Can breastfeeding stop your period? Therefore stop you from getting pregnant? This rumor has been making its way to many mothers who plan are breastfeeding and you may be wondering if it's true. As a Certified Lactation Counselor, I have an answer for you. So can breastfeeding really prevent you from getting pregnant again?
Yes and No. The hormones produced ( prolactin) while breastfeeding can suppress ovulation for a certain amount of time. Although each breastfeeding dyad (mom and baby) is different. For some women breastfeeding may stop their ovulation for 6 months, while others for 1 year and still others won't start menstruation until they stop breastfeeding.
However, some mothers may still ovulate while breastfeeding, and since you ovulate before getting your period you could end up with a surprise pregnancy. The method used to use breastfeeding as a form of birth control is called the LAM ( Lactational Amenorrhea Method) Method. This method can be reliable if a mom is exclusively breastfeeding, hasn’t had a period within 2 months of having her baby, you’re not supplementing with food, water, or other liquids, and your baby is less than 6 months old. The success of this method is 98%. According to the Australian Breastfeeding Association “ studies have shown that, if women achieve 6 months of successful LAM use, continue their breastfeeding frequency when they introduce complementary feeding, and breastfeed first before the complimentary food at each feeding, they may have continued high efficacy of the LAM.”
So using the LAM method can be a great natural planning method and it's not talked about very much. For women wanting to avoid hormonal birth control, this can be an option and can be used with condoms. If you do choose to use hormonal birth control use birth control that is estrogen-free and preferably 6 weeks after having your baby as it can affect your milk supply. In my personal experience, I have seen the depo vera shot cause many milk supply issues even if started after 6 weeks. Talk with your doctor about birth control options to find which ones would work for you.