getting pregnant while breastfeeding

[aprug]

Hello, mt husband and I have decided we are readyfor a second child. We are actually surprised that it hasnt happened for us yet. Im very worried but im starting get alittle bit upset. Im still breastfeeding our 16 month d and my periods are very irregular. I got my first period snce he was born when he was nine months. Will i have a difficult time getting pregnant and should i worry?

[nevaehmom799]

Sometimes it just can take a while some women don't fall pregnant as easily as others I have 4 children an I'm pregnant with my 5 they are years apart 15,13,9 an 6 an I'm just now pregnant again I wouldnt worry it will happen when you least expect it

[mrsoblivious]

I was breastfeeding my 16 month old four times a day and didn't get pregnant, even though, like you, we were trying.  I got my son down to nursing just before bed, and got pregnant very shortly after.  If you bare breastfeeding more often, I would suggest cutting back.  There were other circumstances with me that you may or have, and I can't be sure that it was the nursing that made a difference, but it's worth a shot.

[tomorrow264]

Its going to take longer if you aren't ovulating regularly. Thing that will help are to start tracking your cycles, track your temp, take ovulation predictor tests, and I hate to say it but decreasing how much you are breast feeding will help your cycle to become more regular which will make it easier to predict ovulation and therefore get pregnant.

[aprug]

So do you feel it will be difficult to get pregnant? What are ways I can increase my chancea of getting pregnant?

[aprug]

So do you feel it will be difficult to get pregnant? What are ways I can increase my chancea of getting pregnant?

[Elaine Brown, MD]

Hi!
If you were my patient, I would advise you that once your cycle is regular, your chances for conception will increase a lot.  Right now, with breast feeding, you are probably not ovulating consistently and therefore it is going to take longer to conceive.  Nothing to worry about--very natural.
Good luck!
Dr B

[tomorrow264]

Depending on how much you are breast feeding it can make it so you aren't ovulating regularly which is probably the case if you are having irregular periods. This will typically make it take longer to conceive.