Fertility after Childbirth
From LoveToKnow Pregnancy
Fertility after childbirth, whether you're hoping to get pregnant again or you're not, is often a concern. From wondering if you're trying to conceive too early to making sure your birth control method of choice is ideal for your situation, there are many questions to be answered.
Fertility after Childbirth: When Does It Return?
The safest thing to do if you're wishing not to get pregnant soon after the birth of one child is to use a contraceptive. While breastfeeding may keep your period at bay for a while and it could help prevent pregnancy, it won't always work.
It is possible to have another baby as early as ten months after delivering, so fertility after childbirth can—-and often does—-return quickly.
Recommended contraceptives after childbirth include:
- Condoms and spermicide, especially for breastfeeding women or those who are concerned that taking hormonal contraceptives will cause a delay in getting pregnant.
- Birth control pills, though breastfeeding women have limited choices and the progesterone-only mini-pills are often recommended over other types. This type of pill must be taken at the same time every day and is slightly less effective than other birth control pill types.
- IUD—after the uterus has healed. These are a good option for those who do not plan to get pregnant again in the near future.
- Injectable contraceptives, such as Depo-Provera, may also be used in some cases.
Most women should skip the diaphragm for a few months so that the vaginal walls have a chance to return to their normal state. Otherwise, the diaphragm will not fit correctly and will not offer adequate birth control.
Be sure to mention any birth control concerns to your doctor during your post-partum check-up. Most doctors recommend not having sexual intercourse for at least six weeks after delivery because the body has not yet completely healed.
Resuming Menstruation
Menstruation returns at different points after childbirth for everyone. If you breastfeed, you may even delay menstruation for up to six months after you stop breastfeeding. In other cases, a period may show up as early as four weeks after the lochia stops. The lochia is the menstrual-like bleeding that occurs for up to six weeks post-delivery.
Remember, you release an egg about two weeks before you have a period. So you could release an egg without knowing you're fertile since you may not realize that your period is on its way. Unprotected sex at this point could result in another pregnancy.
That being said, some women find that breastfeeding on-demand around the clock is enough birth control for them. In some cases, women had to stop breastfeeding through the night in order to become pregnant again. To find out more about the Lactational Amenorrhea Method, you can visit Breastfeeding123.com.
Trying Again: How Soon Is Too Soon
You will need to let your body heal first, but most doctors say that it is safe to resume intercourse as early as six weeks after the delivery of your baby. If you'd like to have your children very close together, you could start trying for your next one as soon as six weeks post-delivery or when your doctor gives you the green light.
Charting Fertility
There are several standby methods of monitoring your fertility. Whether you're hoping to get pregnant or avoid it, they're worth checking out. View these LoveToKnow articles for more information:
A Final Thought
If you are trying not to get pregnant, it is very important that you not assume that having recently given birth will keep you from getting pregnant. For extra assurance, use a form of birth control because fertility after childbirth can come back quite rapidly. If you want to continue to have children in close succession, you can start trying again as soon as the doctor says that it's safe to have sex again (usually six weeks after delivery).
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This page has been accessed 9,087 times. This page was last modified 19:01, 30 September 2008.
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