breastfeeding and pregnancy

I have a question about getting pregnant and breastfeeding - Can you get pregnant while breastfeeding? My doctor says that "it is very unlikely if you are exclusively breastfeeding", and recommended that i come back in a couple months (my baby is only 2 months) to figure out birth control. Meanwhile, my friend who just had a baby last week's midwife told her to get on birth control right away because there is still the same amount of chance of getting pregnant even while breastfeeding. So now I am confused - does anyone know more about this subject than me who could help me?

 

I got pregnant while breastfeeding. Though I've been told it is harder it still happens. My son was 3, almost 4 months old. I guess your husband just needs steel sperm or something, lol.

 

ya you can definatly get pregnant while nursing

alot of woman are just naturally fertile
the birth control that they put you on is really low in estragan
so you still should be real careful

 

You can totally get pregnant when breastfeeding...its supposed to be harder b/c your body doesnt want to feed more thanone child at a time but it happens my friend second child was convieced before her 6 weeks check up with her first

Get the Mini pill that is pretty much all a breastfeeding mothr can take...
GOOD LUCK

 

It depends. Womyn who are "Ecologically Breastfeeding" and have not yet menstruated have an exceedingly low rate of pregnancy. Almost nil.

What is "ecological breastfeeding?" A baby who has total, unrestricted access to the breast at any and all time,night and day, the baby is not using a pacifier, ANY type of bottlefeeding appliance at all (and this incliues "breastmilk in a bottle"), There is little to no mother baby separation, the baby wakes at least once or twice during the night, and does not go more than two or three hours, tops, without nursing daytimes, AND the mother has not yet menstruated.

If any of these parameters are breached, you are not Ecologically Breastfeeding, and ovulation can occur.(But if you are breastfeeding full time and not supplementing, it probably won't.) I ecologically breastfed all my children except my first child (who had a few bottles, because I was ignorant of how the human breast worked and thought her fussiness meant I "didn't have enough milk." She did BF, and did so for quite a while, but it was not "ecological") I didn't really worry about BC until I menstruated, and didn''t get pregnant until then. And my dh and I are very fertile.

In my practice,(I am a Board Certified Lactation Consultant) almost without exception, all of the womyn who get pregnant while nursing are not Night nursing, are using pacifiers and or bottles, have gone back to work (and thus are disconnected from their babies for hours and hours at a time) or are simply "token breastfeeding" (Meaning bottle feeding with an occasional "breastfeed" thrown in.) I have seen a small number of womyn with a large amount of body fat, and some very young mothers (usually under the age of 21) who seem to be Ecologically Breastfeeding get pregnant before their first period, but this is due to the very high estrogen levels in these womyn, and it is rare, even in them.

DON'T start ANY type of hormonal birth control immediately after birth, or at any time before your first period. Some womyn can and DO have problems with milk supply even with the progestin only "mini pill" and it can be avoided by either using Natural Family Planning or a barrier method until you get your period (in normal situations, this occurs, during breastfeedng between 12 and 24 months.) There is NOTHING wrong with barrier methods, it won't mess up your body, and they are just as effective as the Pill if used correctly.

Actually ANY estrogen used while breastfeeding will adversely effect milk supply. The pill that is often given to breastfeeding mothers (and hopefully, not until she has naturally menstuated) is devoid of ANY estrogen and contains ONLY progesterone.

 

Use a condom and some Astroglide. I've seen too many xclusively breastfeeding, co-sleeping Mamas come in for a six week postpartum check up pregnant again, or get pregnant a few months after birth. DO NOT use hormonal BC, it interferes with milk supply and can cause PP depression and other hormonal issues.

 

Maggie - You mentioned natural family planning, so maybe you could recommend a good book or website. My husband and I do not believe in birth control, in the sense of barriers and hormones, but instead feel that natural family planning would help be able to control time frames somewhat - we want to get pregnant again, but hopefully not with a 2 month old. My doctor said because often you ovulate before menstruating, so NFP is something to start AFTER your first period, and use condoms before then. When I told him we don't believe in condoms, he said to abstain from sex. I'm not saying that I think he's wrong, but, I'm hoping there are other alternatives. If not, I guess we'll just take our chances