You asked

How effective is the Breastfeeding Method of birth control?

Using breastfeeding as a means of contraception is known as the lactational amenorrhea method (LAM). When you breastfeed, your body releases a hormone that suppresses oestrogen production, thereby interfering with your menstruation cycle. The effectiveness of this ovulation suppression is very much related to how much you nurse your baby. As soon as you start supplementing your baby's diet with solid food, or feeding formula, your body senses the change in milk demand and compensates for this. That means less milk gets produced, and less suppressing hormones released. It is therefore a good idea to use other methods of contraception in addition to LAM after the first couple of months.
 
LAM is fairly effective for the first six months, with less than two percent of breastfeeding mothers becoming pregnant during the first six months following delivery. Barrier methods and the progestin-only pill are completely compatible with breastfeeding.
 
To make LAM as reliable as you can, the following conditions must be met: There is no more than a four hour gap between feeding; your period has not started again; your baby was delivered less than six months ago. Remember that your body can release an egg without there being signs of menstruation returning, thereby making you potentially fertile.
 
Do not use LAM if you express your milk, or use formula feeding as well as breastfeeding. LAM depends on long, regular feeding sessions, so substituting even one feed with a bottle can be risky.

More questions

Babies can often be fussy in the evenings and you may find it difficult to nurse or settle them. 
If your baby is gaining weight while being fed exclusively on breastmilk, then you have nothing to worry about. You can also check to make sure that your child is producing enough wet and dirty nappies. As long...
If you are taking medication it is highly unlikely that you will need to stop breastfeeding. When taking medication only a tiny amount shows up in the milk and is almost never harmful to your baby. If a...
Many mothers when deciding how to feed their babies are under the impression that formula is almost the same as breastmilk. This is completely untrue and by choosing breastmilk you are choosing what is best for...
Breastmilk has plenty of iron to last your baby at least the first six months of his life. 
Nipple shields are silicone covers designed to make the nipple more prominent. They are used mainly if the baby will not take the breast, the baby is born prematurely or the mother has sore nipples. There is...
It is recommended by experts that all babies, including babies that are breastfed be given 5 micrograms of vitamin D3 a day. This is because recent studies have shown that mothers and children in the UK have...
Spitting up is very common and most young babies spit up at least once a day. This is because their digestive systems are immature which makes it very easy for their stomach contents to come back up their...
Your baby possibly has reflux. This is caused by a weak valve at the top of a baby’s stomach which allows their feed to come back up. Symptoms include heartburn and vomiting. You should consult with your...
The answer is no, definitely not.There is no benefit to you or your baby that can be gained from stopping breastfeeding. By continuing to breastfeed you will be giving your baby the best medicine possible to...

Latest

Trending