Breastfeeding and Emergency Birth Control Pill

[lactatinggirl]

Yeah, we did something stupid. Blah-de-blah, irresponsible. Honestly, I don't think it would be a big deal to get pregnant now, but DH thinks it would be better to wait a few months. DD is 24 months. Has anyone taken Plan B (or other similar pills) during breastfeeding or heard any advice as to whether or not they should? I googled it and it seems to be fine, but I'd like some confirmation before doing anything. 

(btw I'm also posting this in the breastfeeding beyond infancy section because I didn't know which place would be better)

[SubliminalDarkness]

I haven't done it, but I have heard quite a few times that it's safe for breastfeeding. 

http://neonatal.ttuhsc.edu/discus/messages/52/378.html?1282541046

According to Hale's book, it's an L2. 

[ElaynesMom]

I took it twice while breastfeeding. The first time I took it my dd was 11 months old and almost exclusively breastfed. It was given to me by a public health nurse practitioner who knew I was nursing, and I had no dip in supply. The second time I took it my dd was 2 and I just bought it over the counter and felt fine about it since I had been given the go ahead to take it while nursing a year before.

[JMJ]

It sounds like you're concerned about it.  You'd like another baby soonish, and this is a little earlier than you were planning, but not necessarily by a whole lot.  While Plan B isn't contraindicated in medical literature during breastfeeding, it is a heavy dose of hormones, and I would still question how well all the effects of its use have been researched.  I know that you have been trying FAM, and this would be a set-back to your efforts since it would put more synthetic hormones in your system.  Is the risk that you would get pregnant and the need not to get pregnant right now high enough to certainly prolong your efforts to remove synthetic hormones from your system?  I also know that you have previously stated that you didn't like the effect that being on hormonal birth control had on your system.  It sounds like on your own, you'd lean towards accepting whatever happens, but your husband is leaning towards you taking Plan B.  I know that you have to make a decision together, but if you are uncomfortable with all that is involved with overriding your body's natural cycle in hopes of ensuring that you get to wait a short while longer before getting pregnant, I'd say that's a pretty important factor to consider.

For what it's worth, I looked at your chart.  There is not enough information to be sure, but I would guess that the temperature jump today was not ovulation.  Most women generally have at least 6 days of lower temps before the temperature rise, and your temp today is the same as it was 6 days ago.  On top of that, your temp today is almost a full degree lower than your post-O temps from last cycle.  You may be still adjusting to daylight savings time.  IME, it takes a lot longer to adjust when you lose an hour than when you gain an hour, and your temp now is about what it was right before the time shift.  Also, coming off of hormonal birth control you had a super long cycle with probably a short luteal phase last time.  It is possible that it may still be a while before you ovulate or that your luteal phase would not be long enough for implantation to occur this time either.  That's not to say I'd consider you "safe," just some interpretations I have.

[JMJ]

I mentioned this convo to DH, and he made a comment about how you'd be just in time for a tax deduction.  Only a man would be thinking about that when making pregnancy decisions!

[lactatinggirl]

For now, I'm waiting to take it. DH really doesn't want to jump the plans forward by even a little and I really want him to want our next pregnancy. So for now, I'm watching my temps and if it jumps tomorrow, I'll take it. I agree with what you said about today not being ovulation. Honestly, I think I may mark sleep depravation so it doesn't count at all because with studying last night I didn't go to sleep until 2:30 and then I slept through my alarm so I didn't take my temp until 40 minutes later than normal, so it's certainly an off day. I figure if I don't ovulate (which considering how many times I had EWCM last cycle and didn't ovulate, that's entirely likely) there's no reason to worry. DH agrees. 

I'm certainly not happy about putting more hormones in my system and setting me back, but I'd rather do that then have DH not be happy about me getting pregnant even if he quickly gets over it like last time. I don't want to be 20 years down the road and have him blame me or anything like that. I do think it's ridiculous that 4 months makes that much of a difference to him, but oh well. 

I did make this post hoping there was some sort of anecdotal evidence that would say I shouldn't take it, but it seems like everyone who's taken it has been fine breastfeeding-wise. 

[JMJ]

http://www.drugs.com/plan-b.html

Plan B generally does not interfere with milk supply, but it is found in your breast milk, so even if it does not interfere with your ability to make milk for your child, it is delivering hormones to her that weren't designed to be there.  Studies seem to indicate that this does not cause an immediate toxicity, but the long-term effects have not been well studied.  The risks involved with taking hormonal birth control have been hotly contested with some studies indicating an increased risk of various cancers, especially for young women.  I have not seen any studies of what happens to the children of mothers using hormonal birth control, and keep in mind that the amount that your daughter would receive of Plan B is much higher than the amount she would get from a normal dose of hormonal birth control.  I would be very wary of putting something like that into myself, much less my child.

Additionally, in case you are not aware, according to the drug information, if ovulation and conception have already taken place by the time the drug is administered, Plan B can work to prevent implantation rather than conception.  Many people are not aware of this.

[lactatinggirl]

Yeah, that's why I was thinking that I will take it if it looks like I've ovulated. I honestly already don't like the fact that DD has gotten so many hormones through my breast milk from my IUD. I avoid meat with hormones, but hadn't even thought of it in my body already. I'm avoiding taking the plan b if at all possible and I definitely won't put myself in this situation again. 

[SubliminalDarkness]

I'm confused, you have an IUD?

[lactatinggirl]

I used to have an IUD. I've had it out for over 2 months now.