Trying to conceive baby number 2!!!!!!!!!!!

Donna - posted on 02/16/2011

12 months of recovery time is usually recommended between pregnancies. The taste of your milk can also change when pregnant and baby may not like it. You run higher risk of pregnancy complications by getting pregnant so soon. That would be a lot to handle.

Marla - posted on 02/16/2011

I had to stop BF my son at 15 mths old when I got pregnant with my daughter. I was soo sick and miserable and BF really hurt. You are extra sensitive and your child has teeth. I would actually whimper thinking about our next feeding.
My kids are 22 months apart and I would recommend a little further apart. My son was walking early and was really mobile and loves his sister to bits. But potty training and exhaustion just really hinders the bonding with the 2nd child. My son suddenly couldn't go swimming anymore because I couldn't handle 2 little ones in the pool. He couldn't go to his classes we took because I had a little one with me all the time. I had a friend whos 1st bb was a late walker and ended up having to carry 2 kids all the time. It is hard on you and your kids. Which ever time is the right time for you but enjoy the firsts with your first child then if you have a choice you can add to your family. It is hard not to rush it but think of the rewards too!

Kristin - posted on 02/15/2011

I only bled for the first two weeks postpartum,then I had period number one around 5 weeks postpartum, number 2 mid to end January and then had a 'mini" period a week later.

Rachel - posted on 02/14/2011

Hey, i know a few people who have gotten pregnant and had healthy babies within 14 months age difference although they have no time for themselves or to enjoy the first one- it kinda becomes all about having 2 kids right away. there is nothing wrong with that though :P as long as you are ready and your doctor thinks you're helathy enough then all the power to you!!

My fiance and i tried to get our second baby timed within 2 years (that was our cap of age difference before we would stop tryin and accept having just one-- i have PCOS and many other health issues)

We managed to get a positive pregnancy result before our daughter turned one and lost it at only 5 weeks. when our daughter turned 1 we were happily 7 weeks pregnant and had planned to announce it at her birthday party (3 days after she turned 1) but i had severe pain her entire birthday party and woke up the next day and had to rush to the hospital as i had miscarried. I was so hurt by this i wasnt sure if i should try again or just enjoy our daughter. We were getting married the next summer (17 months later) and we didnt know what to do, so we set a date and decided if we werent pregnant by then (making them the hoped for 2 yrs apart) that we would stop trying for my health and our emotional reasons.

We researched a lot about birthing children cloe together and found that you are more likely to miscarry as well as if your children are 9-18 months apart, they are more likely to have complications either while you are pregnant (high blood pressure gestational diabetes etc) or after birth: add, adhd and more. As i said though, i know many people who beat these statistics and i believed we could too!

We were lucky to have our first child and I was happy with just her either way. I breastfed until she went onto homogenized milk and had an amazing bond with her. I had regular periods after the 6 weeks of random bleeding when she was first born (all new to me since with PCOS you dont get your period very regularily!)

On the last cycle we had scheduled to try to conceive by our own clock- we had been using the basal thermometer to try for a boy but we just really wanted another baby!!! (it measures your body temperature to help you time ovulation and conception to raise you chances of getting pregnant with a boy or particular gender) ...well $200 well spent!!!

We got pregnant that last month!!! we are now expecting our baby boy Christopher jr March 30th 2011 and our daughter Ana will turn 2 on the 17th of March :) We couldn't be happier!

I guess what im trying to say is if you're ready, and the world is ready- whats meant to be, will be! I breastfed and got pregnant but they didnt last- and i dont personally think it mattered. (old wives tale that you cant get pregnant while breastfeeding :P)

I am overjoyed to be having another and if anything i only wish he was here now or born a little earlier so they would be 1.5 yrs apart or so :)

Good Luck, Im sure if its meant to be, you will soon find yourself happily expecting! Be sure to talk to your doctor and maybe think of any cons of being pregnant while raising a baby-toddler since it is exhausting--BELIEVE me! :P

**Congrats on your current family and goodluck with the future!!** ♥

Alison - posted on 02/14/2011

I also got pregnant when my 1st baby was 4 months, and my supply dried up completely within a couple weeks. That made my decision to transition to formula a given.

Hannah - posted on 02/13/2011

"How is it possible that you've had 2-3 periods and your little one is only 3 months old? You continue to bleed postpartum for up to 6 weeks."

I had a natural birth and i only bled for 2 days after, not 6 weeks! I breastfed for 16 months and luckily didnt get my period until around his 1st birthday.
Its not easy to have kids close together, but the children always have someone to play with, they have to learn to share and even if you wait its never going to be easy to have more than one child to take care of, if you both feel you can handle it then go for it!

Katie - posted on 02/13/2011

"How is it possible that you've had 2-3 periods and your little one is only 3 months old? You continue to bleed postpartum for up to 6 weeks."

Sarah, it is possible, not common from what I understand but possible. I bled for 4 weeks after my son was born (vaginal delivery) and two weeks after the bleeding stopped I got my first period despite the fact that my son was exclusively breastfed. After that my periods were regular exactly 26 days apart until I got pregnant again in November. Some people are just lucky I guess (SARCASM,) I was so excited about getting a break from my period but no such luck!

Sarah - posted on 02/13/2011

How is it possible that you've had 2-3 periods and your little one is only 3 months old? You continue to bleed postpartum for up to 6 weeks. I agree with everyone else that you need to take care of that body of yours for the sake of your little one. Too much strain from another pregnancy this soon and all 3 of you will suffer.

