# The Morning After Pill



## JennaW (Oct 11, 2007)

I am so upset to even be writing this post but here it goes. DH and I DTD for the first time PP last night and DH forgot to pull out







:.

DD is only 7 weeks old. There is no way I want to chance getting pregnant again right now. I have been up all night thinking about this and I have decided I want to call my HCP in the morning and get a prescription for the "morning after pill". I read on Kelly Mom that it is safe to take while breastfeeding but that it may drop your supply and I read somewhere else that there is a chance it could make you lose your milk all together







?

One of the main reasons I don't want to be pregnant is because I don't want to even chance having to give up BFing DD, it is too important to us.

I already have an oversupply of milk and I have never pumped before, I just naturally have a lot of milk.

Does anyone have experience with this before, taking the morning after pill while breastfeeding a newborn?

Thanks.


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## Sagesgirl (Nov 22, 2001)

Jess is right. Pulling out isn't a fom of birth control. If you really don't want to chance a pregnancy, you've got plenty of options that don't even touch hormones. If you want something long-term, get a copper IUD. If you want something short term, use condoms, spermicidal inserts, the sponge, a diapraghm, cervical cap, etc. Money's not an issue; Planned Parenthood can and will give you free condoms, and NFP is totally free to everyone involved.


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## elisent (May 30, 2006)

There's a good chance you aren't fertile if you're exclusively breastfeeding. According to the mayo clinic:

Quote:

Lactational amenorrhea refers to the normal cessation of menstrual periods for the first few months a woman is exclusively breast-feeding. During this time, ovulation doesn't occur and so birth control is essentially automatic. The method is only effective in preventing pregnancy under the following conditions:

The mother is exclusively breast-feeding.
The baby is less than 6 months old.
The mother's period hasn't yet returned.
*Effectiveness rate.* When lactational amenorrhea is used as a means of birth control, the effectiveness rate is 98 percent. In other words, two out of 100 women will get pregnant while using this method during the six months after childbirth. After the first six months, ovulation and fertility may return before the onset of a period.

*How to use the lactational amenorrhea method.* If you decide to use the lactational amenorrhea method, you must breast-feed your baby at least eight to 10 times a day, including at least once a night, on both breasts. Don't allow more than six hours to pass between any two feedings.


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## dogmom327 (Apr 19, 2007)

FWIW, I had what seemed like a period at 6 weeks PP (afterbirth bleeding stopped at 4 weeks) and I completely panicked thinking my cycle had returned but it hadn't and I didn't get a real PP period until 8 mo PP. From what I've read, this is normal. So it's very unlikely that the bleeding was actually a period. I believe that breastfeeding on demand (no supplementing) and not going more than a few hours between feedings is supposed to be 95% effective for preventing pregnancy (sorry, I would look this up to be sure but my BF books are loaned out right now). 95% is better than the pill (with typical use), condoms or pulling out (and of course using it in conjunction with any of these methods is probably even better







).


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## elisent (May 30, 2006)

Oh, yeah, and when determining postpartum fertility while breastfeeding any bleeding before 56 days postpartum can be ignored.


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## JennaW (Oct 11, 2007)

Thank you for that information, that is helpful. I have already taken the first dose of the "Plan B" but it is still good to know going forward.

The bleeding really seemed like a period though and I had some cramps like I do on my period so who knows....


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## nuwavemomma (Jul 20, 2006)

Hey I just wanted to send you a









I totally understand getting out of the habit. That's such a nice part of pregnancy, and working up the nerve and energy to even have sex with a tiny LO in the house is a bit of an effort as it is! Congratulations on your baby and on rejoining the world of the sexually active!









It sounds like you've gotten good info here. I agree that the odds that you had a period are really really really low if you are EBF and especially if you're not using pacifiers. Even if you were somehow to conceive I think the odds that the pregnancy would successfully implant are very low. I know, it only takes one time, blah blah, but I think the stats are WAY in your favor.

I have taken the morning after pill but I was not nursing so I'm no help there.

If you haven't picked up Weschler's Taking Charge of Your Fertility, that sounds like a good fit for you.

Best of luck and congrats again!


