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StorkNet's Week By Week Guide to Pregnancy | | |
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Trying to Conceive While Breastfeeding
by Cynthia Flynn, CNM, Ph.D.
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 Q. My son is 8 months old and still nurses frequently. I am 36 and want another baby. I would like to start trying to conceive, but I have only had three periods since delivery, and they have been very erratic. What advice could you give me to get started?
A. There is a reason why you are not menstruating/ovulating yet--it's not time. Your body is replenishing its stores and your baby needs you for nursing. In about two to three months, most babies start wanting food off the table, and do not get all their calories from breastmilk. As they come to depend less on breast milk, your chances of conceiving improve a lot. And you can ovulate before you menstruate so AF is not a necessary visitor! (AF is an acronym for Aunt Flo or your period.)
That said, if you are really in a hurry, you could wean your baby. Your other choice is to go on oral contraceptives for about two months and then suddenly stop--that often provokes ovulation when you should have started your third pill pack.
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