am I being careless thinking breastfeeding is enough of a contraceptive?!

[RolsGirl]

My DS is 6 months, and still feeds on demand throughout the day and night, so I haven't been bothered worrying about getting preggers again(although I definately DON'T want to be for a good while!). I have heard mixed things about this- that it's ok as long as he still feeds at least every 3-4 hours, that it's ok til food replaces feeds- he is taking some solids- has been for about a month- but he still feeds just as much (if not more because he's teething so is ALWAYS hungry). TMI I know, but is it OK as long as DH pulls out?!

Mirena Apple is what the Olivers plan to call their 5th child.

In all seriousness though, I have a wee lad on my lap who was conceived while bfing, and using a diaphragm, with only one falopian tube.

There's a word for people who rely on this "method".

Parents

I bfed dd. She didn't go more than 2hrs between feeds until 8 months, no dummies, no bottles, nothing.

Periods returned at 13 weeks.

I wouldn't rely on it.

I had a coil (non hormonal). Once it's in it can stay there for 10yrs and you don't have to think about it.

mirena all the way I'd say. Not nice to have it put in, but then no/almost no periods for FIVE YEARS yeah hey!
the amount of hormone that gets out of your womb and into your system is so minute you are very unlikely to get side effects from it and you can BF no prob.
see your gp or, IME family planning clinics are more accessible and can provide all the options.

BF alone is fine...as long as you don't mind getting preggers!!!!

yes shirleyknot. I didn't entirely believe it but she insited it's fine as long as you don't have long gaps. Ialso read it is statistically rare for you to get pregnant whilst ebf-ing. Everone seems to think I am being silly asking, but there is different information out there. Obviously I have known the whole time I have been taking a risk. Now he's started solids the risk is too high to ignore.

Yes careless, i breast fed twice theres 9mnth gap between my 2. & i was breastfeeding & using contraception, if u dont want another get to yhe doctors

That was my thinking stripes re the Mirena coil.

I was fully breastfeeding and using condoms - consequentially had two of mine 11 months apart

Best way to avoid making babies is to avoid baby making, I'd say.

For contraception, the copper coil (non-hormonal so no risk of transfer to bf child) might be worth investigating, if abstaining from sex entirely doesn't take your fancy

Still though, no sex is the only guarantee ...even then, there's that (albeit archaic) case study of a woman called Mary...

Am astonished a MW said it was safe!

its ok if you get pregnant and intend to have another baby, but not ok if you get pregnant and have an abortion.

why not just go to the doctors, this isn't the 50's

My mum did extended bfing with us. Relied on it as contraception.
Had 8 children in ten years

I don't mind that it doesn't work as I am number 7

Starlight, I used to think it worked and I thought oh well there'll be a handful of people for whom it didn't as it has a failure rate.

Like I said, I bfed every 2hrs at least day and night for 8 months when dd started going 3hrs sometimes. My periods came back at 13 weeks. Of all the bfers I know in rl, there's around a 50/50 success rate for preventing the return of periods.

I really wanted it to work too.

DD2 (born 15 months after DD1) is living proof that breastfeeding does NOT prevent pregnancy...

What about a diaphragm?

BFing reduces the number of conceptions across a whole population, but is not a contraceptive in the individual sense. Withdrawal doesn't work. Diaphragm, used correctly on every occasion, is very reliable.

I know 3 women who had children roughly 12 months apart due to relying on bfing as contraception. This is enough to convince me....

I am here precisely because my mum thought like you :)

So obviously I vote for continuing as you are...

But then, my little sis came along 6 years later when my mum was relying on the coil

You're loopy, unless you aren't that bothered about getting pregnant again.

It is NOT a form of contraceptive.

NEWSFLASH! You can get pregnant if you do it standing up, too

DS is the result of sex when breastfeeding. Need I say more?

My friend got pregnant when her firstborn was 4 months old. She also thought it was safe, as she was breastfeeding and had no periods yet.

um thanks faaamily but I'm not loopy, I was just asking a question based on different information I've recieved. Custardo- I could never have an abortion now I've had a baby, and I am aware this isn't the 50s, just wanted to know what people thought. There are LOTS of people who support the idea of natural fam planning, and who say that, if practised correctly, you can safely NOT concieve whilst breastfeeding. It is NOT that mad a question! Some people on here like to get their handbags out don't they!

Natural family planning involves trackoing your fertility and avoiding sex during your most fertile days of the month. It isn't having unprotected sex and thinking breastfeeding will protect you. That's called, ur, having unprotected sex.

You did ask.

I know and I am so pleased people have really helped telling me their experiences and making me realise that I have to use contraception if I decide to do it again! The midwife who told me that as long as I feed every 3 hrs did not say that we needed to track our fertility- I will ask doc about that- thanks! But I'm still not loopy for asking the question in the first place. Perhaps I should have left out the withdrawal bit- did make me sound like a bit of an uneducated teen- which I am most certainly not. I like to use natural products/methods and was just interested in what people thought about it's effectiveness. Doctors are happy to prescribe whatever at the drop of a hat, but that's not always the only option.