Weaning for fertility? Any experiences? I wanna another baby!!!!

[Arcadia]

Ok wise BB women, I need to get this out.

I LOVE breastfeeding. DD LOVES breastfeeding, but I want another baby! Like I waaannnaaa annotthheerrr bbbaaabbbyyyy!! Geez, just reading the Pg announcement section makes me green, and don't get me started on all the homebirths people are planning!

But after 17 months, still no AF! DD feeds very sporadically. Some days 4 times and then 3 times overnight. Some days twice and then sleeps through. Its all over the shop and I just go with it and offer boob whenever. I did think I felt some twinges, like ovulation twinges about a month ago, but nothing, and I did about 5 hpt.

I am so sick of poas, and praying for a miracle. I am also so sick at the very thought I might have to wean her to fall pregnant.

It wasn't meant to be like this. I thought I would be HAVING another baby by now. I want lots of kids, not two or three spread out by about 10 years!!

Arrggghhhh! Help!

Was there even a question in there? Help!?!

[chocolatecatty]

If it's any encouragement......I got amazingly pregnant whilst still BF'ding (I think Ceri was 14 months old), no AF, and PCOS.....for my first two pregnancies I had to use fertility meds as I wasn't ovulating....BUT then I joined a gym, was going 5-6 nights a week for about 40min each time, and that freaked my body out so much it started ovulating! Miracle!

Not sure if my experience can help others, but it's worth a try if you're not excercising regularly?

[onthefly]

Well, it didn't actually help us get pregnant but I got my cycles back at 16.5m after cutting out night feeds at 14m and slowly cutting back day feeds as well.
You *might* find regular, boob-free nights does the trick. It's also possible you're one of those women that can't get cycles back till they wean completely - you won't konw till you start cutting back. I guess you have 3 choices: do nothing and see; cut back slowly and see; or wean completely and see.
But good luck! I know that feeling - it really hit me when DS was about 15 months old.

[Jennifer13]

I would try night weaning first to see if that helps. Otherwise, have you had any other signs that your fertility has returned?

I so understand the urge to fall pg now too! Hope it happens soon.

[abigator]

my experience in a nutshell:
DD: cycle returned 7 mths pg @ 9 mths still bf day and night (miscarriage unfortunately)
DS: cycle returned 11 mths

But: we are all different and our hormones all act differently (thank goodness in some cases!!)
are you actively trying to get pg?
have you tried charting your temp to see if something is happening?
good luck

[Twin Sister]

I went through something similar. I actually got AF back 5 weeks after I had my baby and at 1 yr we started TTC #2. After 6-7 months though I still wasn't pregnant and I decided to wean (DS was just nursing at night but we both loved it). It could just be coincidence but got PG my first month after weaning.

[Heaven]

I know how you feel!!!!!!! I was worried too! So we tried night weaning and it worked!! AF came back last month. I would give that a go first

[MantaRay]

Arcadia, that is such a difficult decision to make. As you can see from the replies it is a fairly common situation, and works out differently for different people. Night weaning helps in some cases, as the hormone levels are higher when you feed at night. It is not a guarantee though so a lot of it will depend on your time frames.

I wish you all the very best with this decision hun

[Honeybee]

I feel your pain, Arcadia!! I am in the same boat. DS is boob addict, and I would happily continue except that the desire for #2 is kicking in and no AF. DS won't go to sleep without BF, so we are stuck. I have ordered NCSS for toddlers, I hope that may give me some tips for gradual, gentle weaning. My plan is to give it another 6 months, and hope that when he's a bit older he will be able to understand if I say to him 'no boob, cuddle to sleep', or something like that. I've never been so keen to see AF in my life! I hope she visits you soon.

[sassba32]

Oh this is me too, but I am 42!
I dreamed of the day I would have my baby and breastfeed him to sleep in my arms. I love every moment of it (except for a brief biting stage at about 8months).
I dont want to stop right now but as my DS was an IVF baby I know I must stop asap and go back on the hormones if we have any hope of giving him a sibling. DS feeds all night and co sleeps. My DH doesnt like the teach to sleep idea (it will involve lack of sleep for him) and the softer methods haven't worked so far as DS isn't much of an eater, only enjoys Breast milk, not from a bottle just boob!
I wish there was an easy way to wean, even after I do it it's not a given that I'll get pregnant again, I feel like babyno2 is becoming less and less likely. I could cry!

[Arcadia]

Thanks for the replies everyone. I am going to stick it out until she's two and then wean her. *sigh* i like the idea of night weaning but I am a better parent when I go with the flow at night...I can't rationalize change when it's 4am

I hope we all have pg announcements before too long. it's nice to know I'm not alone.