Breastfeeding for contraception (LMA)

[mommytashaX2]

I was thinking about starting birth control and I was curious as to whether or not breastfeeding really can prevent pregnancy (Lactational Amenorrhea Method). I was searching on line and found a few articles about it which say that it is possible to use breastfeeding as a form of contraception if;

-your baby is less than six months old
-your menstrual periods have not yet returned
-baby gets nothing but breastmilk (no bottles/formula/pacifiers)

I'm kinda iffy about this so I do intend on talking to my doctor about it. Just curious how many of you have found that this has worked for you and how many of you have tried it and gotten pregnant?

 

[Margerle]

There's actually a bit more to it for REALLY successful LA... one has to become as one with their infant as possible for best success... IOW sleep together etc. But yes, some women have great success with it.

 

[marley2580]

I used it for the first 6 months as I use natural family planning as my method of birth control (me and hormones don't mix well) If done right it's about as effective as condoms without spermicide (as most of them are now).

 

[ryder]

Most doctors here do not recommend it here as a successful method. So unless you are ok with the chance of becomming pregnant again, then I would find some other method.

People who are successful at not becomming pregnant are purely lucky. Even if your periods are not regular you can still release eggs and become pregnant.

I know of one friend who did try this method, she breastfed exclusively, the baby slept with them etc. She was pregnant again by the time her first baby was 3 months old.

 

[masi]

Most doctors here do not recommend it here as a successful method. So unless you are ok with the chance of becomming pregnant again, then I would find some other method.

People who are successful at not becomming pregnant are purely lucky. Even if your periods are not regular you can still release eggs and become pregnant.

I know of one friend who did try this method, she breastfed exclusively, the baby slept with them etc. She was pregnant again by the time her first baby was 3 months old.

Me as well!! Baby slept with me, i breastfeed exclusively .etc. etc. I was pregnant by the time he was 4 mths old

 

[marley2580]

It's not just about luck, it works for the majority of women - just not all. You've got to keep an eye out for the signs of returning fertility - increased discharge etc

 

[Margerle]

It's not just about luck, it works for the majority of women - just not all. You've got to keep an eye out for the signs of returning fertility - increased discharge etc

yes!

 

[Sarah88]

I plan on using a great form of contraception, one that i'm currently using- abstenence, lol. No sex drive for me..

 

[ryder]

It's not just about luck, it works for the majority of women - just not all. You've got to keep an eye out for the signs of returning fertility - increased discharge etc

yes!

Sorry guys, but you are both false advertising.

While by some "chance" this method has worked for other women, there are far too many things based on each individual person to call that method successful.

I do hope people reading this and considering trying this method really do take the time to actually speak with a real doctor/specialist.

By the way, not everyone shows signs of ovulation. That is only 1 of the factors in this. Another is your rate of fertility, another is age, another is your physical health etc... There are more.

Which is why my opinion is, if you dont mind the risk of getting pregnant again soon after, then go for it. But its not something id recommend to people who seriously dont want another baby that soon.

 

[Holldoll]

It's not just about luck, it works for the majority of women - just not all. You've got to keep an eye out for the signs of returning fertility - increased discharge etc

yes!

Sorry guys, but you are both false advertising.

While by some "chance" this method has worked for other women, there are far too many things based on each individual person to call that method successful.

I do hope people reading this and considering trying this method really do take the time to actually speak with a real doctor/specialist.

By the way, not everyone shows signs of ovulation. That is only 1 of the factors in this. Another is your rate of fertility, another is age, another is your physical health etc... There are more.

Which is why my opinion is, if you dont mind the risk of getting pregnant again soon after, then go for it. But its not something id recommend to people who seriously dont want another baby that soon.

Are you completely against anything that is natural and non-medical?

 

[ryder]

It's not just about luck, it works for the majority of women - just not all. You've got to keep an eye out for the signs of returning fertility - increased discharge etc

yes!

Sorry guys, but you are both false advertising.

While by some "chance" this method has worked for other women, there are far too many things based on each individual person to call that method successful.

I do hope people reading this and considering trying this method really do take the time to actually speak with a real doctor/specialist.

By the way, not everyone shows signs of ovulation. That is only 1 of the factors in this. Another is your rate of fertility, another is age, another is your physical health etc... There are more.

Which is why my opinion is, if you dont mind the risk of getting pregnant again soon after, then go for it. But its not something id recommend to people who seriously dont want another baby that soon.

Are you completely against anything that is natural and non-medical?

Did I say I was against this?

No.

I said that it is not a proven method, which it isn't. Which has NOTHING to do with anything medical. It has to do with human physiology.

You seem to think just because I support others decisions to do things against your beliefs of breastfeeding only and living the all natural way makes me against anything natural. I've never said I am against anything natural, but even nature fails. And where nature fails, we are blessed to have the advanced knowledge to help us along in life. If we didnt have this knowledge many people would still be dieing during childbirth and living only until their 30's.

 

[Carley]

I am personally not brave enough to try it. If i had a better gyno history then I'd be all for trying it. But since this is our last child, I am using condoms all the way until my hubby is snipped. Natural, medical, they both can fail. Some women have more luck in natural or medical then others

 

[Holldoll]

Did I say I was against this?

No.

I said that it is not a proven method, which it isn't. Which has NOTHING to do with anything medical. It has to do with human physiology.

You seem to think just because I support others decisions to do things against your beliefs of breastfeeding only and living the all natural way makes me against anything natural. I've never said I am against anything natural, but even nature fails. And where nature fails, we are blessed to have the advanced knowledge to help us along in life. If we didnt have this knowledge many people would still be dieing during childbirth and living only until their 30's.

