What's the deal with regards to BF/periods?

Mark&Annie · Nov 21st, 2009, 11:55 AM

On discharge my midwife briefly mentioned I may not get my periods back until I finish Breastfeeding. I totally forgot to ask my midwife last time I saw her what implications this has on fertility? Do I still need to use contraception?
If so, is the pill safe to be on when breastfeeding?

kateqpr · Nov 21st, 2009, 12:38 PM

You're pretty safe to not get pregnant if you're fully exclusively breast feeding, apparently. BUT not a guarantee so i would use protection unless you're happy to possibly get pregnant again!

Not sure about the pill. Would think probably not, but sorry not sure!

kateqpr · Nov 21st, 2009, 12:40 PM

Oh and i am only feeding Poppy twice a day, and only got a period last month,when she was 8 months old. Now not had a period again for six weeks, so have pretty much got away without having them since breastfeeding.

avabear73 · Nov 21st, 2009, 14:41 PM

I am exclusively BFing, Finlay is 18 weeks old, and this week the

visited me for the first time since I got pregnant. Ah well it was fun while it lasted.

You definitely need to use protection ... although you may read it is safe as contraception, it's not 100% by any means so unless getting pregnant would be OK for you, don't rely on it. I've read that it CAN BE as effective as the pill, but I've also met women who are now pregnant and were exclusively BFing when they fell pregnant ... so I'd err on the side of caution (but maybe that's just me!).

As for a method, talk to your doctor and explain that you're BFing, and they will help you find a BFing friendly type that suits.

Samantha675 · Nov 21st, 2009, 16:41 PM

Yes, use protection. It is better to be safe than sorry. I have just had my first period and my son is 18 months old. So you never know.

Mark&Annie · Nov 21st, 2009, 17:07 PM

Poooooop!!!

I'd enjoyed not worrying about contraception for so long now, was ttc for 7 months before we did, don't like it!!

Thanks guys, I can't afford to risk falling pregnant too soon, needs some planning!

Faerie · Nov 21st, 2009, 17:23 PM

Yeah, my mum fell pregnant with my 2nd oldest sister whilst breastfeeding - you'd have thought she'd know better, she was a nursery nurse. We've been using condoms. Think you can take the mini pill when bf but I don't want to mess around with that again after ttcing for so long last time.

I just got my first

today, that biatch!

Foogirl · Nov 21st, 2009, 17:50 PM

There are 13 months between my sister and I. Mum was BF.

My cycle returned within 5 weeks and I'm BF.

It is possible so if you're certain you dont want to get pregnant, you'd be best advised to use something.

I'm on Cerazette. There have been no probs at all.

Dani_b · Nov 22nd, 2009, 05:04 AM

i was fully bf DS and got pregnant at 4 months. so bf isnt a good contraceptive.

MelanieF · Nov 22nd, 2009, 05:33 AM

Breastfeeding CAN be effective contraception: But it all depends on "how" you breastfeed rather than "if" you breastfeed.... http://www.fhi.org/en/rh/pubs/factsh...astfeeding.htm - the prevalent western model of keeping mum and baby seperate apart from infrequent feeds is generally a very poor method of contraception! If you decide to use a contraceptive method which contains hormones (eg, pill, IUD) then it needs to be the minipill (progesterone only), not a oestrogen pill http://www.askdrsears.com/html/2/T028700.asp.

As to when your periods return - it varies from woman to woman, there's no clear cut guideline, but you can delay the return of periods by close contact nurture, slings, night feeds, and co-sleeping. Somehow these signal to the body that you're still too caught up in one baby to have another one yet.

Melanie

Nov 21st, 2009, 11:55 AM	#1
Mark&Annie Mum (Mom) Active BnB Member Join Date: Mar 2009 Location: Newcastle Posts: 972	What's the deal with regards to BF/periods? On discharge my midwife briefly mentioned I may not get my periods back until I finish Breastfeeding. I totally forgot to ask my midwife last time I saw her what implications this has on fertility? Do I still need to use contraception? If so, is the pill safe to be on when breastfeeding?

