https://boards.hellobee.com/ Pregnancy, Baby and Parenting blog, by Hellobee en Sat, 25 Apr 2026 18:59:12 +0000 https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/breastfeeding-as-contraception#post-2161472 Wed, 29 Apr 2015 21:15:14 +0000 Greentea 2161472@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Even if breastfeeding were to keep your period at bay, you will ovulate prior to your period's arrival, rendering the whole scheme unreliable. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/breastfeeding-as-contraception#post-2161469 Wed, 29 Apr 2015 21:11:39 +0000 birdofafeather 2161469@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>nope, I didn't trust it as our only for of birth control. I didn't get my period back until 12 months pp, but we always used condoms as well. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/breastfeeding-as-contraception#post-2161374 Wed, 29 Apr 2015 19:32:15 +0000 wonderstruck 2161374@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>My mom did and followed all of the rules - she was breastfeeding round the clock, sleeping with and wearing me, etc. And I was a pretty chunky baby! Plus it took her a year to get pregnant with me.</p> <p>Yeah, I have a brother who is a year and a week younger than me. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/breastfeeding-as-contraception#post-2161325 Wed, 29 Apr 2015 18:09:05 +0000 Mrs. Jacks 2161325@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@miramira: only effective in first six months when exclusively breastfeeding. Works best with co-sleeping and near constant baby wearing. In other words, much more effective in cultures that have intensive contact between mother and child at all times. Not so good here. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/breastfeeding-as-contraception#post-2161309 Wed, 29 Apr 2015 17:50:36 +0000 knittylady 2161309@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Tried it and now have boys 15 months apart! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/breastfeeding-as-contraception#post-2161277 Wed, 29 Apr 2015 17:05:29 +0000 miramira 2161277@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Thanks for sharing your experiences! I was interested because I'd just been reading about how some populations rely, or used to rely, on this for child spacing. Perhaps it's more effective if breastfeeding occurs more frequently over a 24hr period. In some populations, babies have free access to the breast and nurse multiple times an hour! I think I'll just stick to the ol' condoms... </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/breastfeeding-as-contraception#post-2161271 Wed, 29 Apr 2015 16:53:32 +0000 curlymama318 2161271@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Yep. My boys are less than a year apart! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/breastfeeding-as-contraception#post-2161211 Wed, 29 Apr 2015 15:41:37 +0000 Greentea 2161211@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Totally not a form of contraception. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/breastfeeding-as-contraception#post-2161196 Wed, 29 Apr 2015 15:34:13 +0000 lilteacherbee 2161196@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Nope, but as soon as I got AF back at 11 months pp, I got pregnant again (one AF in between pregnancies). I EBF for 13 months, so I guess it would have worked as birth control until AF returned. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/breastfeeding-as-contraception#post-2161184 Wed, 29 Apr 2015 15:18:50 +0000 anonysquire 2161184@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Well it worked til 10 weeks pp then I got my period back and got prego soon after. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/breastfeeding-as-contraception#post-2160942 Wed, 29 Apr 2015 12:43:04 +0000 mrsjyw 2160942@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>We didn't use it as a contraception method. It was mostly timing, but I never went back on the pill and we only used condoms the first few months after I got AF back at 4.5 months PP. I EBF'ed until DS was nearly 13 months and no oops baby! So I guess it worked in our case? Sorta?</p> <p>I would never rely on it as a real contraceptive method though. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/breastfeeding-as-contraception#post-2160939 Wed, 29 Apr 2015 12:41:31 +0000 HLK208 2160939@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I wasn't able to get pregnant while nursing but I wouldn't rely on it as birth control </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/breastfeeding-as-contraception#post-2160938 Wed, 29 Apr 2015 12:41:09 +0000 bushelandapeck 2160938@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I didn't. My sister did this and became pregnant with her third when she was only 5 months pp. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/breastfeeding-as-contraception#post-2160937 Wed, 29 Apr 2015 12:40:16 +0000 catomd00 2160937@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I did only for the first 6 months, then switched to pom. