The people there are many different myths that relate to the field of medicine. Well, if not myths, then speculation and guesswork for sure. Now I want to talk about whether it is possible to become pregnant during breastfeeding and whether HB is a contraceptive.
The Basics of Female Anatomy
The postpartum adaptation period in women averages 8 weeks. It is during this period of time that the lady's uterus is reduced to normal sizes, and the body is completely reoriented to breastfeeding. Can menstrual flow begin during this period? And, as a result, can pregnancy occur? It is these issues that most often disturb young mothers.
The first period after childbirth
Before figuring out whether it is possible to get pregnant during GV with menstruation, you need to understand when exactly these discharge can begin. So, this is due to multiple factors:
- The birth process itself is important (whether it was a cesarean section or birth was natural), whether there were complications.
- Features of the hormonal background.
- The state of the reproductive system of the lady.
- And, of course, by breastfeeding itself: whether the baby is on HB or not, how often feeding occurs, etc.
If for some reason a young mother does not breast-feed her baby, then her first menstruation can begin about 12-13 weeks after giving birth. If the baby is on HB, then, due to the increased production of prolactin, a special hormone, the first menstruation begins much later.
The first menstruation and GV
As already noted above, the first spotting in nursing mothers appears later than 11 weeks after birth. Time is very individual, and, again, depends on many factors:
- From the frequency of babies applying to the chest. That is, if the baby is exclusively breastfed, the cycle is likely to recover only after lactation is complete.
- With mixed feeding, things are somewhat different. After the introduction of complementary foods, menstruation can begin as soon as possible.
However, it should be noted that the cycle can be restored with regular breastfeeding. It all depends on the time intervals between attachments to the chest. The larger they are, the higher the chance of the onset of menstruation.
A little bit about pregnancy
Everyone knows that for pregnancy, a woman should have a regular menstrual cycle. That is why so much time was devoted to the story of its restoration. After all, you can become pregnant only when a woman is ovulating. And she can come at any moment and very imperceptibly for a young mother. So the answer to the question of whether it is possible to become pregnant during breastfeeding should be positive in any case. If we talk about the averaged indicators, then within three months after the cessation of lactation, menstruation should resume. If this does not happen, it is best to seek the help of a doctor.
Pregnancy and breastfeeding
And now it's time to figure out whether it is possible to become pregnant during breastfeeding. After all, this is a frequently asked question. And, besides, women often discuss this in various forums and in personal conversations. So, in order to protect young mothers from wrong actions and misinformation, I want to tell you whether it is possible to get pregnant during HB. As already noted above, the moment of conception can occur only in the presence of ovulation. And for this it is necessary that the menstrual cycle is restored.
Minimum chance of getting pregnant
Experts also note that you can try to reduce the chance of pregnancy with HB to a minimum. But for this you will have to follow simple rules:
- A low chance of getting pregnant is with those mothers who feed the baby out of the clock, but on demand. And the child doesnāt eat anything at all except motherās milk, doesnāt even drink some water. So, on average, the baby should receive either 6 long feedings, or 10 short ones. The interval between applying to the chest should not exceed 5 hours.
- If the baby is more than 7 months old, you need to start protecting yourself. After all, itās time for crumbs to administer complementary foods, respectively, much less milk will be produced, the hormone prolactin will not be so active. At this time, the chance of a new pregnancy significantly increases.
No menstruation and pregnancy
Many mothers ask doctors a question: is it possible to get pregnant during HB if there are no periods? Can. After all, as already noted above, this requires ovulation. And the first one appears exactly before the start of spotting. That is, menstruation is preceded by ovulation. That's when the risk of an unwanted pregnancy appears. Young mothers should not be forgotten: even if there were no menstruation after childbirth, this does not mean that the probability of conception is low.
Frequent feeding and menstruation
Understanding whether it is possible to become pregnant during breastfeeding, it is also necessary to talk about why it happens that conception occurs. All thanks to a special hormonal background. So, the hormone prolactin, of course, suppresses ovulation. However, in a certain concentration. An invisible line passes when this hormone is no longer able to restrain follicle-stimulating hormone. Frequent attachments are not even able to affect this. Although they exist, this stimulation for the female body is already completely insufficient.
Caesarean section, breastfeeding and pregnancy
Separately, it is also necessary to talk about whether it is possible to become pregnant during HB after cesarean section. After all, today a lot of young mothers give birth to babies in this way. So, in this case, there are practically no differences. Here are just a period of recovery of the female body can be slightly delayed. After all, the birth process took place in an unnatural way. That is why mothers whose babies appeared as a result of cesarean section should also pay attention to contraception during breastfeeding.
Short terms
Sometimes women are interested in the question: "Is it possible to become pregnant with breastfeeding a month after giving birth?" First of all, it must be recalled that the process of uterine recovery is delayed for 5 weeks after the baby is born. That is, this most important female organ will not even be able to bounce back. If during the birth there were some complications, the mother had breaks, then during the first month of her life, the crumbs were not recommended to the lady at all. But still, is it possible during this period to become pregnant with active breastfeeding? The chance is very low, but still there. Therefore, it is best to be protected.
Breastfeeding and menstruation
Having figured out whether it is possible to become pregnant with breastfeeding, I also want to talk about the feeding itself. So, in this difficult period for a woman, giving up breastfeeding is not worth the baby. After all, these features occurring in the motherās body do not affect the taste of milk at all. That is, the child, in fact, will not even understand that something is wrong. The only thing is that an unstable state of the motherās nervous system can be transmitted to the baby. But this can be successfully dealt with.
Breastfeeding and a new pregnancy
It became clear whether it is possible to become pregnant with breastfeeding. But what about GV, if conception again occurs? Doctors say that pregnancy of a lactation is not a hindrance. That is, you can successfully feed the first child and bear the second. But do not forget that all the most necessary and useful will go to the fetus. After all, it is laid down by nature itself. So the need for breastfeeding as the most wholesome diet simply disappears. Alternative - you can start taking vitamins. But all this must be coordinated with the obstetrician-gynecologist.
Symptoms of a new pregnancy
Having explained whether it is possible to get pregnant with GV, if there are periods, I also want to talk about how the mother can understand whether the conception has occurred. So, there is a complex of special symptoms. First of all, you need to look at the reaction of the baby. During a new pregnancy, momās milk will change her taste. So if the baby has become worse at eating or completely abandoned the breast, an urgent need to conduct a pregnancy test.
What can a woman feel? What indicators can appear here?
- Milk production is declining. After all, the body throws all its forces to maintain a new life.
- A young mother may swell breasts, there is a certain swelling. This is a sure sign of not only coming menstruation, but also a new pregnancy.
- Delayed menstruation, if they were already after childbirth.
- During breastfeeding, the motherās uterus contracts. But if such movements become more frequent, this is an occasion to do a pregnancy test.
- Other indicators that are also characteristic of pregnant mothers who are not breastfeeding: toxicosis, nausea, loss of appetite, frequent urination, etc.
Breastfeeding contraception
As it became clear, in any case, you need to protect yourself. After all, the LAM method, that is, lactational amenorrhea, is not 100% effective. As an alternative, you can use condoms, install an IUD - an intrauterine device, and take mini-drinks. But you need to remember: tablets should not contain hormones such as estrogen and progesterone.