How long...if EBF'ing?

[socalfelicity2]

I am EBF'ing my DD (7 months) - we haven't introduced solids yet and don't plan on it until she's 10 or 11 months...then only sparingly up to 2 years.

I haven't had my first PPAF yet- no sign of it. Typically, when do women who are EBF'ing and then only feeding solids sparingly, get fertile again? We would like to start TTC #2 at then end of the year (November-ish).

[1babysmom]

Well, here's my experience. I am still nearly EBF'ing my daughter at 12 months, but had my first PP "AF" at 4.5 months PP...I had 2 more after that, however, I wasn't fertile until 10 months PP when I ovulated for the first time. No I'm on CD 70 something after that cycle and haven't O'd again yet.

[jen&james]

I was EBF my toddler and didn't start cycling till he was 21mo old and had 2 cycles and got PG on the second one. I think my fert. came back faster because it took so long to come back. Some women have annovulatory cycles once they start cycling again.

[Spark]

First PPAF really varies. I read once that with child led weaning the average first PPAF is at 14 months. I think it really varies with the individual woman, nursing style of the baby, number of sessions per 24 hours, longer stretches (night weaning) without nursing, hormonal threasholds, solids, age of baby, etc.

This has been my history:
DS (BIG nurser) no PPAF, just got pregnant at 18 months post partum.
DD1 (BIG solid eater) first PPAF at 10 months
DD2 (somewhere in between my first two as far as nursing/solids) she's 15 months and I still don't have my PPAF.

Originally Posted by socalfelicity2

I am EBF'ing my DD (7 months) - we haven't introduced solids yet and don't plan on it until she's 10 or 11 months...then only sparingly up to 2 years.

I'd be leary of watching the calender more than watching her. I think she'll let you know when she needs solids and how much she needs. The more kids I have the more I realize I don't know squat about kids. So, yes, she might be just fine without solids until 10 or 11 months and then sparingly until 2 years. It just seems like letting the child lead you is best in most situations. My first didn't eat solids until close to a year. He just didn't want them. He only wanted to nurse. He still didn't eat much solids at 2. I thought that was how babies were meant to be. Then, I had another child and realized what I thought I knew... I didn't know. She started begging, screaming, not accepting subsitutes -- she wanted to eat at 4 months! She loved food! She loved crawling and walking! She was just FAST in general! Now, my 3rd she's somewhwere in between the first two as far as food goes. So... who knows!

[socalfelicity2]

Thanks so much! Yes, Spark- I am watching her, not the calendar, LOL. She'll get solids when she's ready-- she's not yet (pushes my hand away when offered)...just wanted to give people an idea that I'm not pushing solids, if you know what I mean...

[Marlet]

I got my first PP AF at 13 months with DD. I then got pregnant at about 18 months. She had just started solids at 10-11 months and was eating a fair amount when I got pregnant. She was still 95% breastfed at that point though.

[GearGirl]

For me it was about 18 months before I got my cycle back, and I was feeding solids very regularly.

[Peony]

DD1 was a huger nurser, she didn't eat much solid food until she was 2 years old. I finally induced AF back when she was 2.5 y. DD1 was 3 years old when I got pg with DD2, and still nursing every hour during the day, i lost my supply instantly and she decreased her nursing very quickly.

[Spark]

Originally Posted by socalfelicity2

...just wanted to give people an idea that I'm not pushing solids, if you know what I mean...

I gotcha.

[ruhbehka]

Originally Posted by socalfelicity2

I am EBF'ing my DD (7 months) - we haven't introduced solids yet and don't plan on it until she's 10 or 11 months...then only sparingly up to 2 years.

I haven't had my first PPAF yet- no sign of it. Typically, when do women who are EBF'ing and then only feeding solids sparingly, get fertile again? We would like to start TTC #2 at then end of the year (November-ish).

There are three typical "triggers" for return of fertility:

- Baby starts sleeping through the night (nighttime nursing makes your body produce more prolactin, which suppresses ovulation)
- Baby starts solids (thus nursing less)
- Baby begins replacing nursing with solids (around 8 - 9 months, when they really start eating with gusto)

If none of those triggers ovulation, it's hard to say when you'll get your fertility back. It varies a lot from one woman to the next. You can tell if it is going to come back soon if you begin to see lots of cervical mucus appearing ("discharge"), especially if it looks like raw eggwhite. Some women also spot. If you see those signs, it shouldn't be very long until ovulation resumes.

That said, I'm at 7 months pp, nursing only twice a day (low supply), and I still haven't seen AF. : So you never know where you'll fall on the spectrum!