Breastfeeding... Can I Conceive, and How to Know??

Updated on July 26, 2008
C.B. asks from McKinney, TX
13 answers

Okay, so I am still nursing my 9 month old son, but he is eating 3 meals a day now. I have not yet had a period yet, but I wonder if I could get pregnant. I hear that you can go from one pregnancy to another without a period. Anyway, the other day our birth control (condom) failed completely, and so I just wonder about the possibility. I would love it if I were pregnant, but how in the world would you know without a period to go by? And when would you even know to test? Anyone been there and done that? Symptoms to look for? Thanks!

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So What Happened?

Well, I'm going to wait 2-3 weeks to take a test. I'm trying to not get my hopes up too much in the meantime. I would love another baby, but my husband would not. We had agreed on the 2 kids, but I still would love more. I know the chances are really still slim, since I haven't started my period yet and all, plus the rare chance that things happened on just the right day. Nonetheless, I will test in early to mid August, unless of course I start my period back before then. Thank you all so much for your experiences and advice. We'll see in about 2 1/2 weeks then!

Another update. I appreciate the last comment, but no, I'm not trying to deceive my husband. Its been tough for me to come to grips with being done having kids, but of course when we figure out our "plan" financially and other reasons, yes, I can agree that 2 kids is a good number for us. My heart yearns for more and I talk to God about that all the time, asking Him for a miracle baby or to simply do a miracle in my heart. The last thing I want is a trust breach between me and my husband. I recently went off the minipill because I learned of its abortificant effects and don't feel comfortable using hormonal birth control methods anymore. My husband doesn't either. He is planning on getting a vasectomy soon, but in the meantime we are just using condoms. When the very first time we used a condom, it broke, I just got my hopes up, wondering if God is working a miracle for me in giving me a baby. What are the odds of that happening, right? Anyway, maybe it'll just serve to get my husband making a vas appointment even sooner. I don't know. Anyway, just wanted to clear the air on that. I do appreciate the advice though. I can see how tough it can be to accept the agreed amount of children when your heart yearns for more so much. Submission to my husband can be hard, but I know God will bless us if I do.

Final update: Definitely not pregnant! I'd love to have another one, but I'm thankful and so blessed with the two I have, so that's okay.

More Answers

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C.M.

answers from Dallas on

Yes! I got pregnant w/ my 3rd when my 2nd was 7 mo. and nursing (my oldest was only 2 1/2 at the time like yours :) ). It was about a month after he started eating baby foods. I only had 2 odd periods before that. Warning signs for me were breast tenderness, I felt like I was getting a cold and I was real sensitive to too-tight waistbands on pants. I would just listen to your body and take a pregnancy test in a few weeks.

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M.W.

answers from Dallas on

I did have a period while I was breastfeeding; my cycle returned when my daughter was six months. She was still nursing frequently at 2 when we fell pregnant.

I'd wait two weeks and then do a home pregnancy test.

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D.B.

answers from Amarillo on

Yes. I found out I was preg. when my firstborn was 5 mos. old. My baby who LOVED nursing all of a sudden didn't want to nurse anymore and I actually was turned off by the idea too. There were some other unusual signs like my brand new contacts not fitting so just listen to your body.

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T.L.

answers from Dallas on

Yes, you can get PG while breastfeeding. My advice would be to take a test, if it's negative, wait two weeks and test again (while practicing safe sex if you don't want to get PG). After conception, it takes about 14 days before your body will produce the Hcg hormone that PG tests detect. Best of luck to you!!!

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A.K.

answers from Dallas on

I was nursing my 12 month old and guess what - on micronor birth control - I discovered that I was pregnant! Yes - you ABSOLUTELY can conceive while breastfeeding! I thought that I had the flu - nauseau, vomitting, tired - but it wasn't. I just happened to take a pregnancy test because a friend of mine joked about being pregnant and thank goodness she did! I would get a test and just be sure!

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L.B.

answers from Wichita Falls on

I would recommend taking a pregnancy test in about 2 weeks from the failure. Call your OB doctor's office and see what they recommend also. You absolutely can get pregnant while nursing.

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J.P.

answers from Wichita Falls on

YES YES YES YES YES, You can get pregnant while breastfeeding. I did twice!! and was taking a low dose bc pill too. I just figured it out when I started getting nauseated which for me happens about 3-4 weeks into a pregnancy. I wouldn't change anything though! God always has the better plans for me than I do :)
Good luck to you!
J.
Steel My Heart IC
http://J..yoursmh.com

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T.L.

answers from Dallas on

Yes, it can happen! When my 3rd was 9 months old and I realized I was 13 days late from my 1st period, my hubby rushed to the store to get a PG test. And sure enough...I was prego with baby number 4 and I was in the weaning phase of nursing. I didn't have any symptoms other than being late.

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K.H.

answers from Abilene on

I became pregnant with our 3rd child while still nursing our 14 month old daughter. She was obviously eating regular food for her meals and only nursed at nap times and bedtime. I went 10 months without a period after the birth of our daughter, and then my cycles were about 2 months apart instead of 28-30 days. I found out I was pregnant when I started getting symptoms of morning sickness (at about 7 weeks along).

If you're interested in learning more about fertility signs and how to achieve, postone pregnancy naturally, I encourage you to check out the book "Taking Charge of Your Fertility", by Toni Weschler.

(By the way, our baby, our first boy, is now an 11 week old bundle of joy!!)

K.
http://www.homemakerscottage.com
http://www.workathomeunited.com

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C.S.

answers from Tyler on

Hi C.!
A friend of mine got pregnant with her second while nursing her first. After weaning her first, she wanted to get back on the pill, but her doc. made her take a pregnancy test first, and, surprise!, she was pregnant. If you think you are (or just want to be sure either way), just take a test (though you may have to wait a little while for HCG levels to be high enough to detect), or go see your doc.
-Christina

T.F.

answers from Dallas on

If you are pregnant, I wish you the best. HOWEVER....you said your husband did not want more children and you agreed to stop with 2. Do not trick him. He is smarter than you think.

That alone would cause some trust issues with you and hubby if he for a minute even thought you planned this and secretly hope to be pregnant.

My dad divorced my mom partly because she planned for baby #2 and he was against it. He found out she was planning it and oh so happy!

If your hubby wants to be sure to stop at 2, he needs to go get snipped. A condom is not the answer.

I'm sorry if this if offensive in any way, I do not intend it to be. I see a time bomb ticking when a mom wants another baby and dad does not. I'm not speaking directly to you but I have had acquantainces laugh about how they got what they wanted (pregnant)and they are not so happy now. Trust is out the window.

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M.H.

answers from Dallas on

I'm nursing my 11mo--only one more month to go :-), but the thought has come across my mind. In my case we are done having children and so the thought of getting pregnant again kinda scares me. I have been on a low dose pill and if I am more than an hour late taking it we use a condom. I have not started a period yet either. And with my first child I did not have a period till 4 months after stopping breastfeeding. If you do not want to get pregnant right away you may want to switch to a normal bc pill. Although there is a short window of time that you can concieve if all is normal, while nursing you are still very fertil. If you are wanting to go ahead and get pregnant, you may want to stop nursing so that your baby does not take all the nutrients that a new baby would need. Just do a home test every week and check with your doc.

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A.W.

answers from Lubbock on

My mother got pregnant with my little brother when I was 8 months old, and she was breastfeeding. I know a lady who is actually due in two days that got pregnant breastfeeding, and did not even know it until she was 25 weeks. She felt the baby move, and that is how she figured it out.

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