[Amazona]

Hello ladies!
New here & needing help.

Had my 2nd baby on June 17th (I'm almost 7 weeks PP) and I have my PP check-up next week in which we'll discuss contraceptive methods.
I don't want hormonal contraceptives, hate condoms and don't want an iud either.
We practiced FAM between my 2 boys but I took the mini pill for 2 months and got my first period PP at 3 months even though I was EBF day & night every 2 hrs (until past 6 months that often).

So, I had an idea on my cycles.
This time I have no idea what to expect. So my question is... How do you do it?
What should I take into consideration in case I don't get my period back soon?

DS2 is already doing 6+ hrs at night but everything has been so different that I don't know where I stand. Last time I bled for a solid 6 weeks; this time only 3.5 weeks.
Last time I was (sorry tmi) dry as the Sahara dessert; this time I have a lot of EWCM and have had it for almost 4 weeks now.

Anyways, I'm really confused as you can see.
Any advice and info is more than welcomed.
Thanks!

[ShawnaCAN]

Originally Posted by Amazona

Hello ladies!
We practiced FAM between my 2 boys but I took the mini pill for 2 months and got my first period PP at 3 months even though I was EBF day & night every 2 hrs (until past 6 months that often).

YES, because the mini-Pill actually disrupts breastfeeding infertility instead of adding extra security to it like people assume. The breastfeeding hormones can help suppress activity from the ovaries, but the hormones in the mini-Pill trigger the ovaries to wake up again! The mini Pill works by keeping the lining of the uterus thin so that implantation can not occur, not by suppressing ovulation.

Originally Posted by Amazona

So, I had an idea on my cycles.
This time I have no idea what to expect.

That's a great place to be! The return of fertility is different with every baby, so it's good not to have any presumptions about it. It's one day at a time.

A few things to know. The chance of pregnancy is only 2% if you meet the conditions to rely on breastfeeding infertility:

1. Baby gets ALL nutrition at the breast, no supplementing, no pumping
2. Mom has no spotting or bleeding after 56 days post partum. Any bleeding or mucus up to that point can be considered infertile if you're exclusively nursing.
3. Baby is under 6 months of age

Once you no longer meet those conditions, breastfeeding inferility is no longer reliable alone. It becomes necessary to chart your fertility to avoid pregnancy. Post partum charting is a little different than regular charting, so to avoid unnecessary confusion - I highly recommend learning how to do it from an instructor. There are several online courses you can take, live classes, etc. Mucus will be the most important sign to track.

Many breastfeeding Moms have infertile discharge that seems a lot like fertile mucus. An instructor can help you tell the difference, because each woman is unique and her post partum signs are unique to her. Helps so much to just have someone walk you through it all step by step!

Here is some information on NFP methods while breastfeeding. For FAM while breastfeeding, I'm pretty sure that Taking Charge of Your Fertility is the only resource. It doesn't go into a lot of detail about post partum charting, but enough to get by until your cycles resume.

The Billings Ovulation Method While Breastfeeding

Couple to Couple League Post Partum Class (Sympto Thermal Method)

[Amazona]

You are AWESOME!!
Thanks so much!

I don't think this is fertile EWCM, because while the consistency matches with EWCM, it is not "my" type of EWCM... Weird to explain but I think that is exactly what you meant.
I just didn't know if it still was and it was different because of PP.

One more question... I am EBF, baby is 7 weeks old but he is sleeping 6+ hours in his longest daily stretch. Would that affect it?
I had read somewhere that the fertility increases when baby starts "sleeping through the night"

Thanks so much again! I'll go check those sites

[HippyMomOf4]

The one thing about nursing less at night would be that AF can return quicker but that's not always the case. My LO started nursing only once at night around 9 months and I got AF right after that. I waited a couple cycles just following CM then started temping again. Even with my period returned its still frustrating because my body seems to do all sorts of weird things because I'm still nursing, and not pumping to donate milk.

[ShawnaCAN]

Originally Posted by Amazona

You are AWESOME!!
Thanks so much!

I don't think this is fertile EWCM, because while the consistency matches with EWCM, it is not "my" type of EWCM... Weird to explain but I think that is exactly what you meant.
I just didn't know if it still was and it was different because of PP.

What's normal for you can change after each baby, so it's always necessary to re-establish your fertile mucus and infertile discharge after each baby. Don't go by past cycles to determine your present fertility or infertility! To start, all mucus has to be considered potentially fertile, until proven otherwise. If what you feel and see is exactly the same for 14 days without change, then you can consider that one observation as infertile discharge. An instructor can really help with identifying post partum infertile discharge, since it can seem a lot like fertile mucus.

Originally Posted by Amazona

One more question... I am EBF, baby is 7 weeks old but he is sleeping 6+ hours in his longest daily stretch. Would that affect it?
I had read somewhere that the fertility increases when baby starts "sleeping through the night"

It might just mean LAM will end sooner for you rather than later. By itself, sleeping longer at night doesn't disqualify you from being able to rely on LAM. The chance of pregnancy is still only 2% if you meet the 3 conditions. However, you might notice some spotting sooner (and therefore can't rely on LAM alone) than if baby didn't sleep so long.

[LJD3Tdance]

I've changed after this baby in a way. It is kind of frustrating me to be honest. But I know what you mean about not thinking it is YOUR ewcm, I'm thinking this still isn't mine, but it is different than I used to be, so Idk what is going on...grr.