How do you fall pregnant with a number two

Has anyone had troubles trying to fall pregnant after their first? My husband and I have been trying for a couple of months, considering we were very lucky to have fallen pregnant the day we both decided to have a baby.
I have heard that continuous breastfeeding is a major factor and stops ovulation. Seems to be right, as I am still breastfeeding my six month old and haven't had a period since the birth. Is there any way to fall pregnant without stopping breastfeeding altogether?
I am a mother who finds comfort in breastfeeding and to stop it completely, well.. I really don't want to for the sake of my little girl and my own.
How do you do it? Getting pregnant again is very frustrating now and starting to be more of a chore.
Who can relate to this?

Really when it comes down to it you will have to give up breastfeeding, its probably not what you want to hear but i was speaking with a friend who had the same problem and she was advised to give it up and wait three months until the period was back and over then start trying. Your body needs time to recover from breastfeeding before you can be ready for the next pregnancy or the baby could end up not getting the nourishment it needs from you. Its not good news i know but there are many women out there that have the same problem. Good luck and keep us informed.

If your baby is 6 months and under, is exclusively breastfed(no other fluids ie.formula,water,etc, no dummy and no solids) is not sleeping through the night ie. a minimum of five hours sleep at night and you have not had your period the contraceptive rate is 98% After you introduce solids and other fluids your baby will naturally breastfeed less. This less stimulation of the breasts will probably result in your hormone levels dropping below the level that stops you from ovulating. The longer it is before you get your period the more likely you will ovulate before your period returns. It is possible to ovulate,get pregnant and never have a period between babies. However this is all an individual thing for each individual woman. You CAN get pregnant when breastfeeding. I am 5 weeks pregnant, am continuing breastfeeding my 16 month old daghter. I got my period back when she was 11 months. It is also possible to breastfeed through pregnancy and breastfeed an older child and baby if you wish. You DO NOT have to "recover" from breastfeeding. It is what a womans body is meant to do and there is nothing to recover from. Your unborn baby will receive adequate nourishment if you choose to breastfeed while pregnant and after. It is mum who will get ill and run-down if she does not take care to get adequate rest and nourishment from good quality food. There are many women who continue to breastfeed through pregnancy and beyond. I would strongly encourage you to ring the Australian Breastfeeding Association(local contacts should be in white pages under Australian Breastfeeding Association) if you have any queries about breastfeeding where you will get accurate, up to date information about breastfeeding.
I personally think two years is the minimum age gap I would want between children. Young toddlers,under the age of two, are more baby than toddler and I could not imagine having a 16 month old and a newborn. I imagine it would extremely tiring,demanding and full on. Anyway, I hope the breastfeeding information helps.

Thanks Inafrizz, I do understand that, and yes, its not what I wanted to hear. But I have heard in some cicumstanses women who do breastfeed through the whole pregnancy of their second child. I personally don't know anyone who has done this, but hear it around. Can you have your cake and eat it too?
Have you really heard breastfeeding can malnourish your unborn? That doesn't sound very good, because of course you want to give the best for your unborn child. Damn, is all I can say. I already have cut down alot on breastfeeding and started mostly on bottlefeeding. I really didn't want to give up breastfeeding altogether.
What a shame, I really don't know what to do.
Thank-you and we'll just have to wait until I'm completely ready I think, unless a miracle happens.

Dear valuable,
If your baby is around 6months and under, is exclusively breastfed(ie. no other fluids-formula, water,etc-no solids, no dummy)has at least one feed a night the contraceptive effect of breastfeeding is 98%. When your baby starts solids and sleeps through the night-minimum of a 5 hour continous stretch- your breasts receive less stimulation and your hormones will probably drop below the level stopping you ovulating. This is an individual thing for individual women. Some women do have to wean before they ovulate. Most do not have to wean. I got my period when my daughter was 11 months and am now 5 weeks pregnant and am continuing breastfeeding. She is now 16 months old. You do NOT have to "recover" from breastfeeding. Breastfeeding will NOT take nutrients from your unborn baby. If you do not get sufficient rest and have a good diet of quality foods it is you who will suffer before the baby. Many women continue to breastfeed after pregnancy and breastfeed an older child and a new born. I strongly urge you to ring the Australian Breastfeeding Association for accurate, up to date information on breastfeeding. I personally would not give my children formula and would not put money in the pockets of the multi-nationals who have an interest in seeing women not breastfeed. Breastmilk is one of the greatest natural substances on earth and seeing it suffering at the hands of old wives tales and inaccurate information is truly tragic. Human milk for human babies.

