# IVF whilst still b/f?



## jrhh

Hi Ladies,

I was wondering if anyone knew if it was safe to continue b/f whilst starting IVF?

I was wondering if any of the drugs passed through the milk or if b/f reduced success rates?

If anyone knows I would be grateful for any comments.

Thanks

Jacks x


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## fluffyhelen9999

I looked into this when I was still bf'ing my ds.  I asked my clinic and they said they would prefer it if I gave up a few months prior to starting again.  I got someone to look up all the drugs I was going to take and they all appeared to be safe to take whilst bf'ing.  However, as far as I could find out at the time, there's been no research into the affect of bf'ing whilst cycling and I often wondered if whilst DR'ing your milk would dry up (as in effect your be going through the menopause!!)... my conclusion was that I just didn't want to chance it.  There was just no firm evidence to prove it wouldn't affect the outcome etc so I decided it would be best to give up too (although some clinics just wouldn't let you start at all whilst bf'ing anyway).

Sorry there's no firm answer to this!

Helen xx


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## jrhh

Hi Helen,

Thanks so much for your reply. I had looked onto the drugs too and its all so inconclusive. I guess I know deep down that I will have to give up but it breaks my heart thinking of stopping. I wanted my little boy to decide that. I have some time though as it wouldn't be till July/Aug so hopefully he will have made the decision for me by then.

Take care

Jacks x


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## Betty M

Jacks

I was told in no uncertain terms that I should stop b/feeding before starting a new cycle. Admittedly I was going back into a medicated fet so needed hrt which probably makes a difference.  In any event once you are pregnant you will be under lots of pressure to give up b/feeding even though again not much medical evidence that it is bad for the feotus. To be honest being pg with a toddler is doubly exhausting and b/feeding is prob one thing to many.

love
Betty


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## Marielou

Hiya Jacks, 

I've been doing a lot of research into this, talking to my breastfeeding councellor who is very pro-extended feeding, La Leche League - they sent me a HUGE load of info via email which I will dig out and send to you, plus I have been talking to other women who have done IVF cycles and breastfed and continued to feed during pregnancy.    A good book to read on tandem nursing is 'Adventures in tandem nursing: Breastfeeding during pregnancy and beyond' by Hilary Flower, which talks about 'risks' involved while breastfeeding and pregnant, including the minimal risk of miscarriage, which helped soothe my fears. 
I also read 'Medications and mothers milk' by Thomas W. Hale, which lists drugs which are safe to take while breastfeeding.  Have you had your prolactin levels taken?  I had those done and they were normal, which was a relief. 
I think 99% of clinics would advise you to have stopped breastfeeding, mainly because the medications have not been researched into breastfeeding, plus, they wouldn't want you to do anything which 'may' harm your chances of success.  

Like you, I'm wanting breastfeeding to come to a natural end, Ethan is not ready at all yet!  I might PM you about this, my personnal, unproffessional view is that is doesn't harm success rates (I'm a peer supporter/trainee breastfeeding councellor, but not a fertility Dr! Just opinionated    ) 

Marie xxx


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## jrhh

Thanks Betty and Marie.

Marie please PM that would be great

xx


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## janinec

.... me too been thinking about this, i have a booby baby who has no interest in rubber teats of any description and i want to do icsi again asap -  horrible dilemma, i want my cake and eat it too xx


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## faraday

I don't want to wean either


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## janinec

i think i have mixed feelings about giving up the bfeeding because i probably won't be lucky enough to have another baby, but i need to stop bfeeding to try again - oh dear.


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## Marielou

Jacks - Will PM you later or tomorrow when I get 5 seconds, so I can send you the info LLL gave me!

Marie xxx

ps Janine - its a tough one,. isn't it?  It made me all angry again about infertility, its taken so much from me and I was determined it wasn't taking this time with my baby as well!  Its rough to think there might be a 'choice'  - I kept thinking 'What if it never worked again, and I regretted weaning him early for a long, long time' - Scarlett is gorgeous, I love her name!


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## jrhh

Oh Ladies that is exactly how I feel too. I love bf T we both do and I really don't want to make the decision especially it this may be my only chance. I wanted it to be his choice. 
I need to think about having  the trt this year though to as I am getting on a bit now!!! 

