BFing - do I need to use BC already?

[ithappened]

My OB told me at my 6 week check up that even though I am BFing full time (e.g. every 3-5 hours all day+ at night) that I would need to be on a form of BC regardless to prevent pregnancy..

However I was always under the impression that I could go at least 6 months using BFing as a form of BC (assuming I am exclusively BFing my DS) and it would be 98-99% effective as a form of BC.. .

any thoughts on this?

[doubledutch]

the efficacy of bf'ing as bc is pretty unpredictable. for it to be considered truly a form of birth control (LAM or lactational amenorrhea method), you must be exclusively breastfeeding, offering no pacifiers or bottles or even a finger for babe to suck on, you must cosleep and nap with baby and pretty much never leave baby with another care provider.

if that's not you, and if it's important that you avoid pregnancy for the next few months (say, because you want to maintain your milk supply), then another method of prevention is a good idea. condoms, iud, maybe the minipill. a diaphragm is tricky right now with post-partum weight loss. the combination bc pill hurts milk supply. the minipill (progesterone only) is supposedly safe for your milk supply, but must be taken at the same time each day to remain effective, which isn't realistic for many women in the first 6 months pp.

otoh, if you pretty much do what is described above and/or conceiving wouldn't be a big deal, then maybe you don't need to use other bc.

[moondiapers]

I breastfeed exclusively, wear baby on my body, cosleep etc.....but with my first two kids my period and fertility returned at 6 weeks pp. This time I started the mini pill at 2 weeks pp to keep my period away....even though DH got a vasectomy. I HATE nursing on my period.

[ithappened]

I should of added I am 3 months PP and no sign of my period..

[mamazee]

Originally Posted by ithappened

My OB told me at my 6 week check up that even though I am BFing full time (e.g. every 3-5 hours all day+ at night) that I would need to be on a form of BC regardless to prevent pregnancy..

However I was always under the impression that I could go at least 6 months using BFing as a form of BC (assuming I am exclusively BFing my DS) and it would be 98-99% effective as a form of BC.. .

any thoughts on this?

My periods started up at like 4 or 5 weeks with my second dd. I ended up gving her a pacifier, but not until 2 months so after my period had already started, so this was with her nursing and only nursing day and night and being held the whole time. It not a reliable form of birth control.

Now, with my first I didn't get my period back for a year. But it's not something you can count on happening.

[jecombs]

Originally Posted by ithappened

I should of added I am 3 months PP and no sign of my period..

Just because you haven't had a period doesn't mean that you aren't fertile. The first egg is often released before you re-start your period.

Personally, I went back on bc at 8 weeks post-partum. I would have been very upset if I had ended up pregnant before my DD was older. If you're okay with the possibility of pregnancy, then don't go on bc. But, if you're serious about avoiding pregnancy for the next couple of years, you need to get some form of bc.

[doubledutch]

then you've only possibly got a few more months until you need bc anyway. lam works for at most six months, not at least. i'd start looking into your options.

[averlee]

Some women can get their first postpartum period as early as 6 weeks after the birth, and in a normal cycle menstruation happens about 2 weeks after ovulation. So even if baby is 100% breastfed, I'd use a back-up method. I'd have to highly recommend using spermicide. The film is especially convenient, and not as messy as the ovules, foams, cream, or jelly. It's easy to get, over the counter, non-hormonal, and no reduced sensation, and using it alone is comparably reliable to using it with a diaphragm.

[Sharlla]

Just depends. I get AF back really early even while EBF and I know plenty of other women that do too. I got AF back at 5.5 weeks and am fairly certain I'm PG right now. So it is possible to get PG those first few months. So if you don't want back to back babies I recommend using BC.