Are there any reasons why I could not use breastfeeding as a method of contraception?
If you do not produce enough milk to fully breastfeed, you would not be able to rely on breastfeeding to protect you against pregnancy. If you have HIV, you would not be advised to breastfeed because the virus can pass on to the baby through your milk. If you are working, you may not be able to breastfeed frequently enough to keep up the level of hormones your body needs to prevent ovulation.
How do you use breastfeeding for contraception? Well, the three things we discussed earlier: no periods, fully breastfeeding, and your baby being under six months old are very important. The main thing for you to do then is to make sure that your baby sucks frequently.
Sucking on the nipple causes your uterus to contract and also causes your body to release a hormone called prolactin, which helps in the production of breast milk. Prolactin can also prevent ovulation.
Some other questions people ask about breastfeeding to prevent pregnancy
Q. If you’re not having any periods how can you get pregnant?
A. The first period comes about two weeks after the first ovulation, so it is possible to ovulate and to get pregnant even before you have started to have periods again. As well, if you’re not used to having regular periods it might be several months before you even realise that you could be pregnant.
Q. I got some light bleeding for a couple of months after I had my last baby. Does this count as a period if I wanted to use breastfeeding for contraception?
A. This light bleeding is called lochia and is it is quite normal to get this, on and off usually, for up to six weeks after having a baby. As long as it is light and it is less than two months since you had the baby it doesn’t count as a period. Heavy periodlike bleeding (even early on), or light bleeding later than two months, probably does count and you should see your doctor or Family Planning Centre for advice.
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