Birth Control While Nursing

I started taking the mini-pill when my dd was around 5-6 months old, found out i was pregnant again when she was eight months old... so in my experience it didn't work so well. Didn't slow my milk supply or have any other effects on me though. hope this helps... :-)

Hi L.;
my advice from a doctor's perspective is to use the IUD over the pill. synthetic hormones (especially progesterone) have been shown to be carcinogenic and more. This was discovered with the very large nurses study that came out years ago. as a mother i would never take synthetic hormones while breastfeeding, as the breast is excellent at concentrating fat-soluble nutrients as well as the synthetic hormones. the new IUD is excellent and you can get it without hormones. K. (www.naturemedclinic.com)

I used the IUD, and my periods were much lighter. I got it pretty soon after my son was born, I was told the only problem is that you can loose it because it's right after...so you usually have to go get it checked...
I am currently expecting baby number two and plan to use it again after. My periods were much better, lighter, but I know of others that don't have one at all after.

I got the Mirena IUD and love it. Plain and simple.

L.,

I've used the mini-pill after both of my children and for me, it does compromise my milk supply. I tend to have a bit of an oversupply anyway so in the early days it wasn't such a big deal but the older my babies get,the harder time I have maintaining my supply while on it. Many women don't have any supply problems while taking it. But it is important to remember that it is a possibility. I'm not sure which IUD is the paragard one but if it is the hormonal one, it can disrupt your milk supply too. Most nursing moms I know opt for the copper one. Good luck!

T.

I have an almost three year old and a six month old. I used the mini pill with my oldest and nursed for a year before I decided to quit. I now use the mini-pill and am continuing to nurse. My milk production has been great as long as I drink enough water/liquids through the day. I am a stay at home mom and have about a third of my freezer full of milk I have pumped because I had "extra". I don't have any other side affects like moodiness, but I have no sex drive, although I was told that was the way with ANY contraceptive by a doctor, so I take it for what it's worth. Personally, I couldn't imagine using an IUD, but have heard both pros and cons about them. Good luck!! --M.

Dear L.,

I do hope you get the chance to read my response. Take my advice and DO NOT TAKE THE MINI PILL. Sorry for the caplock. The reason why I say this, is that I got pregnant on the mini pill, when, my son was only 3 months old. Now I am blessed with a baby girl. Both of my kids are exactly a year apart. I found out, that the mini pill is not as affected and if you are not breast feeding " all the time" ( as the nurse told me), than you WILL get PREGNANT. This, I learned the hardway. I wish you luck. = V.

My best friend nurses her kids and she has a 5 1/2 month old and she has been taking the mini pill since he was just little. She loves it.She hasnt had any problems with it and then the IUD I am actually wanting but have heard of girls having hard periods or bleeding for like 3 months when they first got it. the big thing is I heard 2 of my friends theirs got lost so they had to have minor surgery to get it out. So I am really nervous about it. But definately try the Mini pill. Good luck with that and the baby.

BF our third child. I took the minipill while BF our 1st (15mths), and did NFP for the 2nd (12mths), and this time around I opted for the Implanon (similar to Norplant that was discontinued). I didn't have a problem with milk supply on the mini pill but found out years later that it really does little to suppress ovulation but rather was effective the majority of the time by changing the uterine environment so that fertilized eggs didn't stant a chance but were flushed out of the body. For my husband and I, life begins at conception so this was no longer something we could knowingly do. I was introduced to the Implanon by my MD. It is safe to use while BF, is 99% effective, and is good for 3 yrs at which point it is removed from the arm (or sooner if desired). I have had the implanon for 6 wks. They say to give your body 3 mths to regulate with the new hormones. I haven't noticed a change in my milksupply. Menstrual Bleeding though will be something to watch. I've read that that is one complaint women have had with it...irregular bleeding. But, our understanding is that b/c the instrument is constantly releasing a steady flow of hormones, it is very effective in suppressing ovulation before fertilization happens. Cannot wait for the day that a vaccine is available for men. Something to inhibit the production of those "little swimmers", without having to go permanent. Ha!

