# question about m/c rates and EBFing



## jauncourt (Mar 15, 2007)

I think this is the right place to put this. I have a question for all the other BFing/EBFing mamas who have m/c during BFing.

I've had 4 miscarriages while nursing, (I'm done now - I always planned two, but it took quite a lot of trying to get both of them), while taking my vitamins and eating well, in fact I had oversupply issues, with supply slowing down only when I miscarried and then ramping back up. All were at about 3 months, except 1 which was at 2, and all were handled naturally by my body (no invasive procedure needed).

When I'd weaned my older child, nine months later, I was able to keep the next pregnancy.

I was told, over and over, that my nursing had nothing to do with it, except that there is a family history of women m/c during exclusive BFing, and it goes back a hundred years. My mother had several m/c during the times she breastfed, and my great grandmother, a midwife, certainly believed that there was a connection in some women. She told my mother that "Don't feel bad, honey, it's just some women can't keep a pregnancy when they are nursing a little one. When you are done with nursing that baby the next one will stick just fine." My mom did not transmit this infomration to me until after I had been attempting to conceive my second child while breastfeeding my first (with no success at keeping the pregnancies). We also have no lactational amenorrhea in our family beyond 3 months, even with exclusive BFing.

I know that there is a bais against saying anything about such a connection now, because the health community is trying so hard to re-normalize breastfeeding. However, if I had known this piece of information, I would not have made the choice to attempt conception until I was done nursing, instead of being told it was perfectly safe with no risks to any subsequent pregnancy. I'm guessing that it was assumed that I'd be done nursing my son by the time I conceived again, since he was so old (we nursed until 2), so no harm would be done. Unfortunately, this left me feeling lied to and at least partially responsible for what happened.

I would like to know if my experience is as purely uncommon as the health community would have me believe. If this was available women's folk health wisdom when BFing was the norm, why is it being swept under the rug now? Shouldn't it at least be acknowledged that it can be a problem for some and that they should probably wait?

I'm not a researcher, or a midwife, or a medical professional of any stripe, just someone who wants to know if this is at all normal. I'm not getting that answer anywhere else, so I think it's time to ask my peer group, other women who have miscarried.

Maura


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## momoftworedheads (Mar 6, 2003)

Hi Maura,

I nursed my second son while I was pregnant with my 3rd, then tandem nursed for a while.

When I was pregnant for the 4th time, I was breastfeeding (my son was 11 months old) and I had a m/c. I also have a hypercoagulation disorder that is known to cause miscarriage.

I think every woman's body is different and that for some women, breastfeeding is enough to keep pregnancy from happening but also, I think it affects the hormones so that it causes some women to lose pregnancies.

I am a nursing student (want to be a MW someday) and also a breastfeeding counselor. We have discussed this topic a few times (the other women that I council with).

Take care,


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## ~Katrinka~ (Feb 4, 2007)

I couldn't really vote in the poll..but I conceived while nursing a toddler 4 times. Two times I continued nursing until my toddler weaned herself, and had a full term baby. I was nursing when I lost my baby, but she had a lethal chromosonal disorder. I was still nursing when I conceived again after my loss, and this time, my toddler continued nursing only for about the first 8 weeks of the pregnancy; I am now almost 20 weeks.


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## rach03 (Dec 30, 2006)

I've had 2 miscarriages this year while nursing my toddler...not exclusively, though. He was 18 months when the first one happened, and 26 months when the 2nd one happened this month.

I had thought the first one might have been from nursing, as I was down to 110 pounds due to not being able to keep up calorie-wise. Now that I've had a 2nd one I don't think it was, though. I'm waiting on test results to come back and then I'll go through all the blood testing.


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## Funny Face (Dec 7, 2006)

I was bf my dd when I lost my pregnancy. She was only nursing twice or three times a day and she weaned about 3 months into the pregnancy. I found out the baby had no heartbeat a month later.


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## jmo (Mar 18, 2006)

I'm in the process of experiencing my 2nd m/c while bfing my 2 yo. She only nurses first thing in the morning and so I thought there was no way that had anything to do w/ the first m/c. Now, after 2, I'm not so sure.


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## savithny (Oct 23, 2005)

Anecdotally....

I know a woman who was EBF her toddler and TTC. Every time she got pregnant, her toddler would turn into velcro baby and want to nurse constantly... and she'd miscarry.

