A question that many nursing moms want to know is “what kind of birth control is safe or acceptable while breastfeeding?” The answer depends on whether you are considering the effectiveness or any negative impact on breastfeeding for your baby.

All the barrier methods are of course safe for you and your baby, and will not interfere at all with your milk supply. The thing to consider is the rate of effectiveness of these methods. Barrier methods such as Diaphragms, condoms, cervical caps, etc… have an effectiveness rate of about 75-85%.

You can also you hormonal contraceptives (birth control pills, patches, etc.) they are safe while breastfeeding but the ones with estrogen have the potential to decrease your milk supply. If you are going to use a hormonal birth control method, a progesterone-only or “mini pill” would be preferable to maintain your milk supply. Although the effectiveness rates on hormonal contraception are quite high (92-98%), the progesterone-only pills are “less forgiving” if you were to forget to take the pill each day, or even if you took it at a different time of the day! You need to be careful and create a reminder for yourself or you could become pregnant and not know it. If you are a person who tends to forget to take your pill, this may not be the ideal method for you.

Breastfeeding itself (known as LAM) is actually a very effective form of birth control! At 95-98% effectiveness, it can be as good as the pill, but you will have to be careful to follow three important rules!

1. First, you must be exclusively breastfeeding (no formula, water or food).
   
   
2. Second, the baby must be less than 6 months of age.
   
   
3. Lastly, you cannot have had your menstrual cycle or period return. That can mean you are ovulating again.

If any of these “rules” are not followed, all bets are off and you can get pregnant!! Make sure you use another birth control method if you do not want to get pregnant again.

For most breastfeeding moms it is more common to not get your period while you are breastfeeding. This is one of the many advantages.  However, what I have noticed in my practice over the past few years, is that more and more breastfeeding moms are getting their periods and ovulating even while exclusively breastfeeding. This has been a noticeable increase for me, and I question the reason for this.

Whatever the reason, just keep this in mind and pay close attention to your body’s signs. Most experts agree that spacing your pregnancies at least 12-18 months apart is not only healthier for you, but also for your next baby.

To learn more about this and other important breastfeeding topics go to www.sharicriso.com/mybabyexperts and watch my breastfeeding class online for FREE!

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