Bfeeding and getting pregnant...??

[sam#3]

Does anyone know if you can get pregnant when bfeeding if you havent had AF since LO's birth???????
Im not planning on ttc just yet but we are speaking about it but as things are at the mo i havent had AF since having Harry and im BF and weaning.....

Any ideas anyone??

 

[ryder]

yes you can ovulate still.

 

[freckleonear]

Yes it's possible to ovulate before your periods return.

 

[princessellie]

i was told to be very careful having sex after the birth as it is the most fertile stage apparently

so yes, you can

x

 

[marley2580]

It is possible, but not likely. MOST women that fully BF won't ovulate for the first 6 months or so BUT you have to monitor your signs such as cervical discharge as well.

 

[Serene123]

Get some ovulation test strip thingies lol x

 

[alice&bump]

i think hevz got pregnant that way. yea it is possible, you've got to ovulate before you hve your period, so you could get pregnant just before your gona start getting them again. if that makes any sense at all!! no such luck for me, i got my af a week after my lochia stopped

 

[marley2580]

A lot of women do actually get a warning period before the ovulation starts up again, but you have to be very aware of your fertile signs.

 

[Serene123]

I'm having periods but not ovulating so periods still aren't a definate sign lol!

 

[Bec L]

I've still not had one and for once I am hoping it comes soon so OH and I can start planning for number 2!

 

[alice&bump]

I'm having periods but not ovulating so periods still aren't a definate sign lol!

how do you know if you are or not? i didnt think you could get periods without ovulating?

 

[marley2580]

I'm having periods but not ovulating so periods still aren't a definate sign lol!

how do you know if you are or not? i didnt think you could get periods without ovulating?

The pill stops you from ovulating, yet you still get periods.

 

[sam#3]

I dont know what the signs for ovulating are other than 'egg whitey discharge' which i had about 3 weeks ago and thought i was going to get af but i havent.
How would i know when to test if i get some of the strip test things?? Mind u im a bit of a POAS addict so i could happily do it everyday!!!

 

[Hevz]

i think hevz got pregnant that way. yea it is possible, you've got to ovulate before you hve your period, so you could get pregnant just before your gona start getting them again. if that makes any sense at all!! no such luck for me, i got my af a week after my lochia stopped

yep I got pregnant while exclusively breastfeeding Toby, he was 5months old. However I was having regular periods.

My friend got pregnant while breastfeeding too but she hadn't had a single period

 

[ryder]

umm FYI... The pill does not stop you from ovulating... It prevents ovulation while your are taking the pill... and when you stop most women usually ovulate on the off week... and during this off week, even if your having your period it is possible to get pregnant...

I also knew a girl who had a baby and was fully bfing and got pregnant the month after she gave birth and the baby ended up with alot of physical birth defects.

 

[marley2580]

umm FYI... The pill does not stop you from ovulating... It prevents ovulation while your are taking the pill... and when you stop most women usually ovulate on the off week... and during this off week, even if your having your period it is possible to get pregnant...

Sorry, but with the combined pill you do not ovulate, that is why it is ok to have sex the week you are 'off'. The mini pill is, I believe, a bit different.

The main fertile sign you should watch for is increasing amounts and thickness of CM, this tends to give you 5-7 days warning. You can also monitor the position of your cervix. The ovulation strips wouldn't be any good at preventing pregnancy as sperm can live up to 5 days in the vagina, and the tests would only tell you that you have ovulated - you can monitor this in a cheaper way by taking your temp every morning before you get up. Have a look at https://www.fertilityuk.org/ for more on monitoring your fertility.

 

[ryder]

Most of the pills here (combined or not) advise that you use protection on the "off" week to prevent pregnancy... I've been on both types of pills... Saying that it prevents your ovulation is deceiving, some people are under the assumption that this "saves" your eggs, which is doesn't.... I suggest you talk to a doctor for more info.

Nothing is 100% better to be safe then sorry.

 

[ryder]

I also want to add that some people have absolutely NO signs of ovulation or fertility. Everyone is different...

 

[sam#3]

Oooo its all so confusing!!!
So the jury is still out really on wether its possible to get pg while bfeeding and no AF???!!!!

 

[marley2580]

I suggest you talk to a doctor for more info.

All of the doctors here will tell you that it does stop ovulation and that you don't need to use protection.

Taken from the nhs website:

The Combined Oral Contraceptive (COC) pill contains two hormones, oestrogen and progestogen.
It works by:

Preventing ovulation (the release of an egg from the ovary each month).
Thickening the mucus in the neck of the womb, so it is harder for sperm to penetrate into the womb and reach an egg.
Thinning the lining of the womb, so there is less chance of a fertilised egg implanting into the womb and being able to grow.
The COC pill is one of the most effective methods of contraception. When taken correctly, less than 1 woman out of a 1000 taking the COC pill for a year, will get pregnant.

Everyone does have signs of ovulation (if they actually are ovulating) it's a biological process - your temp increases by 0.2 degrees after ovulation, your cervix moves from being low to being high in your vagina etc. The problem is that most people don't know what signs to look for or how to look for them.

Everyone accepts that you can get pregnant while BFing, whether you've started your periods or not. The accepted stats on LAM are:

Lactational Amenorrhoea Method (LAM)is an efficient short-term method of family planning, providing 98% protection against pregnancy provided that:
The mother is fully or almost fully breast-feeding both day and night.
The baby is less than six months old.
Menstruation has not returned.