birth control after child-birth?

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You don't have to choose hormones (pills, shots, patches, etc.). Hormonal birth control has many unpleasant side effects, even low dosage pills like the "mini pill." Even the progestin in the mini-pill does go into the breast milk and to your baby and the long-term effects on the child are still being studied and are not known. So to say hormonal birth control is perfectly safe is not true at all - the truth is we don't know, and shouldn't we be on the safe side when it comes to our babies?

Also be aware that hormone-based birth control methods can decrease your milk supply.

You could try NFP which has a 98-99% success rate and it involves both partners, and is FREE. There are no side effects on you or baby, and this method can not only be used to postpone pregnancy but also to achieve a pregnancy, if desired, in the future....Show more

i think its something for the kids/ teens to come to their parents about and discuss it with them but ultimately it should be the kids/teens decision to want it. and a parent should not force birth control onto their child. IF the parent does not want their child on birth control then they risk the child being sexually active (because these days 12 year olds are screwing around.. and they risk teen pregnancy) so really i think that it should be a mutual decision. i personally have been on birth control since i was in 7th grade. but not for sexual reasons. my periods were driving me crazy and they were never regular ( i would have it heavy 3 months at a time then quit for a week or two then start back up again for a few more months.... so we were worried about my health and the fact that i was losing too much blood. so you never know the situation of why teens/kids need or want birth control. it just takes communication. some use it for acne problems...Show more

The birth control pill can affect your milk supply - it is not good for breastfeeding mothers. It is also worrisome because all the hormones cross over into your breastmilk. Does an infant need a constant stream of hormones in their milk every day? Have you considered natural methods like Natural Family Planning? My husband and I have used it successfully for many years. It doesn't cost anything....Show more

If you are breast-feeding, you should not use combination birth control pills (contain both estrogen and progesterone), a vaginal ring, or monthly shots (Lunelle). Ask your health care provider about choices for birth control methods if you plan to breast-feed. (Breast-feeding by itself is not considered a completely reliable method of birth control.) Birth control methods that can be used when you are breast-feeding include:

condoms
spermicide creams
cap
diaphragm
IUD
progestin-only birth control pills, which you can begin 3 to 4 weeks after the birth of your baby
shots of progesterone (Depo-Provera) given every 90 days, starting 6 weeks after delivery.
If you do not plan to have children again and are looking for a more permanent form of birth control, male sterilization (vasectomy) or female sterilization (tying of the tubes) are two other choices available to you.

If you plan to have children again very soon, you may want to avoid using the hormone methods of birth control (pills or shots). That way you will not have to wait for your body to readjust to your normal hormone level and menstrual cycle. This makes it easier for you to get pregnant when you are ready....Show more

Hi! I've used birth control and plan to nurse. Keep in mind that you do not have to go on the Pill or use a hormone-releasing IUD if you aren't comfortable with it. I personally use a diaphragm when I'm not trying to conceive. Although the stats aren't as good as with the Pill (few things are), if used meticuously you should have a good success rate. As for chemicals, the spermicide is harmless if you choose to nurse....Show more