I don't believe in breastfeeding only and all natural living. In fact, I just got back from the emergency room where it is anything but natural. It's just that any time anyone says anything about doing naturally. You immediately seem to shoot down the concept. When the truth about natural medicine, is that the reason most of them haven't been "proven" to work, is because there are huge pharmaceutical companies with lots of money supporting the research.

 

[Margerle]

Actualy you're wrong ryder. There is a physiological component to it. The problem is, in our modern lives, it isn't something that many women wish to do. Prolactin is an ovulation inhibitor and the nipple stimulation of frequent sucking of infants who breastfeed helps prevent ovulation and therefore pregnancy.

https://www.kellymom.com/bf/normal/fertility.html

There are lots of statistics and research to back up LAM, and health professionals understand the method and physiology behind it.

The endocrinology of breastfeeding is now known in considerable detail. Prolactin is secreted promptly in response to nipple stimulation and is a reliable marker of the endocrine alterations occurring postpartum. Success of lactation in suppression of ovulation was found to occur when infants sucked frequently and when only small amounts of selected foods were introduced gradually after the infants were about 6 months of age. -Robert L. Jackson MD

https://cpj.sagepub.com/cgi/content/abstract/27/8/373

https://www.popline.org/docs/0851/055590.html

https://www.llli.org/NB/NBSepOct06p196.html

 

[Margerle]

...I've never said I am against anything natural, but even nature fails. And where nature fails, we are blessed to have the advanced knowledge to help us along in life. If we didnt have this knowledge many people would still be dieing during childbirth and living only until their 30's.

Here are the Pearl Rates.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Comparison_of_birth_control_methods

 

[cherylanne]

Me and OH didn't use contraception for the first 6 months after the birth of our daughter, we relied on this method only and i didn't get pregnant!!! I breastfed my daughter for a year, but a friend advised me to only use it as a form of contraception for 6 months.

We weren't 'at it like rabbits' maybe once a week (i was too tired) but it certainly worked for us.

On another note, i got pregnant with my daughter while taqking contraceptive pills, so i'd say to go with what is best for you as there are positives and negatives to both xxx

 

[masi]

I personally would not risk, unless you are happy to have another baby so soon. I love my daughter dearly, and would not be without her, but it was the biggest shock of my life. My periods hadn't started back, and i was exclusively breastfeeding ( in fact i continued until i was almost 6 months pregnant)
I'm sure it does work for some, and congrats to those who have done it successfully, but i would not risk it again.

 

[ryder]

Actualy you're wrong ryder. There is a physiological component to it. The problem is, in our modern lives, it isn't something that many women wish to do. Prolactin is an ovulation inhibitor and the nipple stimulation of frequent sucking of infants who breastfeed helps prevent ovulation and therefore pregnancy.

https://www.kellymom.com/bf/normal/fertility.html

There are lots of statistics and research to back up LAM, and health professionals understand the method and physiology behind it.

The endocrinology of breastfeeding is now known in considerable detail. Prolactin is secreted promptly in response to nipple stimulation and is a reliable marker of the endocrine alterations occurring postpartum. Success of lactation in suppression of ovulation was found to occur when infants sucked frequently and when only small amounts of selected foods were introduced gradually after the infants were about 6 months of age. -Robert L. Jackson MD

https://cpj.sagepub.com/cgi/content/abstract/27/8/373

https://www.popline.org/docs/0851/055590.html

https://www.llli.org/NB/NBSepOct06p196.html

I actually dont really care about what is online.

Sorry...

While the statistics you might be finding prove YOUR opinion... There is something to be said about speaking with real people (women, obgyns etc) and hearing the real story.

I have said several times here that I agree it MAY work for some, however, there are far too many things that play into how successful it it.

 

[ryder]

By the way, I dont believe pointing out actual physiological points is shooting anything down. Its anyones choice about which risks they would like to take.

 

[Margerle]

Actualy you're wrong ryder. There is a physiological component to it. The problem is, in our modern lives, it isn't something that many women wish to do. Prolactin is an ovulation inhibitor and the nipple stimulation of frequent sucking of infants who breastfeed helps prevent ovulation and therefore pregnancy.

https://www.kellymom.com/bf/normal/fertility.html

There are lots of statistics and research to back up LAM, and health professionals understand the method and physiology behind it.

The endocrinology of breastfeeding is now known in considerable detail. Prolactin is secreted promptly in response to nipple stimulation and is a reliable marker of the endocrine alterations occurring postpartum. Success of lactation in suppression of ovulation was found to occur when infants sucked frequently and when only small amounts of selected foods were introduced gradually after the infants were about 6 months of age. -Robert L. Jackson MD

https://cpj.sagepub.com/cgi/content/abstract/27/8/373

https://www.popline.org/docs/0851/055590.html

https://www.llli.org/NB/NBSepOct06p196.html

I actually dont really care about what is online.

Sorry...

While the statistics you might be finding prove YOUR opinion... There is something to be said about speaking with real people (women, obgyns etc) and hearing the real story.

I have said several times here that I agree it MAY work for some, however, there are far too many things that play into how successful it it.

Funny thing about facts and statistics is that they do represent real people in real situations. And the other funny thing about facts and statistics is that they leave very little room for opinion.

You can certainly still choose not to use the method for whatever reason you wish, but to say it doesn't work, is a myth or has no medical physiological evidence is not true.