The age-old myth: "you can't get pregnant when you are nursing" is simply not true. The hormonal changes facilitating milk production and release do suppress ovulation in most women for a time, but there are many factors that can cause slight changes in hormonal production, allowing your ovaries to release an egg.
There are, however, many women who depend on breastfeeding as a method of birth control (which is called Lactational Amenorrhea Method or LAM). This method is said to be highly effective (according to research, women who use it properly have less than a two percent chance of becoming pregnant), but only for a certain period of time during the nursing relationship. Here are some factors that can interfere with LAM and increase the chances of ovulation:
- Your period has returned.
- You have given your baby supplemental feedings (bottles, solid foods, water, etc. — anything that takes the place of a nursing session counts as a supplement).
- Your baby is older than six months.
- Your baby is sleeping through the night, or the period between any two nursing sessions is five hours or more.
- Your baby is not nursing well due to illness, infection, nursing strikes, or other causes.
- You have been ill, dehydrated or something has happened to decrease your milk supply.
There are other factors that can interfere, such as certain medications or stress, so it is recommended to learn about LAM and consult with a professional health care provider who commonly works with women using LAM and Natural Family Planning (NFP).
NFP takes careful and precise observation of your body. By taking your basal body temperature every morning at the same time, checking for vaginal mucus changes everyday, and charting other changes in your body, NFP method can be very reliable for predicting ovulation. Once ovulation can be predicted effectively, you continue to chart your monthly changes and abstain from sexual intercourse during ovulation.
NFP can be tricky during breastfeeding, when ovulation may be naturally suppressed and mucus changes may be very different from your non-breastfeeding state. One of the biggest clues to your cycle changes — your basal body temperature — may be not be accurate if you are getting out of bed often during the night and early morning hours to nurse and care for your baby.
Go To Page: 1 2
