Is it possible to get pregnant whilst breastfeeding?

[livelifefortoday38]

I have a lovely baby of six weeks old and I'm keen to have another baby, is it possible to get pregnant whilst breast feeding and does anyone have any first hand experience of this?

Looking forward to hearing your stories..... Many thanks!

[AddictedToSausageRolls]

Yes! My best friend did when her first baby was just 4 months old. Quite a shock! It’s a myth that you can’t!

[MrSlant]

It is very possible even if you are exclusively BF. Whilst it can stop your periods you can also be fertile before you get your first period after you've given birth. Just watch out, I can only say anecdotally, but there seems to be a window after you have given birth where you desperately want to be pregnant again and about 4 weeks later it seems like the most stupid idea in the history of ideas. Have a really long think about a newborn and a one year old, it's an awful lot of work. Also think about falling pregnant now and ending up with two children in the same school year, it's not fun for them (friend with this issue.)

Then again a newborn and a two year old is hard work. As is a newborn and a three, four and five year old so if it's what you want crack on. Just remember how tired you feel the first couple of months of pregnancy.

[CountDuckulaTheSqueaky]

Yes, I did.

[GilligansKitchenIsland]

Yes! You're very fertile after you give birth. EBFing reduces this somewhat but it definitely doesn't constitute a reliable contraceptive. I'm a midwife and we see many, many women who are pregnant again in the months after having a baby because they though EBFing would stop them getting pregnant again.

[sphinxster]

That's what my mum thought. My sis and I are 12 months apart. Obviously I was a happy accident.

[iMatter]

Yes.

I have a 12 month gap between my 2.

Ds1 was exclusively bf and still feeding every 3 hours when I fell pg with ds2

[livelifefortoday38]

Please forgive my naivety.....If you don't have a bleed, presumably your not ovulating. And how are you meant to know your pregnant if somehow you have ovulated and bingo!

[DipsyLaLa22]

You ovulate before a bleed, so when your first period arrives, you’ve already ovulated.

[NSEA]

Yes!

[Elmersnewfriend]

Yes very much so... even if your first baby was hard to conceive!

[BowlingShoes]

Yup, according to my DM who had me and my brother 11.5 months apart.

[happymumof4crazykids]

Yes I did!

[ownedbySWD]

Please read Taking Charge of your Fertility. Excellent book that explains cycles very clearly.

I fell pregnant at 8 months pp. But with subsequent DC, I didn't have a period until 2 years+ pp, and wasn't fertile for another few months after that. Every situation is different.

[Roxx1516]

I got pregnant when my son was 3 months old!! 🙈 It was so hard having a 12 month old and a 1 Day old Im boy going to lie. But well worth it in the end 💙

[TerrifyingFeistyCupcake]

Yes it's possible, and for some people quite quickly too, but for many fertility doesn't return until a bit later. Mine returned, apparently to normal, at 9 months pp when solids consumption went up and volume of milk going in went down.

You should always use contraception while bf if getting pregnant again would be a problem. It's very hard work on your body to be pregnant and breastfeeding a young baby and your supply tends to drop when you get pregnant so it can also require the introduction of top-ups.

Good luck whatever you decide, although I personally might suggest giving it at least another month or so to be sure before you take too many risks

[Roxx1516]

I'm NOT **

[RandomMess]

My periods returned 6 weeks after giving birth despite exclusive breast feeding of huge babies I was hoping for a break from them!

[Limbolady]

Errr. Yes. I’m was still breastfeeding my 16 month old and hadn’t had a single period since giving birth. I’m now 12 weeks pregnant with a surprise baby number three!

[MrsPandaBear]

Up until 6 months I think is difficult to get pregnant when breastfeeding, as long as you are EBF (no solids or formula), your period hasn't returned, and your baby doesn't sleep through (ie feeds something like every 4 hours). We got a leaflet from the hospital about it, the information here looks similar www.optionsforsexualhealth.org/birth-control-pregnancy/birth-control-options/natural-methods/lam - it's appatently something like 98% effective.

I got pregnant when breastfeeding when DS was 12 months, my periods came back at 10 months as he started eating more solid food. I think that's a common time for them to return, lots of my friends got theirs back at a similar age.

[Roxx1516]

It's the hardest thing I have ever done and looking after a 12 month old and newborn was exhausting especially in the nights, and being pregnant that close together really took it toll on my body, I wouldn't advise you get pregnant that quick, if I could go back I'd of waited atleast a year! And I got pregnant with my first period since giving birth. I was extremely anaemic though with 2nd pregnancy its was awful. Do have a think about how you would cope with children sooo close together though because it's physically and mentally draining! Like I said it's worth it now because my children are older but back then it was so so stressful and I didn't think I'd ever get through it. Good luck though x

[AdoraBell]

Yes. Not me but a mum I met with twins. Her twins where 8 months younger than her first baby. Her mother had told her that she couldn’t get pregnant whilst breast feeding.

[C8H10N4O2]

If you don't have a bleed, presumably your not ovulating.

You may be caught on your first ovulation . However it can be tricky to date reliably.

Honestly - give yourself a bit more time. My advice in this situation is always "Enjoy the baby you have for now, take precautions and think again in a few months". Its hard going having two pregnancies close together even if you want another child. I don't just mean hard on you, it can be tough for the first baby if the second needs a lot of care or doesn't sleep or is a multiple!

[DramaAlpaca]

I did

It was a bit of a shock after taking almost a year to conceive DC1, but a nice shock.

[RandomMess]

I have 14 months between my middle two (planned but fell pregnant first night we tried I reckon). It was tough on my body but it’s my favourite age gap they are teens now.

Positive bits are they had more in common than the more typical 2-3 age gap.

[TeachesOfPeaches]

When I gave birth the hospital made it VERY clear that yes you can get pregnant when breastfeeding so to be careful as they didn't want to see me again next year. Babies born within 12m of each other are sometimes referred to as 'Irish twins'.

My boss got pregnant when she had a 4m old and said it was the hardest thing she has ever done and wished she had more of a gap.