Trying Not to Conceive & Breastfeeding??

[vickin]

Prior to getting pregnant, I was using the FAM (Fertility Awareness Method). I used it when I didn't want to get pregnant, and then used it when my dh and I finally wanted to ttc. Now that I am getting ready to have our first dc and breastfeed, I am assuming that using the FAM may not be too easy?? Has anyone else out there used this method for birth control while breastfeeding??? Thanks!

[jenmk]

I have not . . . though I was still bf when I started using FAM to find out when I would be fertile to conceive this baby. But I actually didn't ovulate until a couple of months after I stopped bf (even when we were down to once a day, nothing was happening in the reproductive zone).

But . . . the charting wasn't difficult while bf, and temps stayed pretty level until I finally got around to ovulating. I'm planning to use FAM post-partum too since all other alternatives are really not attractive to me.

[AmieV]

I never temped but my cervical mucus was all over the place. Although my cycles did get pretty regular right away when they came back (at 5 months PP, booooo hissss!!!) One thing I would defintely advise against is relying on the information in TCOYF about LAM (lactation amennorhea method)...I met every single one of the requirements as far as nursing frequency, etc goes, and my period came back just the same. Now, my period did come back and that's one of the factors so I didn't meet all the criteria, but you never know when you just might ovulate. I know far too many people who got pg before they even GOT their first PP period while nursing to trust that.

[veganf]

Originally Posted by vickin

Has anyone else out there used this method for birth control while breastfeeding??? Thanks!

Yep, I tried...didn't work too well! LOL. I'm going to try again though. I don't want to use anything hormonal, and my husband won't use anything that inconveniences him, so I'm just stuck I guess. I guess it actually worked alright this past time, but we were still planning on waiting another 7-8 months before getting pregnant with #3, but it just didn't work.

- Krista

[AmieV]

oh, gosh and I totally didn't think about WHY I didn't temp. Because I didn't get 3 hours of uninterrupted sleep for almost a year.

[Subhuti]

I found that breastfeeding at night prevented ovulation and my periods. So when my daughter began to sleep through the night regularily (9 months) with no nursing (we night weaned), I was fertile again. I guesstimated ovulation times to avoid pregnancy until we wanted to try again (a few months after...).