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would your RE see you if your still breastfeeding?

post #1 of 31
6/19/10 at 12:18pm
Thread Starter 
I have PCOS and it took us 2 years of marriage and truthfully many years of not effectively avoiding before we conceived our son with clomid and tigger shot.

I don't want to take away from my son, who is currently 8 months. I want to breastfeed for at least 2 years (though I think I can convince my dh 2 1/2 since he he's an Oct baby and those immunities are nice over the winter)

Will your RE even see you if your still breastfeeding? are there any safe meds to take while breastfeeding? are there any safe alternative things to try while breastfeeding?

I don't want to mess with anything just yet and ds is still not taking many solids (he just don't like puree anything and there aren't enough 'safe' foods! plus he's just not that interested)

I don't want to take from him to possibly have another...but I want another conceived sometime sooner than 2 years from now.

I haven't yet started my period.

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post #2 of 31
6/19/10 at 1:10pm
I know that my sister's doctor told her to stop breastfeeding before they would consider any treatment steps. She didn't want to stop, and ended up getting pregnant on her own. Good luck!
post #3 of 31
6/19/10 at 6:24pm
Mine had no problem "seeing" me and charging me for a consult, but he absolutely wouldn't go any further until I was done nursing.
post #4 of 31
6/19/10 at 6:34pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by goldfinches View Post
Mine had no problem "seeing" me and charging me for a consult, but he absolutely wouldn't go any further until I was done nursing.
Ditto this.

The hormone testing (are totally different when BF) and meds (may not be safe to BF) radically change your test results for the RE.

My RE will not do anything when a parent is BF regularly (usually not regular periods and hormones are elevated) or taking meds incompatible with treatment (most IUI/IVF meds are not safe to take w/ BF).

Consult probably, but that is it.The RE may also have some 'natural' methods you could try at home though so it would not hurt to talk to him/her.
post #5 of 31
6/20/10 at 2:02am
My doctor didn't have any problems with me bfing. I did a lot of research on my own before seeing him & felt comfortable with the drugs I knew we would be starting with. I have pcos as well & never had af return on it's own. I used provera to induce the first af. We are currently on our 3rd cycle of clomid & I'm still bfing. That said, I conceived first cycle on clomid (50mg) with ds. I'm now up to 150mg & the first two cycles my progesterone levels were way too low.

I did wait until ds was 18mos before I went to see the doctor. Most of the drugs seem to have the potential to create supply problems - it didn't affect mine but I knew it was a risk it would cause him to wean.
post #6 of 31
6/20/10 at 10:35pm
Thread Starter 
lifeguard What did your doctor say about breastfeeding? Have you been able to ovulate? (I know if varies from person to person, but just wondering) I know the RE I want to go back to, and will probably wait until DS is 18 months as well before going back. Do you think its the bf that's affective your progesterone levels? or just PCOS? My levels were pretty low even what I have pg with DS, but he grew just fine anyway Thank GOD!

I'm so glad to here of someone else who was/is in the same boat.
post #7 of 31
6/20/10 at 11:43pm
I feel like an idiot asking... what is "RE"?
post #8 of 31
6/21/10 at 12:52am
dakotablue - I had very low progesterone when conceiving ds as well so although the bfing might play into it I think for me it is mostly the pcos. My doctor really didn't say much about the bfing. I didn't ovulate on 50mg of clomid but I did ovulate on 100mg but my luteal phase was too short & my progesterone was still too low. He thinks the 150mg will be the trick so I'm hopeful for this cycle.

vroomiemama - RE is Reproductive Endocrinologist
post #9 of 31
6/21/10 at 10:05am
Quote:
Originally Posted by lifeguard View Post
dakotablue - I had very low progesterone when conceiving ds as well so although the bfing might play into it I think for me it is mostly the pcos. My doctor really didn't say much about the bfing. I didn't ovulate on 50mg of clomid but I did ovulate on 100mg but my luteal phase was too short & my progesterone was still too low. He thinks the 150mg will be the trick so I'm hopeful for this cycle.

vroomiemama - RE is Reproductive Endocrinologist
THANKS!
post #10 of 31
6/21/10 at 12:13pm
Thread Starter 
Quote:
Originally Posted by lifeguard View Post
dakotablue - I had very low progesterone when conceiving ds as well so although the bfing might play into it I think for me it is mostly the pcos. My doctor really didn't say much about the bfing. I didn't ovulate on 50mg of clomid but I did ovulate on 100mg but my luteal phase was too short & my progesterone was still too low. He thinks the 150mg will be the trick so I'm hopeful for this cycle.
Thanks so much!

