We plan on TTC # 2 in about 8 months. We were lucky the last time and got pregnant pretty quickly, which is good, because the way leave works at our jobs, timing things well can mean the difference in total amount of leave by as much as 4 months (and if it takes to long the second time around, we could lose paid family leave altogether).
I am currently still BFing our 18m old. She still BFs at least 4 times per day, and often more than that if I'm around (although a lot of those times are so close together that I know she's not really getting a lot of milk). My cycle seems pretty close to what it was before I got pregnant the first time, even then it had a somewhat longer time between AF and O (I usually ovulate more around day 21) and a shorter luteal phase (I think it's back to being at least 10 days, but its definitely not over 12). It's possible my cycle is a little bit worse that before I got pregnant (in terms of late O and short LP), but if so, it is only by a day here or there. I'm hypothyroid, and that has required adjustment lately, but I think if I am vigilant I can make sure that is totally stable before we start TTC again.
I'd prefer to let my daughter BF as much as she wants for as long as she wants, but if baby #2 takes a while to conceive, it may totally eliminate our paid family leave for both my husband and me, which would be a real shame (although of course we may not be able to avoid it, even if we do everything "right," given that there is so much luck involved here).
So my question is this: Do I probably need to wean totally to get pregnant? Not wean at all? Just try to reduce frequency or length of feedings? I'm wondering in particular if any of you who TTC while BFing found that BF didn't impact TTC as long as your cycle looked normal? Or did some of you with experience in the area find that even when your cycle looked normal you couldn't get pregnant until you reduced feedings or weaned completely? Or were there any other clear signs that indicated that BFing might be interfering with fertility? Generally speaking, for those of you who have been in a similar position, how did things go and what did you do?
Thanks for taking the time to read my post!
I am currently still BFing our 18m old. She still BFs at least 4 times per day, and often more than that if I'm around (although a lot of those times are so close together that I know she's not really getting a lot of milk). My cycle seems pretty close to what it was before I got pregnant the first time, even then it had a somewhat longer time between AF and O (I usually ovulate more around day 21) and a shorter luteal phase (I think it's back to being at least 10 days, but its definitely not over 12). It's possible my cycle is a little bit worse that before I got pregnant (in terms of late O and short LP), but if so, it is only by a day here or there. I'm hypothyroid, and that has required adjustment lately, but I think if I am vigilant I can make sure that is totally stable before we start TTC again.
I'd prefer to let my daughter BF as much as she wants for as long as she wants, but if baby #2 takes a while to conceive, it may totally eliminate our paid family leave for both my husband and me, which would be a real shame (although of course we may not be able to avoid it, even if we do everything "right," given that there is so much luck involved here).
So my question is this: Do I probably need to wean totally to get pregnant? Not wean at all? Just try to reduce frequency or length of feedings? I'm wondering in particular if any of you who TTC while BFing found that BF didn't impact TTC as long as your cycle looked normal? Or did some of you with experience in the area find that even when your cycle looked normal you couldn't get pregnant until you reduced feedings or weaned completely? Or were there any other clear signs that indicated that BFing might be interfering with fertility? Generally speaking, for those of you who have been in a similar position, how did things go and what did you do?
Thanks for taking the time to read my post!