In my opinion, I should not have to say this, but I just heard from a friend who is pregnant with her second child, in less than a year, because "breastfeeding did not serve as adequate birth control."
Seriously?
In this day and age, with information so readily available, I don't know why people still don't know that breastfeeding will not prevent ovulation in most women. If ovulation isn't prevented, pregnancy is possible.
If you want to prevent another pregnancy after you've had a baby, you need to use actual birth control methods. If you are breastfeeding, the best option is a barrier method, such as condoms. Any hormonal contraceptive has the chance of changing your milk supply, no matter how much your doctor tries to reassure you that it won't.
If you want to continue to breastfeed your baby, exclusively or not, be very wary of putting any hormones into your body. The potential for your milk to be at least partially dried up is high.
I repeat, condoms are your best bet to prevent an unwanted, untimely, pregnancy after the birth of your child- until you wean your baby.
"But it took me two years to conceive this baby with clomid and IUI. There's no way I'm just going to get pregnant without help this time." Except that you might! Many people find that their fertility is much higher the second time around and "find themselves pregnant" only months after the birth of their first baby.
So, I repeat, if you want to plan your family, spacing your children according to your schedule, use birth control.
Breastfeeding is best for baby, having a sibling born in the same year might not be.
Well said! I am also surprised by how many people believe this as well.
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