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/breastfeeding-as-contraception#post-2160927 Wed, 29 Apr 2015 12:38:11 +0000 Freckles 2160927@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I did with my first. It is only effective in the first 6 months and you have to be nursing pretty frequently for it to work. DD didny sleep through the night so i was safe. Now that we are done, I am not taking any chances (even though DS isn't sleeping through the night). </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/breastfeeding-as-contraception#post-2160891 Wed, 29 Apr 2015 12:05:37 +0000 Rainbow Sprinkles 2160891@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I guess it "kind of" worked for us, in the sense that it took 10 months to get pregnant post partum while I was EBF. We used no protection whatsoever and I was nursing around the clock for the first 6 months. I didn't get pregnant with my second until my oldest was 10 months old.</p> <p>I got my period back at 11 weeks post partum. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/breastfeeding-as-contraception#post-2160890 Wed, 29 Apr 2015 12:05:13 +0000 namaste 2160890@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Nope. Got my period 5 weeks PP. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/breastfeeding-as-contraception#post-2160873 Wed, 29 Apr 2015 11:52:06 +0000 Mrs. J 2160873@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Yes, but we didn't really care if I got pregnant, and I didn't get AF back until 10 months pp. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/breastfeeding-as-contraception#post-2160852 Wed, 29 Apr 2015 11:37:04 +0000 sarac 2160852@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Nooooope. That really only 'works' if you're ok with an accidental pregnancy. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/breastfeeding-as-contraception#post-2160840 Wed, 29 Apr 2015 11:28:29 +0000 Foodnerd81 2160840@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I did not trust it. I didn't get my period back for over a year and a half, but you never know when it will start and I wasn't ok with relying on just that. The time when it would have been most effective (first 6 months) was the time I would have been absolutely not ok with a surprise. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/breastfeeding-as-contraception#post-2160811 Wed, 29 Apr 2015 11:04:05 +0000 jedeve 2160811@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>It's technically only recommended for six months. I got pregnant at 9 mo PP, while still ammenorhaeic and nursing/pumping 8x a day, including over night. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/breastfeeding-as-contraception#post-2160800 Wed, 29 Apr 2015 10:51:52 +0000 shopaholic 2160800@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>...doesn't work. I've heard from way too many moms, including my sister. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/breastfeeding-as-contraception#post-2160797 Wed, 29 Apr 2015 10:50:39 +0000 teawithpaloma 2160797@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>No, I got my period back 3 months while EBF. Also my mom got pregnant while breastfeeding at 4 months post partum so I knew it was a slipper slope. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/breastfeeding-as-contraception#post-2160790 Wed, 29 Apr 2015 10:43:16 +0000 Weagle 2160790@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Yes, kind of. Basically, with LO1 I didn't get AF back until I weaned. Seems to be the same for LO2 so far. But, we're doing this knowing full well that it's totally not foolproof and that we are totally fine with getting pregnant again at any time. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/breastfeeding-as-contraception#post-2160777 Wed, 29 Apr 2015 10:35:31 +0000 Applesandbananas 2160777@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I did successfully. I got my period back when I stopped pumping at work and immediately got an IUD. I was really unsure of what kind of birth control I wanted postpartum and had attempted the mini pill after my 6w checkup. The mini pill killed my supply and I stopped taking it after a week and just relied on breastfeeding. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/breastfeeding-as-contraception#post-2160775 Wed, 29 Apr 2015 10:34:46 +0000 Alivoo01 2160775@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Kind of? lol Nursing made me really dry down there, and no matter how much lube we used, it was super uncomfortable. even if i really wanted it. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/breastfeeding-as-contraception#post-2160733 Wed, 29 Apr 2015 10:04:54 +0000 blackbird 2160733@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Sounds like a good way to get knocked up again! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/breastfeeding-as-contraception#post-2160696 Wed, 29 Apr 2015 09:48:01 +0000 cascademom 2160696@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Nope, I got my period back around 6 weeks postpartum. I did mini pill after that. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/breastfeeding-as-contraception#post-2160682 Wed, 29 Apr 2015 09:41:52 +0000 coopsmama 2160682@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Yes, I did after my first. Followed all the rules and was pregnant at 4 months PP. I've been using withdrawal this time (a pregnancy wouldn't be the end of the world) and am past 9 months PP with no pregnancies. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/breastfeeding-as-contraception#post-2160672 Wed, 29 Apr 2015 09:38:06 +0000 rachiecakes 2160672@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Nope - 4 of my friends had 2 under 2 after getting pregnant while exclusively breastfeeding. </p>