Hi L.! After having my little girl I got the ParaGard IUD. I did have some cramping and discomfort for about a month after I got it. And then every month right around the time of my period I had more cramping and discomfort for about 6-8 months. So it took my body quite a while to adjust to having it. But now my daughter is 15 months old and I have very minor cramping about 3 days before my period and then that's it. I really like having the IUD because I am very bad a remembering to take a pill everyday and didn't want to have the stress of trying to remember. So the IUD was a good option for me. I did seem to have a little more cramping when I nursed but I only nursed for a few weeks after I got it, because I lost my supply. So if you are up for the possibility of having some occasional discomfort, but want to have hassle free birth control I would say go for the IUD. Good Luck and Congrats on the little one!

Hi L., i used the pill while nursing and it was great for me. I noticed a slight dip in the beginning and around 7 1/2 months, but i was able to nurse untill 9months no problem. I didn't even have a period untill 8 months. I heard that it is normal when you take this certain pill while breastfeeding. It was nice. I always worry about putting foreighn objects in your body. I heard that some people's body don't react well to the iud. Cramping and stuff. Good luck.

with my daughter I did the POP ( pogesterone only pill). I never noticed any decrease in milk or side effects at all. I actually nursed her 20 mos. The only thing is you really have to take them at the same time every day like more accurate than normal pills so I set an alarm. LOL

I am using the IUD. I did have a little cramping, but it has gone away, but most of my friends that use the IUD have had no cramping.

A little about me:

I have been married for a little over 2 years and have been with my husband a total of about 10yrs. I am a first time mom with a 10 month old girl. I also have a full time job at a civil engineering company

HI! I have never had any experience with an IUD, but I can tell you that for me the mini-pill has been the best thing ever! As long as you have a pretty good milk supply and keep at the nursing thing it doesn't seem like it would be too bad for losing milk. I nursed my daughter for 2 1/2 months with plenty of milk on the mini-pill. The only reason I stopped is because she got thrush and it made it seriously painful for me. I get totally hormonal with any birth control other than the mini-pill and that is what I still use now. You just have to be very strict on what time of the day you take it. You have a 3-hour window to take it every day. Anyway, I don't know if that helps, but that's my experience. Good luck!

hi, L.!

how are you doing? i used the mirena iud after parker was born and thought it was so great! no having to worry about remembering to take a pill at exactly the same time everyday! also, my period became really light...a huge plus for me! i highly recommend looking into it--no problems with nursing, either!

hope this helps!
-B.

Hi L.. I had the copper T IUD for 5 years and loved it. There were NO side effects. My cycle stayed the same. The only thing I noticed was that the first few months I bled a lot more during my period but that changed after maybe the fourth month I had it in. It was painful to have put in but fairly quick and I was better after a day. My husban never felt it. You do have to check the string after your period but that is no big deal! I have never been pregnant so I don't know how it would effect you if you are nursing as to my understanding that creates the uterus to contract. Hope that helps.

I got the Mirena IUD inserted right after my 6 week postpartum checkup. I bled a little each day for the first month and nothing since. It was not painful at all and my Dr. said it was easier to insert because I recently had a baby. I did not have any cramping or discomfort. I would highly recommend the Mirena, but have an aquaintance that got pregnant while on a diffent brand, so you may want to talk to your OB about ParaGard and ask them what they've seen...afterall, that's what you're trying to prevent. Good luck!

Hi L.

I have the copper IUD. It's one of the best decisions I ever made. There was some cramping when I got it put in, and then a little for the first several months. Now, all is back to normal. I didn't have it in until after I was done nursing though, because insurance wouldn't pay for it. After I had our daughter chemical birth control really messed up my libido. We tried the shot, pill, ring and all of them reduced my sex drive by half. Since the IUD everything is back to normal. In addition I don't have to worry about putting some chemical into my body for birth control. My IUD is good for 10 years.