Her first pregnancy after her toddler weaned was successful. Her midwife told her something similar - that in some women, the surge of prolactin from the increase in nursing would cause miscarriage. Another possibility she turned up is that because she has PCO, her egg quality is already not good, and the added hormones from breastfeeding interfered further with either egg quality or implantation stability.

so - not my experience, not my theory, but it made sense to me when she shared it.


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## WaturMama (Oct 6, 2006)

It seems to me that by putting the poll here you're going to end up weighted towards more people answering that miscarried. I think the Extended Breastfeeding board might provide more balanced answers.

It's astounding to me how many unanswered questions there are about miscarriage in the 21st century.


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## Stayseeliz (Jul 16, 2004)

I have never conceived while nursing but the RE I visited when I was trying to figure out what was causing my m/c's said that elevated prolactin levels can cause some women to miscarry.


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## jauncourt (Mar 15, 2007)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *WaturMama* 
It seems to me that by putting the poll here you're going to end up weighted towards more people answering that miscarried. I think the Extended Breastfeeding board might provide more balanced answers.

It's astounding to me how many unanswered questions there are about miscarriage in the 21st century.

Actually, as I am trying to get the "unspoken" connection between the two, AND I've gotten openly hostile answers from some breastfeeding advocates about even mentioning the possibility (not here - mostly in person, from people who saw me nurse and knew I wasn't an anti BF troll on a random messageborad), I think asking the women here for their input is best. I know it's rare - I just want to know, from women who have also had losses, if they have also shared my experience with a possible connection. This is just the safest space for me to ask.

There is also the fact that many mothers who have not experienced a miscarriage do not even want to hear about them, let alone have them correlated with something as positive as BFing.

Thanks for the suggestion though. After a couple of weeks, I might post a similar poll in the EBF forum, to compare results









Maura

ETA: option 3 and 4 are mostly there to allow people who have had m/c while nursing _and_ who have not m/c while nursing (because it's very possible for both to happen to one woman) to be able to report as much as they wish to.

I personally wanted to nurse through my prgnancy and tandem nurse, but that was not to be. after the last m/c, I wasn't even able to conceive agian until nine months after weaning, when my breast tissuehad gone dormant again.


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## WaturMama (Oct 6, 2006)

I see your points about resistance and not wanting to freak people out. I think if you go to the EBF board and phrase it in a non-theatening way, like, "This is something I'm wondering about and I want a reality check." It might help.

I'm just thinking if I hadn't had a m/c, I wouldn't be here to pick the other option. (sigh














So I'm not sure what this tells you except that some people have had m/c while nursing. I don't think it can tell you anything about the proportions of people who have had them or not had them because so many of the not had thems aren't here.

But it is a start, and I think it is a great question. Like I said before there is a huge need for answers to these questions, and it is just shocking that the research has not been done and done thoroughly.

I just reread your note and saw that you are wondering if others share your experience of a possible connection. If I understand that right, maybe an interesting question would be of the women who have had a m/c while nursing do they believe the m/c was related to nursing, or not related, or not sure. I think you could get a good answer to that one here. (Or I could, maybe I'll do it...you've got me wondering...we'll see...feel free to do it if you want to.)

For me personally, I do not believe my miscarriage was related to nursing. Though the baby didn't make it, the pregnancy hung on for a long time despite many natural methods to get the miscarriage to happen. So I seemed to have plenty of progesterone. I think on a scientific level it was a genetic error.





















. On a spiritual level, the spirit had what it needed and went on.

Good wishes with getting the answers you are looking for and thank you for pursuing them.


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## Nathan1097 (Nov 20, 2001)

I voted "Conceived, continued BFing, carried to term, either nursed tandem or weaned older child".

I had no problem getting pregnant while breastfeeding my 15-month-old - twice! (I have three kids.) I did have some spotting and cramping issues, but never miscarried. I quit breastfeeding around 6 months along because my milk changed/dried up and the older sib (nursing one) didn't want the milk anymore. I did have premature labor problems - BUT those were both AFTER I had quit nursing.


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## hannybanany (Jun 3, 2006)

I've had 2 miscarriages this year while breastfeeding dd, who, at the time was 19 and 23 months old.

I keep hearing that breastfeeding doesn't have anything to do with it, but I'm really not so sure about that...