Kristin - posted on 02/13/2011

Thank you everyone!!!! We haven't fully decided to try, just wanting some ideas. I plan on BF until he is at least a year old,so I have a feeling we won't be having one anytime soon

Samantha - posted on 02/13/2011

I had three babies in just over 2 and 1/2 yrs, and yes its tough on your body. But if tis what you both want, then go for it. make sure you exercise properly, taking care to strengthen your pelvic floor and get some professional advice about core strenthening exercises (I have troubles with my back as I the muscles in my back and abdomen are weak from the pregnancies. If you take care of your diet and exercise and rest, you should have no reaosn to fear there will be anything wrong with your baby. Multivitamins are great for any pregnancy but I found them very helpful especially for iron. I was only able to breastfeed my youngest for 6 months, due to having problems with my milk ducts, a condition called mammary duct ectasia, which my doctor put down to having been on a bit of a hormonal roller coaster during that time. The breasfeeding association (La leche league) told me that if my milk was still coming for current bub at the 6 weeks of pregnancy mark, then there was no reaosn to suggest that I would have supply issues, and I didn't. You can also choose to tandem feed (continue feeding your first child) after the second one comes, talk to la leche about this. I did consider it myself, but ended up having my bubs wean around 12 months quite happily.
Having the kids so close in age has been a huge ask at times, a massive challenge, but they are such good friends and so close in their relationship with each other, I feel that it has so been worthwhile.

Jessica - posted on 02/12/2011

Agreeing with everyone else - your body needs time to recover. If you have some pressing reason to conceive ASAP, make sure you stock up on all the vitamins and nutrients your need for pregnancy - especially iron - and talk to a medical professional about what else you can do to make sure the next pregnancy is healthy.

Sally - posted on 02/12/2011

It's great that you want another one, but this one stil needs you. Also, having babies less than 18 months apart really increases your chances of having a preemie. It would really be in the best interests of your entire family to wait at least 6 more months, maybe even a year.

Lori - posted on 02/12/2011

I agree with the other moms. It is very hard on your body, and since baby is still very small, I would wait. I found out I was 7 weeks pregnant when my son was 8 months old. My son too was not getting enough because my supply had dwindled. I stopped nursing at 9 1/2 months because he was so frustrated. I had pumped and stored, so I had enough for him until he turned 1. I was so sad when I had to stop, but it was necessary. That was just over a year ago, and now I have another son. I found the recovery from the last pregnancy was incredibly difficult. I have 3 sons, and I can say the last pregnancy was horrible. My youngest is 9 months old, and I would say I m still recovering at times. After my first son there was a year and a half between pregnancies, and I felt recovered. Please reconsider for current baby to be much older, and for future baby to have better chances. I wish you luck in your decisions.

Merry - posted on 02/12/2011

I got pregnant with my daughter when my son was just 5 months. I was only able to nurse him for another 3 months before he turned away from me. That was the saddest time for me. He just wasn't getting enough milk anymore. :(

Alicia - posted on 02/12/2011

I agree with the other mums. I have a bub who will be turning 1 in March but we are also 22wks pregnant. This was not a planned pregnancy (lol bub has picked us) and although we were going to go again this is sooner than I would have wanted. Ok not much we can do about it now but yes - have definitely been so sore with breastfeeding the current bub and even though I think it would be hard having two kids that close - just the breastfeeding thing alone would make me not want to have such close pregnancies again. At one stage I was so close to giving in breastfeeding...but managed to push through and so far am still feeding. So yeah - definitely think it through. I also think your body needs time to recover from the first pregnancy.

Sarah - posted on 02/12/2011

Wait. There is much more risk for your baby to be preterm when your body isn't recovered from the first pregnancy. Your body needs at least 12 months to recover after a pregnancy to be at it's best for another pregnancy.

Katie - posted on 02/12/2011

I am currently 16 weeks pregnant and my son is 14 months old. Otto eats a ton of solid food and drinks milk from cups and whatnot so he isn't exclusively breastfed anymore but he still nurses a minimum of three times a day, sometimes as many as 6 times a day. I will tell you that my boobs are KILLING me. My supply has also decreased a fair amount already. If you want to get pregnant again good luck to you, as long as your getting a period you should be ovulating and therefore able to conceive. But the thought of breastfeeding an infant while suffering from morning sickness and really sore nipples, among other pregnancy woes seems really unpleasant to me. Good luck though!

Lauren - posted on 02/12/2011

If you want to continue to exclusively nurse your child, I would put off pregnancy until at least 9 months old. Pregnancy can significantly impact your supply. I nursed through my 2nd pregnancy when my daughter was 14 months old, and it was definitely uncomfortable for me and reduced my milk supply. There's no way I could have sustained nursing an infant exclusively, around the clock, while pregnant. I understand your desire for a second child, but if I were in your shoes I'd make a strong effort to wait at least 6 months to try again. IMO.

*Fluffy Bunnies - posted on 02/08/2011

If your period is back then you should consider yourself fertile. I charted my basal body temperature and other signs of ovulation to get pregnant while BF. You could also try ovulation tests. How long do you plan on breastfeeding your first? Breastfeeding during pregnancy is hard. It's been pretty painful for me and some women lose their supply about halfway through their pregnancy. For these reasons we didn't start trying until my daughter was 16 months old.