Is it possible to get pregnant while breastfeeding if you don't have periods?

There is an opinion that you cannot get pregnant while breastfeeding. However, it is not. The likelihood of pregnancy during lactation in the absence of menstruation is small, but it does exist.

It is believed that in order to recover after childbirth and the onset of a new pregnancy, the female body must rest for 3 to 5 years. There is also another common belief that it is impossible to get pregnant while breastfeeding.

Still, there are many families with children the same age, in which the second child was a pleasant surprise. So is it possible to get pregnant while lactating?

First period after childbirth

Before you figure out whether it is possible to get pregnant during breastfeeding with menstruation, you need to understand exactly when these discharges can begin. So, this is due to multiple factors:

The birth process itself is important (whether it was a caesarean section or a natural birth), and whether there were any complications.
Features of hormonal levels.
The state of the woman's reproductive system.
And, of course, breastfeeding itself: whether the child is breastfeeding or not, how often feeding occurs, etc.

If a young mother does not breastfeed her baby for certain reasons, then her first period may begin approximately 12-13 weeks after birth. If the baby is on breastfeeding, then, thanks to the increased production of prolactin, a special hormone, the first menstruation begins much later.

Lactational amenorrhea: principle of action, why conception does not occur

Lactational amenorrhea is a syndrome when a woman does not have menstruation 6 months after giving birth. Amenorrhea during lactation is a natural state of the body.

The contraceptive method for lactational amenorrhea only works if certain conditions are met. This condition lasts for a woman from six months to several years. Depending on how long she breastfeeds.

During the period of lactational amenorrhea, a woman's hormonal levels change. A woman’s body is configured to feed and care for a child. During this period, prolactin continues to suppress the activity of the ovaries and pregnancy does not occur.

The unreliability of this method lies in the fact that the woman does not know when amenorrhea stops. This method may only be suitable for young mothers who often breastfeed for a long time.

First menstruation and breastfeeding

As noted above, the first spotting in nursing mothers appears later than 11 weeks after birth. This time is very individual, and, again, depends on many factors:

From the frequency of the baby's attachments to the breast. That is, if the baby is exclusively breastfed, the cycle will most likely be restored only after the end of lactation.
With mixed feeding, things are a little 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 breastfeeding. The larger they are, the higher the chance of menstruation.

A little about pregnancy

Everyone knows that in order to become pregnant, a woman must have a regular menstrual cycle. That is why so much time was devoted to the story of its restoration. After all, you can only get pregnant when a woman ovulates. And it can come at any moment and very unnoticed by the young mother. So the answer to the question of whether it is possible to get pregnant while breastfeeding should in any case be positive. If we talk about average indicators, then within three months after the cessation of lactation, menstruation should resume. If this does not happen, it is best to seek help from a doctor.

Lactational amenorrhea

After childbirth, a colossal hormonal change occurs in the body of a young mother. Other changes include lactational amenorrhea. This is a condition in which a woman does not have menstruation or ovulation for some time.

Lactational amenorrhea is a normal physiological state of a woman during breastfeeding. During this period of time, the main process - ovulation - is eliminated from the menstrual cycle, and without it it is impossible to get pregnant. Its duration depends on individual characteristics, correct breastfeeding and associated disorders in the body. Some women begin menstruation within a couple of months after giving birth, while there are those who enjoy their absence for more than a year.

During the period of lactational amenorrhea, the chance of becoming pregnant is only 2%, but under certain conditions this is enough to give birth to a new life.

When breastfeeding is managed correctly, menstruation resumes on average within 1 year after birth. Still, every woman’s body is unique, so menstruation can come either a couple of months or 1.5 years after the birth of the child.

When this method of protection “does not work”

In the first six months after childbirth, if a woman exclusively breastfeeds her baby, the possibility of pregnancy is negligible. However, this method of protection is not 100% reliable.

The possibility of becoming pregnant during lactation increases in the following cases:

the baby is put to the breast less often than once every couple of hours;
at night the baby is fed less than 4 times;
feeding was chosen according to a schedule, and not on demand, while the mother controls the sucking time and weanes the breast before the baby lets go;
the baby is given additional water, supplemented with formula feeding, and feeding begins at less than six months of age;
there are long breaks in the process of breastfeeding;
the mother rarely takes the child in her arms and does not practice co-sleeping.

Each of these factors increases the chance of getting pregnant while breastfeeding. If the family, in principle, is not against the appearance of a second baby, this method has a place to be.