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## jauncourt (Mar 15, 2007)

Thanks so much to everyone who's contributing answers and feedback.








:

Maura


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## jeca (Sep 21, 2002)

I have never had a miscarriage while nursing during a pregnancy.


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## MySunflowerBoys (Nov 22, 2005)

I've had both situations. I concieved DS 2 while nursing my then 15 mo old who nursed a TON! He nursed through the pg and tandem nursed with his brother. Then I had a mc (blighted ovum) 5 months ago while tandem nursing (the oldest nurses 2x a day and the youngest 3x day.)

I am just beginning another pregnancy and they are still nursing the same frequency. I am hopeful that the mc was a fluke and all will go well this time.


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## zoie2013 (Mar 31, 2007)

I agree that posting it here will probably get you fewer lactivist complaints, however it could skew your results away from the majority of successful pg nursers. If you want honest answers to break through and find the unspoken link, then you might consider taking out the quotes around the "blamed on" I didn't want to check the answer in your poll because I don't believe the reasons for my daughter's stillbirth were just something to be blamed when it was really my ebfing during pg. I think they were the reasons and the quotes may be interpreted as too biased. I hope this doesn't sound snarky, it was just my reaction







: and I'm only offering it to help. I think your poll is a good idea and I'll be interested to see what you turn up.


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## jauncourt (Mar 15, 2007)

I would love to edit the poll but I can't.









ETA:

Also the "Blamed on" is meant as shorthand for however it might have been phrased (since there are all kinds of ways to put it), *not* a way to say "they blamed it on this btu it was really something else" since we are already asking about the possible something else. That covers blighted ovum, RhFactor issues, molar, health issues of the baby, etc.

It was badly put, but there is not any way I can fix it (or end the poll, either...)


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## alegna (Jan 14, 2003)

I can't really respond accurately- I m/c a blighted ovum- so for SURE it had nothing to do with still nursing.

-Angela


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## Three~Little~Birds (Jan 10, 2005)

I voted that I carried to term; and tandem nursed because that is what happened the first time.
For my third pregnancy, though, I had a miscarriage. My nursling is 3 1/2 now so I am not EBF (nor was I with the firsr - DD was 15 mos at the time).

I don't know if my m/c was caused by BF, but I had a much harder time getting pregnant this time than the last time.


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## chrissy (Jun 5, 2002)

i miscarried twice, both times while nursing my toddler. i got pregnant again soon after she weaned and carried that pregnancy to term.

i do think that for me breastfeeding is a possible cause for my miscarriages.


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## cnobaby (Jan 14, 2007)

I'm not really sure how the poll will help you, but I answered it. I didn't ovulate for about a year of nursing. Then did. We waiting to TTC until DS was 2. I miscarried at 11 weeks, still nursing my toddler about 7-8 times per day. The u/s showed a sac, but no fetus, so I think we just had bad luck with the egg/sperm combo. If it happens again, I may rethink this...but I think the egg quality issue may be my age more than anything else...I'm 37. I had no problem getting pregnant once we decided to try. We'll be waiting two cycles, then we'll try again.

-- C


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## Aurora (May 1, 2002)

I became pregnant when my nursling was 14 months old and nursing a lot. I miscarried that baby. I became pregnant again when same nursling was 19 months old and still nursing very often. I miscarried that baby as well.

When the same nursling was 24 months old I became pregnant again. He was still nursing 6-8 times a day. I weaned him when I was 4 months pregnant and gave birth to a beautiful baby girl several months later.


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## MommytoHHH (Sep 12, 2006)

I miscarried a blighted ovum while nursing my 10 month old DD. She was nursing every 2 hours, but since it was a B/O it had nothing to do with nursing. I also had 2 miscarriages before conceiving DD, and was not nursing then. My OB said it was just bad luck, and that there was definitely no connection to nursing.


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## quarteralien (Oct 4, 2006)

I started ovulating again when DD was 16 months, but had a very short luteal phase, 6-8 days. The second cycle, it seemed like I also had an 8 day luteal phase because I got my period, except that my temps stayed high for another 5 days or so. The bleeding went on for nearly 2 weeks, by which point, I suspected I had conceived and was miscarrying. I had 2 very positive pregnancy tests, 4 days apart, and the bleeding stopped, and then 2 negative ones a few days later, at which point, I started bleeding again quite heavily. At this point my DD was nearly 18 months and nursing 4-5 times per day. I believe bf did have something to do with it, because I never had short luteal phases before. This time DD only nurses 1-2x/day, and my temps never dipped, so I'm a bit more hopeful, but I believe it's probably true, that for some women, they can only nourish one child at a time. Whether that is due to nutrition, hormonal deficiency, genetics, or what, I still believe it.


