Breastfeeding / contraception

Khannie

So I've been googling on this and haven't found a decent answer: Breastfeeding is reasonably effective as a method of contraception. What I'm wondering is are those pee on a stick ovulation kits going to provide any indication of ovulation while you're breastfeeding?

Can't seem to get an answer to this. The thinking is that combining the two might give a lower chance of pregnancy.

deisemum

I don't know about the kits but personally wouldn't chance relying on breastfeeding as a means of contraception.

As it's a while since I was breastfeeding the one thing I do remember is any medical personnel telling me not to rely on it unless I wasn't bothered about the chances of ending up pregnant.

You need to be breastfeeding exclusively for it to have some contraceptive effect but it's not very reliable.

I didn't have periods while I was breastfeeding even though I breastfed until 15 months so the ovulation kits could be handy in situations like that especially if baby is on solids.

littlebug

I wouldn't count on breastfeeding as contraception to be honest. Some women have their cycle return if there is any decrease in feeding at all while others don't return until feeding stops altogether. Since you can't predict when ovulation might start again you would need to be peeing on a stick every day which could get expensive. Even then.... since the little guys can live in there for up to 5 days I don't think I would rely on it.
As Deise says.... only if both of you really wouldn't mind another baby if it happened!

Grawns

My cycle returned at 3 months and I exclusively breastfed for 6 months before introducing solids and continuing to breastfeed.

I've looked into this as I was wondering about breastfeeding while trying to conceive - if your cycle returned, would breastfeeding decrease your fertility? Yes it diminishes your fertility but only until the baby starts solids and demand declines. As a method of contraception it's not reliable at all.

Ickle Magoo

Khannie wrote: »

So I've been googling on this and haven't found a decent answer: Breastfeeding is reasonably effective as a method of contraception. What I'm wondering is are those pee on a stick ovulation kits going to provide any indication of ovulation while you're breastfeeding?

Can't seem to get an answer to this. The thinking is that combining the two might give a lower chance of pregnancy.

Thanks to not using any other kind of contraception while feeding my son because I never had a period, I now also have a daughter - I'd be very wary of considering bf an effective contraceptive!

mariaf24

Hi Khannie,

As the other posters have said, Breastfeeding is not at all a reliable form of contraception.

It is important to note that ovulation predictor kits predict ovulation 12-24 hours (usually) in advance. Sperm can live up to 5 days in the female. So it is possible to conceive if you have intercourse several days before ovulation...
I am not sure if breastfeeding would have an impact on the ovulation test results but i would not imagine so.
I hope this makes sense....

Khannie

Thanks for the replies everyone. Yeah, I could do without an extra baby right now. We've never had any trouble conceiving so it would probably be tempting fate too much.

So we're in a bit of a pickle then. Condoms aren't a runner. We don't want to use the mini pill (she was a total bunny boiler on them the last time...she'd say so herself). Don't want to use the mirena / coil (we'd rather if conception occurs that we have a baby). We're down to awkward methods beyond that.

Ickle Magoo

What about the depo-provera injection? I was on that for years, no periods, loved it.

Khannie

Is that progesterone only though? (like the mini pill) edit: It is. That's the one that makes her loopy.

/me googles

She can't take the normal pill at the moment because she's breastfeeding.

Quality

Definitely dont use Breast feeding as contraceptions..

Yes only pill is the mini pill or she could get marina coil put in, because it is a localised release within the womb.

other wise, use condoms.. or pull out... which is not really reliable..

Ickle Magoo

Khannie wrote: »

Is that progesterone only though? (like the mini pill) edit: It is. That's the one that makes her loopy.

/me googles

She can't take the normal pill at the moment because she's breastfeeding.

What about the femidom? Latex-free condoms? Diaphram? I know some women who swear by fertility awareness - try and get a hold of "Taking Charge of Your Fertility" by Dawn Stacey if you can, I've heard good things about it. :cool:

emmiou

We're in the same boat - will eventually go for a copper coil for a longer term fix and a diaphragm for now.... PM me if you want to know where I went to arrange.

Das Kitty

What's a good form for someone who doesn't want to go onto hormonal contraception but will want to be TTC again in the next 2-3 years?

The consultant at the hospital mentioned the mirena but I thought that it could compromise your fertility?

lynski

Khannie wrote: »

Don't want to use the mirena / coil (we'd rather if conception occurs that we have a baby). We're down to awkward methods beyond that.

Can i ask what you you mean by that?

Ickle Magoo

lynski wrote: »

Can i ask what you you mean by that?

The mirena can work by preventing implantation so fertilisation may occur but the device prevents pregnancy occurring, some prefer contraception that prevents fertilisation rather than implantation.

Nevyn

Khannie breastfeeding is not a sure means of contraception at all.

Das Kitty wrote: »

What's a good form for someone who doesn't want to go onto hormonal contraception but will want to be TTC again in the next 2-3 years?

The consultant at the hospital mentioned the mirena but I thought that it could compromise your fertility?

why on earth with it compromise your fertility?
You can have it taken out at any stage and be pregnant with in 1 to 6 months?

Ickle Magoo wrote: »

The mirena can work by preventing implantation so fertilisation may occur but the device prevents pregnancy occurring, some prefer contraception that prevents fertilisation rather than implantation.

All the contraceptive pills decrease the lining of the womb so prevent a pregnancy happening ( ie to prevent implantation occurring), the miren works the same way, it does not work the same way as a IUCD (the coil).

