# Could I Be Pregnant?



## Kelly1101 (Oct 9, 2008)

Well, actually that's a silly question, because of course I COULD always be pregnant, no physical reason why not. But I'm wondering how likely it is after realizing this morning that I might be.

Thing is, I have a 6 month old. I'm EBF, nurse on demand and she doesn't take any plastic nipples, etc., but my period STILL came back last month *sigh* (maybe because she'd down to only one night-nurse, sometimes none). But now I just realized that it's two weeks late now.

Dates-- Emma born 4/18, First post-p period 9/22, today 11/2.

Normally if I was two weeks late, I'd think "oh, duh, I'm pregnant" because before the baby I was regular like clockwork, ALWAYS exactly 28 days. But now I'm wondering if that one period may have just been a fluke, and I'm not fertile again yet. Does it ever happen that if you're EBF a baby, you get one fluke period and then it goes away again? As far as the period itself went, it was less painful than usual (although still a bit uncomfortable), but normal in terms of how heavy it was and how long it lasted (about 6 days is normal for me).

We don't use birth control except the withdrawal method, which I'm well aware of how iffy that is (that's how we got our daughter). But we're really good at it (hmm that sounds weird when I type it, no pun intended or anything), and it was 6 years of using it until I got pregnant with Emma.

I don't FEEL pregnant, but then again I don't really get early symptoms in the first trimester. I never got any morning sickness at all (think it's genetic, my mom had none with any of us). I'm tired all the time, but I've been tired all the time since I have a baby, haha. I haven't noticed any increase in peeing or breast soreness (my boobs were REALLY sore last time). But then again maybe my boobs aren't so sore because I'm nursing and they're all toughed up.

Argh. I know the only way to know for sure is to run out and get a pregnancy test, but if I do that I'm going to have to tell my husband (even if it's negative, he'd want to know). And I don't know how he would feel about the possibility of having another baby so soon. For that matter I don't know how I feel about it. I mean we've already decided that we want at least one more child, but this would be a lot sooner than planned.

Does anybody have any experience/idea about this kind of situation?


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## MamaJenese (Aug 14, 2006)

It could be a fluke or you could be pregnant. After DD when my period finally came back it came back regular. However with DS it came back all wonky. First cycle 28 days, second 45, then the next cycle I was pregnant with DD! The only way to know for sure is to suck it up and buy a test!


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## MaerynPearl (Jun 21, 2008)

When breastfeeding, it is not common for your cycles to come back regular right away... so the likelihood is that you actually are NOT pregnant. Yes, there is a chance you are, but it is more likely you are not.

You cant change what is... so your husband will have to find out if you are...

but if you arent... did you tell him you had your period? If so, he should not at all be surprised by the fact that you need a pregnancy test... the criteria for using EBF as birth control includes NOT having a period, as soon as you do you can no longer rely on it.


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## Kelly1101 (Oct 9, 2008)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *MaerynPearl* 
When breastfeeding, it is not common for your cycles to come back regular right away... so the likelihood is that you actually are NOT pregnant. Yes, there is a chance you are, but it is more likely you are not.

You cant change what is... so your husband will have to find out if you are...

but if you arent... did you tell him you had your period? If so, he should not at all be surprised by the fact that you need a pregnancy test... the criteria for using EBF as birth control includes NOT having a period, as soon as you do you can no longer rely on it.

Yes, he knows I had a period. I even mentioned, about two and a half weeks ago, "ugh, feeling kind of crampy, probably starting in the next few days". But obviously he knows that I haven't had my period yet. I just don't think that he's put two and two together yet and added up the dates.

*sigh*

What sucks is that payday is on Thursday, and the money right now is so budgeted that there is not a spare penny anywhere, and I don't want to have to buy a pregnancy test, rotfl. But I reckon I'm going to have to. I'll probably put it off until at least tomorrow, because I'm not officially two weeks late until tomorrow. I could still maybe start.


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## MamaJenese (Aug 14, 2006)

Do you have a dollar tree around you? Got to love one dollar pregnancy tests!


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## Kelly1101 (Oct 9, 2008)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *MaerynPearl* 
When breastfeeding, it is not common for your cycles to come back regular right away... so the likelihood is that you actually are NOT pregnant. Yes, there is a chance you are, but it is more likely you are not.

If this is the case, would I still get another period soon, just later than normal? Or would I go back to having no periods? On my first baby, so I have not much clue how it works, except my mom completely assured me, "oh, you won't get your period back until you wean, I always went the whole year without getting mine" (she bf'ed us all for 1 year). Grr.

Quote:


Originally Posted by *MamaJenese* 
Do you have a dollar tree around you? Got to love one dollar pregnancy tests!