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## MamaKalena (Jun 17, 2005)

I miscarried at 10 weeks this past week and came here to learn more about miscarriage. I was/am still nursing DS (almost 3 yrs) about 3-5 times a day plus off and on between 5 a.m.-7 a.m. each morning.

I have read and been told over and over that nothing you do/don't do can prevent a miscarriage if you are going to have one. But I am still in the early stages of grieving so I can't stop racking my brain about what I might have done wrong...not enough folic acid, not enough sleep, too much stress, too much Halloween candy, too much nursing???

Can anyone tell me how to determine if you had a blighted ovum and why that would mean EBF had nothing to do with its miscarriage? Sorry, I'm still trying to make sense of everything...


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## quarteralien (Oct 4, 2006)

I think it's too late to tell if it was a blighted ovum. A blighted ovum is when a placenta and sac develop, but no baby develops. So you still have pregnancy symptoms, you still start expanding a bit, but there isn't and never really was a baby. It's a chance occurrence, and as far as anyone knows, has nothing to do with what we do or don't do. So it's definitely not related to nursing at all. But it's usually diagnosed before you miscarry, through ultrasound, which is why I think it's too late for you to know, unless you had the remains sent for lab analysis. Then they would be able to tell that there is no fetus. I'm sorry for your loss


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## mommyfied (Jun 25, 2007)

I got pregnant when my DD was 9 mo old and still nursing almost exclusively. I ended up losing the baby although I'm not sure why. I discovered an empty sac at almost 12 weeks, so it could have been a blighted ovum, or if there was a baby it was already reabsorbed. I think I lost it at 6 weeks as I had some light spotting then. I was under a lot of stress and had been exposed to a lot of cleaning chemicals right before I found out I was pregnant, so it could have been anything or none of those things!







:


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## MamaKalena (Jun 17, 2005)

I had a hard time grasping much of what was said in this article, but it does shed a bit of light on the topic of breastfeeding and miscarriage.

This was my primitive interpretation: BF does not directly cause miscarriage, but it may indirectly contribute to it because if you are BFing and do not have your period for a long time then it takes a while for your body to get back on track to be able to support another pregnancy???

Would love if anyone else can explain it better...I'm getting all confused.







:

http://www.bellytales.com/2006/03/06...tion/#comments

Or maybe we can x-post this poll in the Birth Professionals forum to get some other insight? I am really intrigued by this as we are hoping to become pregnant again as soon as possible.


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## Sagesgirl (Nov 22, 2001)

I'm honestly not sure completely how to respond to the poll, so I only checked off the options I was certain of.

I have two daughters who were conceived while I was breastfeeding, & I nursed through those pregnancies & afterwards.

I was tandem nursing when I got pregnant the fourth time. I continued to nurse, as I had the last two times. I had to stop breastfeeding for totally unrelated reasons, and _that_ is when I lost the baby.

So it could easily seem that stopping nursing is what caused the miscarriage...But correlation does not imply causation. (Which is to say, just because something happens at the same time as something else doesn't mean it was _caused_ by the something else.)


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## poopzmom (Jul 29, 2006)

I just had a miscarriage last month. I was only 6 weeks. I have no idea why though. It took me a while to get a positive preg. test. And even when I did the line was very light even at 5 weeks. A part of me really wants to think it was a blighted ovum. Especially since all I passed was 2 small clots and it was mostly like a period. But I guess I will never know. It was only my second preg. and my first resulted in a very healthy baby girl. My dd was only nursing 2-3 times during the day, but ALL night long


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## heatherweh (Nov 29, 2007)

I am miscarrying now and currently breastfeeding my 17-month old son, who nurses voraciously. I have had secret fears about a connection and I know some mamas feel that it is not a good mix and probably don't condone it.







:


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## jauncourt (Mar 15, 2007)

to all the other mamas who have gone through this. There are never any good words, you know you love and wanted your




























just like I love and wanted mine.

