When Can I Get Pregnant Again

You can deffiently get pregnant!! I was breastfeeding and I got pregnant with twins when my daughter was 5 months old and I did not even have a period yet. I was told by my doctor that right after you have a baby you are the most fertile until you have your first period and then the % decreases but is deffiently there so if you do not want to get pregnant I would deffinetly us protections, whichever method you choose, but you would more then likely end up pregnant again if you solely depend on bfing as your form of BC because it really isn't.!!

i'm exclusively BFing as well, and i have yet to have a period. look into the Taking Charge of your Fertilily book; that will teach you what signals to look for in your body.

i also was told by my OB that you can use BF as birth control; it's about 30% effective.

and yes, you are less likely to get PG, because your body isn't ovulating when BFing; the prolactin/oxytocin halt the release of the eggs.

Hi P.! I also had my son mid-August of this year (and have a 2 year & 4 month-old!).
To answer your question, breastfeeding suppresses ovulation for a few months - I believe the average time it will do this is 3-6 months if you are really breastfeeding exclusively. I'm breastfeeding exclusively and haven't had my period yet, I breastfed my older son yet had many, many problems, ended up supplementing with formula, and got my period again when he was 5 months old.
I guess the bottom line is, if you've gotten your period already, you are ovulating again and can definitely get pregnant again. The reason that many women get pregnant again while breastfeeding before they have a period is because a woman will ovulate before having her period, therefore you can get pregnant the first time you ovulate after giving birth, which would be before you have that first period. Also, menstruation tends to be irregular for a while after childbirth so it might seem like since you aren't menstruating regularly, you probably won't get pregnant but this is not true. According to my OB/GYN, approximately 90% of sexually active women who are exclusively breastfeeding will not get pregnant during the first 5 months or so. But of course, if you've had your period, you're ovulating and can get pregnant!
Whew, I feel like I'm repeating myself but I hope this helps!

i had been told by my ob that it can take up to 1yr. for a women's body to recover from pregnancy and child birth and not to count on breast feeding as a form of birth control. if your not intending on becoming pregnant for a while i would discuss your options for bc while breastfeeding.

P.,
It is possible for you to get pregnant right now. I have 3 children.. ages 5, 6, and 7. I got pregnant when each baby was about 4 months old. I was still nursing full time and had not had ANY menstrual cycles. So, I guess my children are living proof that it happens. Yes, they do say you are less likely to get pregnant, but obviously its not a sure-fire form of birth control. If you are hoping to get pregnant soon, then I guess you're in luck, since it is possible; however, if you're not ready to conceive again ut yet, I'd take other precautions.

My ob/gyn told me that nursing is not a form of birth control and because so many think that it is, they get pregnant without planning. As far as if your body is ready to have a baby only you and your doc can answer that. Good luck!

Breastfeeding changes your menstrual cycle. I didn't get mine for a whole year while I was breastfeeding. It is not true, you can get pregnant while breastfeeding. So if you are not ready for another baby I'd strongly suggest using protection.

I wanted to write you and let you know that even if you are exclusively breastfeeding YOU CAN STILL GET PREGNANT!!! I exclusively breastfed my son for 13 months and during those months I DID get pregnant(my second WAS planned)! There is an option out there for moms who are uncomfortable with the chances of becoming pregnant while breastfeeding. It's a birth control pill that is meant to go along with nursing moms. If you stop nursing while on this BC they have to switch your pills. I did not use any type of BC besides condoms. I personally was uncomfortable taking anything like that while I was nursing. After my first child was born the discussion of the possibility of pregnancy was made very clear to me. Now that I am nursing my second I still have opted for no BC pills. We are strictly just using condoms and my period returned about 3 or 4 months after my daughter was born. Hope this has helped you.

you can get pregant again right off its all about what your body wants when my daughter was born she had to go to the nicu unit in a large cities hospital while there i met a mother of a 8 week old who was born prematurly and was still in that hospital during my daughters stay there she found out she was 6 weeks along.. thats 2 weeks after giving birth ! but i also know a woman who didn't get pregnant til 23 years after having her first child and she got pregnant with twins its all natures plan for ya both of them breastfed but i know it can be a form of birth control but i wouldn't count on it as ur only form

P.,
To be perfectly honest, I believe it depends on the individual woman's body. As for the last sentence, I'd have to say that your OB/GYN is really the best person who can answer that for you. I wish I was more help.

From what I have heard, through research and from my doctor, breastfeeding can be a form of birth control for some women (thus meaning it isn't - since we can't determine who the form is compatible with). I only had a handful of periods throughout the year after having my first daughter (I breastfed also). With my youngest, born in July, I bled for 2 months and then my cycle has been irregular, coming between 2 weeks and 2 months (I am also breastfeeding her).

With all that said, I would not count solely on breastfeeding to prevent pregnancy. I would suggest discovering your ovulation cycle and use protection during that time (this has worked for my husband and I and has proven to be Very effective and much more enjoyable than a condom or remembering to take a pill). In doing this it also made it easy to get pregnant when we wanted to. With both our daughters, almost immediately after we started trying, we were pregnant.

Hope this has helped!