Really Breastfeeding Can Prevent Pregnancy

For mothers who breastfeed after giving birth, are likely to experience menstrual delays. This is because nursing mothers have the hormone prolactin. This hormone maker of breast milk also plays a role in suppressing the release of hormones in charge of ripening and fertilizing eggs and forming the lining of the uterus to maintain fertile eggs. This natural delay in menstruation is called lactational amenorrhea (LAM). In this way, as long as you breastfeed a newborn baby for several months, you can not get pregnant or in other words you are not fertile. This may be the body's natural way of telling that all of your body's capacity is only able to handle one newborn and is not ready to have another baby. LAM is known to be effective in preventing pregnancy if you meet several conditions. Here are some conditions that can make breastfeeding prevent future pregnancies.

• Mother hasn't menstruated after giving birth or after childbirth

If the mother has experienced menstruation, meaning that she can no longer rely on the period of breastfeeding as a natural contraceptive and can get pregnant at any time. However, there are also about five percent of nursing mothers who can get pregnant before they menstruate after giving birth. This is because the fertile phase of women around the time of ovulation, which is 12-16 days before menstruation.

• Babies must be a maximum of six months old

Mothers need to use other methods of contraception to prevent pregnancy after the baby is six months old. At this time, Mother has become more likely to get pregnant again.

• Mother must give exclusive breastfeeding

This means that the baby only receives milk directly and not from the bottle. Give ASI every 2-3 hours during the day or as often as the baby needs. In addition, also give milk at night with a time interval between breastfeeding no more than six hours. This is because your fertility hormone levels tend to be highest during hours of sleep, so you need to breastfeed at night so that the hormone prolactin suppresses the fertility hormone. If the baby starts sleeping through the night without asking for milk, the fertility hormone can return to work as usual, meaning that the mother is not in the LAM phase. As for the introduction of solid food, wait until the baby is at least six months old. Arrange for solid food as an addition, not a substitute for breast milk. If a baby who is fed solid food starts to reduce breast milk consumption, it means Mother must reduce the supply of solid food so she can again increase breast milk intake. Research has shown that nursing mothers who practice this step can have an average LAM period of 14 months before menstruation and return to fertility.

But LAM can be ineffective if the baby is able to sleep longer at night and naturally distance the breast milk, apart from Mother increasing the feeding of solid food as the baby's age develops. Then, what happens if you are not in the LAM period and have tested positive for being pregnant again?

Mother Declared Safe for Breastfeeding during Pregnancy

Mother can continue breastfeeding while pregnant. No need to worry about the lack of nutrition to produce enough milk as well as healthy babies who grow in the womb. By eating a healthy and balanced diet that is consistent in meeting fluid intake, you can meet all those needs. However, breastfeeding when pregnant is different from the conditions of breastfeeding when not pregnant. Mother will find the following changes.

• Breastfeeding is less comfortable

During pregnancy, nipple and breast tenderness is common, coupled with fatigue associated with pregnancy hormones, making the discomfort of breastfeeding pregnant women more pronounced.

• Toddlers become less appetite to consume breast milk

When the baby is able to talk, he may reveal that the taste of breast milk is different. In fact, the taste of breast milk will be different because towards the end of pregnancy, the mother produces colostrum, which is yellowish thick condensed milk.

• Mild contractions occur

Sometimes Mother experiences some mild contractions, but not to worry because this is normal as a result of stimulation in the breast which triggers the release of the hormone oxytocin. But in normal pregnancy conditions, this hormone level does not lead to premature labor. Although these contractions are not a concern during uncomplicated pregnancy, doctors may still prevent breastfeeding during pregnancy if you are at risk of preterm labor.

Basically, the duration of LAM varies from woman to woman and cannot be predicted. Therefore, to prevent pregnancy after giving birth to a baby, you can use contraception in the form of condoms, birth control pills that only contain progestins, Depo-Provera injections, or contraceptives implanted in the uterus (IUD).