Getting Pregnant While Breastfeeding
If breastfeeding is a viable contraception why do so many women find that they are getting pregnant while breastfeeding?
Well, numerous studies conducted in various countries have shown that to use breastfeeding as contraception three main criteria must be met.
• You must be fully or exclusively breastfeeding. This means that your baby is not being fed any water, formula, or any other breast milk substitute, your baby drinks directly from your breast for every feed, does not use a dummy, and is allowed as much access to the breast as he or she wants, 24 hours a day.
• Your baby is under 6 months old.
• Your menstrual period hasn't started. It's normal to bleed for up to 56 days after birth, this bleeding is not considered to be a menstrual period.
If these criteria are met then breastfeeding as contraception should be about 98% effective. This method of contraception is called the Lactational Amenorrhea Method or LAM.
Any change in hormone can affect the taste and supply of your milk. So sometimes a good sign of your period returning can be a slight drop in milk supply, or your baby temporarily refusing your breast.
In fact sometimes –and this is not true for everyone– if your period returns early, say within the first 2–3 months after birth, it may be an indication that your milk supply is low.
Be aware that if you start expressing breast milk consistently, even though your baby may still only be drinking your breast milk, it may cause you to start ovulating.
It's slight changes such as these –that can be easily overlooked– which can lead to getting pregnant while breastfeeding. So it may be best to speak to your doctor about other methods of contraception just to be on the safe side.
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