I hear that EBF is a common form of birth control then I hear you are extra fertile.......
What is your stand/experience???
I hear that EBF is a common form of birth control then I hear you are extra fertile.......
What is your stand/experience???
pea / 21 posts
The planned parenthood website has some good info on this. We used breastfeeding as birth control and it worked for us. I had to stop nursing to get my period back. http://www.plannedparenthood.org/learn/birth-control/breastfeeding
persimmon / 1363 posts
They told us in our prenatal class that it's 90 percent effective for 6 months, so long as it's EBF with no pumping. So if you can live with those odds!
cantaloupe / 6059 posts
@blackbird: yup.
I got pregnant while EBF at 4 months PP and my DS was still nursing around the clock. I would never rely on it as BC unless you wouldn't be too disappointed by a surprise.
pomelo / 5093 posts
It's about as effective as the rhythm method - so, moderately effective. But I wouldn't use it if I was dead set against having another child. I also got my period back at 4 months, so I didn't qualify anyway.
eggplant / 11861 posts
Ohhh we are for now backing it up with condoms....
I am just surprised to hear for some it works and for some... nope!
apricot / 347 posts
If a second baby isn't an option for you, ebf is not worth the risk but for most people, breastfeeding "biologically" (on demand and without any pack/bottles) can be very effective. I wasn't vigilant and only got my period 9 mo pp with an LP that would have made conception impossible.
blogger / grapefruit / 4836 posts
It worked for us...we were NTNP after my first was born. I didn't get my period back until we weaned at 10 months, got pregnant 3 months later (CP) and then 2 months after that.
honeydew / 7283 posts
My OB warned me that she got pregnant while EBF. I figured that if it could happen to her...
pomelo / 5660 posts
@FaithFertility: not birth control! I got pregnant when darcy was 2 months old while EBF.
pomegranate / 3921 posts
My midwife put me on the mini-pill and said EBF was my "backup" method.
Also, my cousin got pregnant twice on the mini-pill while EBF.
pineapple / 12526 posts
@blackbird: Yup.
BFing as birth control is total bullshit. I know lots of people who believed that and got KUed.
persimmon / 1147 posts
I wouldn't trust EBF only (unless you're ok with a possible surprise!)
bananas / 9899 posts
I read recently in "The Womanly Art of Breastfeeding" that EFB is like 90% effective at preventing pregnancy ONLY IF you meet like five other factors, including your LO is also under 6 months, still getting at least one night feeding, and you haven't gotten a period yet. If any one of those factors are not there, you're pretty much not protected (not that EFB is really a guarantee anyway). If you want to avoid pregnancy, I'd suggest a rubber.
Currently I consider myself NTNP even though I'm EBF. Especially now that my DD is 7 months and I got my first part partum period a few weeks ago. I'm OK with a potential surprise tho.
cantaloupe / 6692 posts
In a way, breastfeeding can be birth control for some women. But it shouldn't be the ONLY form of birth control you rely on. I never went back on hormonal BC and my cycle never returned until I completely quit BFing...but for the most part we still used condoms.
blogger / pineapple / 12381 posts
It's best if you are co sleeping and baby wearing. I wouldn't count on it though.
grapefruit / 4681 posts
I found out I was pregnant with DD the month after DS weaned (so at 22 mo pp). I didn't get my period until 17 mo pp and still nursed him around the clock, co-slept and babywore. Now at 16 mo pp we found out we are expecting again. I'm still breastfeeding DD, co-sleeping with both kids and babywear. My period returned 9 mo pp after DD though.
pomegranate / 3350 posts
I think it's reliable as long as you nurse on demand and also the baby does not sleep through the night. My midwife told me all bets were off if he slept in long stretches.
wonderful cherry / 21504 posts
As it turns out, it would have worked for me since I didn't get my period back until two weeks after c dropped to one feeding a day (so I assume I must have ovulated when she dropped the second to last session. But we used protection anyway since you nn don't know until after you ovulate.
cantaloupe / 6730 posts
My doctor told me it was 90% effective if LO didn't have any other solids or liquids, and nursed less than 6 hours apart at night and your period wasn't back yet. So that method went out the window pretty early when LO would randomly sleep for 6 hours.
pomegranate / 3275 posts
For me it's extra strength bc. We haven't used a lick of bc since my son was born, 15 months ago, and we were actively trying to get pregnant for the last two months, and nada. I didn't get my period until he was one and I don't think I'm ovulating. I think that if I'm lactating at all I do not ovulate (he still nurses once a day at this point).
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