# 8 weeks postpartum...could I be pregnant?



## bobcat

We did the deed at 6 weeks after having our dear son....right when they tell you you can. Well it has been about 13 days since then, and suddenly I had morning nausea, where I had to eat something QUICK to prevent puking. That didn't even happen with my last pregnancy! It was too strange, so last night, I took a test, and it was a BFN. This morning, I had the same exact thing, nauseous like "wow, I need to eat something before I puke."

Then also today, I have been exhausted and ravenously hungry. I have consumed WAY more calories than normal, even for BF'ing. I am exclusively breastfeeding. TMI alert........When we did the deed, I was dry, but I used some lube. I am not sure if that could have somehow protected hubby's sperm....I feel that was teh case with one of my pregnancies that was a surprise.

Today, I have also felt feverish and have been REALLY wanting fresh squeezed OJ. Also, sore and achey like the flu. Gee, I guess I could have the flu???

Anyways, gonna take another test tonight......Talk me down? Or don't???? Agggggh.


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## bobcat

My children would be 11 months apart!


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## michelleepotter

If you are feverish, achy, and feeling sick to your stomach, yeah, you could actually be sick. Seems the most likely scenario, since most women have not regained their fertility by 6 weeks, especially while exclusively breastfeeding, and you have already gotten a negative test.

Of course, I say that, and my oldest two kids (step-kids) are 10 months and 1 day apart. My DH and his first wife got pregnant again the very first time they DTD after the oldest was born.


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## bobcat

I have also been weepy and clingy. Could I be already getting my period? Something is going on. Does breast feeding do this? Time will tell.


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## PrimordialMind

I've read from multiple sources that the first few months postpartum are a very fertile time. I don't quite understand that, though, because many women don't ovulate for months or even years due to exclusive breastfeeding. Maybe that applies more to the women who ovulate even when they breastfeed around the clock. Unfortunate women like myself. I had my first postpartum period both times at around 6 weeks after birth. I guess i'm just extra fertile. Anyway, i thought what i read was interesting and it probably also has to do with the fact that your body has been in the pregnant state for the last nine months so its already acclimated to that state, thus, this increases fertility.

I don't mean to scare you, i just thought i'd share. If you keep getting BFNs then you're more than likely not pregnant. Remember, your body is going through a lot of changes right now trying to go back to normal, so a strange appetite and flu-like symptoms is not uncommon. It often takes around three or four months after having a baby before a woman truly feels like herself and even longer if her baby is a poor sleeper.


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## JamieCatheryn

Odds are something else is going on, but it's always possible. I'd save the test for another couple days, if it's going to turn up positive it will be more likely to get a good read later on. Do you have a sore throat? Or sore breast? Flu or mastitis could do this maybe. And ravenous hunger and mood swings could be just a breastfeeding thing possibly, or a hormones as your body tried to gear up for cycles returning (sometimes they seem to try for a while before they kick in for real). If you're avoiding pregnancy then be really careful beyond watching for CM though, postpartum and breastfeeding it's all so ambiguous.


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## bobcat

Thanks. I got a couple more negative tests. Then yesterday, which was 18 days after having sex (about 8 1/2 weeks postpartum), I suddenly had some red tinged mucus, and then today, some brown tinge. Could this be implantation bleeding??? Now I feel like I should buy more tests. Is there something else that could cause this type of bleeding? It wasn't caused by sex. I actually noticed it right before sex....I was using an applicator to put in a vaginal lubricant. However, it was a super thin applicator, so I don't feel it caused the bleeding, only made me see it. Hmmm.


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## bobcat

Strange things are still going on. Still been nauseous every day too. Haven't taken another test since before I had that spotting, but now I think I'm going to. Yesterday I had some coffee, along with a little bit of espresso (1 shot). This is a normal amount for me, and I've been doing it really since the first few weeks postpartum. But, yesterday I did NOT handle it well. That night, wayyy later (16 hours?) I was in bed, trembling! I was thinking, what's going on? Then today, I remembered this thread. I had even forgotten about the spotting. I really feel now like I should go take a test.....it's getting late (and hubby out of town!), so maybe I will get a test tonight, or maybe I'll go get them tomorrow. I have been shakey today too, from my normal amount of caffeine. I actually found myself craving HERBAL tea, Raspberry or Lemon zinger, which NEVER happens! I am a coffee addict.

I understand this constant rambling is probably annoying to read.....just trying to get this issue off my mind, since I may not have the time (or energy!) to go get those tests tonight. I had been putting it off anyways, since those first couple were negative.

Could breastfeeding hormonal changes account for any of this? The sensitivity to caffeine? That happened with pregnancy for me. Oh, and I've suddenly gotten my sex drive back....... Sorry if TMI. I am not sure if I am going crazy and imagining these symptoms. Is this part of breastfeeding at 8-10 weeks?


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## dalia

I think everyone is different and it could well be that these symptoms are from hormonal changes. The spotting happened to me about three months after I had my son on a day that I did too much (I had a cesarean and so took a long time to heal).


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## JamieCatheryn

Hmm you know, a lot of this sounds like a metabolism thing. Try getting a multivitamin, upping your good fats a lot (meat, fish, butter, coconut, olive, nuts, avocados) and lowering your carbs a bit? Helped how I feel immensely. The spotting still sounds like hormone fluctuations to me, the body ramping up for ovulation or attempting to. Have your thyriod checked if you can, a full panel of all the levels.


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