There is also the nuvaring, and patch as methods which also use hormoans.


The diaphragm may be an option.

Out of all the fertility tracking options I would recommended the persona contraception monitor.

Ickle Magoo

Thaedydal wrote: »

All the contraceptive pills decrease the lining of the womb so prevent a pregnancy happening ( ie to prevent implantation occurring), the miren works the same way, it does not work the same way as a IUCD (the coil).

Oh dear, according to my gynae the mirena IS an IUCD... :eek:

When he fitted it he said the only differences between it and the coil was material composition & the levonorgestral release & effects there of, I'm no expert, I'm just regurgitating.

nesf

Thaedydal wrote: »

All the contraceptive pills decrease the lining of the womb so prevent a pregnancy happening ( ie to prevent implantation occurring), the miren works the same way, it does not work the same way as a IUCD (the coil).

Contraceptive pills primary means of contraception is the inhibition of ovulation though. The implantation prevention is only theorised and not the main means of action iirc.

Das Kitty

Thaedydal wrote:

why on earth with it compromise your fertility?
You can have it taken out at any stage and be pregnant with in 1 to 6 months?

because my useless excuse for a GP (who I'm seeing for the very last tine this morning before I switch) once told me it would! I take it it doesn't so! Oh man, yet another reason I'm glad to get off her roster.

Khannie wrote: »

Don't want to use the mirena / coil (we'd rather if conception occurs that we have a baby). We're down to awkward methods beyond that.

Hmm, not sure how I feel about that these days. I has some thinking and talking to do.

Nevyn

Ickle Magoo wrote: »

Oh dear, according to my gynae the mirena IS an IUCD... :eek:

When he fitted it he said the only differences between it and the coil was material composition & the levonorgestral release & effects there of, I'm no expert, I'm just regurgitating.

How they work is very different due to the material composition and the hormones, where they are placed and how they are fitted is the same, but that's about it.

nesf wrote: »

Contraceptive pills primary means of contraception is the inhibition of ovulation though. The implantation prevention is only theorised and not the main means of action iirc.

It is not the main means but it is listed as one of the ways it can prevent pregnancy.
The Mirena I.U.S. (intrauterine system) is the same, the coil I.U.C.D. ( intrauterine copper device) how ever is not.

Das Kitty wrote: »

because my useless excuse for a GP (who I'm seeing for the very last tine this morning before I switch) once told me it would! I take it it doesn't so! Oh man, yet another reason I'm glad to get off her roster.

Unfortunately as trading in contraception was and still is optional for drs due to personal religious/moral reasons, so it's often an add on to a general practice and I have found over the years that some dr are not up on the current different methods.

Khannie

Thaedydal wrote: »

It is not the main means but it is listed as one of the ways it can prevent pregnancy.

So you gave me a bit of a shock there. Wikipedia disagrees with you:

prevent ovulation as their primary mechanism of action

link.

It also says "Other secondary mechanisms have been hypothesized" (emphasis mine).

The (big) difference with the mirena is that it has no primary mechanism:

No single mechanism accounts for the effectiveness of the IUS in preventing pregnancy

link

Khannie

Das Kitty wrote: »

What's a good form for someone who doesn't want to go onto hormonal contraception but will want to be TTC again in the next 2-3 years?

We were just talking about the medium term options there last night. Wifey's been on the pill now for a fairly long time (with the exception of times she's been pregnant) so she wants to take a bit of a break from it. Diaphragm is one option we're considering. Condoms are an option too but of course they're hard to go back to if you're used to unprotected sex. The coil is a non-hormonal option too (but not one we're considering).

There's fertility monitoring too. The one Thaedydal mentioned says it's 94% effective (6% of women will conceive annually using it correctly). Not that great.

Nevyn

Yes the mirena has several methods and personally given that I became pregnant on the pill I value the quadruple redundancy in my contraceptive choice, esp as getting my tubes tied has not been an option.

Why not consider the persona and the diaphragm?
Mind you it can be hard to get drs to take the diaphragm seriously as a contraceptive option and it can be fiddly
and women tend to have to go to a family planning clinic to get appointments for them.

cbyrd

I'd be very interested to see if there's any succesful way to avoid pregnancy especially when trying to avoid it!!
Over the last 7 years i have tried the mirena coil, the copper T coil, the depo provera injection i can't take the pill because of depression linked episodes when i take it and now i'm lactose intolerant. there's one they found that suits me i can't take it cos it's coated in lactose!!
Anything with hormones just either blows me up like a balloon or i go off the deep end in a serious way.
So for 22 months we successfully used the counting the days method and the thickness of the cervical mucus (sorry for being so graphic).. and it was really good until i had a very stressful month (dad diagnosed with 2nd cancer). my dates were shot to hell and now i have Ben:D
I'm breastfeeding now and i have noticed my cycle is starting up again even though i'm not having periods, i am ovulating, it takes a while to get the hang of it but when you know how to do it, it really is helpful.
A lot of the fertility websites will show you how to do it, i used this one www.fertilityfriend.com
it's another option for those of us that find most types of contraception is off limits.

Nevyn

There is only two 100% proof way to aviod getting pregnant that is not have sex or to be physically incapable.

The range of contraceptive options is not spoken about and drs seem to be happy to just say right the pill and not inform on other methods.