This is horrid  

Thanks Marie I really appreciate it.

xxxx


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## janinec

marie - thanks for that xxx
yes it does rub your nose in the whole infertility issue doesn't it ?
i have met quite a few new mums who have all had babies at the same time as me, and they are all planning to start trying again for their no. 2 later this year, i resent them  all for it - i can't help it x


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## jrhh

Oh Janine I know. If only it was that easy hey   

xxx


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## Marielou

I will get round to that IM Jacks - everything is soo topsy-turvey here with the renovations and my knee, and having a 17 month old   

Janine - Very normal, I think.  My best friend has a baby 2 weeks older than Ethan and is due to have number 2 in 5 weeks time, I'm thrilled for her, but resentful it isn't so easy for me.  I wish I didn't have to go through the whole infertility rollorcoaster again!  

Marie xxx


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## Teoroy

Hi ladies,
just a thought- I've always thought that bfeeding  whilst IVF-ing is not recommended not only because of the unresearched effect of the drugs, but above all that is messes up your hormonal system. (It has a birth control effect from what I've read.)
Not sure I am right though........


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## Marielou

Teoroy - You're right, BF _can_ and does mess up your hormonal system - many women don't get AF again until they're stopped breastfeeding althogether. Others, like me, get AF a couple of months after birth, and once you're back to having regular periods, then you're back to full fertility again  I'm breastfeeding still 2-3 times a day, yet my hormone levels are back to within normal levels witha 28 day cycle. 

Marie xxx


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## janinec

just to add, i am breastfeeding still throughout the day, i am having periods and hormone levels back to normal, but cant start ivf again, because consultant said as soon as you start the drugs the milk totally dries up, thats why you can't do ivf whilst bfeeding


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## Marielou

Thats interesting Janine - did he say which drugs?  I'm just interested as I'm training as a breastfeeding councellor and like to know as much as possible, also, most of the IVF drugs are listed as 'safe' in my 'mothers milk and medications' book - plus, I'm a long-term breastfeeder and want to do IVF!    Am doing some info on this for my course, so if you know any more, would you let me know?! 

Cheers,
Marie xxx


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## janinec

hi marie, very curious that it says in your book that ivf drugs are ok when breastfeeding - gosh i hope thats true !
my consultant said as soon as you start the downregging jabs, it dries the milk up and in his experience if baby hasn't been weaned before hand, he has seen very distressed mums and babies at a time when mums are going to be feeling pretty ropey anyway due to the drugs, i took him at his word about this, I wonder if I need to research this ?


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## cruelladeville

Hi

I've been reading this thread with much interest as I've also been told to give up b/f before treatment and I would obviously rather not....just one question:  how difficult/easy is it to wean a completely boob-obsessed baby??  Not only am I worried about the feeding side of things but I am really battling to get her to self-soothe and the only way she can fall asleep is on my boob, eek!


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## janinec

i looked in the british national formulary book - (drug book doctors and pharmacists use) it looks to me like the issue is that the ivf drugs aren't TOXIC to baby by being present in the breastmilk butthat they interfere with lactation - and that is the problem

bubblegum - me and you both got boobiholics - otherwise i would have already ivf'd again xx


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## cruelladeville

Yes, Janine, definitely a boobaholic here too but it has reduced now that I've started solids but the problem is the sucking to sleep bit...hmmm not sure how to get past that one.

I've been told by my clinic that breastfeeding interferes with ovulation hence the quality of the eggs that are retrieved which is why they say to give it up beforehand??  I want to make a date to start but then don't want to feel pressurised by having a certain timeframe in which to stop b/f..what if I can't do it in that time but I have made all the IVF arrangements?  It's awful, maybe just sticking with the one is the easiest option!


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## janinec

bubblegum, can totally relate to that, i started going to apointments and at the last one, i was told you can start tx in 2 weeks - i nearly fell off my seat as i know i cant get babs off breastfeeding without major trauma in such a short space of time, so we left it that i would get in touch when she isnt breastfeeding.
as for it interfering with ovulating, that makes sense, cos i have been using those ovulation sticks, and haven't been picking up on anything there and normally i am fine in that department, 
the other thing is that if i make a big issue of getting babs off the breastfeedng ready for ivf and its a bfn - i would just feel so awful and cant tunr the clock back and do things differnently - oh dear !