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Nov 21st, 2009, 12:38 PM	#2
kateqpr Pregnant (Expecting) Chat Happy BnB Member Join Date: Nov 2007 Location: West London Posts: 1,391	You're pretty safe to not get pregnant if you're fully exclusively breast feeding, apparently. BUT not a guarantee so i would use protection unless you're happy to possibly get pregnant again! Not sure about the pill. Would think probably not, but sorry not sure!

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Nov 21st, 2009, 12:40 PM	#3
kateqpr Pregnant (Expecting) Chat Happy BnB Member Join Date: Nov 2007 Location: West London Posts: 1,391	Oh and i am only feeding Poppy twice a day, and only got a period last month,when she was 8 months old. Now not had a period again for six weeks, so have pretty much got away without having them since breastfeeding.

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Nov 21st, 2009, 14:41 PM	#4
avabear73 Mum (Mom) Active BnB Member Join Date: Jan 2009 Location: Scotland Posts: 814	I am exclusively BFing, Finlay is 18 weeks old, and this week the visited me for the first time since I got pregnant. Ah well it was fun while it lasted. You definitely need to use protection ... although you may read it is safe as contraception, it's not 100% by any means so unless getting pregnant would be OK for you, don't rely on it. I've read that it CAN BE as effective as the pill, but I've also met women who are now pregnant and were exclusively BFing when they fell pregnant ... so I'd err on the side of caution (but maybe that's just me!). As for a method, talk to your doctor and explain that you're BFing, and they will help you find a BFing friendly type that suits.

Status: Offline

Nov 21st, 2009, 16:41 PM	#5
Samantha675 Pregnant (Expecting) BnB Addict Join Date: Sep 2007 Location: Austin Texas Posts: 8,123	Yes, use protection. It is better to be safe than sorry. I have just had my first period and my son is 18 months old. So you never know.

Status: Offline

Nov 21st, 2009, 17:07 PM	#6
Mark&Annie Mum (Mom) Active BnB Member Join Date: Mar 2009 Location: Newcastle Posts: 972	Poooooop!!! I'd enjoyed not worrying about contraception for so long now, was ttc for 7 months before we did, don't like it!! Thanks guys, I can't afford to risk falling pregnant too soon, needs some planning!

Status: Offline

Nov 21st, 2009, 17:23 PM	#7
Faerie Mum (Mom) BnB Addict Join Date: Apr 2008 Location: Alsace, France (and Basel, Switzerland) Posts: 5,527	Yeah, my mum fell pregnant with my 2nd oldest sister whilst breastfeeding - you'd have thought she'd know better, she was a nursery nurse. We've been using condoms. Think you can take the mini pill when bf but I don't want to mess around with that again after ttcing for so long last time. I just got my first today, that biatch!

Status: Offline

Nov 21st, 2009, 17:50 PM	#8
Foogirl Mum (Mom) BnB Addict Join Date: Jan 2009 Location: Falkirk, Scotland Posts: 4,606	There are 13 months between my sister and I. Mum was BF. My cycle returned within 5 weeks and I'm BF. It is possible so if you're certain you dont want to get pregnant, you'd be best advised to use something. I'm on Cerazette. There have been no probs at all.

Status: Offline

Nov 22nd, 2009, 05:04 AM	#9
Dani_b Mum (Mom) BnB Addict Join Date: Feb 2009 Location: Widnes cheshire uk Posts: 3,478	i was fully bf DS and got pregnant at 4 months. so bf isnt a good contraceptive.

Status: Offline

Nov 22nd, 2009, 05:33 AM	#10
MelanieF Mum (Mom) Active BnB Member Join Date: Nov 2009 Posts: 185	Breastfeeding CAN be effective contraception: But it all depends on "how" you breastfeed rather than "if" you breastfeed.... http://www.fhi.org/en/rh/pubs/factsh...astfeeding.htm - the prevalent western model of keeping mum and baby seperate apart from infrequent feeds is generally a very poor method of contraception! If you decide to use a contraceptive method which contains hormones (eg, pill, IUD) then it needs to be the minipill (progesterone only), not a oestrogen pill http://www.askdrsears.com/html/2/T028700.asp. As to when your periods return - it varies from woman to woman, there's no clear cut guideline, but you can delay the return of periods by close contact nurture, slings, night feeds, and co-sleeping. Somehow these signal to the body that you're still too caught up in one baby to have another one yet. Melanie

Status: Offline

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