If another pregnancy is not desired, then it is better to choose a more reliable method of contraception, but first you need to consult a doctor about their compatibility with breastfeeding.

Pregnancy and breastfeeding

And now it’s time to figure out whether it’s possible to get pregnant while breastfeeding. After all, this is a frequently asked question. And, besides, this is often discussed by women on various forums and in personal conversations. So, in order to protect young mothers from wrong actions and misinformation, I would like to tell you whether it is possible to get pregnant during breastfeeding. As noted above, the moment of conception can only occur in the presence of ovulation. And for this it is necessary that the menstrual cycle be restored.

Minimum chance of getting pregnant

Experts also note that you can try to reduce the chance of pregnancy during breastfeeding to a minimum. But to do this you will have to follow simple rules:

Those mothers who feed their baby not according to the clock, but on demand, have a low chance of getting pregnant. And the child eats absolutely nothing except mother’s milk, and doesn’t even drink water. So, on average, a baby should receive either 6 long feedings or 10 short ones. The interval between breastfeeding should not exceed 5 hours.
If the child is more than 7 months old, you need to start using protection. After all, it’s time for the baby to introduce complementary foods; accordingly, much less milk will be produced and the hormone prolactin will not be as active. At this time, the chance of a new pregnancy increases significantly.

How does lactation affect ovulation?

During lactation, a woman's body produces increased amounts of the hormone prolactin. Prolactin has an effect on the production of milk, but also on the ovaries, suppressing ovulation. The earliest ovulation in a breastfeeding woman occurs at 6 weeks after birth. There is an opinion that the more often a mother puts her baby to her breast, the more prolactin is produced.

But as time passes, and the baby eats at certain hours and less often, then the level of the hormone decreases and the risk of ovulation increases. A woman’s cycle is not yet regular; moreover, ovulation can occur without the woman’s knowledge. Which significantly increases the chances of an unexpected pregnancy.

Frequent feeding and periods

When figuring out whether it is possible to get pregnant while breastfeeding, you also need 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 is crossed when this hormone is no longer able to restrain follicle-stimulating hormone. Frequent applications cannot even affect this. Although they exist, this stimulation is completely insufficient for the female body.

Caesarean section, breastfeeding and pregnancy

Separately, we also need to talk about whether it is possible to get pregnant during breastfeeding after a cesarean section. After all, today many young mothers give birth to babies this way. So, in this case there are practically no differences. But the recovery period for the female body may be a little delayed. After all, the birth process took place in an unnatural way. That is why mothers whose babies were born by cesarean section should also pay attention to contraception during breastfeeding.

Short terms

Sometimes women are interested in the question: “Is it possible to get pregnant while breastfeeding a month after giving birth?” First of all, it should be recalled that the process of restoration of the uterus is delayed for 5 weeks after the birth of the baby. That is, this most important female organ will not even be able to return to normal. If during childbirth there were some complications, the mother had ruptures, then during the first month of the baby’s life the lady is not recommended to have sexual intercourse at all. But still, is it possible to get pregnant during this period while actively breastfeeding? The chance is very low, but still there. Therefore, it is best to protect yourself.

Is pregnancy possible while breastfeeding?

After the birth of a baby, many mothers, having established breastfeeding, begin to think about establishing a sex life with their husband.

Therefore, the question becomes urgent for them whether they need to protect themselves while breastfeeding, even if they have not had their period yet.

When it comes to contraception, you should not rely on the experience of your friends, because each body is individual. One woman may breastfeed for three years and enjoy closeness with her husband, while another may become pregnant within a month of giving birth.

Breastfeeding and menstruation

Having figured out whether it is possible to get pregnant while breastfeeding, I would also like to talk about feeding itself. So, during this difficult period for a woman, you should not refuse breastfeeding your baby. After all, these features occurring in the mother’s 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 the unstable state of the mother’s nervous system can be transmitted to the baby. But this can be successfully dealt with.

Breastfeeding and new pregnancy

It became clear whether it is possible to get pregnant while breastfeeding. But what about breastfeeding if conception occurs again? Doctors say that pregnancy and lactation are not a hindrance. That is, you can successfully feed your first child and carry your second. But do not forget that all the most necessary and useful things will go to the fetus. After all, this is inherent in nature itself. So the need for breastfeeding as the healthiest nutrition simply disappears. An alternative is to start taking vitamins. But all this must be agreed upon with an obstetrician-gynecologist.

