It’s absolutely possible to get pregnant while breastfeeding. Lactational Amenorrhea Method or LAM is an accepted form of birth control if the strict guidelines are followed to a tee! These guidelines include the following: the baby should be less than 6 months old, no return of menstruation, no regular supplements, feeding at least 8 times in 24 hours including night feedings. If these guidelines are followed closely the change of pregnancy is less than 2%.
If you are not aware of the LAM method and its strict guidelines getting pregnant while breastfeeding happens more often than women expect. Before getting a period, a breastfeeding woman will ovulate and this is where unplanned pregnancies occur. If you start to breastfeed less often (less than 8 times during 24 hours) your period may return sooner than anticipated. Once you ovulate, pregnancy is fair game if you are not using a reliable birth control method.
If you haven’t had a period after giving birth, an unplanned pregnancy is more likely since you ovulate before getting a period. Most women do not understand that you can get pregnant before having your period return. During the postpartum recovery, you think you can’t get pregnant until a period returns at regular intervals. Unfortunately, this is not the case, ask anyone who has had children less than 12 months apart! Health care providers have to educate women during the standard 6-week post-delivery visit to discuss birth control practices and pregnancy prevention.
No period, no pregnancy, no problem, right? If you are breastfeeding every 4 to 6 hours during a 24-hour period and not giving the baby formula chances, are you will not be ovulating. If you are not ovulating, you will not get a period and you will not get pregnant. This may work well for the first 6 months of breastfeeding but since you ovulate before getting a period this is when unsuspecting breastfeeding moms get pregnant.
How often women get pregnant while breastfeeding without reliable contraception ranges from 5% to 28% depending on if pregnancy occurs during the first 6 months or thereafter. The further you are from giving birth, the greater the chance of getting pregnant if you are not using dependable contraception. The good news is if you get pregnant while breastfeeding there is no increased risk of problems to the growing baby or pregnancy itself.
