There is an opinion that if you breast-feed a baby after childbirth on demand, the probability of becoming pregnant is reduced to 1-2 percent. But there are weather children.
Can I get pregnant after giving birth? How does it happen that a nursing mother is pregnant again? Doctors explain this by the fact that each organism is an individual.
There are many reasons why you might be interested in this question. Maybe you want the age difference between the children to be minimal or you want to limit yourself to only one child.
The number of children in the family is a personal matter of the parents, in this article we will talk about how long after the birth the female body will be ready for pregnancy again.
What affects the chance of becoming pregnant after childbirth?
It is known that during pregnancy, the mammary glands are prepared for breastfeeding. The hormone prolactin is formed, which has an inhibitory effect on the ovulation process. As a result, pregnant women have no periods.
Ovulation is the exit of an egg from the ovary into the uterine cavity. There is no ovulation, which means that conception becomes impossible (the egg does not exit into the uterus).
After birth, the amount of prolactin depends on the duration and type of feeding. If only breastfeeding is done and this is done frequently, then this hormone will be synthesized to prevent ovulation.
But it is worth agreeing with the doctors that each case is different from the other: with normal lactation, a fairly quick recovery of the sexual cycle after childbirth is possible.
The main indicators of the body’s readiness for conception are the restoration of cyclicity and ovulation. However, with accuracy it is not possible to determine this moment.
Firstly, it is impossible to say for sure what time postpartum ovulation will take place, because each organism has an individual recovery period. For example, the earliest ovulation was observed in the fourth week, the late – in the eighth.
Secondly, the appearance of menstruation does not mean that ovulation must necessarily occur. Consequently, conception in this case will be impossible.
It is worth noting that the absence of menstruation also does not guarantee the impossibility of conception. It is difficult to predict the time of restoration of menstruation. At the same time, after intercourse, sperm cells are still active in the vagina for some time.
So it turns out that the sexual cycle was not observed, and after a few days the cyclicity recovered, in addition, ovulation occurred. As a result of this, conception was accomplished.
Doctors Recommendations
Specialists in the field of medicine recommend a 1.5-2-year period between childbirth and subsequent conception. This period of time is enough to restore the female body after pregnancy. However, this period can be reduced to a year.
Some people may object that in earlier times women gave birth to children with minimal interruptions. Yes, this was the place to be, but not all children were born full-term, and some of them did not appear at all.
In addition, after childbirth, women tend to become depressed. For another year, they will adapt to relationships in the “mother-child” system.
If you are ready to deal with these problems and decide to become pregnant again, then in this case, you can plan conception in the near future after childbirth.
When can I get pregnant after cesarean?
You can become pregnant already about two months after giving birth, but in this case, pregnancy carries a potential danger. After cesarean section, it is recommended to plan the next conception no sooner than after one or two years (and preferably after an even longer time). This is due to the fact that during this period a strong scar forms on the uterus, the probability of rupture of which will be minimal during gestation and the birth of a child.
Postpartum contraceptives
As mentioned above, a new pregnancy in the very near future after childbirth is not only undesirable, but can also pose a threat to the health of the mother and child. Therefore, for at least a year after the birth of the baby, it is necessary to use means of protection (contraception).
Natural contraception
This type of protection against pregnancy includes increased production of prolactin by the body, which prevents the maturation of eggs. Previously, cases were considered in which you can become pregnant while breastfeeding a child.
They can once again be recalled:
- renewal of menstruation;
- if at least six months have passed since the birth;
- feeding occurs not only with breast milk (milk formulas are used);
- the period between feeding is more than six hours.
It should be noted that interruption of sexual intercourse is not a method of contraception, because sperm penetrate the vagina.
Contraceptive methods
Each method of pregnancy protection has its advantages and disadvantages.
Condom use is perhaps the most common method of contraception. This is a mechanical method that does not pose a threat to health, reliably protects against pregnancy and infectious diseases that can be transmitted sexually.
Minipills are oral contraceptives, which do not include female sex hormones (estrogens), which are contraindicated in breastfeeding. In addition, these tablets do not affect the lactation process. You can start taking mini-drinks one month after giving birth or when your first period begins.
Before using them, it will not be superfluous to consult a doctor.
Injectable contraceptives and implants have the same effect as mini-saws, but have a longer effect. One intramuscular injection of the drug eliminates the possibility of becoming pregnant within 2-3 months. It is important that their use does not decrease the production of breast milk.
Implants are capsules that are sewn under the skin in the shoulder area, the hormones from which are secreted over several years. This method is suitable if you do not plan to conceive in the next 4-5 years.
Intrauterine devices containing copper (IUD). Previously, such funds were called spirals due to the appearance of a curved loop. Currently, they are flexible plastic tubes that are braided with copper wire.
Intrauterine devices should be administered 2 months after birth or on the 6th day of the sexual cycle. This is due to the fact that at this time the cervical canal is ajar, as a result of which their introduction will not be particularly difficult.
Sterilization is a surgical method of contraception associated with the intersection or ligation of the fallopian tubes. This operation can be performed simultaneously with cesarean section. However, this method eliminates the possibility of a second pregnancy.
Importance of Prevention
It seems that the body is recovering quickly after giving birth, but this is not entirely true. During pregnancy (and this is about 9 months), all systems of the body experience serious stress. In a woman, chronic diseases can worsen, hypo- and vitamin deficiency appears. Therefore, at conception immediately after birth (within a couple of months), the likelihood of spontaneous abortion increases. In addition, premature birth may occur.
Do not forget that the genitals in the postpartum period are in the process of involution (a return to the prenatal state). They are currently most sensitive to injuries and infectious diseases. Using a condom creates a barrier to foreign microflora.
Summing up some results, it must be said that there is an opportunity to get pregnant again three weeks after the birth. Doctors recommend not to rush to conception and wait at least a year. This is due to the fact that only within 12-24 months there is a complete recovery of the female body after pregnancy. Therefore, after this time period, you can think about replenishment in the family.
The same recommendations apply to those women in labor who underwent a cesarean section.
It should be noted that in the postpartum period, it becomes important to address the issue of contraception. The choice of protection method should be made individually, as different methods have their pros and cons.
