Is breastfeeding an effective contraceptive?!

[Annie75]

Don't mean to sound stupid, but reading in Caroline Deacon's book and it says that scientific studies show it offers same protection as mainstream contraception if you breastfeed exclusively at least every six hours.

Anyone relied on this method? I'm feeding at least every 4 hours - often more - and would prefer a natural method if it works!

wouldnt risk it myself. my periods returned within 8 weeks even though i was bf every 4 hours ish. so this i guess meant ovulation. we (i think i read) are so well nourished etc that it is not an effective method in modern society.

It's not foolproof - a friend of my Mum's had 2 children 10 months apart as a result of relying on bf. And if you miss one feed you could ovulate, which means that if you had sex the night before you could get pg.

No, it's not.

Ovulation can restart at any time - and you won't know about it until your period arrives (or until you get that little blue line on a pregnancy test).

I got pg whilst bfing every 6 hours However, my periods had returned after about 12 weeks. With DS2 my periods still haven't come back after nearly 15 months I wouldn't risk it if getting pg again would be the end of the world.

As far as I understand you can still ovulate without having a period. So it's easy to think you are safe when bf but may well not be.

If you don't want to get pg again yet, I would use other contraceptive just in case.

I think the pill can affect the taste of your milk, and some babies are put off by this.

I found the still healing tear from childbirth and sleep deprivation pretty good contraception in the early months !!

Oh bum - how disappointing. I thought that was the solution when I read about it! So when do periods come back on average?

Isn't it rubbish that the mini pill, condoms or coil are our only options? why haven't they devised a male pill! I don't much fancy having more hormones in my body when I'm bf.

Thanks for the speedy replies

I was feeding my eight week old every 2 /3 hours and still my period returned.

I know a baby who is the result of the bf contraceptive method. 12 months difference in age.

I've never read "at least every six hours".

I have read (in TCOYF, I think) IF bf at least every two hours (I think you may be allowed a couple of four-hour stretches at night) AND no periods AND no changes to your cervical secretions AND nothing else (formula, water, solids) passes your baby's lips then it's around 95% effective. But that's a LOT of breastfeeding, to be sure you never go more than two hours. And it sounds as though you're not bf that often yourself.

Annie75, would you trust a bloke to take the pill ?

My friend who found herself pregnant again just 12 weeks after giving birth to her first child would probably say no, breastfeeding is not an effective contraceptive.

I think that in many ways it's easier when your periods do return as you then know your 'safe' times! Trouble with the bfing method is that you will obviously ovulate BEFORE your first period although you can often tell with discharge etc.

TBH we use condoms as sex is a rarity with 2 DDs and sleepless nights. My periods came back at 4 months first time and then about 9 months this time. We use condoms at fertile times and chance it at others.

Mind you, those broody hormones are rearing their ugly head even tho I'm still bfing at 18 months!!!

No. I know at least two ladies who had 2 babies within a year due to relying on this!

No ! (and have a dd to prove it!)

Actually, the Lactational Amenorrhea method as it's known, can be up to 98% effective, but there are very strict 'rules' about when it is no longer effective. More info here

NO!!!! Get down to that chemist pronto...

I've conceived 3 times while bf - after having my periods back, admittedly, but was certainly bf more than 6 hours - more like every 2 or 3, including a couple of times at night.

On purpose Berol???

NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO! don't believe everything you read. DH has numerous patients that would whole heartedly agree.

Thanks for the link, DaisyMoo. Downright scary the number of you conceiving while bf! Hmm, possibly not as reliable as I thought then ...

So why/when would my period return? I thought it would just come back after x number of weeks - but does that depend on whether I bf?

I would like to point out that once your periods do return, depending on your cycle is not a madly good idea either.

As DD1 will testify.

I'm due in just over 3 weeks with DC2 after BFing exclusively with DD.
I never had a period between having DD and getting pregnant either.
Only good thing about using BFing as a contraceptive for me was it saved me a fortune in tampax

Annie75 - I have recently read a book called "Breastfeeding and Natural Child Spacing" which addresses the breastfeeding as contraception idea. It's by Sheila Matgen Kippley ISBN0-926412-20-5

There are some interesting ideas in it and it's worth a read if you want to learn some more about it.

i got pg when bf twice a day first month we were trying for our second child and my mum got pg with my sister when still bf me but that was when she was bf me at 9 mths so neither were around the clock bf. My periods came back when lo was 8 mths old and pretty much bf every 2 hours with solids. I did not trust that it could be effective contraception from day one so we used condoms until wanted to try for another one.

My ds is 11 weeks old, I haven't had a period since he was born, and I'm still breastfeeding (although not exclusively, as I'm combining breast & bottle feeding).
Currently using condoms, but one split earlier today, and we didn't find out 'til it was too late.
Should I take the morning-after pill? Is it safe to take it while still breastfeeding?

Hmmm
I think every 3 hrs it is
put it this way
I got my period back at 6 mths - was feeding exclusively 8 x round the clock.
on mth 7 when ds went 6 hrs at night we had unprotected se once on day after period finished
And I got pregnant.
I later miscarried but to your question
No it is not!