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Pregnancy

Talk about every stage of pregnancy, from early symptoms to preparing for birth.

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Original poster

Can you get pregnant while bf?

36 replies

Rpgp1223 · 07/05/2015 03:06

My daughters 3 months old. I bf her on demand and people told me I most likely couldn't get pregnant. I had my first period when she was 7 weeks old and since then I haven't had one but now I'm spotting and getting cramps. The same first symptoms I had when I was pregnant with my daughter. Now I'm hearing that it's not that hard to get pregnant while bf. Has anyone gotten pregnant as early as 3 months after giving birth and just bf? Is it even possible?

OP posts:

Original poster

Rpgp1223 · 07/05/2015 03:08

OP posts:

ZacharyQuack · 07/05/2015 03:30

It's absolutely possible. If you don't want to risk pregnancy, use contraception.

JiltedJohnsJulie · 07/05/2015 03:31

I got pg whilst bfing, but my baby was much older. It is possible to get og with a baby so young but I've always thought that your chances were about the same as if you were on the mini pill.

Anyway, there's some good info here

PenguinPoser · 07/05/2015 03:34

Hasn't happened to me but yes it's definitely possible. You need to do a pregnancy test to check. If it's negative then if you aren't planning another pregnancy maybe see your GP for contraception that is safe when breastfeeding.

sarkymare · 07/05/2015 03:38

Yes of course it's possible. BF isn't a form of contraception! It can take a while for you to start ovulating again whilst BF though which can make it harder to conceive BUT You received your 'first' period which shows you probably ovulated two weeks prior to that.

I think your next step now is POAS!

sarkymare · 07/05/2015 03:49

Sorry just read that you're spotting, could this be the start of AF? I would give it a few days and see what happens with the bleeding.

ThumbWitchesAbroad · 07/05/2015 03:52

Definitely possible. Best POAS.

newbian · 07/05/2015 04:14

Absolutely. For some women they develop amenorrhea (lack of period) while breastfeeding but not for all.

This link explains that if you have had a period since giving birth, then BF is not contraceptive for you and you need another method: www.plannedparenthood.org/learn/birth-control/breastfeeding

Since you had one at seven weeks, then you are likely ovulating as well and you need to take a test and/or get a different form of contraception. And ask a doctor or nurse next time, not just your friends or family, about what is effective!

icklekid · 07/05/2015 04:22

Yes very possible I was told before leaving hospital and by midwives and health visitors soon after about the need for contraception. Thought this was common practice now? hope you are ok OP

madwomanbackintheattic · 07/05/2015 05:06

Yes, of course you can.
I know one poor woman who was pg within 6 weeks because she thought otherwise. And she didn't have a period - pg before that happened lol.

Jenny70 · 07/05/2015 05:40

Definitely possible, but not common... my SIL had two babies within the year, so conceived about the 3 month mark. I think a pg test works OK, the pg hormone shouldn't be messed by breastfeeding hormones... so to reassure yourself do a test maybe.

jigglywiggly · 07/05/2015 05:43

BF can only work as a contraception providing you meet certain 'criteria', one of them being that your periods have not returned. Yours obviously have so therefore EBF can't act as a contraception for you. Time to POAS!

EhricLovesTheBhrothers · 07/05/2015 05:47

Have you been relying on it an contraception without asking this basic question beforehand?

ThumbWitchesAbroad · 07/05/2015 06:36

jiggly you might want to read madwoman's post and rethink your position on that!

Jackieharris · 07/05/2015 06:38

Yes.

Your periods started back and you didn't use contraception even though you weren't ttc?!!!

Maybe you should look up "Irish twins" good luck!

scaevola · 07/05/2015 06:40

There are both WHO and NHS criteria on when lactational amenhorrhea works as a contraceptive.

jiggly is correct about criteria.

The important ones are: no period, baby under 6 months, baby exclusively breastfed, round the clock, fed frequently, no feeds missed.

All contraception can fail.

jigglywiggly · 07/05/2015 07:02

Thanks scaevola I'm on my phone so couldn't link. Thumb* it's not my position, it's the WHOs and NHS etc ! :)

LostMySocks · 07/05/2015 09:03

I BF and got pregnant when DS was 10 months. My periods hadn't started. Unfortunately ended as a MMC but that wasn't to do with BF

LostMySocks · 07/05/2015 09:03

One symptom that I had was hellish pain when DS was feeding.

YouMakeMyHeartSmile · 07/05/2015 09:14

If you're having periods then you're ovulating, which means that yes, of course you can get pregnant:

boatrace30 · 07/05/2015 10:10

And remember that you have to ovulate before you have a period, so therefore if you get pregnant on first ovulation, you won't get a period at all!!

Artandco · 07/05/2015 10:14

Yep, ds1 was exclusively breastfed and ds2 was conceived around 6 months after ds1 was born. For us we were planning a small gap though and was hoping to have 2nd baby within 18 months of the first which we did, I had stopped feeding during the night though as read this helped conceiving. Ds1 was fed around 11pm, then not again until 8/9am

Mrscog · 07/05/2015 10:29

If your period has returned then yes of course you can get pregnant!!

Forgetmenotblue · 07/05/2015 10:37

I was EBF and no periods AND on the mini pill when I got pregnant. It was an ectopic and I had no idea I was pregnant...thought I'd pulled a muscle lifting the bab.

Ended up quite poorly in hospital.

Use contraception! And a good 'un.

Forgetmenotblue · 07/05/2015 10:38

baby... I'm not the kind of person who says 'bab'.

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