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## cruelladeville

Janine-ditto about the ovulation sticks....I've also done a few and NOTHING and couldn't understand it as you can set my cycle by a clock it's so regular so who knows when I ovulate now!  I used to also get bad ov pains and now I have nothing.

I wonder, if you have given up b/f then surely the baby can still suckle for comfort if she wants to...?


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## janinec

suckle for comfort ? i am guessing they might find it frustrating ? like sucking on  an old prune ??


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## Wizz

Hi girls 
my ds is now 22 months old and as booby obsessed as ever!!!   -I had naively expected that somehow he would gradually detach himself but so far not to be... 

Whilst i don't want to do IVF again (6 cycles was enough!) - i don't really want to rule out other options... (E.G. CLOMID ETC) just in case - but hate to think of the reaction when i admit to him still feeding! haven't approached any of the medics yet!r I seem to have returned to a normal 24 day cycle but at the age of 41 going on 42 worry about the reaction i might get when i roll up asking for more assistance!! 

Anyway seems strange to be back here! I have to admit that i have been an infrequent visitor for the past couple of years or more... but feel very blessed for the marvellous couple years we've had since our boy arrived!

wizz


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## janinec

hi wizz xxxx

oh my ! i am hoping littleun wont be booby obsessed forever !

bubblegum - referring to mine as prunes !! just to make sure u don't think I would suggest anyone elses boobies are like that !


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## Teoroy

Oh, I haven't seen this thread moving. Sorry ladies.
I also think bf messes up with ovulation. Does anyone know how many months before a potential IVF bf needs to be stopped? I don't think one would be enough. What do you think?


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## Betty M

I stopped a week before.  It was hard going cold turkey but trying to cut down gradually wasn't an option as she was only feeding at night.  A day would be enough as far as the docs are concerned!

betty


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## Teoroy

Oh, that sounds like great news!


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## cruelladeville

Janine...was going to say like 2 deflated balloons... 

I was just wondering today about how long before to give up.....Betty, how did your baby take it and how did you do it?  I just can't see how I'm ever going to stop as mine can't fall asleep any other way.


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## Teoroy

Have you thought about expressing milk and giving it from a bottle and gradually weaning the baby?


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## 69chick

My DS is also a 'milky boob kid'   - he belives they belong to him I'm sure he does!

Glad I found this thread, as this too is my dilemna; do you wean them off the boob to start tx again, to maybe regret it later! (Lister are in the no b/f camp).

OMG, its so hard, as I feel time is ticking on and running out! Its the only thing stopping us from going for more tx.

Lisa x


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## jrhh

Well ladies I have the same dilemma its horrid hey.

We have an appoint booked n=in a few weeks and I am still feeding and neither one of us is ready to stop. Guess I shall postpone it for a little while in a hope he will decide for me.

Its so unfair that we have to be in this situation hey.
 

Jacks x


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## janinec

yes i am still in this boat, have a booby baby and thats the only reason we havent had another icsi - and time is ticking on .....

like already said, dont want to force the wean issue, upset babs and regret it later.


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## tams

Hi
I know its not quite the same as I haven't had IVF (we were on the waiting list though as it took nearly 3 years for DS to arrive)!  Anyway - DS is a mega BF addict and I was quite concerned that this would stop me conceiving again.  We have got it down to just feeding at night though so I was hopeful I was ovulating again.  Well I have just got a BFP the first month we tried so am absolutely stunned.  Just wanted to give people still BF a bit of hope that it can all still be ok!
Tams x


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## Betty M

Bubblegum - it was 3 horrible nights and then she was fine on a bottle. DH had to do those 3 nights as I couldn't do it.  I suppose it is no worse than doing "crying it out" to sleep train a baby. I ought to do it with Z who is 19 months now as the b/f is really taking it out of me and the additional hormones are making me a cranky girl.

Betty


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