I have had this plan since I decided to get pregnant the first time. Have my first, hopefully conceive number 2 very shortly after number 1, have a 2 year break and repeat with another 2 close together. Problem is I want to exclusivley breastfeed and on demand. How likely is this to happen and am I crazy? I can't believe I want to go through all this discomfort and agony so soon again :rolleyes:
I would love to hear your stories and point of views on this.
I know a girl who had her son 2 weeks before mine. She then had her next baby around 11 months later, so i guess she got pregnant 2 months after her first
She spoke about bf until her first was 7 months, so i'm assuming from that she was bf exclusively
The contraception protection of bf is only under specific circumstances - baby is exclusively bf, baby is less than 6 months, you've never had a period, and THE BABY DOES NOT GO LONGER THAN 4-6 HRS BETWEEN FEEDS. I have no idea if her baby was sleeping longer than this and thats how she got pregnant.
I would also suggest that you are quite sore and still healing at 6-8 weeks post birth, and it would be a lot of strain on your body. Everybody does what they are comfortable with, but i just wouldn't rush anything until you are 100% sure that is what you want, b/c once pregnant, its not something you can change.
I bf my son until 15 months, and he was sleeping longer than 6 hrs around the 6 month mark. It took until 10-11 months before my period returned anyway.
Hope that helped?
Thanks ladies. I am planning on breastfeeding exclusivly and on demand so I assume I will not be going longer than 4 hours without feeding for the first few months anyway. I won't deny Noah milk just so he can have a sibling so I guess if it happens it happens. I doubt I will be much in the mood for BD'ing anyway but I will try if I don't hurt. My main concern really is being this heavily pregnant and always being uncomfortable in one way or another with another baby to look after. Nobody ever said it was a walk in the park, but nobody said how difficult it is either, you only find out after you do it...
Kim in our BB group conceived 7 weeks after Chelsea was born.. that will make them 10 - 11.5 months apart i think she said! So proud of her!!!
Charlie was only 5 months old (exclusively BF) when I concieved Lexie, so they are only 14 months apart.........(not planned, but hey..........)
As soon as I concieved, Charlie started to reject the breast. I found this fairly distressing......he weaned at 6 months..........
In terms of my body......it was great. I had an easy pregnancy with Lexie and a fantastic birth. ALthough it was tiring looking after Olivia and Charlie whilst heavily pregnant........I was still chaning nappies and feeding Charlie his weetbix whilst in labour with Lexie!
Wow Lucy, you are a supermum! I never considered the breast being rejected though. I could see how that would be distressing..
DD is exclusively B/F on demand and I think the breaks between feeds might be an important factor. DD slept for long periods at night from the first few weeks, so while we fed like crazy during the day we sometimes went 7-8hrs at night... she is now 3 months and I am pretty confident I am getting to be fertile again.
I think it is quite dependant on your bubs rhythm and what your body does naturally...
hope it all goes to plan for you :)
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Very true they will be 10.5-11 months apart :) But unlike others i wasnt BF, but i didnt think id fall quite so soon :rolleyes:
I dont mind... i think its the best thing in the world...my 2 babies will be nice and close and the best of friends for life!
I was like Lucy. I was still BF when we tried to conceive #2. Thought it might take awhile but noooooo first month possible whamo!!!!! And as soon as I had conceived Charlee refused the breast, but I think it was more because my milk production had stopped because I hadn't felt a let down for soooo long. I wonder why that is? Anyway our two will be 13months apart. Really looking forward to the challenge.
Hi! I had a friend awhile ago who exclusivley breastfed her son and got pregnant while breast feeding him...he was about a year old when she became pregnant and she breastfed him all the way through her second pregnancy, and when her daughter was born she breatfed both of them.
I will definitly bring it up with the ABA lady the next time I see her. Maybe it is to do with the pre natal vits?
Yeah it's an interesting subject I think. I was told that some of the hormones that your body produces when pregnant can have an affect on milk let down. I don't know how true it is, but it obviously isn't with some mothers and maybe is true with others, but I definately noticed a huge change in my milk let down. But I did go on the mini pill for 1 month, maybe that had something to do with it as well. But either way it is definately possible to fall pregnant again straight away. Though they say not to "practise" for at least 6 weeks after giving birth. How early do you and your partner plan to start trying?
My mum had her 1st 3 boys in 3 years. 1st time was pregnant at 6 week post partum check, 2nd time had one period (6 weeks pp) and then got pregnant again. She was exclusively breastfeeding on demand, for about 4 years, LOL!
My periods came back 6 weeks post partum, even though i was exclusively on-demand bf DD. I think some people are more sensitive to prolactin than others. I have a very strong cycle - still having regular 29 day cycles despite both an IUS and thyroid problems...
Hana
PS - having to change poopy nappies with M/S would put me RIGHT OFF, but then anytime in the first 2 years you're gonna have to deal with that....
It seems a good thing to investigate that is for sure.
I guess we will try the same way we conceived this one, play russian roulette, if it happens it happens if it doesn't then it isn't meant to be. I will only BD if my body feels up to it though, I wouldn't risk my health. I think Juz isn't as keen as me, he wants to see how one goes first but he isn't objecting either. I just realise the later we leave it the more risk there is of not being able to conceive.