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## belchers1 (Jul 10, 2008)

I didn't read all of the posts, but i would like to say that DH and I have used the pull-out method for the entire 8+ years we have been intimate, and have had no ACCIDENTAL pregnancies.

As far as breastfeeding and taking the morning after pill, DH did go inside once when DS was 8 mos. old and I was still breastfeeding. I took the morning after pill and it did decrease my milk supply, but didn't completely dry me out. I pumped extra around that time (because I was scared of drying up). It seemed to be more of a temporary problem.

Hope everything gets sorted out for you.


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## User101 (Mar 3, 2002)

Returned and reopened.


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## JennaW (Oct 11, 2007)

Well I didn't have any noticeable effects to my milk supply, actually I had oatmeal for dinner Sunday night and was horribly engorged the next morning









Thank you to everyone for your support and advice for the future


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## Sk8ermaiden (Feb 13, 2008)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *Sagesgirl* 
Pulling out isn't a fom of birth control.

Withdrawl as birth control has a 96% success rate. This according to Contraceptive Technologies journal, Planned Parenthood, and Wiki. So, while not perfect, it certainly _is_ a form of BC.

Also, I see you've already started plan B. And I hope that all goes well (probably good for your peace of mind at least!)

But for any future mommas with this question. Exclusive BFing with a babe under 6 months old and no bleeding after 56 days PP is *99.5% effective* as birth control.

I understand the OP though. Who wants to be one of that 5 in 1000 that it fails for?


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## rhiandmoi (Apr 28, 2006)

You already got your Plan B, but I just wanted to mention that in CA any woman over the age of 18 can get it any pharmacy that stocks it without a prescription. They will check your ID to make sure you are 18, and then sell you it. I keep one in my medicine cabinet which I paid for out of pocket because my ins is a big pain in the neck about medication reimbursement and BC, but in CA if your insurance covers BC it is supposed to cover Plan B as well. If you pay for it because you need it on say a Saturday, you can contact your insurance company and turn in your receipts and they should reimburse you.

Of course, if you have decent insurance, and your doctor will either write you an advance prescription or call one in for you with short notice, then you don't have to hassle with the reimbursements.

Just wanted to make sure anyone that found this thread looking for information on Plan B had that info.


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## alegna (Jan 14, 2003)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *Sk8ermaiden* 
But for any future mommas with this question. Exclusive BFing with a babe under 6 months old and no bleeding after 56 days PP is *99.5% effective* as birth control.

This is only true if you're practicing ecological breastfeeding- NO other food or liquids, NO artificial nipples, always cosleep and don't have a stretch of sleep without nursing longer than 4 hours (or is it 5 hours?)

-Angela


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## Sk8ermaiden (Feb 13, 2008)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *alegna* 
This is only true if you're practicing ecological breastfeeding- NO other food or liquids, NO artificial nipples, always cosleep and don't have a stretch of sleep without nursing longer than 4 hours (or is it 5 hours?)

-Angela


You are right! For some reason I though she said she was EB, but re-reading her post I have no idea where I got that. Maybe it was her saying BFing was so important to her and me assuming things. You know what they say about that...

It is every 4 hours during the day and every 6 at night.

LAM does not require all those things. Just BM being at least 85% of the baby's nutrition and nursing in the time frames. (Plus the time and bleeding criteria) And it has a 98% effectiveness rate.

The criteria you listed are for EB as birth control which is what has the 99.5% success rate. I looked up LAM and got the stats for EB.


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## RubiP (Jun 18, 2014)

Hi, i am starting to panic...here is why:
At 8 weeks PP we had a an accident, so I took the morning after pill, had what seemed to be a period 2 weeks after and then spotting for 3 says and 2 weeks after that spotting for 3 days again(that was 2 weeks ago)...so sunday night(june 15) we had an accident again 0_0...I haven't been able to go get the morning after pill because he's been getting off work late ..I am kind of ecological BF...I don't take naps everyday bcause I have 2 older kids to take care of...and sometimes my bby sucks on his thumb to soothe himself....other than that I follow the rest of the rules...ya'll think I should worry about getting pregnant? Or should I go get that plan b asap?


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