partial weaning - how long to wait once pregnant until I can feed 24/7 again?? Or can't I?

[Monday]

Just wondering if anyone knows the answer or has experiecne of this?

I wrote to Le Leche League and all they told me is that breastfeeding can not cause contractions strong enough to cause miscarriage.  But that is not what I'm asking. 

I have managed to ovulate through night weaning and limiting nuring to 3-4 feeds per 24 hours.  I recently got a BFP on day 12 dpo but the line had got fainter by 14 dpo.  Because I was away on holiday from 9 dpo-14 dpo I have been feeding through the night and a lot during the day.  Could the sudden increase in feeding have the effect of not allowing my progesterone or other hormone levels to rise sufficiently even thought my luteal phase is long enough and the egg implanted long ebough to cause hcg levels to rise for a couple of days??

How long after implantation should one wait to resume fully on demand feeding?? When do pregnancy hormones become strong enough to override breastfeeding hormones??

xx

[letileon]

I don't have the answer to your question just a comment- I am also a nursing mother to a 22 month old. I haven't had a ppaf yet and am ttc #2. I have been thinking about it a lot and I feel sort of like if your body will not sustain a pregnancy while nursing on demand then maybe once you've become pregnant through partial weaning you should respect that it may be best for you and the new pregnancy to stay partially weaned. I recently heard a similar story that a woman who got a bfp ended up miscarrying. She was asking herself the same question. Was her on demand nursing causing her to miscarry. Many women say no but I'm sure some people's bodies cannot sustain both activities. I'm pretty sure mine is telling me it can't.

[Monday]

I really agree with what you are saying Letileon.  I have read LOADS of stories by mother's who have had early miscarriages while breastfeeding.  The le leche league also completely ignored my actual question and just quoted the one bit of research that has been done with regard to the oxytocin/contraction issue.  I have searched and searched but can not find any information about breastfeeding hormones vs pregnancy hormones in early pregnancy when related to feeding frequency.  All I have read tends to assume that the mother's ovulation has come gradually and on it's own through a natural,gradual decline in feeding and that that decline in feeding will continue.  Nothing to say about what if it increases, alot!

[letileon]

Yeah- I've heard a lot of women say they had a return of fertility early, got pregnant and nursed on demand through their pregnancy. But that sure hasn't been what I've experienced. I'm only nursing twice in 24. I night weaned last month....nothing...cut out naptime feeding...nothing. So as we all know everyone's body is different. I feel that my body is telling me it isn't ready for another physically dependent being until the current one is a little less dependent. Makes sense...it's a hard decision to make though. I understand that. Luckily I feel okay about weaning when DS turns two in July and we will hopefully get pregnant after that. As for you, IMO if your body required you to partially wean in order to get pregnant in the first place, it will probably be the best course to stay at that point or less for the duration of the pregnancy. I'm sure not a doctor but we all know sometimes mom advice is better than doctor advice! Anyway just food for thought. Hope you are able to come to a place that allows you to feel good about your nursing and get pregnant too! Good luck!

[Tear78]

Monday, I didn't test this cycle, but I suspect I may have had a very early pregnancy/loss this past month. I was having hip pain that I only had during pregnancy and which disappeared after delivery, and I had some trouble with letdowns just after I got my period. I never tested, so I can't know for sure either way. Anyway, I think you're right that the nursing could affect the progesterone levels or something in early pregnancy. DD is nine months old, and she's still nursing quite a bit and in the night, too. I have heard that some women are able to get pregnant while nursing, and other women need to wait until they are completely weaned. We're hoping that I fall into the first category, but since it took us so long to conceive DD we aren't holding our breath. I hope you get your sticky bfp without having to wean!