Question About Birth Control Pills While Nursing.

Hello Mom Y,
I am on my 4th baby to arrive any day know. I have nursed all my kids. I did take the progestrin with one and didn't notice any significant diffrence. It did not interfer with my nursing at all. Baby always seemed satisfied. I think the most important thing is making sure your not supplmenting and keep up the nursing schedule. One thing you might notice is they seem to go through a growth spurt around six weeks so just keep that in mind if your thinking it's due to the pill. Good luck take care of you and baby!!
D. T

As a lactation consultant, I have counseled some mothers for whom the progestin only pill did decrease their milk supply, but it usually recovered once they stopped the pill. For this pill, it is a completely individual response. Many mothers have no problems, but some do, so if you decide to try it, keep that in mind. And as Courtney said, most babies will want to feed every hour or so for a day or two around 2 - 3 weeks, 6 weeks, and 3 months old. If moms go along with this, the milk supply is just fine. It would not necessarily be related to the pill.

From the research I have seen that they can affect your milk supply but it is usually such a small effect that you don't notice and a larger effect is rare. If you are concerned about your milk supply I would use a non-hormonal method such as Paragard, diaphragm, condoms, etc.

It seems many health care providers tell their patients that they do not affect milk supply but that isn't accurate information. I haven't had anyone tell me that they saw an issue after starting the pills, but I do feel like they should have the research info in making their decision.

Here are some links:
http://www.aafp.org/afp/20010701/119.html
http://neonatal.ama.ttuhsc.edu/cgi-bin/discus/discus.cgi
http://www.kellymom.com/health/meds/birthcontrol.html

It didn't do a thing to my milk supply, but it did allow me to become pregnant. Be very careful on how/when you take them!

like the first poster, I had no difference in my supply but I did get pregnant while on it. When I went back to my dr and asked how this happened her reply was, oh it isn't that effective. My husband said it was like me taking pez. Ask your dr about it because you have to take it at the exact same time every day for it to be effective, I learned that the hard way as my two younger are 17 months apart.

good luck
C.

I am currently on the mini pill and my little guy is almost 9 months old. I haven't noticed any decrease in milk in relation the the pill, however, when I am about to get my period and the first few days I have it, I think my supply is a bit lower and my let down takes longer. Otherwise I have had no problems and am on my 3rd pack!

I used the progesterone (sp?) only pill after having my youngest child and I didn't notice a defference in my milk supply. I am due with #3 here in a few weeks and I am thinking of going back on it afterwards. (The only thing holding me back is I'm not sure if I want to go with pills again or something like an IUD)

I went on the pill Erin when I was nursing my son. I didn't notice any problems with my milk supply, but my breasts were so tender and sore from the pill that I couldn't nurse! Which was the whole point of being on the progesterone only pill. It also gave me horrible insomnia, which I don't think is a common side effect. I stopped taking it 2 weeks into the first pack and decided to use condoms instead. My doctor wanted to keep trying me on different pills until I found one I liked, but she said that breast tenderness is a very common side effect. So I decided against it. Good luck!