My doctor told me that if I was breastfeeding that I could not get pregnant for six to eight months after having my child. My husband and I have been having unprotected sex because of this. My son is now four months old. Should I be worried?
2007-07-16 06:26:54 · 13 answers · asked by cass 2 in Pregnancy & Parenting ➔ Newborn & Baby
Breastfeeding is a highly effective form of birth control IF YOU FOLLOW THE RULES. The same as all birth control. Pills don't work if you don't take them properly and Lactational Amenorrhea Method / Ecological Breastfeeding won't work if you don't follow the rules.
When used properly LAM is about 98% effective which is more effective than the pill.
The rules are here.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lactational_Amenorrhea_Method
2007-07-16 06:34:41 · answer #1 · answered by Anonymous · 4⤊ 1⤋
You're doctor is a quack! You were misinformed.
Take a pregnancy test, because you can get pregnant. Long ago, they used to think breastfeeding prevented pregnancy, but it is not true. Breastfeeding usually delays the onset of menstruation and ovulation, but the thing about this is, you never know when you are goingto start ovulating again. I was breastfeeding and started my first postpartum period as soon as that after baby blood and stuff comes out ( I believe 8 weeks after birth, I had my first period). And don't forget, you ovulate BEFORE you get your period!!!!
So if you are breastfeeding, you could be pregnant and not know it, because it is normal to not get a period. This is how I was conceived. My mom was breastfeeding my brother, and she must ave ovulated because she got pregnant with me, without ever having a period. By the time she found out she was pregnant with me , she was already like 4 months along. So be careful, because you can get pregnant!!!!
2007-07-16 06:46:23 · answer #2 · answered by aljea 6 · 1⤊ 0⤋
The truth is that everybody’s body is different. Some women, as you’ve read, ovulate within a couple months. I didn’t have my period until my baby was 16 months old. That’s when we dropped from 4 sessions a day to two or three.
In fact, even though we were “trying” to get pregnant after our first was 24 months, we didn’t get pregnant until the month after I stopped nursing (30 months.) So, it really does depend on your body.
I would suggest the low dose pill if you want to be certain you don’t get pregnant—but even the pill has a failure rate.
2007-07-16 07:19:29 · answer #3 · answered by maegs33 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Breastfeeding will lower your chances of getting pregnant, but it will not make it go away completly. For the most part if you are exclusively breastfeeding and not supplementing with soilids your hormones will not be sending signals to start up your monthly cycle, but then every women is different and there are pelnty of women out there who get pregnant while breastfeeding.
The only sure fire way not to get pregnant is to use some form of birth control. You can use condoms, the depo shot, IUDs, and progestorne only pills with out effecting your milk supply. If you choose an estrogen pill (most birth control pills) you will lower your milk supply, so these are not suggested if you are breastfeeding.
2007-07-16 06:35:22 · answer #4 · answered by Lanie7/21 3 · 2⤊ 0⤋
Let's do the math.
My wife and I had a baby in April of 2006. We had a son in June of 2007. If we subract 9 months from June of 2007 we get September of 2006 when she got pregnant. That was 6 months after she had our first child.
Not only was the first child breast feeding when she was 6 months old. She is still breast feeding at 15 months old.
So, no, your doctor is full of sh!t.
2007-07-16 06:39:16 · answer #5 · answered by Spiral Wizard 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Yes. Start using birth control right away. Breastfeeding CAN act like a contraceptive, but it's nowhere near 100%.
2007-07-16 06:56:19 · answer #6 · answered by buterfly_2_lovely 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
you can still ovulate even if breastfeeding. if you going to have sex, you need to first get a pregnancy test ran, then get some form of birth control if your not ready for another baby. Yes you were misinformed.
2007-07-16 06:51:00 · answer #7 · answered by llllll_amanda_lllllll 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Yes, you can get pregnant any time you have unprotected sex.
Some women don't have periods while nursing but you never know when you will ovulate.
My son has never, ever had a bottle but I got my period when he was about 2 monrths old
2007-07-16 07:00:12 · answer #8 · answered by ryet_grrrl 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Your doctor is an idiot.
Yes you can get pregnant while breastfeeding.
Get a test, find out for sure.
If you're not, use birth control unless you want another baby.
2007-07-16 06:44:56 · answer #9 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
Umm. Yeah, your doctor did not give you correct information. Once your period returns you can get pregnant again....
2007-07-16 06:34:23 · answer #10 · answered by zippythejessi 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