My baby is almost 6 months old and nurses all the time, just started giving him baby food a few weeks ago 1-2 times a day but he still nurses very frequently. I haven't had my period yet since he was born. My husband and I had unprotected sex just ONCE 1 week ago what are the chances that I am pregnant? Please help! when can I take a pregnancy test?!!
2007-02-16 15:19:41 · 18 answers · asked by lauraalexak 1 in Pregnancy & Parenting ➔ Pregnancy
Hi there Laura. First I want to congratulate you on being such a fantastic mother! You have done a terrific job! That is really wonderful that you have been able to nurse your baby and make enough milk that he has not needed solid food until recently. That is a very high compliment on both the quantity and the quality of your milk supply!
IF you are not pregnant that will be what saved you! If you had been feeding your baby quite a bit of solid food I would say the odds were not very good. Even so they are not great...I would put them at about 50/50.
By the time your baby is 6 months old you may have started ovulating in spite of the fact that he is totally breastfed. I would ask you one question if I could actually talk to you. That would be: have you had a period yet? If the answer is no then that adds to your good odds that you may not be pregnant.
I did not use any birth control between baby 2 and baby 3 and there is 18 months between the two of them. I was totally breastfeeding my son when I did get pregnant with my daughter, but he was almost a year old too.
You may be perfectly fine. If you think that you might have gotten pregnant when you and your husband made love a week ago, then you will want to wait until it has been 2 weeks and about 5 days......that would be about the time your period was about 5 days late if you were having periods....if you follow what I am saying. If you are going to have a blood test I would have it as soon as your doctor will order it. If you are going to wait for a urine test then you will want to wait as long as you can stand it. The closer to three weeks after you made love the better. If you decide to do it before that I would purchase a test that comes with two units in it so that if it IS too soon and you get a negative response you can wait a bit and try again.
Good luck honey, I hope that you get the answer that you want. One thing to remember, if you are pregnant don't totally despair. Remember that it does take 9 months to make a baby and your little one will be 15 months old by the time your new little one comes. I know that is awfully close together and you would like to have a little more time between babies I am sure. I will be thinking about you! Take care.
Love and Blessings
Lady Trinity~ **BTW, it is totally possible to nurse two babies at the same time and even to nurse an older baby while you are pregnant. I have done both things and my babies were plump and healthy!**
2007-02-16 15:47:21 · answer #1 · answered by Lady Trinity 5 · 2⤊ 0⤋
Lactation Amenorrhea guidelines say that if your baby is less than 6 months old and is exclusively breastfeeding, then there is only a 2% chance of your getting pregnant as long as you have had no bleeding/menstrual periods after 8 weeks postpartum. You said your baby is already getting solids, though, so there is a chance you are fertile again. Have your menses returned? If so that is an indication your body is preparing to ovulate or already has resumed normal cycling.
You should wait about 2.5 weeks from the date you had intercourse to take a HPT. Under the right conditions, sperm are viable up to 5 days. If you were ovulating at the time of intercourse, you could get a positive test as early as 10 days later, but it's possible you ovulated 5 days after intercourse and it could take up to 14 days to get a positive result, so anytime up to 19 days before getting a positive result.
I also want to respond to the person who said nursing two babies puts them at risk for malnourishment. That is simply inaccurate. If "Mother Nature" didn't plan for nursing two babies at once, women wouldn't have two breasts, and humans would not bear twins. Studies have show that even a moderately malnourished mother can still provide adequate breastmilk for a baby. Knowing that, it's hardly a stretch to say that a woman with access to adequate nutrition should have no problems supporting two children with breastmilk- especially if one is an older baby, whose diet will include a lot of solid foods.
2007-02-17 00:12:12 · answer #2 · answered by Maggie E 2 · 3⤊ 0⤋
It's a wives' tale that you can't get pregnant if you're breastfeeding. You absolutely can, and you can also get pregnant before having your first period because you ovulate before the first period would happen. Take a pregnancy test to put your mind at ease, and then take another one in about a month if this one shows negative. In the mean time, don't freak out. Statistically, odds are against getting pregnant after having unprotected sex just once, breastfeeding and recent birth aside.
2007-02-16 23:29:51 · answer #3 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
According to the site listed below (where LAM = Lactational Amenorrhea Method, or using breastfeeding for birth control):
"For women who meet the criteria (listed below), LAM is 98% effective during the first six months postpartum.[1]
Breastfeeding must be the infant’s only (or almost only) source of nutrition. Feeding formula, pumping instead of nursing,[2] and feeding solids all reduce the effectiveness of LAM.
The infant must breastfeed at least every four hours during the day and at least every six hours at night.
The infant must be less than six months old.
The woman must not have had a period after 56 days post-partum (when determining fertility, bleeding prior to 56 days post-partum can be ignored)."
Therefore, if you meet the criteria above, there is about a 98% chance that you are NOT pregnant. It can't hurt to take a test if you still suspect pregnancy, and if you start to show symptoms that you think may suggest pregnancy but still get a negative test result, you may want to see your doctor for a blood test.
Sure, lots of women get pregnant while breastfeeding, but most of them are feeding their baby solids, giving the baby bottles, or pumping!
Good luck!
2007-02-17 00:19:31 · answer #4 · answered by calliope_13731 5 · 1⤊ 0⤋
I think you should have a blood test taken, just to be sure. It only takes one time. Believe me...I know. I had unprotected sex just once and BAM! Since you haven't had a period, it would be difficult to know when to take a regular urine pregnancy test, so the blood test (which should be covered by your insurance) will give you peace of mind. As a reminder...and it sounds like you know this already...breastfeeding your baby is not an effective method of birth control. Good luck to you!
2007-02-16 23:29:43 · answer #5 · answered by Karen S 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
The chances are very slim. You can take a home pregnancy test 19 days past the day you had unprotected sex and the results will be over 99% accurate.
2007-02-16 23:25:24 · answer #6 · answered by jilldaniel_wv 7 · 1⤊ 0⤋
My son is 8 month old and nurses frequently and my husband and i have unprotected sex all the time and i haven't got pregnant yet.
2007-02-17 01:17:49 · answer #7 · answered by missy 1 · 1⤊ 0⤋
if it was just once, ur probobly ok, but u should start being carefull since your cutting back on the breastfeeding. It is possible to get pregnant while breastfeeding, but it's supposed to be less likely. I didn't while I was breastfeeding, but I have friends that did. I have a friend that got pregnant before she even went back for her 6 wk checkup, and she breastfed. Now thats quick.
2007-02-16 23:31:21 · answer #8 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
I breast fed all the time for the first year. Then I slowed down and was doing it only at night and I got pregnant in the first month. If your worried go to your doctor and ask for the blood test to see if your pregnant they can tell with in the first couple days of conception and you'll know within a couple hours.
2007-02-16 23:24:13 · answer #9 · answered by Momof_2 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I know sooooooo many girls who got pregnant breastfeeding.
You don't get your period but you still ovulate!!
You are ovulating, so if your husband ejaculated at that time, you could very well be pregnant!!
Your doctor can prescribe Micronor(i believe that's what it's called, been a couple years since i was on it), it's a birth control pill for mothers who breastfeed. Go on it if you don't want another baby.
2007-02-16 23:23:45 · answer #10 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