Plase don't feel that you did anything wrong - IF this is copnnected to your BFing, it's just how your body is right now and you could not possibly have known.

This poll was not about finding fault with anyone, just about finding out if anyone else suspected a link between the two for themselves.








Thank you all for participating. Anyone who wants support can PM me if they would like to.

Maura


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## wasabi (Oct 12, 2004)

I was BFing round the clock and didn't get AF back until 21.5 months pp. My first couple of cycles were wacky. Super long pre-ovulatory stage and short luteal phase (I know the short luteal phase is a very common issue with nursing moms just regaining fertility). The second full cycle I had I was doing a sort of [email protected]@ed charting and thought I had ovulated. AF never showed. A friend sent me some cheapie strip HPTs and I got very very super light BFPs. They were really more shadows than second lines though they darkened up a good bit as they dried. The day following the third BFP I began bleeding. It was a super heavy period. I don't know if I had a chemical pg and hence the light tests or if they were just very sensistive evaporation lines? I mean I know we say a line is a line but I've also heard that if you have to squint too much or hold it up to the light to be sure etc then maybe not so much. IRRC I did purchase another brand and got a negative hence the further ambiguity. So I may or may not have had a miscarriage while nursing. The next month however I ovulated in my normal timeframe and conceived and continued nursing through my entire pg and tandem nursed until just a few months ago when I cut my five year old off.

You did not ask this but I know for certain that I had a miscarriage just before conceiving DD#1. And as I think a lot of us have sadly learned having one or even two losses is not necessarily all that unusual. So if I did have one while nursing I also had one not nursing which makes it harder for me to attribute the possible one during nursing to nursing.


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## ~PurityLake~ (Jul 31, 2005)

_was my vote.

But it's not entirely accurate.

I continued breastfeeding until I made no more milk, when Abigail was 8 months old and I was 3 months pregnant.

I nursed Sophia only until Sophia was 8 months old.
Then Abigail began nursing again.
I continue to tandem nurse both of them.
_


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## LolaK (Jan 8, 2006)

I have had two miscarriages while breastfeeding a toddler. I am currently pregnant again (very early so who knows what will happen) and still breastfeeding.

I think a crucial piece that is missing in this puzzle is the miscarriage rate in women who do not breastfeed. My guess is that it is pretty high as well. I have met, or heard of many women who formula fed only who had several miscarriages. I think part of the problem is that the miscarriage rate just seems to have skyrocketed since my mom's generation.

Of course my mom's theory is that back then they didn't know they were pregnant as early as we do because there weren't home pregnancy tests that could test such small amounts of HCG. So she thinks women had miscarriages and just thought they were normal periods. I don't really buy it. I think it is more likely accumulated toxins passed from mothers to daughters (similar to the proven effects of smoking where a grandmother's smoking can cause a grandchild to be of low birth rate) that is causing our generation to miscarry more often.


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## crayon (Aug 24, 2002)

I nursed my first until I was 30 weeks with my second- she weaned on her own due to supply and pain (for me) issues.

I was heartbroken.... I know I have always heard there is no link- but each body is different and so must the effects of nursing and pregnancy.


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## maryjane (Jul 13, 2004)

I just lost a baby at around 7 weeks. I went for the u/s yesterday -- baby was measuring a week behind w/ no heartbeat.

I was still experiencing nausea as late as yesterday afternoon, so I assume my body was doing it's thing and this was some kind of chromosomal anomaly. That is what I hope, of course.

This was my 3rd pregnancy. I got pregnant with #2 when #1 was 19 months and still nursing 4 or 5 times a day. I weaned him when I was about 5 months (so right before he turned 2). That time I got my cycle back at 17 months and they were immediately regular -- O at day 13, 27 days. This time, I also got my period back at 17 months, but my cycles were wacky. Very long, then very short, never a clear O date from charting, etc.

My OB actually recommended weaning to get pregnant (we also tried for 6 months, which is 4 months longer than I tried with my others) and said that while nursing doesn't necessarily cause problems -- neither with conceiving nor carrying to term -- it CAN. He went on to say that perhaps b/c I am older now (I'm 36), those two factors are converging.

Not sure what to make of it all. (Sorry I wrote a book.)


