It is often mistakenly thought that while the mother is breastfeeding, she cannot get pregnant because ovulation does not occur. But there are many nuances that must be taken into account, and that make the reappearance of the rule after childbirth is not the same in all women.
If you are breast-feeding your baby and there is no idea of a new pregnancy in your plans, it is better to take proper precautions with the most appropriate contraceptive methods for this stage. We explain what they are and how reliable each one of them has.
Breastfeeding as a contraceptive method
During breastfeeding, the mother produces prolactin, a hormone that stimulates milk production. This hormone is responsible for reducing the production of two other hormones (LH, luteostimulating hormone, and FSH, follicle stimulating hormone), causing a lack of ovulation (anovulation), and therefore, the absence of menstruation.
The one known as MELA (lactation and amenorrhea method) is a natural contraceptive method that helps prevent pregnancy while breastfeeding lasts, as long as the following conditions are met:
He baby must be less than six months old.
The breastfeeding must be exclusive and on demand, so that the baby cannot spend more than six hours without breastfeeding at night, nor more than four hours per day.
The mother does not have the rule.
After six months, as the baby starts with complementary feeding and the shots can be spaced more, reliability drops and it is possible that the first ovulation occurs.
In any case, the reappearance of the first rule after childbirth is very variable from one woman to another, and since it is very difficult to predict when it will come, it is also difficult to know the exact moment of that first ovulation.
In Babies and more When breastfeeding makes you spend years without menstruationBarrier Contraceptive Methods
Male condom
The male condom is the most commonly used barrier contraceptive method, with a 100% reliability as long as it is used correctly.
Usually, it is usually the method preferred by couples when they resume sexual intercourse after childbirth, since it is comfortable, easy to use, and has no side effects for either the recent mother or the baby, nor does it influence hormonal changes
Female condom
The female condom It is usually an unknown method among many couples, and consequently, less used than the masculine. It consists of a transparent cover made of nitrile or polyurethane, with two flexible rings at each end.
Well used can have a reliability of up to 95%. Its use provides advantages over the male condom, but it also has some drawbacks, such as its price and how difficult it is sometimes to find it in pharmacies.
Copper intrauterine device
The intrauterine copper device is a highly effective contraceptive method and compatible with breastfeeding, which acts by damaging the oocytes and sperm, in addition to having a spermicidal effect
It should be placed in the gynecologist's office when the uterine involution has occurred (approximately three months after delivery), and can be withdrawn at the time the woman decides to retry a pregnancy. Its reliability index is around 98-99%.
In VitónicaAll contraceptive methods ordered according to their effectivenessDiaphragm
The diaphragm is a small cup or cap that It is placed inside the vagina before having sex to collect semen, and prevent it from passing inside the uterus. Its reliability can reach 94%, but for this it is very important to know how to use it correctly.
It is a delicate thing to use, as well as having to use it with spermicidal creams to achieve greater effectiveness, changes in the vagina after delivery make it necessary to wait a while to use it.
Hormonal methods
It is not advised to use hormonal contraceptives before six weeks postpartum, and discard those with estrogens, because they lower milk production and shorten the period of breastfeeding.The contraceptive pill
The pill is a hormonal contraceptive method that can be of two types:
- Combined pill based on progestin (derived from progesterone) and estrogens.
During breastfeeding the use of estrogen contraceptives is not recommended They lower milk production. As we read in e-lactancia.org, it is better use contraceptives only with progestogens or, failing that, combined with the minimum amount of estrogen possible.
In Babies and more Are you breastfeeding and taking birth control? Make sure they don't have estrogen- Estrogen-free pill It only contains progesterone.
Progesterone does not reduce milk production or affect breastfeeding. Just look at the composition to confirm that the component they carry is just this one and we will be sure that they will not affect our baby's breastfeeding in any way.
The minipill It is a contraceptive similar to the conventional pill but only contains gestagen, (does not contain estrogen), and does not affect the quantity or quality of breast milk.
If the pill is taken correctly, without forgetting and taking into account situations in which there may be a decrease in effectiveness, its effectiveness is 99%.
Progesterone IUD
There is another type of IUD based on progestin hormone levonorgestrel. This hormone causes the lining of the uterus inside (endometrium) to develop less, in addition to thickening the cervical mucus and preventing the entry of sperm.
There are several brands of this type of IUD, and its duration ranges from three to seven years. The main drawback of this method is that the hormone levonorgestrel can cause headaches, acne and abdominal bloating in some women.
Subcutaneous implants
The progestogen-based subcutaneous implants (Etonogestrel) are also compatible with breastfeeding, have an approximate duration of three years and their effectiveness is 99%.
As we read in e-lactation, they can be placed in the first days or hours after delivery, since they do not affect the production or composition of breast milk, although some experts consider it safer to wait between four and six weeks after giving to light.
Hormonal injections
The hormonal progestin injections they are another compatible hormonal method during breastfeeding, whose reliability is very high if applied correctly.
They must be administered by a doctor or nurse on a quarterly basis, so the main drawback is to remember to put them on time so as not to detract from effectiveness.
In Vitónica, this is the most innovative contraceptive: a patch with self-administration microajugas that would offer prolonged action Vaginal ring
He vaginal or monthly ring It consists of a ring or ring of flexible plastic material that, placed in the vagina, releases female hormones identical to the contraceptive pill in low and constant doses. Well used, it has an efficiency of 99%.
Most rings combine estrogen and progestin, so they would not be safe during breastfeeding. However, it is possible to find vaginal rings without estrogen, but to place it you have to wait for total uterine involution and take into account its possible side effects (irritation, pain and certain discomforts during sexual intercourse).
Natural methods
Natural contraceptive methods are based on detecting ovulation, with the aim of avoid having sex on fertile days. But during breastfeeding it can be very difficult to identify those days, so "abstinence" based on the ovulatory cycle calendar not the most reliable option.
In Babies and more, what are your fertile days?There are the following types of natural methods:
Billings method
It is based on the observation of cervical mucus, taking into account the following characteristics:
At the end of the period there is dryness and low flow.
During the fertile period, the flow becomes transparent, elastic and filament (similar to egg white). This fertile mucus lasts 72 hours, and it is during the last 24 that ovulation occurs.
After the fertile age, the flow is thickened and loses elasticity until the rule arrives again.
But you have to keep in mind that vaginal secretions during breastfeeding are not the same as those that occur outside of breastfeeding, so it can be difficult to recognize these characteristics.
Basal temperature
The basal temperature consists of measure the temperature upon waking (with a basal thermometer), before getting out of bed, and reflecting it on a calendar to see its evolution. The graph will show us when we have ovulated, because just after the fertile days, the temperature begins to rise until the rule arrives.
Autopalpation of the cervix
When the cycle begins, the cervix is closed and hard to the touch, and as the ovulation approaches it goes up, it softens and opens.
By palpation with the fingers, the woman could know at what moment of the cycle she is, since if it is in full ovulation the neck is so high that it would cost to get to touch it. In any case, it is a complex technique that requires learning and practice To know how to appreciate the changes.
Syntothermal Method
The syothermal method is a combination of the three methods, and therefore offers a more accurate way to detect ovulation.
These are the most important data we should know about contraceptive methods that we can use if we are breastfeeding. Anyway, if you have any questions or queries, it is advisable to go to the gynecologist. You can also check on e-lactancia.org, the reference website on medicines and breastfeeding.
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