Not near enough-- the car needs some work before I want to drive more than across the street with the baby. Which, my husband's fixing it on Thursday. Could wait until then. Or could just bite the bullet and buy a HPT from the grocery store. Or could just tell dh to stop at the Dollar Tree on his way home from work (drives a company van and can't drive it after work, but can usually stop for anything on the way home). But I don't want to freak him out if there's nothing to freak him out about.

Aarrgh.

I'm being so ridiculous. Either I'm freaking out about nothing and I'm not pregnant, or I am pregnant and procrastinating taking a test isn't going to change that. I think part of me is scared that I did get pregnant, but have had a missed miscarriage or something, since I don't have any symptoms to speak of (or, at least, not my only real symptom from last time which was insanely sore breasts).


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## annemoonstar (Mar 10, 2008)

Wow, I was coming on here to post this exact question! I have a 7.5 month old, EBF. Got AF when he was 4 months old and the last two months have been very regular (23 day cycles). Before DS my cycles were 25 days. I'm on day 27 now with no AF. We have only had sex 2-3 times in the last month and used condoms every time--although we did have some penetration prior to the condom being put on







so I suppose it's possible.

My DH would not be so happy about another pregnancy this soon. AND I also have a history of miscarriages, so I am super hesitant about testing this soon. I was curious about how regular AF was for breastfeeding women. Reading the replies to this post makes me think I should probably just get it over with and test. What are the chances that I'd get a negative result but still really be pregnant???

Kelly1101, let me know what happens with you! We may be in the same boat soon.....


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## GoBecGo (May 14, 2008)

Completely anecdotal but my AF came back when DD was exactly six weeks old (i was EBF) and came every 28 days thereafter like clockwork. I was NOT happy, but not surprised since my mother had her first 3 kids in 3 years due to her being told, and believing TWICE that if she BFed "properly" she couldn't get pregnant.

So you could be, but that doesn't mean you are. I have had 4 miscarriages, i sympathise with the concern about potential loss. I hope you get the results you want.


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## annemoonstar (Mar 10, 2008)

Oh, I should mention too--my nipples have been more sore lately--enough that I had been wondering what the deal was! But, my nipples were also sore around the times I've had my period as well, so I guess that's that.

I too am making myself crazy. I think I don't want to test because I'm not sure how I will feel regardless of the result! We weren't even 100% sure we wanted a 2nd child, let alone this soon. On the other hand--I'm so in love with my LO, it seems incredible to have another....

Its only a few days late so it seems like the chances are good that it's just an irregular cycle. The thing is that I haven't had an irregular cycle for YEARS. Its how I knew I was pregnant each time (2 miscarriages, 1 amazing baby). So I'm on the alert. I don't know that I could wait two weeks to know for sure though!!


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## Ruthla (Jun 2, 2004)

It's extremely common to have irregular cycles when breastfeeding, especially early on when your hormones are still trying to balance themselves out. "Impending fertility" could certainly explain breast soreness, bloating, etc.- pretty much any early pg symptom could also be a "fertility is trying to come back" symptom.

But if money is super tight, and you can't afford a pg test right now, ask yourself if you really NEED to know this. I presume you're already taking prenatal vitamins and, in general, taking care of yourself because you're breastfeeding. Would you really do anything different if you were pg again right now? Unless you'd consider terminating (in which case, there *is* a medical reason to find out about the pg ASAP), then there's really no hurry to verify this.


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## Kelly1101 (Oct 9, 2008)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *annemoonstar* 
Kelly1101, let me know what happens with you! We may be in the same boat soon.....









Let me know what happens with you, too...

Quote:


Originally Posted by *Ruthla* 
But if money is super tight, and you can't afford a pg test right now, ask yourself if you really NEED to know this. I presume you're already taking prenatal vitamins and, in general, taking care of yourself because you're breastfeeding. Would you really do anything different if you were pg again right now? Unless you'd consider terminating (in which case, there *is* a medical reason to find out about the pg ASAP), then there's really no hurry to verify this.

No, we wouldn't consider terminating, so I guess there isn't much hurry (yeah, I'm still on prenatals). Except that it's driving me crazy.

I'm thinking I'm going to get a test tomorrow. I think I'd feel better if I had any type of symptom. *sigh*

ETA: The messed-up thing is that at this point, I've thought about it enough that I'll be a little sad and disappointed if I'm not pregnant, because of all the thoughts I've had about it. But then if I am I have to deal with my whole life turning upside down again. Argh.


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## Kelly1101 (Oct 9, 2008)

Just tested. Not pregnant.

Whew.

A tinge of disappointment, but I know it's for the best.

So I reckon that there's nothing wrong with my period being late now, it's just irregular because I'm nursing?


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