Fertility Awareness when Breastfeeding
Are you looking to delay your return to fertility after giving birth? NFNZ Educators teach 2 methods of Fertility Awareness to women who plan to breastfeed. You will learn how your particular breastfeeding pattern impacts on your fertility and they will help you to decide the best contraceptive method for you.
Both methods are:
- 98% effective when taught by an accredited NFNZ educator (similar to the mini-pill)
- Evidence based, endorsed by the World Health Organisation, Health NZ
- Drug free – they do not interfere with your milk production
It’s important to get the right information early on, so get in touch with an Educator to work out what method will suit you best.
Delay your Return to Fertility while Breastfeeding
The hormones involved in breastfeeding interfere with the hormonal communication between your brain and ovaries – which means that they are not receiving the messages to mature follicles in preparation for ovulation. The hormonal interplay is very sensitive, so any sudden changes to your breastfeeding pattern can wake up your ovaries, and begin the process of your fertility returning.
Many women have heard that all they need to do is breastfeed and they wont get pregnant – this is misinformation, and unfortunately has led to many surprise pregnancies! These stories also do not give Fertility Awareness while breastfeeding a very good reputation.
In order to use breastfeeding to delay your return to fertility, you must learn about Fertility Awareness, and understand what is meant by ‘exclusive breastfeeding’, what can wake up the ovaries, and also what signs of fertility to look out for on a day to day basis.
What is the Lactational Amenorrhoea Method (LAM)
The Lactational Amenorrhoea Method (LAM) is the method that can be used from birth up until when your baby is 6 months old.
It relies on you exclusively breastfeeding, and not having had any bleeding from 8 weeks after birth. It is important to get support from a Fertility Educator when practicing this method, as not all women will reach the 6 month mark without their fertility returning somewhat.
What is Breastfeeding Charting?
Breastfeeding Charting is the method that you switch to at 6 months, or if you no longer meet the criteria for LAM. It is a time of transition for your body, and so extra care needs to be taken. You will learn how to record your signs of fertility, and details of your baby’s feeding and sleeping patterns. You’ll then learn how to interpret the information in relation to your fertility.
Once your fertility has completely returned, you can then move onto using the Sympto-thermal Method. Some women are able to delay the full return of their fertility for many months using this method.
Help! Breastfeeding is stopping me from getting pregnant!
Some women’s bodies respond in such a way to breastfeeding, that fertility can be delayed for an extended time. If you find yourself still nursing a young one and your fertility hasn’t returned, but you are wanting to try for another baby – contact your local Educator, and they can refer you to an Educator with experience in this area.
I have already had my baby, can I still learn?
Yes, the best thing to do is contact a Fertility Educator, and have a chat with them about your situation. As each situation is different, they will be able to give you some personalised advice about your next steps
How can I learn LAM and or Breastfeeding Charting?
Choose your Fertility Educator, and organise your first appointment. You will meet with your Educator 3 times, and have regular check-ins with them;
- Preferably before you have your baby, to understand what your goals are, choose the right method, and to make sure you are equipped with the information you need to support both breastfeeding, and what you need to do to delay your return to fertility.
- Your second appointment will be after you have given birth, at this appointment your Educator will ensure that you still meet the criteria for your chosen method.
Between this appointment and the next, your Educator will reach out periodically so that you can update them on your breastfeeding.
- The third appointment will happen when you are ready to transition to Breastfeeding Charting – this will either be when your baby is 6 months old, or earlier if you no longer meet the criteria for LAM.
Although breastfeeding can delay the return of your fertility – for some women it does not delay it for very long, so it is vital that you know what to look out for, so that you do not risk an unplanned pregnancy.
Lena’s Story
Natural Fertility NZ’s president, Lena Wells, has recorded her own fertility journey from learning the Sympto-thermal Method to avoid conception, to planning her pregnancies, and using both LAM and Breastfeeding Charting after giving birth. Read her story here.