Hi L., after my second child I used the POPs (prog. only pills) and it worked great. I didn't see a difference in anything, but keep in mind that everyone is affected differently. My third child I was fixed during delivery so I didn't have to worry this time. Good luck to you. :)

Hi,
Personally I haven't noticed any problems with the mini-pill. My baby is nine months old and I still haven't had a period. I'm not really sure if this is just because he's still nursing so much or if it's related to the mini-pill. If it's a side effect, it's a rather pleasant one.

There was a certain birthcontrol pill my dr Gave me. He told me when i was done nursing to let him know so he can prescribe me a different one.I would ask the dr what would be the safest way.

Hello L.,

I have used both! After my first I used the pill and it never really affected my much, just regular periods and my milk supply was fine. After I stop breast feeding I used the ten year IUD. Once I was on the IUD I had severe Cramping and could actually feel the IUD when I sat certain ways. Also my husband could feel it when we were intimate. When I finally, got it out to have our planned baby, it us about 8 months to get prego. My first was almost instantly. The good thing about the IUD is you don't have to think about it, you just go about your business.

Now that we have our 5 month (breastfeeding) I am back on the pill, now having periods every two weeks and milk supply low. I am considering going back to the ten year IUD. I guess there is pros and cons to everything, it's just what it important to you. Hope this helps.

I took the mini pill for 4 months while i nursed my son. I loved it I didn't have any period and had no side affects with. I haven't decided on if i will get an IUD but when i was done nursing I just switched to a regular pill.

I've used both methods - pill after my first born and IUD after my second (still having IUD). I had no side effects with either. I actually really like the IUD- it was so simple and I don't have to worry about it every day. Plus, it's less expensive than pills. The problem for me with the pill (I had previously taken the pill for 11 years before I got pregnant) was that after I stopped breastfeeding, I couldn't go back to the regular pill (because I had been diagnosed with a blood clotting disorder as a result of pregnancy complications) and the option we were using was the condom. We weren't very religious about using the condom (probably because we had used the pill for so long previously) and I got pregnant right away. The IUD eliminated that issue entirely.

L., I can totally understand your not wanting to become pregnant again so soon. It's wise to wait. However, don't go on the mini pill, it sounds so small and innocent, but believe me those hormones are powerful, and I would never take anything that could affect my nursing baby. For years doctors have advocated birth control pills, and hormone therapy only to be critical of them later. It goes back and forth. The research continues to point out that there are always effects, often cancer related. Why don't you use an IUD or simply ask your husband to use a condom. Why is it that we women always have to use the birth control? Haven't we sacrificed enough with 9 months of pregnancy, and then a painful vaginal delivery or worse yet a cesarian. Not to mention all the months and months of sleepless nights. After my second child I refused to go on anything. I told my husband that if we were to resume a great sex life he could use a condom (they always complain about that but my sister and her husband used condoms for 5 years before they decided to have kids) or get a vasectomy. After using the condom for a few times and realizing that there would be no more babies he actually opted for a vasectomy. IT's great method as long as you are positive you don't want any more children.
Good luck!
J. Bowman

While nursing my son, and taking the minipill, I got pregnant with my daughter! I would probably recommend the IUD if you really want to space them out. ;)

I use an IUD and I think its the greatest invention ever! There was very little cramping and I had it done at my 6 week check up so it wasn't an extra visit and my Dr recommended that time as it would hurt less than later after I had healed more from birth/pregnancy.

I have a Mirena IUD and I love it. I haven't had any serious cramping, and didn't notice any significant decrease in milk. There isn't a whole lot of hormone that circulates, so it isn't a huge issue. If you think it might be problematic, some docs suggest taking the lowest dose mini pill for a month or two before getting the Mirena since Mirena is pretty pricey.

I would suggest waiting until your daughter is a few months old just to make sure your milk is well established!

