Advice on BC mini/pill while nursing?

[sammymama]

Hi Mamas,

My DD is now 20 months and my cycle resumed about 10 months ago.  I went on the pill at the advice of my doc when I was 17 as I had horrid, 10+ day heavy cycles with cramps that were keeping me out of school.  I never went off the pill until I was TTC (15 years later!), and was only off then for 4 months, during which my periods were pretty mild.  However, since they've resumed they've been really heavy again and massively unpredictable.  I've heard this can be a side effect of nursing so I thought I'd just hang in there as long as DD wants to nurse (she is showing noooo signs of wanting to stop - neither do I, for that matter), but it's starting to make me crazy.  I'm weirded out by IUDs but not sure about the pill while nursing.  I've heard mini-pills are out there?  Just wondering if anyone has any advice/recommendations on this topic...

Thanks in advance!
Sammy

[Bugglette]

Kellymom has a good article about BC and breastfeeding: http://www.kellymom.com/health/meds/birthcontrol.html  where she basically says that Progestin only forms of BC are ideal for nursing mothers (mini-pill) and that estrogen containing BC negatively effects supply in most women.

I, personally have not taken hormonal BC since high-school, but have heard of some women (mostly on message boards), that have gotten PG (multiple times) on the mini-pill and that it is even more important (vs a normal combo pill) that you take it exactly on time every day, as there is little to no margin of error.  However, implants and injections are Progestin only, so that would eliminate the user error portion (of course, if you've read anything about Depo, you probably wouldn't want use that!  I don't know if the implant has similar neg side effects, but it looks like it is made from a different form of artificial Progesterone. 

I have not seen/heard anything about whether or not it affects cycle 'intensity,' but considering the topic, I think only negative reports would be seen/heard...so seeing/hearing nothing is probably a good sign. 

HTH!