Breast Feeding And Birth Control


by Mishaun Taylor - Date: 2007-04-04 - Word Count: 635 Share This!

Many women who have just delivered a baby want to use methods to make sure that they do not conceive again until they are ready. While not all women choose to breast feed, many women do choose breast feeding and wonder about how birth control use while breast feeding will affect their baby. Before you start taking birth control while you are breast feeding your new baby, it is important that you consider your options and the positive and negative aspects of each option before you make your final decision. There are three basic methods of birth control that are available to you, including hormonal birth control, non-hormonal birth control, and the Lactational Amenorrhea Method of birth control.

Hormonal Birth Control
The first type of birth control method you may be considering is hormonal birth control. There are both progestin birth control contraceptives and combination contraceptives that consist of both progestin and estrogen. While some believe that hormonal birth control use while breast feeding can cause problems for the baby, there are no actual studies that prove this; however, this type of birth control should be used with caution. Before you decide on hormonal birth control, be sure to weigh all of your options carefully to make sure this is what you really want and need. If you decide on taking progestin contraceptives, it is suggested that you wait for about three weeks after you deliver to start taking these pills. If you decide on taking estrogen contraceptives, you should probably wait at least six weeks after having your baby to start taking this kind of contraceptive. It is important to note that while progestin can actually increase your amount of breast milk, estrogen can decrease the amount of milk you produce, which may cause problems in the future.

Non-Hormonal Birth Control
Another type of birth control that many women consider after they have their baby is non-hormonal birth control. This is viewed as one of the best types birth control to use since there are no negative effects caused to the baby from birth control use while breast feeding with any of the non-hormonal methods that are available. Some types of non-hormonal types of birth control include diaphragms, spermicide, condoms, vaginal sponges, and a cervical cap. For women who choose to use a diaphragm, they need to make sure that they are fitted for a new one after having a baby. Most of the time there are changes to the cervix after childbirth and failing to be refitted may result in the failure of the diaphragm.

Lactational Amenorrhea Method of Birth Control
One method of birth control that many women are unfamiliar with is the Lactational Amenorrhea Method of birth control. Using this type of birth control while breast feeding is very natural; however, it is important that you understand how it works in order for it to be effective for you. This type of birth control is specifically for women who have yet to get their period, who are providing more than 90% of the nutrition for their child, plan to nurse their baby for more than six months, and breast feed an average of every four hours. Breast feeding this much can actually provide women with natural contraception and can last up to six months. It is very important that women are meeting all of the criteria for this method, though, or it may not be effective for them.

As a nursing mother, you need to be informed about the various types of birth control available and how it can affect you and your baby while breast feeding. Once you have the facts, you can decide which method will work best for you. Birth control use while breast feeding is possible, and it can be very safe if you choose the best methods for you and your child.

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If you're looking for additional information, tips, and techniques on breastfeeding or weaning your infant or toddler, please visit www.breastfeedingweaning.com This site provides valuable resources, help, and support for breastfeeding mothers and moms that are considering weaning their child. Learn more about Breast Feeding Weaning

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