I hope this cycle does the trick! I'll keep my fingers crossed!
post #11 of 31
6/21/10 at 1:48pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by VroomieMama View Post
I feel like an idiot asking... what is "RE"?
RE = Reproductive Endocrinologist. They're fertility specialist who do IUI and IVF procedures.
post #12 of 31
6/22/10 at 2:10am
Quote:
Originally Posted by dakotablue View Post
I don't want to take away from my son, who is currently 8 months. I want to breastfeed for at least 2 years (though I think I can convince my dh 2 1/2 since he he's an Oct baby and those immunities are nice over the winter)
Whatever you and your RE decide, you should be aware that if you DO get pregnant it may significantly decrease your milk supply. It doesn't for all women, but does for many. Just something to consider if you really do want to breastfeed for at least 2 years (especially since your lo is so young). You probably already know that though, and I can certainly understand the desire to start trying now if it took a long time the first time!!! Good luck with whatever you decide--I hope you can find someone who will work with you, and that you get pregnant quickly when you're ready
post #13 of 31
6/22/10 at 2:26am
My RE wouldn't begin any treatments until I was totally done BFing.

Thankfully, even though dd2 was an IVF baby, it seems #3 really wanted to be conceived, because we did it all on our own this time around.
post #14 of 31
6/22/10 at 2:34pm
We just had our first RE appointment yesterday. She did not ask if I am nursing, and I did not mention it. I guess maybe I should have, but he is only nursing 2-4 times a day (all at night) anyway, so I didn't think it was a significant factor (plus, DH has male factor).
post #15 of 31
6/22/10 at 7:31pm
My RE did not seem to have any issues with me BF'ing. After all the testing and an attempt to remove a fibroid, his next recommendation was injectibles and IUI. We could not afford it, and ended up getting pregnant on our own very recently. DS weaned during the first half of the cycle that we got pregnant.
post #16 of 31
6/23/10 at 12:35am
This wasn't an issue for the two RE's I saw. I did my cycles while bf'ing and my dd self weaned one month before her 3 rd birthday. I was 5 months pregnant. Pregnancy did not affect my milk supply. All my blood levels were normal and I had gotten my first period while still exclusively bf'ing.

I did two NCIVF which means unmedicated IVF. So just estrogen and progesterone were the medications I took, which also did not affect my milk supply.

I'm a so happy I bf my first instead of me weaning her for a cycle. If it were to come to me weaning my ds to do a cycle I would wait. I am still bf'ing my 21 month old and starting another cycle this summer. Bf'ing wasn't an issue again this time either.
post #17 of 31
6/23/10 at 11:33am
Thread Starter 
Thank you all so much for your experiences and responses. I know there is the small possibility my body may just work it out on its own, but I doubt it. I am planning on waiting until ds is at least a year or more before going back to my RE, but I've been thinking about it a lot lately. I think mostly because its been 8 months and still no period, but ds did just start solids so we'll see.

I was hoping that since I already have a 'condition' that IF would be assumed and bf not considered an issue after 'cycles' have returned.

Does anyone know of the effect of clomid or HCG or even injection on breast milk (not supply as I'm one of the over abundant feed the entire block girls) but how much may go through? if so goes through would the risk be lessen for a girl baby? I don't know just wondering of anyone who had done the research.


marlee That is so great to hear. Thank you! I didn't know you could do unmedicated IVF...
post #18 of 31
6/23/10 at 12:05pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by marlee View Post

I did two NCIVF which means unmedicated IVF. So just estrogen and progesterone were the medications I took, which also did not affect my milk supply.
How do you do that? I'm assuming there is only one egg able to be retrieved, two at the most.
post #19 of 31
6/23/10 at 10:16pm
another voice here- my RE doesn't care that I'm nursing, except to the effect that he says it can lessen the chance of ovulation-inducing drugs working. (oh, and he won't do IVF on nursing moms). In my case, he's been right, I didn't O until 150mg clomid.

For us, it was a heart-made decision to begin fertility tx despite the risk of milk drying up (I feel comfortable at the level my DD nurses taking Clomid and progesterone). I have endo that has progressed really fast in the last year, and we decided it was worth the risk to start now rather than not having our much-wanted #3.

Like you said, dakotablue, bc I have another "condition", the RE never figured that it was nursing (tho, he did draw my prolactin just to see- normal)

Best to you.
post #20 of 31
6/23/10 at 11:48pm
Quote:
How do you do that? I'm assuming there is only one egg able to be retrieved, two at the most.
My clinic is a great leader in this and IVM (invitro maturation). They waited until my follicles were of good size then did the collection. They did collect the immature ones as well (the IVM part). But I had two mature and they fertilized and transferred those. I did 3 cycles all resulting in 2 mature follicles and subsequent pregnacies. One ended in miscarriage. And I have two beautiful children from the other 2 cycles

I also am pretty sure had an HCG shot for those cycles just before retrival.
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Mothering › Mothering Discussion Forums › Pregnancy and Birth › Fertility › Infertility › would your RE see you if your still breastfeeding?