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## LolaK (Jan 8, 2006)

OP, I wonder if you asked how soon after getting your period for the first time did you get pregnant and/or miscarry what the results would be. I think it is very possible that it takes some bodies a couple months (around 6 maybe) to be able to actally carry a pregnancy to term after the initial return of fertility. You can get pregnant right away but your hormones just aren't with it enough to support the pregnancy. So maybe it is more about a time period after return of fertility then it is about nursing or not. Just a thought???


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## MamaKalena (Jun 17, 2005)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *LolaK* 
OP, I wonder if you asked how soon after getting your period for the first time did you get pregnant and/or miscarry what the results would be. I think it is very possible that it takes some bodies a couple months (around 6 maybe) to be able to actally carry a pregnancy to term after the initial return of fertility. You can get pregnant right away but your hormones just aren't with it enough to support the pregnancy. So maybe it is more about a time period after return of fertility then it is about nursing or not. Just a thought???

I've heard this, too. I didn't get my period again until DS was 23 months. When I became pregnant again, and then miscarried, I had had regular cycles for 8 months. I have no idea what caused my miscarriage.

But I do know that DS had extremely loose stool (couldn't make it to the potty) 2-3 times a day for about 9 days straight right before I miscarried. Typically he would just have one movement a day. Not sure if that's related or not...but as soon as I miscarried, his bowl movements became regular again. I've always wondered about that...


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## punkrawkmama27 (Aug 31, 2007)

The nurse practioner told me to stop nursing as soon as I found out I was pregnant. She said if I continued the baby would not get enough nutrients. I continued nursing and found out last week I miscarried. I talked to a La Leche League leader in the area and she said that would have nothing to do with it, even though the nurse practioner said it did.


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## LolaK (Jan 8, 2006)

The nurients comment from your NP is definitly not true at all. I have had several (8) friends who nursed through pregnancy - no miscarriages and all healthy biggish babies ranging from 7.5 to 10+ pounds.


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## punkrawkmama27 (Aug 31, 2007)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *LolaK* 
The nurients comment from your NP is definitly not true at all. I have had several (8) friends who nursed through pregnancy - no miscarriages and all healthy biggish babies ranging from 7.5 to 10+ pounds.

I knew a couple (2 moms) that nursed while pregnant and went on to deliver healthy babies. That is why when she said it to me, I just kept my mouth shut and went on the LLL website found the local leader here and emailed her. She put me in contact with a mom that had bf while pregnant and was still tandem nursing. I was shocked to hear the NP say that to me. She actually did a breast exam, expressed milk and said "Wow, you are already making milk (I was only like 5 weeks along)." No, I said I am still nursing my son. Believe me, until I found out I had lost the baby, I was looking for a midwife in my area.


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## beanandpumpkin (Jan 2, 2005)

I conceived when Rebecca was almost 2, continued nursing her, and miscarried at 10 weeks. I had had another miscarriage between my children when I was not nursing at 7 weeks. Since that miscarriage (2 1/2 years ago), my cycles have been quite wacky, and I have symptoms of PCOS, but no diagnosis. I do not think that the nursing caused the m/c, but of course I don't know for sure.


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## northwoods1995 (Nov 17, 2003)

I've experienced both situations.

While nursing DS I got pregnant with DD and carried her to term. He was nursing a LOT through the first trimester and weaned when I was around 5 or 6 mos.

I recently m/c while nursing DD (very sporadically--she usually only nurses once a day or every other day).

So, I carried one to term while nursing very often and miscarried one when nursing very infrequently.


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## MamaKalena (Jun 17, 2005)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *beanandpumpkin* 
I conceived when Rebecca was almost 2, continued nursing her, and miscarried at 10 weeks. I had had another miscarriage between my children when I was not nursing at 7 weeks. Since that miscarriage (2 1/2 years ago), my cycles have been quite wacky, and I have symptoms of PCOS, but no diagnosis. I do not think that the nursing caused the m/c, but of course I don't know for sure.

Does having PCOS increase chances of miscarriage? I have heard it can make it difficult to conceive, but I had not heard about miscarriage. My sister has PCOS and I think it is hereditary, but I have not been tested.


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## mommyfied (Jun 25, 2007)

I just got back from my follow-up OB appt and she told me that since BF thins the endometrium, she thinks that BF may have caused my miscarriage and that I should stop breastfeeding before TTC again.







