Maybe I'm getting ahead of myself here...

[nstewart]

Ok, so I totally think I'm getting ahead of myself but will ask anyway...

DS is 9 months old.  DH and I are not in a hurry to TTC #2, but it's been on my mind now that my SIL and her DH are expecting #2.  We'd like to start TTC either at the end of this summer (if I go back to my old job when DS is 1) or early next year (if I get a new job). But, I'm wondering if this is unrealistic as I still haven't had AF return!  

We co-sleep and DS nurses on demand.  I find he's been cutting down a bit on day time nursing because he's eating more solids now and he is hugely distracted by everything and will only nurse side-lying in bed for naps.  At night, he nurses quite frequently, although sometimes just for a few quick sucks to soothe himself back to sleep (but at least 2 solid "meals" between 8pm and 7am).  I don't actually keep track of his night wakings.

So, I guess I have two questions.  1) What are the chances of AF (and ovulation, obviously) returning in the foreseeable future? and 2) Is there anything I can do to help the process along that does not involve weaning DS?  I'd like to continue nursing him for as long as he wants but at the same time don't want to space our DC more than about 2.5 years apart.  

Maybe these are questions without answers, I'm just hoping that someone has some advice!  Sorry if this is neurotic!!

[LiLStar]

Some people take Vitex (its an herb, safe for breastfeeding) to encourage a return to fertility while bf. I think there's a ttc while bf thread over in the ttc forum? I managed to catch the first egg when I conceived ds while nursing. No period in between! If you catch the first egg, it is SO MUCH FUN when you go to your first prenatal and they ask for your LMP! :D Watch their eyes pop. I was seeing a home birth midwife who of course was very supportive of long term breastfeeding so its not so out of the ordinary for her. But when I went to get a 20 week ultrasound, the tech, before beginning, asked for LMP.. and I told her.. april 06 (and this was dec 08..heee!!!) and she was like, "oiooooKAY! When's the due date?" Its kinda fun, because then you sorta get "all the power" when it comes to "picking" your due date (like if you were charting and know when you ovulated) Anyway, I got my bfp when dd was 19 months old. I'd taken Vitex off and on, and pretty much just bded whenever I thought I had symptoms of ovulation, like ewcm, or whatever. And tested like crazy. Its maddening, because my body would sort of "get ready" to ovulate and start producing ewcm, maybe I'd even feel a smidge of mittleschmerz, but then it piddled out and there was no ovulation. What I believe really triggered ovulation was when I was out alone doing something fun for the day, and didn't get to nurse for 13 hours! Was pregnant not long after that :) While tandeming, I got af back when ds was 18 months, with no big long stretch of not nursing that I can think of, no nightweaning, nothing. Then I only saw her twice, and preg again! It could pretty much come back any day. Maybe tomorrow.. maybe in a year.. or 2! There's no guessing. Oh, and I *totally* understand how crazy it makes you having NO IDEA when you're going to ovulate! lol.

[nstewart]

Thanks for the info!  I'll also check out the TTC boards.  I did get a chuckle out of thinking about the reaction you'd get to a LMP of 2 years prior! haha!  I had some cramps 2 nights in a row and wondered if it was maybe AF returning, but no!  I've been thinking about charting again but I'm not getting a 4 hour stretch of sleep any night anyway so I don't know how accurate it would be.