Chances of getting pregnant while breastfeeding?

[Salsa]

no, not ttc!
Not sure how big of a gap we want, but dont think I want to get pregnant quite so soon!
What are the chances of me getting pregnant whilst exclusivly BF, this includes expressing too, and no signs of AF?
I know it can happen, but how common is it?

[Tegam]

"they" say that if you want to use bf as a form of birth control you need to be exclusively feeding an under 6month old and it must include night feeds, with no sign of af...



i havent useds a "real" form of birth control for about 10years now. i use bf and knowing my own cycle... i have only ever fallen pregnant when i have wanted.... but then that could just be me....

sorry not much help hay...

[loulabelle]

I got pregnant when my DS was 7 months old and only just having little tastes of solids.I had one period then boom!I didn't even realise I was pregnant until 8.5 weeks.

[Tegam]

And then i have a friend that couldnt get pregnant again until she stopped feeding all together. Her hormones were too stronge with only one feed a day of a 2 yr old!


Guess it is something that is very individual...sorry

[Junglemum]

i was still full time feeding DD, (although she was on solids and not feeding overnight.) No sign of AF and i am about to pop out number two. So it can definately happen!

[loulabelle]

Exactly Milly, It's different for everyone and it took me almost a year to conceive my DS, so it's not even the same for one person 2nd time round.

[Lulu]

Fully BFing, no sign of AF, preg again 5 months later...

[MantaRay]

The statistics are that bfing is 98% effective (the same as the pill) during the first 6 months post-partum, provided all 3 of the following conditions are met:

- Exclusively bf - ie no water, formula or food
- Feeds at least once through the night
- AF hasn't returned yet.

So if this is you, you should be fine until the 6 month mark. Then it's time to look at your options!

My personal experience is that I relied on bfing alone for the first months both times, and I didn't fall pg.

[Lulu]

Well I'd be in the 2% then...

DS fed CONSTANTLY - 24/7 , I have NO idea how it happened but it did....

[mbear]

My personal experience is that I relied on bfing alone for the first months both times, and I didn't fall pg.

....totally same with me.....after 6 mth mark i looked (straight away LOL) into contraceptives.....i still fell pregnant whilst on the mini pill but that wasnt until baby was 9.5mths old....

[Ginger]

i fell pg while bfing constantly too. we couldn't believe it!

[Meluchja]

I was exclusively feeding DD and I mean still about 4 times a night when we fell pregnant with DS. She was about 3 months old at the time. So definitely proves, it is possible. We did go on the mini pill for 2 months after she was born, but wanted to try and have them close, but didn't think it would happen first go, but glad it did.

[Smoke Jaguar]

Could go either way, mate!
I reckon your body is deciding for you what you can handle when you're exclusively Bfing, or Bfing on demand.
For me, I'm still not preggers and got my AF back last September, DS was more than 2yo.
My GF's son is now 8 months old and she's due in September - she's a booby mama for sure and she got her AF back after about 2 months - cosleeping, baby wearing, feeding through the night...
So, if you want to roll with the punches and trust that your body knows better than you, go with it. Otherwise, look into contraceptive options

[Cherene]

I recon you can get preg, DS2 is 13 weeks and i got AF exactly 13 weeks after birth, not happy jan! But I did have an idea that something was happening about 2 weeks ago when I noticed EWCM and cervix was definitly open when I checked. If you don't want to risk getting preg then maybe look into the mini pill

[Nelle]

If you really want to avoid a pregnancy, then I wouldn't rely on breastfeeding alone. But as Mayaness says, if you're okay with the Kay Serrah Serrah method, then leave things be I guess.

[~StarBright~]

lol Crap!! I have been bfeeding, but have introduced some water and solids, but still feeding though the night and no sign of AF, so i thought i would still be ok, but then i read this and there are two ladies who got preg without anysign of AF.. hmm maybe i need to look into some form of contraception- although abstenence seems to be my way of dealing with it at the moment much to dh's disapointment!!

I tried the mini pill, but i didnt like the hormone trip (i turned slightly physco) we do want to start trying soonish, but maybe not this soon, hmm i am even wondering if maybe i should take a HPT this week just to be sure it hasnt already happened!!

[Salsa]

well we are probably going to have another and because we have a 6 yr age gap this next time Id prefere them to be closer. Also I am 33, so dont want to be taking too long to keep having babies. But it freaks me out wondering how I would cope with 2 close in age (less than 2 yr gap). You just dont know when you might get preg, it can take ages or just happen when your not expecting.

I like the idea of just leaving things to happen as they happen this next time round. I wonder what DH thinks of doing it that way? Probably not thrilled, but at my age and fertility history I dont want to say " lets wait till were ready" and have 3 or 4 yrs pass.

I dont want to get preg right now though, another baby before the end of the year OMG! (cant remember if we can still say that - I mean 'Far out brussel sprout' ).
But I will roll with whatever happens, its a real blessing to be able to have kids.

With DS 1, i feed till 7mths, started solids at 4mths, got AF back around 10 mths i think.
Does it usually keep to a similar pattern or is after each baby different?
I wont be starting solids till 6mth this time and hope to feed longer. I really hope I dont see that annoying ol` aunty of mine for ages.

ETA. we dont use the pill, i never have. We use condoms and fertility awareness, but hard to chart when you dont have AF. And dont want to keep using condoms all the time if we dont need to.

[Meluchja]

I forgot to add I didn't get AF between my two, baby 1 born, exclusively BF, no AF, BFP 13 weeks later.