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@rachiecakes: same happened to me. Got pregnant and didn't know it. The only reason I was suspicious is because I stopped losing weight, haha.

@anonysquire: if is just an offer, but if you need reassurance or a "2nd opinion", you can wall me a pic? I can walk you one of me at 2m pp too. At least then, maybe you'll have a realistic idea. I know how mind games work. We will never be happy with ourselves if we listens to those voices

@anonysquire: I plateaued from about 6 weeks until 4 months, then lost a lot more quite quickly. Then another plateau. Dropped more around 9 months.

@anonysquire: you look great, by the way. Don't be so hard on yourself!

@anonysquire: curious, but what does your husband want? What is his ideal family spacing?

@anonysquire: the greatest amount of weight loss while breastfeeding usually happens between 3 and 6 months pp! That was very true for me. You look great though, btw!! and I personally couldn't imagine having a newborn and a young toddler, but people do it and survive and love it, so whatever you feel is best!

I'd wait- my pregnancies were sooooo different, my first I had morning sickness through my third trimester and a ton of complications. My second is easy as pie. Just because you had one experience doesn't mean subsequent pregnancies will be like that. I can't imagine if I had a newborn while going through my first pregnancy. I had to give up breastfeeding my first when I was pregnant with my second, since my supply was tanking and my nipples were sensitive.

I got pregnant when my LO was a year old. Being pregnant with a toddler isn't too bad because she is more independant, she can feed herself, pick up her own toys, play by herself etc. she also sleeps through the night, which is nice since I get exhausted pretty easily.

Just my 2 cents: It didn't even hit me the toll that pregnancy, childbirth, breastfeeding, and caring for a baby took on my body and my mind until 6 months PP. I also had a relatively easy pregnancy and birth, and remember those early days of elation. I would want my body to recover so baby #2 could have all the best just like #1, in utero and out! I've heard a lot of recommendations, from the WHO and other organizations, to wait 18 months between pregnancies.

yay TTC #2! have you gotten your period back?
having babies close together is rough, but it's fun too!
good luck!

@MoonMoon: this sounds exactly like me and my experience. I gained weight during breast feeding and hated my body for quite a few months. With sleep training at 6 months and healing from my tears, life got more normal. I've been on WW since last June to get down to a healthy weight. I'm happier now than I was before sleep training and the excess weight I was carrying. I feel like I'm healed 19 months pp to consider pregnancy and newborns again.

@cascademom: I'm glad you're feeling better and back to your old self!

Out of curiosity, how old are you and how many LOs do you want to have?

I think you should very seriously research the dangers of back to back pregnancies.... I know people do it, but it carries far more risks than I think people are aware of, both immediate and long-term.

I got baby fever when C was about 6 weeks old and I wanted to get pregnant right away. I am so, so, so, so glad I didn't.

Probably not what you wanted to hear, but that's what I have to say.

@anonysquire: i feel ya, lady. my kids are 16.5 months apart and I LOVE it. they're so much fun. LO2 is 3 months, and i would happily ditch the BC now (which, honestly we're not even being that careful about right now!), if I wasn't so determined to EBF LO2 until 12 months. my supply tanked right when I got my BFP, and stopped all together at the end of my 1st tri. something to think about if you're set on EBFing I guess

as for the weight thing, i wouldn't worry about it. i think you look amazing already. there's no rule that says you can't work out and get fit while KU anyway. it might be harder, but not impossible, right? so basically my vote: do whatever feels right!

@anonysquire: if you want to try go for it. I wanted to truly enjoy the newborn/first year with each of mine before actively trying for another. Not everyone loses weight while BF. My body seems to think when I'm BF that it can't let even an ounce of weight go so I never lost anything and was jealous of those who do.

Heck, I say if you want it, go for it! There are plenty of moms who have Irish twins and love it! My mom and her sister were 13 months apart - my Granny kept pushing em out for a couple more years!

I'm up 30 pounds with pregnancy #2, and the weight isn't a huge issue for me. Yeah, I wish I had less weight = less pressure on my body, but I couldn't wait any longer. Plus, no guarantees you'll get pregnant right away, so it might not even be an issue. I know a lot of people have trouble getting pregnant while breastfeeding, so you could be looking at 5+ months.

If you want babies close in age (or want to hurry up and be done having all your babies - that's where I am right now!), then that's what you want

Coming from someone who actually has kids 13.5 months apart, there are definite pros and cons either way.

Yes, it was easier for me to be newly pregnant with a fairly young baby. He still napped 3 times a day and I'd nap with him when I was exhausted in the first tri. He was just barely starting solids so his meals were easy (purees)- on the days I was feeling really sick I didn't have to worry about preparing him food. Yes, I love how close together my kids are. Elliot was young enough when Emery was born that I don't think he really understood to be jealous. He adapted quickly to having her here and he ADORES her.

But....being pregnant with a young toddler who was old enough to want to be independent but too young to communicate well was very very challenging. The end of my pregnancy was very difficult because he didn't understand (obviously) why I couldn't play with him on the floor, etc. I had a LOT of mommy guilt about it. I kind of wish that I could've enjoyed those early toddler days more instead of just being pregnant and miserable.

I also had my hard baby first. Elliot was very difficult and if Emery was the same way that he was I'm pretty sure I wouldn't be surviving right now. Luckily she's the easier baby. But every baby is different and even though your first is easy that does not guarantee that your second will be easy and you never know how challenging of a toddler #1 will be (and you'd be potentially dealing with those challenges while caring for a newborn).

@anonysquire: I know my situation is different since I never had only one child, but I wanted to weigh in with my 2 cents. I would advise to give yourself until Z is at least 3 months old to decide when to start TTC. The first few weeks in some ways are a lot easier because they haven't really "woken up" yet, even though they may be waking up a lot more at night still. Babies change soo much the first 3 months, and that will give you time to get settled in, really establish your supply for BF, give your body a chance to thoroughly heal, and frankly, to just bask in the beauty of your little girl! Even though your first pregnancy was smooth, your next one might be a little rougher, and it would be so nice to have at least a couple months just enjoying the wonder of being a mama! You're 25, and you can have a lotta babies in the next 10-15 years even if you give yourself 3 months after each pregnancy. I'm 32, and we think we want 4 kids, so I get the idea that when you want several kids you can feel time pressure even when others tell you that you "have time." Not to get all cliche, however, but they grow up so insanely fast and you'll want to remember every second of her tiny days!

Now, that said, I LOVE having my two littles. I love, love, love watching them as they start to notice each other and interact. Sibling love is just the best thing in the world. Having 2 under 1 (now under 2) is really challenging, but you get twice the giggles, twice the slobbery kisses, twice the joy in watching them discover new things. If I had only one the first time, I think I would have been ready around 8-10 months to try for another.

At the end of the day, we can all weigh in and tell you our opinion, but you have to go with your heart and do what's right for Z, you, and your DH! Enjoy those newborn snuggles. I miss them!

ETA: Plus, you might get twins next time and have 3 under 1!

We started TTC when LO was a little over a year. I was still breastfeeding and wasn't fertile yet so it was kind of frustrating thinking we were TTC but there was just no way it was going to happen since I wasn't having my period. We ended up getting pregnant 6 months later (so I haven't had my period in a really long time) but I'd rather have waited when I knew fertility was returning then mentally going through a bunch of negatives pregnancy tests.

There are some risks to pregnancies that close together, both for you and for the baby. Read more here:

http://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-living/getting-pregnant/in-depth/family-planning/art-20044072