Can I get pregnant while breastfeeding?

Pregnancy is an important event that almost every woman will experience. Once the female hormones in a woman's body are secreted and menstruation and ovulation occur, it proves that the woman has fertility. However, women will not become pregnant during some special periods, such as during menstruation and pregnancy. Lactation is also an important period that women will go through. During this period, women will also have corresponding physiological needs, but can they get pregnant during lactation?

Can I get pregnant while breastfeeding?

Can you get pregnant during breastfeeding? Many new mothers think that breastfeeding is a safe period. In fact, this is a wrong idea. It is possible to get pregnant during breastfeeding. Generally speaking, fertility decreases during breastfeeding, but this does not mean that there is no fertility. Although you may not have a period for several months after giving birth, your body usually releases its first postpartum egg before your first menstrual period. That means you won't know you've ovulated until your period returns two weeks later. Before that, if you have sex without taking any contraceptive measures, you can get pregnant while breastfeeding. When a woman is breastfeeding, her ovarian function is suppressed, and theoretically it is more difficult for her to become pregnant. However, there are reports that breastfeeding women can become pregnant 5 weeks after giving birth. Pregnancy is a rather complicated process, so it is not considered safe to have sex during breastfeeding.

If you're exclusively breastfeeding and feeding day and night, you may not have a period for up to a year after giving birth. If your baby starts sleeping through the night early, your fertility will probably return faster. Usually within 3-8 months after delivery. The same is true if your baby is combination fed.

In other words, the more frequently your baby feeds, the later your period may be. Experts believe this is because breastfeeding prevents the body from producing hormones that promote ovulation. But if you use breastfeeding as your only method of contraception, you must be very cautious. If you want breastfeeding as a contraceptive method to be effective, you also need to follow the lactation amenorrhoea method. This method not only simply requires exclusive breastfeeding, but also requires meeting two other conditions. One is that it is within 6 months after delivery, and the other is that you have not had your period. However, even if you meet all three conditions, there is still a possibility of getting pregnant while breastfeeding, although the possibility is small.

So be aware that even if you are exclusively breastfeeding, you may begin ovulating as early as three months after giving birth. What’s more, you may not even know when you’re ovulating. Therefore, if you want to ensure that you don't get pregnant while breastfeeding, use some form of birth control every time you have sex.

You can also learn more about whether your menstrual cycles will remain the same after having a baby.