TTC while breastfeeding 2-year-old

[filiadeluna]

I am TTC #2 while breastfeeding my 2-year-old.  I have had AF since she was only 13 weeks old ().  We haven't used protection since then, so it worries me that maybe I'm having AF without ovulating? 

A little background:  We actively did TTC with #1 for 9 months before getting pregnant.  My cycles back then averaged about 32 days.  They ranged anywhere from 28 to 35ish days or so.  I used BBT, OPKs, and charting CP & CM.  I stopped doing BBT & OPKs after about 5 months, though, because I got really frustrated/depressed, and thought I wouldn't be able to get pregnant.  I didn't even TEST at all for the next four months until I finally got pregnant in that 9th month.

I have periodically checked my CP & CM throughout cycles over the last year-and-a-half or so.  I have had EWCM at times, which I know is a sign of ovulation, but sometimes it seemed to last a few days, though, or happen more than once in a cycle.  Do you think maybe I have low progesterone or something?  My cycles have averaged 35 days for the last year or so, ranging from 28 to 40+ days sometimes.  So it is really difficult to even "guess" when my fertile time might be *if* I'm ovulating at all.

I am not fond of the idea of weaning DD.  Really don't want to lose that bond, nor the benefits for either of us.  Especially since she is a Boobie Monster.But it is pretty inevitable now that our first two kids will be at least 3 years apart (today is DD's 2nd birthday).  I really don't want them to be much farther apart than that, because I want them to be more likely to be close and have a lot in common.  Not that age difference guarantees anything, but I guess it makes it more likely?  I might be open to trying to distract her more during the day from Boobie, but I know that she would find night weaning of any amount to be traumatizing.  She nurses to sleep & for naps, and nurses 2-3 more times at night before getting up in the morning.  She also nurses several times per day. 

Any advice/experience?  Thanks!

[JMJ]

You might consider temping.  Temping can confirm ovulation better than CM/CP and maybe give you some clues as to what is going on.  Many breastfeeding mothers experience short luteal phases that make implantation difficult to impossible.  I'm in a similar boat with my daughter turning 2 this week and wishing I could TTC.

[filiadeluna]

Thanks!  I doubt temping would be accurate, though, since she breastfeeds 2-3x per night, and I get up to pee 2-3x per night too LOL (my bladder has NEVER been the same since I was pregnant with #1).  

[JMJ]

You never know unless you try.  I'm up a lot at night, and DD nurses a whole lot at night (often more than 10x), but I have no problem seeing a temperature pattern.  Some people are less sensitive to those factors.

[filiadeluna]

Thanks!  I will give it a try.

[Mosaic]

There's a great thread of other women who are also TTCing while nursing! I'll move this thread over to TTC, but I also recommend you check them out because they know exactly what you're going through!

Nursing Mamas TTC - March thread