[4myloves]

NOTE TO MODS: I'm posting this in 30-somethings and pregnancy/nursing because I think the crowd that goes to that forum may not be as big as this one. Cheryl

Before I type this, let me begin by saying that I have my yearly pap-smear scheduled for July 23rd and I plan to discuss this with my ob-gyn then, I'm looking for input here so I'll have an idea of questions I may need to ask at my appointment.

Now, on with the show :

I had my last period in May of 2007. I had been off of my birth control pills "solidly" for around 2 months. I found out I was pregnant with Jake on July 1st and as of July 10th I was 5 weeks pregnant, according to the vaginal ultrasound.

I had Jake on February 7th and have been expressing milk for him since around February 16th. At present, I manage to express around 18-24 oz. of milk per day.

He was 5 months old on Monday and I still haven't had a period. Is this on par with any of you?

The reason I'm "worried" (I'm really not worried, per se, but I can't think of a better word right now) about this is that sometime in the near (very near) future I'd like to try to conceive again BUT I don't want to have to give up on providing Jake with breast milk until he's ready to be weaned from the bottle completely. Do I have to choose?

Like I said, I plan to discuss this with my ob-gyn, but I'd like some input from some mothers who may have been in the same/similar situation as me.

TIA
Cheryl

[GoMamaGo]

My youngest dd just weaned at 2 years and 1 month old. My period came back when she was about 18 months old. With dd#1, my period came back at 3 months after weaning, which was at 11 months.

But, one of my friends, her period always comes back at around 4 months postpartum, even with exclusive breastfeeding. So really everybody is different.

Being pregnant and then nursing takes so much effort for the body. And with your baby so young, your body is just not ready to go though that again yet.

[mamatoni]

It sounds like you didn't have to "try" for a long time to conceive. When were you hoping to get pregnant? By then your DS may have slowed down enough that AF will return and you will be able to get pregnant. My DD is 17 mo. and I am still breastfeeding. I have been on the depo shot for the past 6 months while DH got a vasectomy and I have heard that it keeps AF away, but for what it's worth I am just getting AF back right now. Who knows what would have happened without the depo shot, I agree with pp that everyone's body is different. I have also heard of women getting pregnant before AO returned. Personally I think the delayed return of AF and the possibility of pregnancy is natures way of making mother's wait until their body is ready again.

You could also post this on the LLL (Le Leche League) forum, there are a lot of women on there who could probably help. (maybe even some BTDT)

Good luck! I wanted mine close together (got preg, when DS was 9 mo.) but unfortunately stopped nursing DS when he was 5 mo.

[4myloves]

I want mine close together (my goal is to have 4 kids and I'm already 32 years old!!), but I don't want to deprive Jake of my milk, if at all possible.

Thank you both for your input!

[LBH]

Hi Cheryl! I nursed #1 for 12.5 months and got AF back at 7 months post=partum. I nursed #2 for 5.5 months (his choice to stop, not mine!) and got AF back at around 6-7 months PP. I think it really all depends on the person. I know one girl who does not get AF back until she's done BF'ing...regardless how long that is.

BRAVO! for BF'ing!! Are you actually BF'ing, or just pumping? If pumping, did you have a problem BF'ing? I had problems with both. #1 for the first 4 months, tell we both "clicked". #2 just never wanted to. My theory is because I was GB+ w/him and had to have antibiotics during labor. He ended up with thrush, which made it nearly impossible to BF. I pumped exclusively for a couple weeks, but I couldn't keep up and gave up.

If you're exclusively pumping, you will not get as much milk as nursing. It's supply & demand. The more you nurse/pump, the more you'll get. You can try Fenugreek, oatmeal, beer to increase supply, or you can get an Rx from the dr. for...crap, I forget the name of it...anyway, it worked great for me! I tried the natural remedies, but they didn't help.

OK, I've written a book...sorry...it's a passion of mine! Hope it helped a bit!

[4myloves]

Lauren, hi yourself! I miss y'all!

I'm pumping exclusively. I pump three times daily and get enough (usually) from each pumping for a 7.5 +/- oz. bottle. Jake was early and had to spend 8 days in the Med in Memphis so I started pumping from the time he was born. I tried breastfeeding and we had latching issues and, really, I just like the bottle better for him.

I had problems with milk volume for awhile, but I started taking fenugreek (which is great) and invested in an Ameda electric pump--I was using a cheap one from Wally World--and it made a ton of difference.

I really don't want to stop providing breast milk for him until I'm ready to completely wean him from the bottle (and maybe even beyond), but I want to try to concieve again one of these days.

Maybe I'll be one of the lucky ones who becomes pregnant while breastfeeding--I hear that increases your chances of conceiving twins

[LBH]

LOL, that's one way to get more kids faster!

I admire you even more for pumping all this time. I hated pumping at work for #1 & #2, but pumping around the clock for #2 sucked! Latching problems with both, but with #1, I think the problem was that my boob was bigger than his head! I thought, well, it makes sense! At 4 months he was bigger and the latch got better!

I have a friend on my mom's board that BF her DS for 5 yrs. But she got PG with #2 and tandem nursed until #1 finally stopped! Another friend that also nursed for a long time, but her #1 weaned shortly after she got PG w/#2.