Natural Family Planning and Breastfeeding?

Question

My husband and I have choosen to do natural family planning. I have been breastfeeding our son almost exclusivly. From what I have read on using breastfeeding as a form of birth control is that it is only effective if you nurse every few hours including night feedings, your period hasnt returned and your baby is less then 6 months. Well, baby is now six months and starting solids. My period has not returned- but i know i can still get pregnant. Anyway to the question- My husband and I are totally fine with getting pregnant again at this time. But I am on pins and needles all the time with any glimpse that I might be pregnant since I have nothing to measure or sure fire sign to help me notice. No period to watch, Always have tender nipples from breastfeeding, still have baby pouch, didnt have morning sickness with first.
Has anyone ever been through this? I have already taken 3 tests and always negative-- but once in awhile i get paranoid.

Answer 1

Hi, congratulations on your new son!

I have used ecological breastfeeding with both my daughters and had return to fertility with my first daughter at 12 months and at 17-18 months with my second. I understand that it can be frustrating just to not know one way or the other. In my experience, from using ecological breastfeeding and also from teaching NFP, you will probably know when fertility is returning. Women usually have a very heavy, very long mucus patch before their first ovulation. This usually happens for a good 1-2 weeks of continuous, heavy volume of fertile mucus.

When I was breastfeeding, I also took temperatures. Not every day, but usually once a week or so. I knew from my pre-pregnancy charts that my pre-ovulation temperatures were usually around 97.0 and my post-ovulation temperatures were in the higher 97s-98. I didn't want the pressure of daily temperature taking, especially since I didn't always get a good night's sleep that would make the temperatures valid. That way I wasn't wasting money on pregnancy tests either. If I took a temperature and it was in the low 97s, I knew I hadn't ovulated yet.

There is a good chance that you will continue to have breastfeeding infertility for some months to come. It is a very individual thing. For some women, they can introduce solids, have their babies sleep longer at night, and they will go on to have a year or more of breastfeeding infertility. The level of prolactin that you have influences when you get your fertility back. Some women require very little nursing stimulation to keep their periods away, other women might nurse very frequently but get their periods back early. So every woman's experience is different.

If you haven't already read Sheila Kippley's "Breastfeeding and Natural Child Spacing", I highly recommend it. It has lots of stories from different women talking about their nursing experience and how long it was before their fertility returned. It might be a good resource for you. Make you feel a little bit better to see how it has gone for other women.

As far as using an ovulation predictor kit, I wouldn't advise you to do so because they are very expensive and you might end up using them for months before your periods return. If you haven't already taken a class in NFP, you might consider taking one now because it will help you be able to watch for your signs of fertility and make you feel more comfortable being able to tell when fertility is returning. You can definitely use the mucus and temperature signs to your advantage to knowing more about what is happening with your cycle. You can also learn how to use your cervix sign to indicate that fertility is returning. All of these signs will give you more comfort as you wait for your periods to come back.

I'm sorry that there are a number of ignorant answers already on here about weaning or using condoms... Ecological breastfeeding is very reliable (99.9%) when used the way that you describe for the first 6 months. I know a lot of babies who were conceived while their parents used condoms or the pill, but no one questions their choices for contraception! So you keep on just like you're doing!

Answer 2

I know where you're coming from. My husband and I have used NFP off and on successfully for the past 5 years, although I have not tried the "ecological breastfeeding" yet because I always have great difficulties and infections.

Despite what people say, breastfeeding IS a reliable form of birth control IF you truly do it exclusively, which most American mothers DON'T do. They let their babies sleep through the night, give them pacifiers sometimes, etc. The key to using breastfeeding to suppress ovulation is CONSTANT suckling at the breast throughout the day and night. This is how nature intended it to be anyway - it's called nursing on demand and keeps mom and baby close together.

Have you read "The Art of Natural Family Planning" by the Kippleys? There's a whole chapter on using exclusive breastfeeding for birth control and actually it's much more effective than 6 months. Most women, on average, experience no ovulation for 14-15 months. You have to keep on nursing (even at night) through the baby's transition to solids. The key is not the amount of milk your child is getting, but that that nipples are constantly stimulated, thus suppressing ovulation.

As for tracking your fertility while breastfeeding, there's a chapter on that, too :-) Basically you can use the "mucus sign" as a reliable indicator of whether or not your fertility has returned. If you are experienced at NFP you will be able to recognize fertile mucus when it first appears to alert you that you are ovulating again.

Answer 3

My husband and I also use Natural Family Planning. I use Cyclebeads (http://www.cyclebeads.com/) in combination with the Lady-Comp Fertility Monitor (http://www.raxmedical.com/). Cyclebeads are a low cost option but won't work for you if you have yet to resume regular menstrual cycles. Lady-Comp is pricey but I decided it was worth it for me when keeping track of my temp using a regular BBT Thermometer got to be a hassle. Raxmedical offers an easy finance plan which I used. They also have a FAQ section on their website which addresses your issue of breastfeeding and NFP which you may find informative.

I don't know much personally about breastfeeding as a form of birth control however I wouldn't rely on it based upon my family's history. My grandmother had eight pregnancies, some conceived only two months after the delivery of a previous child and she was breastfeeding.

It is possible that a lactation consultant may have some suggestions on weaning baby just enough so that you can still breastfeed but also get your body back into menstrual cycles again so that you will at least have something to track in order to either avoid or plan another pregnancy dependent upon your idea of what is right for your family.

I hope some of this information helps, and best of luck with the NFP. It certainly takes a lot more dedication than just popping a birth control pill but I think it is worth it and rewarding for both husband and wife.

Answer 4

If you want to do natural family planning you should really invest the $200 in an at home ovulation kit. It can help you better track when you are ovulating since you have no period to track.
There are some cheaper ovulation kits on Walgreens website as well, but as a former (6 years) pharmacy technician, my customers would buy the cheaper, and return for this one.
Best of luck! And congrats on the young one.

Answer 5

Hmmm, you may start your period once your baby gets going with solids- lot of people do. Breastfeeding is really never a reliable form of birthcontrol, I have seen LOTS of women get pregnant with a 6 week old, exclusively breast fed baby- so it is good that you would not mind getting pregnant. I would make sure you are taking prenatal vitamins- especially if you plan to continue to nurse if you get pregnant- it is so hard on your body to do both.

Answer 6

I understand the fear because you want to know one way or another. Let me compliment you on breast feeding. That is so good for the baby, and I hear from friends and family that it helps the mother to lose those baby pounds. Because of your fear, you have led me to believe you are not quite ready to be pregnant, even though you and your husband would be okay if it would happen. The question I have for you is-Why not have him wear a condom? If you did that, wouldn't it rid the fear and the unknowing feeling? Is that not natural family planning then? After researching your question, yes you can definitely get pregnant. See Source.