Breastfeeding and Family Planning

As a breastfeeding mother, you have many choices for birth control. Non-hormonal methods should be considered first. If you want to use a hormonal birth control method, it is important to choose a method that contains little or none of the hormone estrogen. The estrogen may decrease your milk supply and lead to early weaning.

Non-hormonal methods

These methods have shown to have not effect on breastfeeding:

• Condoms
• Diaphragm
• Spermicides
• Intrauterine Device (IUD)
• Sterilization (tubal ligation/vasectomy)
• Natural Family Planning/Fertility Awareness Method
• Lactational Amenorreah Method (LAM)

Hormonal methods

These methods contain no or very little of the hormone estrogen. Though some of the hormone in these methods does pass into breastmilk, these methods have been shown to not adversely effect milk supply. You should not begin a hormonal birth control method before 6 weeks post-partum, as the hormones may interfere with the establishment of lactation.

• Mini-pill (progesterone only birth control pills)
• Depo Provera (3-month) injection

Hormonal birth control methods that contain estrogen should be considered last.

Although very effective at preventing pregnancy, these methods may decrease milk supply and lead to early weaning. If you must take a combined hormone method of birth control, you can still continue to breastfeed. When using a combined hormone method, monitor your baby’s weight carefully to be sure that he is getting enough breastmilk.