What is important to know about feeding during pregnancy

Here's some more food for thought.

Stimulation of the nipples can lead to contractions of the uterus and miscarriage, or premature birth. But women who are weakened and at risk of miscarriage are more susceptible to this risk. On the other hand, until 28 weeks of a new pregnancy, the uterus does not respond to increased levels of the hormone oxytocin and it is safe to feed until this time.

Moreover, over several months of active lactation, the body gets used to the increased level of oxytocin and perceives it as normal. And if the mother has the opportunity to fully rest and eat a healthy, varied diet, then such a load on the body is, in principle, normal. We may recall that our great-grandmothers often continued to feed when a new pregnancy occurred. In villages, large families were the norm and children were born one after another.

Today's mothers have much lower immunity and health levels, which is due to life in the city and the current environment. Therefore, if you decide to continue feeding, you should be very careful about yourself. Think about what household chores you can temporarily give up. If you are offered help, accept it. It is advisable to take vitamins and eat well, in small portions and often.

Try to overcome the feeling of guilt in front of your unborn baby. You may feel that he is lacking nutrients, since milk production also requires a lot of work from the body. This is wrong. In a woman’s body, unless she is starving, there are enough resources for simultaneous lactation and fetal development. In addition, the diet of a nursing woman and a pregnant woman are very similar. The priorities are set like this: first for the baby growing in the belly, then for the milk, and what’s left for the mother.

Symptoms of a new pregnancy

Having explained whether it is possible to get pregnant during breastfeeding if you have menstruation, I would also like to talk about how a mother can understand whether conception has occurred. So, there is a complex of special symptoms. First of all, you need to look at the baby's reaction. During a new pregnancy, mom's milk will change taste. So if the baby begins to eat worse or refuses to breastfeed altogether, you need to urgently take a pregnancy test.

How can a woman feel? What indicators might arise here?

Milk production decreases. After all, the body devotes all its strength to maintaining a new life.
A young mother may have swollen breasts and some swelling may occur. This is a sure sign not only of incoming menstruation, but also of a new pregnancy.
Delayed menstruation, if they have already occurred after childbirth.
During breastfeeding, a young mother's uterus contracts. But if such movements become more frequent, this is a reason to take a pregnancy test.
Other indicators that are also inherent in pregnant mothers who are not breastfeeding: toxicosis, nausea, loss of appetite, frequent urge to go to the toilet, etc.

Is it possible to get pregnant while breastfeeding?

No one gives a 100% guarantee regarding pregnancy during lactation. This event is influenced by many factors:

frequency of baby feedings;
feeding at night;
lack of complementary feeding;
the child does not have a pacifier;
absence of menstruation;
individual hormonal background of a woman.

Even if you violate one of these points, you can get pregnant. This is especially true for those mothers who combine breastfeeding with formula.

In the first month and a half after birth, the probability of conception is almost zero. But doctors insist that there should be no intimate life for at least two months.

If you have your period

When menstruation occurs, the possibility of pregnancy increases. But the onset of menstruation does not always guarantee the resumption of ovulation. Although it is ovulation that affects conception. If your period comes for the first time after childbirth, then most likely it will be anovulatory.

If your periods are scanty, spotty and last no more than two days, then the egg has not been released. There is an opinion that a woman who is breastfeeding does not ovulate at all, but this is a myth. Your period may affect the amount of milk you produce, but this is temporary. As soon as menstruation ends, the previous volume will return.

Without menstruation

While breastfeeding, you can get pregnant even without menstruation, but this is individual for each woman.

This is possible because the menstrual cycle is not yet regulated, and ovulation can occur without the woman's knowledge. Therefore, the absence of menstruation after childbirth can smoothly transition into the absence of menstruation during pregnancy. This is exactly how things turned out in the days of our mothers, since there was not such a wide range of contraceptive methods of protection.

Immediately after birth

You won't be able to get pregnant immediately after giving birth. The cervix is still too dilated and lochia (remnants of blood discharge) are coming out. Ovulation cannot yet occur; the uterus will take at least 1.5-2 months to restore to its original size. However, it is quite easy to get an infection during this period. Therefore, gynecologists recommend starting sexual activity two months after childbirth.

One year after giving birth without menstruation

Some women may not get their period even after a year of breastfeeding. This also depends on the activity of breastfeeding. The resumption of menstruation in women occurs before a year in almost 38%. And after a year, 46% of girls, but at the same time they may still remain irregular. However, the chance of getting pregnant is still very high.