22 August 2010

CRAP

I've been using breastfeeding as a contraceptive, and I didn't even know it!

Blast. 98%? I only had a 2% chance of getting pregnant back in March and April and I wasted so much money (and hope) on pregnancy tests! Haha. :)

I am supplementing earlier next time...for so many reasons!


From Wikipedia and the World Health Organization:

Use of breastfeeding as contraceptive

The World Health Organization states that demand breastfeeding is more than 98% effective as a contraceptive in the first six months postpartum. This effect is said to be responsible for the natural spacing of children seen in countries where contraception is not widely available, and is thought to be an evolutionary means of ensuring adequate care is provided to each newborn. The 98% effectiveness applies only if three criteria are met:

1. The mother has had no menstrual periods at all (amenorrhea)
2. The baby is exclusively breast-fed
3. It is six months or less since birth.


* A fourth criterion has also been mentioned: The baby does not go for longer than 5 hours between feedings (i.e. while sleeping)

If one or more of these conditions are broken, lactational amenorrhea is no longer a reliable form of birth control. This contraceptive method is highly effective as long as the three conditions stated above are fulfilled. Further, the WHO suggests that a woman who is still amenorrheic (no menstrual periods) has a less-than-5% chance of getting pregnant in the first year of her baby's life, as long as she is still breastfeeding on demand.

4 comments:

Anonymous said...

I knew it! So I guess you have to decide if it will still benefit sam to brestfeed, or it he's ready for a new brother or sister! I'm thinking he's ready juding on how he was eyeing my solid food at the lake.--Good luck

-Jenette

Cori Gentry said...

Uuuuggghhhhhh. So let's take a moment to hate women like Michelle Duggar and my mother who get pregnant while breastfeeding full time at around 7-8 mo post partum.

I'm so glad you posted this, I had no idea it was SO effective... everyone warns that it's not! WTF?

Team Hayes said...

I don't even want to hear it, Cori. because right now, I am hating you! Haha. ;)

Cori Gentry said...

There;s no reason to hate me... I was jealous of YOU because you were still BFing and I had to go down to part time at 6 mo and quit at 8. I guess it worked out though... so I understand the hate. If it makes you feel better I was super excited about being prego together again. Hmmm maybe you can use this time to research how to manipulate your body into having twins!