Thanks Lisa, Some great info there. Its good to know that you still can get pregnant while breastfeeding. Yes, as you say, it will be tiring have two babies really close. Still, I really wanted twins at first, but only conceived one. Not that I regret it, because I LOVE my little daughter. I want the challange of two babies (Some women think I'm crazy to want it) and really cannot wait until I conceive again.
My milk supply has ceased quite a bit and thats why I need to give my girl formula. I've tried everything to top up my supply, expressing between feeds, raspberry tea, eating regularly throughout the day (Gained 5 kg because of it), drinking plenty of fluids.. so far nothing has worked. I'll still keep at it until I dry up.
My daughter has started on solids now and isn't very keen on these 'New Foods' but she still eats them.
Anyhow, we'll just have to wait and see what happens with the pregnancy issue. Thank-you again.

Valuable. First let me say thank goodness lisa n was around to give you some good advise. Let me also again say the Australian Breastfeeding Association is a great source of up to date information. As well as a lovely social environment. They usually have weekly meetings, at which a topic on mothering is discussed and then a shared morning tea to socialise. I went to meetings for the first year of my sons life, unfortunately I have had to return to work so miss out now, but the other more experienced mothers gave me some great tips. (I am still breastfeeding my 17 month old) and I know someone who has breast fed through 2 pregnancies. Salute her because I don't know that I could co feed. one baby is enough. I too hoped for twins the first time around and more the fool me because my mum has twins and I saw how much work she went through, she had another daughter 18months before the twins so was flat out. Hanging the nappies on the line at midnight etc. What if you ended up with twins this time???
Pretty scary I think. I just want to add that at around six months I went a little clucky. But I thank my lucky stars now I didn't do anything about it. Because believe me a 17 month old is a lot more work than I ever imagined. At 6 months I still did a lot of the things I did before my sons birth but now its a totally different story. I still want to have another child. But even projecting 9 months from now I think a two year old (juding by the ones I know) is a huge lot of work. Don't know what I'll do just yet. But hope that you have continued with the breastfeeding as it realy is a joy to feed a toddler. Good Luck

Hi Valuable,

Proof that it can happen!!
I have a friend who fell pregnant (by mistake unfortunately - she believed the 'can't fall pregnant while breastfeeding' story) when her baby was just 10 weeks old.
She breastfed her baby through her pregnancy, and weaned just before her baby was born (see her sisters story below for weaning reason).

Her sister also fell pregnant while breastfeeding her 1 year old. She continued to breastfeed the 1 year old after she had the new baby with no problems - on the breastfeeding side anyway.
The one problem she did have with feeding a toddler and a baby is that the toddler started getting jealous, and was hurting the baby because he didn't like it taking his dinner away from him. She was a member of nursing mums assoc, so she had a lot of support, advise and assistance, and they all came out of it ok, from memory she weaned the toddler onto a cup just after he turned 2.

For the record, i breastfed my 1st little girl until she was 1, and had to stop feeding this one when she was 16 weeks because my milk dried up (I went back to full time work at 3 weeks post partum - and starting formula supplement feeds when she was 8 weeks because my milk was starting to dwindle - and no amount of pumping was bringing it back - stress i think).

Good luck, and keep trying (i don't know how you find time to try though........re: topic, juggling work, family, domestic stuff ha ha ha)!!!
Make sure you let us know when you fall.

GOOD LUCK MEL
MAKE SURE YOU LET ME KNOW IF YOU GET THERE


DON;T STRESS IT WIL COME

Hi there! Just want to say that there is hope for you yet - my first child was via IVF, and the doctor suggested that I wouldn't have to worry about contraception..... I was pregnant again when my little girl was 7 months old. I had been breastfeeding her (no formula), and was planning to breastfeed her until she was a year old, but she weaned herself at 11 months as she didn't like the taste anymore (apparently it can change when you are pregnant). I did have two periods in between pregnancies, but you don't have to have one to actually be ovulating. My only thought is that you are putting too much pressure on yourself - don't try so hard, and things will probably work out! A suggestion - talk to someone from the Australian Breastfeeding Association. There is also some info on breastfeeding not just one, but two children of different ages (they call it tandem feeding) - from what I have read, it seems to be more popular in the US. Good luck!

hi there my name is kathy and i to can say iam having the same troubles falling i have been trying for six mths now and and the doctor said i had stopped ovulating and have to go on clomiphene tabts 50mg to 100mg in the 2nd day on my cycle for 5 days and this is the third mth and still nothing?
i breast feed my baby for 9/2 mths neary 10mths she is one in 3 weeks and we are wanting them to be under 2 to be close..
can any one help?//

Hi Kathy,

I am in the same boat. We have been trying for 8 months now to have our second child and with no sucess. I have a little boy who is 12 months old. I have been told by my Dr that I am not ovulating regularly and I am waiting to sy my Gyno at the end of the month. I know how frustraiting it is to have fallen so easy the fist time and then to have no sucess the second. Keep in touch with your progress.