amitymamaThe Attachment Parenting Community

laotamama · 03-22-2006, 08:11 PM

I'm TTC and am not ovulating due to higher than normal testosterone levels. They say it's b/c I'm still bf-ing. DO youknow of any ways to get my estrpgen levels up naturally, other than weaning?

THanks

thea · 03-22-2006, 08:44 PM

I've never heard of bfing raising testosterone levels. Prolactin, yes, and that can also inhibit ovulation, but if it's testosterone then it's probably not caused by breastfeeding.
At any rate, how often are you nursing? For some mamas night-weaning can help.

Sabra · 03-23-2006, 02:27 AM

Oh goodness, nursing doesn't raise testosterone! Whoever told you that is a dolt. One of the main reasons women with PCOS often have a very hard time nursing is because of their elevated testosterone levels; it inhibits milk production. In other words, it is very unlikely that you'd be producing milk if your testosterone levels were that high!

How do you know you're not ovulating? Is it possible you're misinterpreting things & the eggies are sort of sneaking past you?

mum2conor · 03-23-2006, 10:13 AM

I agree, high testosteron is usually pcos. BF can inhibit ovulation too, but for different reasons and it can make your cycles unpredictable too.

laotamama · 03-25-2006, 11:12 PM

My testoserone is higher than normal. My Ob claims it's from the breastfeeding. I hadn't known this was all that unusual. I get the whole prolactin thing....

Her exact words were " maybe you are ovulating but we can't tell with the 21 day progesterone test, and due to the BF your tesosterone levels are high".

My understanding is that all of these hormones work in conjunciton with one another without the absence of testosterone.