TTC and Breastfeeding

So I'm not sure if I'd classify myself as TTC while BFing, but I've scoured the iVillage boards and you ladies are definitely the experts on BFing and pregnancy so thought I'd ask for help :)

I have a 4 1/2 month old and he's BFed (with solids 3x a day at doc's recommendation).

I'm not on BC and DH and I DTD a few weeks ago on Saturday, 9/5 (yes, I remember the date - it doesn't happen often!).  The next day I noticed a lot of EWCM (sorry if TMI). The following Thursday I had some brown spotting. Since then I've had some PG-like symptoms: alternating extreme hunger and nausea, cramping, fatigue, headaches, and sore bb's. Obviously some of this could be explained by BFing, or having a young baby, or even the return of AF.

I've taken several HPTs and all were negative. I figured I wasn't PG and was accepting that AF was returning when I realized I had thrush yesterday (ouch!) Of course I googled and thrush is very related to PG.

So what do you ladies think? Should I keep testing? Or would it have shown up positive by now if I were PG?

Ugh, our bodies get so out of whack with BFing, there's no definition of "normal"! And all the websites date everything from your last period. My last period was in July of 2008! Not helpful :(

TIA for any help or advice!

Hmmmm. The possible scenarios could include actually ovulating a few days later, as sperm can live inside the body for several days, so let's say (for the case of latest possible to test)  you ovulated on 9/9, you would be 15 dpo now, and a bfp should have shown up, but sometimes they don't show up until later than that. However, if the brown spotting you had was implantation, a positive should definitely have shown up by now. I would tend to think that the spotting was your first postpartum period, and that the symptoms are your body attempting to think about ovulating.  To be certain, you could a: take a test again in a few days, or b: if you're really worried about it, get a blood test at the doctor's.

I would, however, definitely consider yourself fertile if you're trying to avoid pregnancy.

Good luck with whatever outcome you want!

Hi Tracy ;) What a cutie pie little one you have there !

I would agree with everything PP has said. BFP should have shown up by now if you were preggo BUT plenty of ladies have trouble with those HPt's so maybe get a blood test to be sure or test again in a week or so. Our imaginations coupled with BF'ing effects can sometimes cloud ones ability to judge what is going on...I thought I was pregnant for sure when #1 was only 3 months old and totally was not LOL! It does sound like your body is trying to be fertile again - perhaps that spotting was an anovulatory bleed which means that AF is just trying hard to show and you might start O'ing again soon - assuming of course that you are not pregnant at this point. I would recommend you think about birth control if you are not TTC right now, and if you ARE hoping to conceive again soon, maybe think about temping/charting to see what your body is up to....

Please do come back and update us when you know what is happening and GOOD LUCk with whatever result you are hoping for!
Jasmine

Thanks for the advice!

I ordered some HPT's online and they should be here early next week so I'm waiting til then to test again (tired of spending $10 each at the drugstore!) I'm pretty sure I'm not PG, but the combination of all the symptoms was just kind of odd.

I have the mini pill - prescription is filled and sitting on the counter. Just want to make sure I'm def not PG before starting it. While my head says we're not ready just yet and we should spoil Jack for a while before having another, my heart says more babies please! I loved being PG and DH and I both agree that if I was now it would be awesome. But if it's confirmed that I'm not, I should start the BC and stick to the original plan of waiting a year before TTC again.

Sigh... the roller coaster our bodies go through. I never thought I'd be happy to see AF, but at least if my cycles are starting up I know I can start trying again when we're ready.