The pill and breastfeeding.

Posting this here, hoping to get some experience from anyone who has managed to maintain their milk supply while taking the pill, or any experiences with the mini pill.

I need to go back on the Pill. There are a few reasons for this, which I won't go into, none of which is actual contraception though! LOL And it needs to be a fairly high strength one.

Anyway, I really need the oestrogen in the pill, so the mini pill is not quite as good an option at the minute. DD2 is 21 months old, and still BF. She eats, very fussily, and doesn't feed (unless sick or teething) between 11pm and 6am anymore, does not feed to sleep anymore.

Has anyone managed to successfully maintain a supply for a toddler while taking the full pill? Or is s a certainty that my milk will dry up once on it? How long does it take usually for your milk to go once you start the Pill?

TIA :)

I think that it is very similar to being pregnant - it doesn't dry up completely for everyone, but there is an inevitable loss in supply.

After 2 years of age, many children are not in it only for the milk, so if you want to keep breastfeeding, go right ahead. As Kmn says, the combined pill mimics the hormones of pregnancy, so most women feel a reduction in milk supply, but it varies.

Thanks Knm, thanks Barb. :)

My eldest self-weaned just before 3, and I am happy to keep BF DD2 as long as she likes really, but I am now not concerned as much if my milk disappeared from a nutritional point of view, I have waited until now to do this because BF is important to me, but don't want to wait any longer.

We will keep on trundling along and hope for the best! :D Thanks again.