Good luck and abundant blessings,

L.
www.bestillandknit.com
classes and clothing for children and the women who love them

I've used both: the mini pill after my first son and the IUD which I have been using for the past two+ years since the birth of my second child. I highly recommend the ParaGard IUD. It does cause more cramping during your period and the bleeding during menstration is heavier at first but it gets better after a few months. Taking Ibuprophin helps significantly with both the cramping and the bleeding. It is very simple because you don't have to remember to take a pill everyday (which becomes more and more difficult to remember as you become more sleep deprived from night time feedings. I also like that it is non hormonal because your hormones are crazy enough after havning a baby and you don't need to add anything else into the mix to mess up how your body adjusts. Good luck with this decision.

Hi! I used the POP with my first son and felt like it did decrease my milk supply a little, but I also had to go back to work for two months so that could have been the cause too. I plan on using it again this time.

Hi there,

I used the ParaGard IUD after my second baby was born and had no trouble at all. I think I had it inserted when she was 6 weeks old, and I kept it for 5 years. I did not experience any side effects, except maybe a slightly heavier period. (However over the past 5 years - since I had it removed- I have had several problems with my "parts" and have since had a hysterectomy - so I am not convinced that the IUD led to heavier bleeding, it may have been due to my other female issues!

L.,

I nursed my son for 17 months while I was on the mini pill. I didn't have any problems at all.

I have a 5 month old daughter. I started the mini-pill after my 6-week appointment on the advice of my OB/GYN (even though I have always been overly sensitive to oral forms of birth control) Needless to say I threw the pills away after 3 months because I had no sex drive and felt totally crazy/moody! The craziness has subsided, still waiting on the sex drive...Good luck! Also, I didn't notice any change in my milk supply.

Hey L.. I have the Nuva Ring IUD which is the one with a small amount of localized hormones and is good for about 5 years. I chose an IUD because the reason I got pregnant with my son is because I forgot to pick up my birth control pills at the drug store. I am so happy with my son, I just want to be able to plan the next pregnancy. And I just really hate filling and paying for pills every month. I have had little to no problems with this IUD. At first there was some irregular bleeding, now there is hardly any. I have had absolutely no cramping and my husband had never complained of feeling it. I plan on having the IUD for about 2 years and they say that is totally fine. I would definitely get this again. I hope I could help!

hey there...i have had an iud and have had no problems...totally awesome...i have 2 boys, 6 and 8, and a 2 year old girl...i never did have any luck using the pill with weight gain and moodiness etc...good luck

First...Congratulations on the birth of your daughter!!

I use the Mirena IUD and love it! It was a quick 5 min. procedure and the only side effects I had was about 3 months of a little heavier period (normal) and then after that I have really light spotting for my period! My periods are so light, all I need is a panty liner.
It lasts 5 years and mainly releases a progestin hormone into the uterus, very little is released into the bloodstream. I've had it for 8 months now.

Hope this helps...

I had a paraguard IUD after my second daughter was born. I had no problems with milk supply, but I had persistent cramping for 9 months and heavy periods with intense cramps. This is absolutely NOT to say that you shouldn't try it - it is a great option if it works for your body. But do stay aware that if it is not comfortable for you after a few months, you may need to try something else.

I tried the mini-pill and had a horrible time - major cramps, major bleeding, sporadic periods. Stuck with it for three months at the suggestion of my gyno, then switched to an IUD - much happier now!!! Good luck!

L.,

I am nursing my second child. My daughter is now 11 months and I'm using the progestrine only pills. I haven't had any problems. I was told by my OB that the pills with estrogine in them cause a reduction in milk supply. I haven't heard that or had that problem with the POPs. Another benefit is that usually you don't get your period - not only from nursing, but also from the pill. I spotted for 2 days once since my daughter was born. I'm a little afraid of IUDs personally. I've heard of them causing cysts also. I know they might be safe, but it sounds like they could be painful and have other side effects. Good luck and congrats on the new little one!

L.

I took the mini-pill while nursing my daughter and we just ended a year of successful nursing! I didn't notice any drop in milk supply but I was consistent in our feeding schedule which may have helped. I think you have to decide which method you are more comfortable with as each person will be different when it comes to how their body reacts to the birth control. If you choose a method and it doesn't work for you, you can always switch. Best wishes in finding your match.