I'm just wondering how long some of you moms have gone without getting your period while breastfeeding? I have an almost 1 year old, who is a night (and day) nurser, and therefore, I've still no visit from AF. Can this go on, for as long as one nurses, primarily during the night? Just looking for averages from the community,,,
So it really is luck of the draw then depending which way you want to go. If you don't want to get pregnant then go on the mini pill, otherwise you take your chances.
Gracia, if there is one thing I can say, you don't need a period to ovulate, I missed a period just before falling pregnant with Noah, so there is a chance you could be ovulating??
thanks for bringing this topic up Sarah. Have been thinking the same thing myself.
My mum always said that you cant fall pregnanent while you are breastfeeding.....but, there are plenty of peoples on here that prove her little theory isnt correct.
I am not planning on going on the mini pill after my baby is born, and like you, planning on having my kids close together. So, will just see what happens hey?
I didnt realise that the amount that you breastfeed can effect things, and, as am also planning on exclusively b/feeding, then maybe things might not happen straight away.
Mum2bee, I execlusively breast feed every 2-3 hours during the day and still 3 times a night when we conceived #2. We thought it might take awhile, but proved it is definately possible. I guess we might have been lucky. But I think I might be really fertile or something as we conceived #1 first month trying as well. Maybe we are just lucky.
DH and I made the decision we`d like to TTC #2 shortly after #1 arrived (this was mainly due to our age, DH doesn`t want to be 50 and still having kids LOL and DH also has two boys who are 15 months apart).
I was exclusively breastfeeding Matthew on demand every 1 - 4 hours 24/7, AF arrived at 8 weeks post birth and I conceived when Matthew was 5.5 months, Matthew and Adrian are 15 months apart (Adrian was 2 weeks overdue).
After Adrian arrived again I was exclusively breastfeeding on demand, AF arrived 4.5 months after birth.
OB`s do perfer you to wait until after your 6 week appointment before TTC and it does depend on your recovery post birth as well.
Oooo Mel, that is good news to hear, Juz and I conceived within a month of trying as well fingers crossed it happens like that again.
Dee, sounds like you were quick off the mark too.
My only concern is the weight gain so far this preg (20kg, don't know where though) I really wanted to make the effort to get fit because of the lifestyle changes I have made during this pregnancy. I quit smoking 4 months ago and I feel the need to burn more energy lately too so I am now interested in walking and yoga etc. I want a great bod and lots of babies. I wonder if I can acheive it all...
With my DDs I got AF back a month after I stopped bf (8months and 13 months) Riley is still bf and no sign of AF yet.
Sarah - Some women (like myself) are lucky and brestfeeding = weight loss. I put on 20kg with #1 and by the time I conceived #2 at 5.5 months post birth I had lost 18kg (54kg) with #2 I didn`t put on as much weight (11kg) I put that down to still breastfeeding #1 until I was 37 weeks pregnant and only stopping then as Matthew decided to self wean one day :( . I`m now down to 52kg and have been for some months, which is well underweight for my height but it`s because I`m breastfeeding (I eat like a horse and don`t exercise), although I have never been a solid person.
Oooo I would love to get to my 16yo size again and be 43kg that may be possible hehe. I would be just as happy to get back to 50kg. I am all sucked up into the yummy mummy ideal even though I said I wouldn't be. In my heart I guess I always knew I would be though. Noah better love the boob!! I feel you with eating like a horse. I eat all the bad stuff too. Well not bad but real homecooked meals done like in the old days. Exercise is something I would like to attempt though :S
Sarah, I don't know where you could have put on 20kg either. I had a sneak peak at your website and you look fantastic. Maybe it's a 20kg bubba:p only joking, but really you look great, I'm sure you won't have any problems losing the new kg's once bubs is here. I too lost almost all the weight I gained while pregnant with DD, shortly after she was born (except 2kg too), I put it down to BF too.
Not long for you now, how are you feeling?
Thanks Mel, I can only guess it has gone into the belly bum and thighs, although I have noticed a bit of bat wing arms developing. It sounds like it will all shed soon enough with a combo of BF and exercise. Not long at all indeed, it feels like an eternity away at the same time. I have been doing nearly every trick in the book to get him out of me but nothing is working. He is on his own schedual, typical male ;)
Gracia, With 1st I went over 2 years without Af even though DS was totally weaned at 14 months. (has lost a lot of weight was only 45 kg at the time so this may have been contributing factor also) With 2nd DS AF returned at 11 months still BFuntil 17 months (was pregnant with no 3). With 3rd Ds Bf him until 21 months and AF returned at 24 months. With DD Bf her until 23 months but AF returned at 8 months (she was sleeping throught the night from about 8 weeks I think) 4th DS stillborn so didnt bF at all obviously and got BFP within 5 weeks of birth No AF in between.
Hi, whilst i conceived Bubs #3 when DD#2 was a little older - 10 months, i conceived b4 having a period.....
Whilst alot of women do conceive whilst b/f a lot of women dont either. I found i was very dry and just not interested in DTD in the first 6 months of my DD life. I suppose its the hormones and natures way of telling you you have a baby to feed....i.e your body isnt in baby making mode.....sure, you hear of women whom have conceived, but i consider them very lucky....thats my opinion anyway. My DD#2 went off her milk too when i found out i was preggers.....i pushed it for another 2 months (mainly for my own sake !!) but like others have said, the taste and supply can change.... GOod luck with everything...