I'm exclusively breastfeeding my 5 month old and my cycle came back at 3 months. Does anyone know if you're less likely to get prego while BF because you don't ovulate, or are there other reasons you are less fertile? In other-words, if your cycle is back, are you totally fertile as if you weren't BF? We've been meaning to use condoms but in the moment when my husband asked if he could ....you know, I answered "not unless you want another baby!". He took that as a yes. Now I'm on pins and needles.
I got the answer i needed from Kellymom.com. Even if your cycle is back, you don't necessarily ovulate. A third child would be no means a tragedy. It would however break my heart to cut short our mommy baby time. I'm a terrible pregnant person and would feel awful for my two little girls to suffer thought 9 months of a sick and tired mom. My husband is itching for #3 but feels terrible at my reaction to our "miscommunication". I'm not keeping track but I'd say I'm in the grey zone for being late. Don't think I can deal with a positive pregnancy test this week, I'll deal with it next week if I have to.
I got pregnant twice.... while breastfeeding.
One ended up a miscarriage, at 6 weeks.
The 2nd time was... well I have my son now.
BUT... we planned to get pregnant.
Breastfeeding as you know, is not birth control.
Just so you know, the pull out method works as well as a condom with a hole in it. So, have him wear the condom before anything starts. And sit down together and talk about family planning... not while in the moment ;)
And yes, you can get pregnant while breastfeeding, it's less likely, but it happens all the time.
You can still get pregnant while breastfeeding. You still ovulate unless you are taking the mini-pill etc.
Well, I'm not sure where the info from Kellymom came from, but it is dead wrong. The hormones produced when your body is maturing an egg in preparation for release are what causes your endometrium (uterine lining) to thicken. An egg is released. If it is not firtilized and implanted within a certain amount of time, the lining is shed...IE: Your period. It is all included in "your cycle." The only time you will have a period without releasing an egg is when on hormonal BC, and again, it is a synthetic hormone which "tricks" your body into thinking it has ovulated, continuing the cycle.
If you are not wanting another pregnancy at this time, you really need to evaluate your methods. My 3rd child was 9 months old and my cycle had not even returned yet. Even not having my cycle yet, I was on Micronor (mini-pill) because I was still EXCLUSIVELY breastfeeding. On top of that, we were faithful with the "pull and pray" method. Guess what...my fourth child was born a week before my third turned 18 months :)
This is how my husband and his ex-wife ended up pregnant with #2, 5 months after having #1 (and she was breastfeeding too) - he swears he can remember the moment too when she said something about putting on a condom and he said, "Eh, it'll be fine!"
You can pregnant while B.F BEFORE you get a period! There is always always a chance! Its crazy how uninformed we are as mothers. Theres so much mixed info out there. Classic example is the show 19 kids and counting, she breastfed everyone of those kids, enough said.
If you got your cycle back you are DEFINATELY ovulating
you can get pregnant. it happened to me while nursing. mine are only 11mos apart ;) and I never had a period. So, I'm sure you are fertile.
You actually ovulate 2 weeks BEFORE you get your period... SO you can get preggers without even knowing it was happening... Better safe than sorry!
my understanding is that once you get your period back you can get pregnant! So I would be careful unless you want to have another one!! I got pregnant 2X while breast feeding, it is possible!
Hi Birdie,
My second was conceived while exclusively nursing the first, and the third was conceived while exclusively nusing the second.
They DO say it makes it HARDER to get pregnant, but clearly not impossible.
No sense frettin' until you take a test, right?
:)
You can ALWAYS get pregnant. If you're not ready for another, definitely use protection. Breastfeeding and using the "rhythm method" may help reduce your chances, but they are certainly not guarantees.
Good luck
K.
http://oc.citymommy.com - where OC moms connect!
Yes! YOU CAN GET PREGNANT WHILE BREAST FEEDING.. With a cycle and without a cycle.. It happens all of the time..
If you do not want to get pregnant, use protection. If you are not sure of what kind to use, speak with your doctor or pharmacist..
Well, I was breastfeeding my baby and only had one cycle when she was 3 months old- I am expecting in feb- they will be 13 months apart! I thought there was no way I was pregnant! wrong! At least they will be good friends!
~C.
i know its harder to get pregnant while breastfeeding, its kindof your bodys way of not giving you more than you can handle lol.
yes if you are having your period then you are ovulating! That is what a period is....the egg getting flushed out because it wasn't fertilized. The only reason people us BF as a form of birth control is cause in lots of women they don't ovulate while BF and therefore don't get their period. Like me with my first baby it took 12 months before I got my period and with my second she was 14 months when I got mine back. So for me it works but if are having a period then you have just as good of a chance of getting pregnant as anyone who isn't nursing a baby. So yeah use protection.
well you are less likely to get prego because all the things about BF that essentially make you not ovulate. if you ovulate even under BF hormonal conditions you can EASILY conceive. So yes, its just the ovulation. Sometimes women conceive on birth control pills just by missing one pill, they still have hormones but they OVULATE. Once you ovulate, can happen with same probability. If you have your cycle you can get pregnant and if you dont want to, consider condoms or a copper IUD which is totally safe removeable and doesnt interfere at all with breastfeeding
in general you cannot get pregnant until you have your period.. but you generaly ovulate before you get that first period after the baby is born.
so it is possible.. my son was conceived while I was exclusively breastfeedng.. breastfeeding is not birhtcontrol.
I know a lot of people who got prego while breastfeeding. My So and I used the pull out method for a while and then I got pregnant with my 4 year old, so that dosn't always work.
Yes, you can absolutely get pregnant, even if you aren't getting your period. If you aren't ready for another kid, you need birth control!
Heck yeah - I have a friend that is SEVEN MONTHS younger than her sister. Her mom got pregnant again within a month of having her older sister and she was born several months early!
Beware however - it takes a while for a mother's body to bounce back from pregnancy. My friend was born with deformed hips due to the lack of folic acid in the mother.
BFing IS as effective as the pill IF you are exclusively nursing at LEAST every 2 hours around the clock with no supplementing of bottles. This 2 hours rule usually is gone by 3 months old as most babies will start to go longer stretches here and there.
You can always get pregos!
If your cycle is back you are more than likely ovulating. If you are sure you do not want another child, I would go ask the pharmacist for Plan B, but talk to your doctor, you may have to supplement with formula after the medication. Remember, it is most effective the sooner you take it, but can be taken up to 72hours after sex.
