Weeza, I wonder if it may depend on how easily you get pregn in the first place. ? Prolactin, if I remember correctly, is the hormone that encourages milk production and it also *can* suppress ovulation. I had a friend who was still lactating even though her girl hadn't nursed for years (simply bizarre!) and it was keeping her and her hubby from conceiving. It seems a sudden drop in nursing can kick-start ovulation as well, from what I've heard in other threads. Ex: no longer nursing at night.
For us, I didn't get pregn until we dropped nursings down to 2x a day, and actually we also dropped them down to once a day the week I was supposed to ovulate (and did actually conceive) in hopes that it would do the trick. (not that I ever asked anyone with medical training about that, just my own hopes!)
If you just keep track of your own cycles, etc, maybe even do some ovulation tests, you'll know if your nursing is affecting your fertility. My tests the first time round while nursing 2x/day showed me as having an LH surge, but it wasn't enough to actually ovulate. The 2nd time around was when we stopped nursing Hannah when my body was preparing to ovulate and the LH line went darker than it was before, yet it was barely lighter than the test line, when it technically "should" be as dark or darker if you're really going to ovulate. Well, obviously I ovulated anyway.
The tests recommend that you not use them for avoiding pregn, but for me, it was about six days from teh time that any LH was detected and when I actually ovulated. (I got a pk of 20 test strips since I have very long cycles.)
Okay, sad news:
I miscarried February 15th.
Let's just say I'm glad my sweet mother-in-law sent our valentine's day package a week early because it contained a baby blanket and "I love Grandma" burp cloth. Would not have been the best to open that package when we were waiting to see if I'd m/c or not and then miscarry the next day!
Really, I'm okay now. Honestly!
We had a few very trying weeks, but with the support of our faith and our friends/family and most especially each other, we now feel so much better about everything that happened. We really do feel at peace.
I weaned Hannah the week I was threatening to miscarry. I think there was divine intervention there! A girl friend recommended using a nutritious drink as a nursing replacement, like pediasure, which lead me to the idea of mixing fruit yogurt and milk 50/50 when I kept forgetting to pick up some pediasure from the store. (cheaper too!!!) Hannah loved it!!! I only had two 30 min cry/pleading sessions and two 10 min. ones out of all the times she asked to nurse during the following days. nearly broke my heart, I'm so glad that was all!
This may sound crazy to some, but when I was laboring, I nursed her because I knew it would help with the pain. After her having not nursed for three days, I was shocked to discover I still had plenty of milk. I continued nursing her after the miscarriage to help my uterus go back to normal, etc, although I do have to admit that I didn't tell the doctor that! He had said that after we learned whether or not I would miscarry we could discuss nursing. This was a dr I hadn't met with previously at the family clinic I've just recently started going to--they were the first people available for me to meet with when I was threatening to miscarry--and I was stubborn and figured that if nursing was very beneficial after a regular labor/delivery, it must be good after a miscarriage as well, and I didn't want to be told otherwise!
I wanted my cuddle time with my precious girl, and I'm sure I could use those happy nursing hormones!!!
After the miscarriage, I started feeling like it was okay to wean Hannah. I felt like the miscarriage was supposed to happen and that nursing was something that would help me get through it. But, I put it off because of anxiety over trying to wean her again.
Also, I started actually reading a book during our pre-nap nursing the past couple weeks (as in, she finally--after two years--is LETTING me read a book!!!!!) and I'm totally loving that! (Can't feel bad for reading when the house is a mess if I'm nursing!)
I don't know what to do now! I guess I need to pray and think about it some more. I think I'm already pregn again (
) but it's too soon to test. (signs of ovulation a week ago, and I'm still having discharge, which is what happened w/ prev pregnancy) I could probably use any extra nutrition myself, this time around.... My in-laws will be visiting us for a week at the start of Apr, and I was never really comfortable nursing in front of my father-in-law, and I don't think they even know we're still nursing....And the thought of her wakign MORE at ngiht (still 2x a night... sigh....) in order to nurse like her potential sibling scares me, I'm afraid. Maybe if the next child is a super sleeper I can pull off tandem nursing when he/she is a toddler!!! Hmm...I think I'm leaning toward going ahead and weaning her, much as I love my reading sessions! I'm hoping cold season is almost over here because otherwise I'll feel quite guilty about taking away those immunities if I do wean her now!
I should check out mothering.com first...wait, the address didn't work. I found the website with a Google search, though, so maybe it's just down for maintenance. Wow, it is late, isn't it?
When I was considering weaning earlier I had tossed around the idea of doing it during the in-laws' visit since she'd have such great distractions and so much more attention (not that she's lacking, being an only child with a mom who stays home with her!). But, then again, would she need nursing to help her calm down for sleep after the excitement of playing w/ G&G all day? Sigh....
....It's probably bad to tell her that when she's a big girl she won't nurse anymore, and then try to use that "big girl" line with potty training, huh!!
I think that would backfire if she's stuck on her mama milk!
Ooops.....WAY past time for me to say goodbye and goodnight!
GOODBYE & GOODNIGHT!!!
