Has anyone successfully breastfed while on the combined pill?

[guendalina]

That's it really. I'm considering giving it a try and stopping it if it affects my supply too much. DS is 4 months old and I can't use the mini pill due to adverse skin reaction. Not that I have much desire for a bit of action with DH at the moment but I think he's getting a bit desperate!

There are other forms of contraception that you could consider. Not sure if it would have the same effect but you can use the injections or have a copper coil or Marina coil fitted.

there are 4 different families of mini-pill - do they all affect your skin? Alternatives are the implant, mirena coil, injection, etc

p.s. i dont think the combined pill is recommended before 6 months if breastfeeding:

www.patient.co.uk/doctor/Postpartum-Contraception.htm

I've previously tried Mirena, depo provera and cerazette and they all gave me horrendous acne that I had never experienced before! I think they're all progesterone based? I've never tried the other 3 mini pills but am reluctant to do so because it's unlikely they'd be any better. Ditto for non hormonal coil (due to bad press and risk of hectopic pregnancy). Condoms too much faff and am too scared of falling pregnant again if relying purely on those.
I've always been on the combined pill when not pregnant and it's worked well for me so ideally I would like to go back on it ASAP. GP is willing to prescribe a low dose estrogen pill and see how I get on. Is it a bad idea?

I've been lurking in the hope of finding out if it's ok to switch back to a combined pill once DC is past a certain age but can't get your link to work Seona (think the site is down?)

Did you happen to notice why it's ok/not ok? I.e. is it just a supply thing or are the hormones bad for the child?

Sorry for the thread hijack

I'm on it. DS is 3.5 (years) though, so a bit different. I've been on it over a year, I think.

It carries a risk of reducing milk supply, so they don't recommend it under 6 months or so as obviously they rely on breast milk then. After that it's your call, really. Most doctors seem happy to prescribe it after 6 months if you are aware it can reduce supply and are prepared for this possibility. My thoughts are that if your supply is established then it should be able to cope, mine did noticeably dip (Sounds weird but I could physically feel the milk being drawn through the milk ducts as though there were only droplets there) and since being on it, I've lost the ability to squirt milk but supply seemed back to normal within a few days. However, I wouldn't want to risk it at 4 months because they are so reliant on your milk for nutrition at that point.

There are no bad effects from the hormones; they are only synthetic versions of those produced in pregnancy anyway.

the family planning website says this:

If you are breastfeeding then it is usually recommended that you wait until the baby is six months old before starting the combined pill, the contraceptive vaginal ring or the contraceptive patch. These methods contain estrogen which may reduce the milk flow. If you feel there are no other suitable methods of contraception these methods can be considered from six weeks after the birth.

previous link seems to be working again. It says this:

For breast-feeding women:

There are concerns about hormonal effects on the quality and quantity of milk, passage of hormones to the infant and adverse effects on infant growth if COCPs are used in breast-feeding women before 6 months postpartum.

A recent systematic review did not show an adverse effect on infant growth or development.

However, WHO recommends that COCPs should not be used in the first 6 weeks postpartum and should only be used between 6 weeks and 6 months if other, more appropriate methods, are unacceptable.

Use in breast-feeding women before 6 months postpartum is outside product license.

I've researched the subject a lot and yes it seems to be purely a supply issue i.e. a small quantity of estrogen going into breast milk isn't a problem at all. That's why I'm interested in hearing RL experiences of how much supply has actually dipped.
bertie I take your point that at 4 months they're very reliant on mummy's milk so may not be wise to risk your supply but how is it different at 6 months? Solids don't really provide a lot of nutrition in the beginning so I don't understand why the 6 month mark?

I think they have a growth spurt around 4 months? Maybe get DH to hold out another 8 weeks then give it a try? Also, whilst neither exclusive bfing or condoms are brilliantly reliable forms of contraception, used in combination they should be easily on a par with at least the copper IUD.

Mind you my DH sulks like an overgrown teenager on the occasions I have forgotten my pill and we've had to fall back on condoms, which does somewhat kill the mood!

Good news for me though as DD is a strapping 2 year old so will be a bit more assertive with my GP next time and ask for my old combined pill again.

neverquitesure lol. My DH does that too