Conceiving at 38 - Mount Horeb,WI

My vote would be that breastfeeding is still the issue at hand. We conceived #1 in two cycles when I was 27. We conceived #2 in two months when I was 29. I miscarried, we waited until my cycles resumed normalcy, then conceived #3 in 2 months. Because I've always struggled with anxiety, and breastfeeding drastically reduces my anxiety, I thought I'd try to breastfeed while pregnant. After 8 months of trying, I weaned the "baby" at 33 and got pregnant the very first month I was completely done breastfeeding. I had had my period since one month postpartum (in spite of exclusive breastfeeding and fewer than 10 pumped bottles in his lifetime). My doctor calls me the poster child for breastfeeding-as-birth-control, as my "baby" was 2 1/2 by the time I finally weaned him.

Oh--and yes, for ANY woman, not just an older one, the likelihood of miscarriage goes down dramatically once a heartbeat has been heard, typically at a 12 week appointment.

There does come a time when our body or some other force bigger than we are decides we don't need more children.
It might take a little more convincing to your uterus nowadays, but keep trying by all means... it will either happen or it won't. You'll have fun trying.

Breastfeeding can act somewhat as birthcontrol so that makes it harder to get pregnant along with your age(maybe) i know woman in their 30s who didnt have a hard time getting pregnant at all, i think everyone is different. You and your husband should agree though, if you dont want another one or just want to wait a little longer you should talk to him about it.

It can be more difficult to become pregnant as we age. I conceived (quite easily) and gave birth at age 37.. However, thereafter, when trying for a second, I wasn't quite as fortunate in that I couldn't seem to get pregnant... Eventually, I got over it and feel content with just one. I will add that my pregnancy went well and my son was/is completely healthy. I too have read that book, so bear in mind.. getting pregnant is one thing, but due to more "Active" hormonal changes, sometimes keeping the pregnancy is even tougher...
my best advice, keep trying.. do what the author says and know that 38 is NOT old.. In fact, I am now 48.. so 38 seems young to me. remember, it's all a matter of perspective.. :) I never told anyone else I was trying for a second child because I didn't want to hear all the reasons why I shouldn't. Also, I found that some doctors weren't too keen on the idea. ALthough., I like to believe that there are really supportive PRO older women doctors. definitely find one , I think it helps a lot. Also, have you had your hormones tested? Truly (as that book will indicate) it does help to know your starting point... I would also get yours husband's... Hey, might as well know EXACTLY what is going on from the get go..

good luck to you on your journey!!

I got pregnant in my mid 40's by surprise. Stranger things have happened! I know plenty of women who have babies naturally in their 40's. If you ask people your grandmother's age, PLENTY of them had their last child quite old - before there was birth control.

Meh...I delivered at 39. Totally normal & uneventful pregnancy.
You're born with all of the eggs you ever have, so every egg is as old as you are when it's released.
I got pregnant right away. No problems. No testing. No issues.
You need to make the right decision for YOU.
Might be a good time to start talking to your doc and stop listening to your "friends"?
I always figured that other people's opinions about MY reproduction decisions are only important if they're raising my kids! LOL

I'm only 30, but i can tell you in 1981, my mom had me at 39 with no problems. i was in the incubator, but that was just so they could watch me carefully because of my mom's age. i was a c-section. i am healthy now (except for type 1 diabetes, which i didn't get from my mom's gestational age!). in fact, i was healthier than my brother, who's 16 years older than i - i didn't get sick until i was 3yo. my mom had no trouble breastfeeding me, but at 28 i was almost totally dry and couldn't bf my son. so it just varies! my mom passed away last year, though, and so keep in mind - your age as your children age will be very different. the generational difference definitely had both positive and negative effects on my upbringing. but my mom was cool and my dad still is, and will be 70 in august. so take all this into consideration, and i'm sorry i don't know more about bf'in g.

We conceived our daughter (child #2) when I was 39 and I had her at age 40. It actually took less time (5 months) to get her started than our son, who took 9 months to get started when I was 36. So much of conception is just chance and lots of factors coming together. Don't stress and go at the pace which works for you.

Part of it's genetic - meaning your fertility might possibly follow similar patterns with other women in your family.
Do you have any other mothers in your family that gave birth on the older side?
Some womens eggs age and give out sooner than others.
Some women CAN get pregnant at 40 while others CAN''T.
So if you are open to having another child, start trying now - it might take longer, or it might not happen, or you might get pregnant right away.
We've got no way of knowing what fertility is like in your family.

I am ttc at 36 and it has not been easy, so I would start now.