: I told her it could have been a number of things that caused my m/c, but I would keep that in mind. (Way to ruin my day, OB! Now I feel like crap!) In my heart, I don't believe BF caused my miscarriage, and I couldn't have changed that anyway because my daughter was nowhere near weaning at 9 mo. She hardly ate any solids. At this point, I don't have my cycles back yet, but I want to TTC again within the next 6 months. I also expect to be breastfeeding DD at least another 10 months (until she's two) but I have all these 'what ifs' about getting pregnant again... especially with my OB being so adamantly against BF while pregnant.









I know plently of people who have nursed throughout the entire pregnancy without problems. I wonder what the actual m/c statistics are that compare nursing vs. not. Does anyone know? I don't see any evidence from this casual poll that breastfeeding definitely causes m/c. Just because someone m/c while breastfeeding does not mean breastfeeding was the cause. We see many mothers who both m/c while breastfeeding AND breastfed with no problems.

As for the question about how long after AF returned vs. when pregnant: For me, AF returned at 5 mo PP. I got pregnant on the 4th cycle. Again, I know mothers who breastfed, carried to term, and never even had a postpartum AF or got pregnant on the second cycle, etc.

Maybe this whole issue depends on the particular person OR breastfeeding has nothing to do with miscarriage.


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## jauncourt (Mar 15, 2007)

All my m/c were when I was nursing (and taking vitamins)- and I do have a family history of it, BUT, as a has been brought up, PCOS might be a contributing factor as well. There is a family history of PCOS too (I've got the hair issues, dysmenorrhea, insulin resistance markings, etc, and had all of those even when I was thin and fit).

However, I have not been diagnosed with PCOS. It might be something else entirely.

The bit of folk wisdom (which inspired the poll) I have from my great grandmother was that women who do get their periods back early while nursing often miscarried. She worked as a midwife about 90 years ago. There might be some other correlation, or it might be what has been suggested above (a few messages up) that the body produces incomplete ova in the first year or so even when the menses return early.

Thanks agian to all who have discussed this levelheadely and shared their experiences.









Maura


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## LolaK (Jan 8, 2006)

Quote:


Originally Posted by **Amanda** 
I

I know plently of people who have nursed throughout the entire pregnancy without problems. I wonder what the actual m/c statistics are that compare nursing vs. not. Does anyone know? I don't see any evidence from this casual poll that breastfeeding definitely causes m/c. Just because someone m/c while breastfeeding does not mean breastfeeding was the cause. We see many mothers who both m/c while breastfeeding AND breastfed with no problems.


There is absolutely no scientific evidence to suggest that breastfeeding causes miscarriage - that might help you rest easy. It is simply that a huge percentage of women today have miscarriages.

Can you get another OB? I know there are several in my area who are known to be supportive of nursing while pregnant. Or perhaps switch to a midwife who is more likely to let you do your own thing. I known there are OB's who will not keep you as a patient if you choose to nurse past your third month of pregnancy.


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## MamaKalena (Jun 17, 2005)

It would be interesting to see a poll looking at things like:

--how long you nursed a child prior to getting pregnant
--how long before your menstrual cycle returned after pregnancy
--how soon you conceived after getting your period back

I nursed DS for 2.5 years before conceiving again and continued while pregnant. My period came back 23 months after I had my son. I conceived 8 months after my preiod returned. I wonder if there have been any studies about these factors?


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## katies_mama (Jun 9, 2005)

I'm currently tandem nursing my 5w old (10-3 at birth, not lacking in nutrition at all







) and my 2y9m old. She nursed about 20x/day through my pregnancy.

My only m/c was before I was pregnant with my toddler.

Both of my children were conceived via IVF. My daughter was a fresh cycle--two embryos put in and a singleton pregnancy resulted, and my baby boy was previously frozen, and only one embryo put in (him).









As far as endometrial lining goes, mine measured "excellent/as good as it gets" before the procedure (while I was breastfeeding 20x/day). I think it was 9mm.

I had a regular period for 16 months before undergoing IVF with my son. Reason for infertility is probably endometriosis. . ..but nursing didn't have an impact on the pregnancy once I was pregnant. I didn't even have any bleeding or cramping, and delivered at 41w0d.

I agree with the PPs who suggested the poll cannot suggest a causal relationship unless compared with a control group/posted in a more general forum.


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