The hormones of lactation inhibit ovulation and reduce fertility for the first 6 months if breastfeeding is exclusive, completely on the infant’s schedule, and mom has had no break-through bleeding. Using breastfeeding as contraception is referred to as LAM (lactational amenorrhea method). Most people do not feel comfortable counting on this as a primary form of birth control and use other methods after 6-8 weeks postpartum.

When you are breastfeeding, it is recommended to use a reversible form of birth control, so that if you do notice an effect on your milk supply, you can stop it (i.e. getting a shot that lasts 3 months is not reversible). Barrier methods are completely safe and have no effect on lactation.

See this Contraceptive Chart for how different types of birth control methods may affect breastfeeding and milk supply from Thomas Hale’s Medications and Mother’s Milk; the premier resource on medications and lactation.

You may also read more on birth control and breastfeeding here.

DISCLAIMER: We know when you surf the web for information, you can get conflicting results, and it’s not easy to know whether you are finding evidence-based, high quality recommendations. That’s part of our job here at Kodiak KINDNESS; we are here to support your informed decisions about infant feeding through your baby’s first year. We’ve done some background work, and to the best of our knowledge, this post reflects current best practices. However, the information contained in this post and any links contained herein is for your informational use only; it is not a substitute for professional advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Furthermore, Kodiak KINDNESS is not responsible for the accuracy of any information contained in this post or links contained herein; it is for you to review at your own risk and discuss, as needed, with your health care professional in order to make a plan that suits your individual circumstances.