Dr to the next, so your best bet is to contact your FS and ask what their policy is. I have heard of some allowing women to cycle earlier, but I know others simply won't. You just have to ask.

Given your circumstances, I would hope your GP could give you a referral immediately. Like you, I wouldn't want to wait any longer than necessary. The fact that you only got 3 eggs suggests to me that you're a poor responder (or was it by design?), in which case, you may be in the same boat as me with DOR, meaning that clock is ticking even louder...

Don't do the whole 'wait 6 months thing'. I went back to my fs when DS 1 was still fully bf and I had no cycle. He said that his preference would be to stop bf before starting to try again.
I partially weaned DS. Well, I kind of just went to a pretty strict 'by the clock' feeds instead of more demand feeds, and sure enough my cycle came back. And it was always regular before hand (you could set a clock to it) and it was regular afterwards too. I kept feeding DS, comfortable in the fact that it was now up to us to decide when to start again.
I then slowly weaned DS. (It was harder and more emotive than I thought, but I did what I thought was best for our family as a whole). I gave him his last feed the morning before I went into the clinic for the next journey to start! I had read some data that suggested breastfeeding might inhibit the implantation of an embryo. It was not a risk I was willing to take - I would always have wondered. Now I'm not so sure, I doubt bf would have made a difference, but I'm ok with it all.

Gee, all over the place.

Get down to your FS and start the discussion!

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It was harder and more emotive than I thought, but I did what I thought was best for our family as a whole.

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Lenny, I'm going to keep this in mind... a mantra, for when the time comes to wean. Thanks

Juniper, being a first cycle, they specifically went with a moderate level of stimulation, but I had 12-15 follicles that looked hopeful at the scan 2 days before collection... I was shocked when they only got three eggs, but the embryologist reassured me strongly that we only needed one, and he was right - we got a bub from it. But yeah, I don't want to wait. At the same time, I really want to wean DS no sooner than 12 months. My Mum says that my older sister weaned herself at 9 months, me at 11 months and my brother at 13 months, so maybe DS will decide even sooner that he doesn't want any more boob. No sign of that yet though!

My GP is pretty good, I'm sure she'll be happy to refer straight away. DP, on the other hand, is really keen to not need IVF this time. The first step in the process (as far as I'm concerned) will be to get him tested - if his sperm count goes up by a factor of 25 or so, it might be worth trying for 3-6 months first. If it's still down around the 1 million mark, I think I'm going to have to persuade him to accept the need for another round of IVF. Maybe I need to get the mirena out now, and see what happens.

I can't comment on the fs side of things but wanted to add that if giving your bub breastmilk is still something that is really important to you, you may have luck sourcing donor milk so you can still give your baby the bm goodness and ttc :) gl!

That's odd that you only got 3 eggs from the dozen follicles, but the fact you had so many follicles sounds promising (hopefully there will be fewer empty ones next time).

Sounds like a good plan to me - see your FS, ask about the BF issue and get your hubby re-tested, then make a decision on what to do once you've got all the info.

Thanks, Sepata. He's been partially formula-fed since 2 weeks, so I think that once he gets to 12 months, it won't be too hard to make the transition to being only on formula/cow's milk.

https://www.bellybelly.com.au/forums...ivf-ac-162014/
This might be helpful

Thanks MadB