Does anyone rely solely on breastfeeding (lactational amenorrhoea) for contraception? Just curious!
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Nope. My kids are both big sleepers so it wouldn't be effective enough for peace of mind.
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Nope - 4 of my friends had 2 under 2 after getting pregnant while exclusively breastfeeding.
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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.
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Nope, I got my period back around 6 weeks postpartum. I did mini pill after that.
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Sounds like a good way to get knocked up again!
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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...doesn't work. I've heard from way too many moms, including my sister.
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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.
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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.
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Nooooope. That really only 'works' if you're ok with an accidental pregnancy.
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Yes, but we didn't really care if I got pregnant, and I didn't get AF back until 10 months pp.
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Nope. Got my period 5 weeks PP.
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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.
I got my period back at 11 weeks post partum.
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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).
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I did only for the first 6 months, then switched to pom.
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I didn't. My sister did this and became pregnant with her third when she was only 5 months pp.
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I wasn't able to get pregnant while nursing but I wouldn't rely on it as birth control
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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?
I would never rely on it as a real contraceptive method though.
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Well it worked til 10 weeks pp then I got my period back and got prego soon after.
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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.
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Totally not a form of contraception.
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Yep. My boys are less than a year apart!
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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...
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Tried it and now have boys 15 months apart!
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@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.
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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.
Yeah, I have a brother who is a year and a week younger than me.
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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.
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Even if breastfeeding were to keep your period at bay, you will ovulate prior to your period's arrival, rendering the whole scheme unreliable.
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31 comments