Those who have used LAM successfully...

[Shell_Ell]

Please give me some input!

I've done alot of reading, but I want some real life experiences here. What did you find challenging about LAM? What did you like about it? How long were you able to use it as birth control?

**Just a note, I don't want any negative opinions on LAM here, I'd only like to hear from those who have used it successfully.

Thanks in advance!

[amyrobynne]

We used ecological breastfeeding, which is a version of LAM (requires co-sleeping, no pacis, nap with baby, no solids until 6 months, nurse on demand throughout the day and night). My cycles returned at 9.5 months postpartum, with ovulation, which is on the early side, statistically. It took another 4 cycles before my luteal phase was long enough to sustain a pregnancy, I believe. Pre-baby, my cycles were always 24-26 days long, but those first postpartum cycles lasted 43, 33, then 23 days, with ovulation 5-8 days before the end of the cycle. Around 13 months postpartum, my cycles were pretty regular again, and I felt a noticeable hormonal change--I felt like my old self again. We made a point of avoiding pregnancy for a couple cycles, then stopped avoiding, and now I'm due with #2 in March--exactly 2 years after my son.

So I'd say that LAM alone avoided pregnancy for 13 or 14 months. It was great to go so long before cycling. I had mucus from 2 months postpartum onward, which was disconcerting, but I got used to it, and I could tell when it switched to a more fertile mucus pre-ovulation.

I had 2 years of NFP experience pre-baby.

[onlyboys]

I've used it twice, after my 2nd and third children.

We had great success with it. After my 2nd child, I got my first PP period right at the 6 month mark, and I think that cycle was anovulatory. After my 3rd, it took about 10 months to begin my cycle again. We've never used a pacifier and we did all EBF until after 6 months.

[Kleine Hexe]

I used LAM after my first and I'm using it now after my second. I nurse on demand when I'm with my baby and cosleep. I had my first PP period when my first son turned 24 months. I charted to avoid for three moths and got pg the fourth month. My boys are three years and two weeks apart. My second baby is almost 18 months old and so far I have not had a period. I love LAM and I'll be sad when it's over. For me breastfeeding has been the best, easy, and most convient birth control ever.

[Peony]

I loved LAM until now! :LOL Now, I want to get pg, but can't yet, dd is 2.5 years old, and no O or AF yet. It is so easy for BC.

[tristansmom]

We did not use bottles or pacifiers, nursed on demand day and night and co-slept and my cycles returned when my son was 16 months old. I began charting at 6 months post-partum just to track what was going on as it was my first child, first experience breastfeeding, etc. and clearly detected the changes leading to ovulation at 16 months. I think it is wonderful--our bodies are truly designed to work this way. I know many people who insist that this doesn't work for them, and for some I am sure that this is true, but it is very important to follow the principles of ecological breastfeeding to space babies. In my own case, it worked beautifully!!