What has been the soonest...

[texasfarmom]

What has been the soonest you started trying to conceive after a baby?

What has been the soonest you conceived after having a baby, whether trying or not?

I'm just curious. I just had my first LO 7 wks ago, but my husband and I want a big family and I'm enjoying her SO MUCH that I'm already excited to start trying for the next.

[MaerynPearl]

I would try my hardest not to before 6 months and wouldn't purposely before 1 year just because your body really needs that time to heal up.

Otherwise it can put you at risk for a lot of not fun stuff.

[becca_howell]

Well, we weren't TTC and got pregnant 12 months pp, and we're in month 1 of TTC now and we're 18 months pp.

[sarah2881]

The soonest we tried was 12 months, got PG around 20 months. This time we did not start trying until 19 months.

[quasar]

We tried when DS was 10 months old and got pregnant on the first try. I think it was on my 4th PP cycle. The thing I would caution about is if you're breastfeeding, it can sometimes be very difficult to keep your supply up. Mine totally crashed after I found out I was pregnant. I was devastated that I wouldn't be able breastfeed my son as long as I wanted to. I managed to get to a full year of nursing with him, and even now that he's 16 months old and I'm 30 weeks pregnant he still tries, though I don't know if he's even getting anything. Not sure what I plan on doing once the new LO gets here, but I might end up tandem nursing. Some women keep their supply, but I just wanted to warn you that it's a very real possibility that you might need to supplement.

[kalamos23]

We didn't try until 11-12m for breastfeeding reasons. Also, I remember wanting to start TTC really soon after having DD but it was hormonal - by 3-4 months when she wasn't sleeping at all (waking every 15-45min), I was thanking God that I wasn't pregnant and tired/pukey on top of it!

[jeninejessica]

It was NOT on purpose, but my cousin has a daughter born July 26, and the older one turned 1 year a week later. So there is 1 year minus a week between them.

[Vegan Princess]

My brother has 2 that are 15 months apart and then the 3rd came along 9 months later! So my ex-SIL got prego at 6 months PP and again at 6 weeks PP (the 3rd came 5 weeks early - thus the 9 month difference). Talk about insanity!! None of them were planned. They had a rough few years but the kiddos are super close now that they are 6, 7 and 8.

As for me - I had wanted me kids about 2.5 yrs apart. Got an iud after DD and had baby fever and counted down until we could start trying. My period didn't come back until she was 15 months old (right before I got the iud out and planned to start trying) and I didn't ovulate until she was 17 months. My cycles are still all wonky from breastfeeding so who knows how long it will take to actually conceive. Hopefully not much longer! If i conceive this month they will be 2 yrs and 3 months apart.

Cindy

[sarah2881]

Originally Posted by quasar

We tried when DS was 10 months old and got pregnant on the first try. I think it was on my 4th PP cycle. The thing I would caution about is if you're breastfeeding, it can sometimes be very difficult to keep your supply up. Mine totally crashed after I found out I was pregnant. I was devastated that I wouldn't be able breastfeed my son as long as I wanted to. I managed to get to a full year of nursing with him, and even now that he's 16 months old and I'm 30 weeks pregnant he still tries, though I don't know if he's even getting anything. Not sure what I plan on doing once the new LO gets here, but I might end up tandem nursing. Some women keep their supply, but I just wanted to warn you that it's a very real possibility that you might need to supplement.

That is one of several reasons we waited longer to TTC this time. Last time my milk completely dried up so I wanted to make sure DD2 was not too young when we started trying.

[Ruthla]

My mom conceived me when my brother was 5mo and 100% breastfed. She had a friend with babies 9 months apart- I'm not sure if she conceived 4 weeks postpartum and had the baby 4 weeks early or if it was 6 or 8 weeks (the older is my brother's age and the younger my age, so I've only heard the story 2nd hand) but I know that the younger girl was a preemie.

My daughters are 16.5m apart, so I was 7.5m pp when I conceived DD2. It was hard on my body to have two closely spaced pgs, and it was hard on me emotionally and physically to care for a baby while pg/two babies. I really don't recomend it!

None of those "closely spaced pgs" listed above were planned. If you want a large family, space your kids so you can fully enjoy all your babies and remain healthy enough to care for all of them.

Maybe you'll be one of the lucky ones who doesn't get her period back until the baby is over a year old, and you can space your kids 2-3 years apart doing nothing but ecological breastfeeding. If you're not willing to use any artificial contraception, keep a careful watch on your fertility signals (and abstain if you think you might be fertile.)

[texasfarmom]

It's great to hear from everyone! I welcome even more input. I'm glad ya'll are here to keep me level headed! I hope to breastfeed this baby for at least two years, so that is the most compelling argument to try to wait to conceive. Maybe I should go ahead and order that pp NFP book after all...

[ZoeJane'sMommy]

I would say if you reall want it go for it. And of course I would consult your OBGYN because it does take a toll on your body. I felt the same way you did and at about 2months PP I wanted another one so bad, my husband said lets wait until DD is 6 months and then see. Sure enough when she was 6 months I was not ready(it must have been hormones or the love of her or something). Then again at 9 months I was like I am ready now lets do it and he said well we waited this long lets wait until she is 1 and we did and I was not ready again. This went on every few months until she was about 20 months (this is when I weaned her) and I realized that I was not ready and I wanted to stick to our original plan of 3 kids 4 or 5 years apart. We are finally here TTC and they will be over 4 years apart and I am so glad I waited because when(and if) new baby comes DD will be in school part of the day and I will be able to give both my children the alone time they need with mommy. Not to mention we cosleep and there is no way two toddlers would fit and bed with us. DD thinks she is a big girl and is transitioning into her own bed all by herself so I think by the time LO comes she will be all on her own at night. So this is what works for our family. Hope my story helps.