Exclusively breastfeeding but still ovulating?

[ManCubsMama]

I am exclusively breastfeeding my 8 week old baby but I’ve noticed EWCM when wiping.

I am yet to have a period since giving birth.

He has mostly slept through the night since pretty early on. I am including this detail as I previously read that it’s specifically the night feeds that keep you from getting periods when BF - not sure how accurate that is.

Any ideas?

Currently not using contraception as exclusively breastfeeding and not having tonnes of sex anyway (withdrawal method when we do!)

You do ovulate when you're breastfeeding - it's not a sure method of contraception... so unless you want to get pregnant pronto, I'd suggest using something a bit more substantive than the withdrawal method!

@Woofsaidtheladybird can you ovulate without getting periods? I didn’t think this was the case. In terms of contraception, if I am ovulating I will start tracking and avoid sex on these days (pretty unlikely anyway, as averaging sex just a few times a month!) to avoid pregnancy. I don’t want to go on the pill when breastfeeding or at all really.. it wreaked havoc with my hormones in my 20s.

I exclusively breast fed for 6 months and got my period back at 8 weeks (was not happy!). I think it's one of those things where theres a wide range of experiences. But yes, you could be ovulating.

The health visitors and gp were very keen to stress every time I saw them that contraception is necessary, as breastfeeding is not a reliable way to avoid getting pregnant again!

@ManCubsMama just use a condom if you're not prepared for another baby any time soon.

Yes you still ovulate

Absolutely.
I teach this to undergraduate nurses and they are aghast.
In addition - I had an endometrial ablation 6 years ago. Nothing wrong with my ovaries and I still ovulate.
Seriously, please don't rely on the withdrawal method. You can get sperm in pre-ejaculate (pre-cum) and it only takes one...!

Also - sperm can still be whizzing about doing their thing up to five days post ejaculation... so avoiding sex on your ovulation day may not be enough...!

You say you have yet to have a period after giving birth and ask 'can you ovulate without periods' but don't forget that you ovulate about 2 weeks before you get your period, so if this is your first time ovulating after your birth you won't have had a period yet, it will be in a couple of weeks. This is one of the reasons why contraception is mentioned so often by hv, you just don't know when you are going to ovulate for the first time after birth so there is always the chance of getting pregnant again.

Bloody hell, use contraception if you don't want to get pregnant you loon. Exclusively breastfeeding is not going to stop you getting pregnant 🤦‍♀️

does anyone know where the egg goes if you ovulate but aren't having periods?

I'm 7months pp and breastfeeding. no period as yet.

Did they not tell you this when you left hospital with your baby and RMU other opportunity when you saw a healthcare worked? Literally every time I was told breastfeeding doesn't prevent pregnancy. They couldn't be any clearer.

@scrumptiousbears Yes, but what’s not what I’m asking. I’m asking if you can ovulate while breastfeeding. I didn’t think I would get periods if EBF.

For everyone saying “USE CONTRACEPTION!!”, it wouldn’t be the end of the world if I got pregnant now/soon, so whilst not trying I don’t need to overly worry about this as it wouldn’t be a disaster for us.

My periods came back a month after birth with both of my children and I was EBF. Relying on breastfeeding as contraception is a great way to get pregnant.

Yes you can ovulate while breastfeeding, most of my friends have conceived their second baby while breastfeeding a toddler. Your period will eventually come back but you can start ovulating before that. My period came back at 18 months pp after ds1, ds2 is 2 and it's still not back (woohoo!), I conceived twice when ds1 was 21 & 22 months old.

My bf dc woke every hour or so and my period came back within about 10 weeks both times, exactly the same as with my bottle-fed DC.

I EBF both of mine and with DS1, didn’t get my period back until I completely stopped breastfeeding when he turned 1. I assumed this meant I was ‘safe’ all the time I was EBF DS2, but when I mentioned to my doctor that I was using this as a form of contraception, he was (rightly) horrified.

Don’t you ovulate before you get your period, not period then ovulate...

I’ve got a 6 week old and was amazed to see that in the Bounty leaflet it says that while baby’s less than 6 months, you’re EBF including night feeds and haven’t had a period then you don’t need contraception. This under the guise of “official” advice .

I got pregnant with DD2 without a period after DD1 who was 8 months old. I caught on the first ovulation post DD1

Wow ok. A lot of comments make out that you continue to ovulate while breastfeeding despite not having a period. To be precise, you can ovulate only ONCE before your period comes back. The release of an egg will always result in either pregnancy or your period around 2 weeks later. So the poster who is BFing their 7 month old and wanting to know where the eggs are going, they aren't going anywhere because they aren't being released - unless you have ovulated in the last 2 weeks in which case expect your period soon.

For what it's worth, I didn't get my period back until I stopped BFing DS when he was 19 months old. I wasn't ovulating that entire time, though did have bouts of ewcm for a number of months before I started ovulating again.

You can ovulate without periods but are you sure you haven’t had one? Many women have a period during the lochia period and may ovulate (And get pregnant) more or less immediately after giving birth

And I’ve found this which seems to suggest it is a valid contraception choice with effectiveness similar to condom use...

My periods returned within 8 weeks of giving birth with all 3 dc, and I ebf each time.

It’s only considered to be effective if feeding every 3 hours. I have a friend whose first baby was IVF, ebf and having sex infrequently- yep you have guessed it baby2 arrived very soon.

Yeah from what I've read it's very effective, but I think it can be as simple as missing one night feed to trigger ovulation again which is why it shouldn't be relied on and is more responsible to advise against it completely.

For it to be even slightly effective as contraception baby has to be under 6 months, feeding regularly and through the night, no expressing, no soother.