After giving birth, you might be wondering how soon it’s possible to get pregnant, when and if you'll get your period while breastfeeding, and whether, as you may have heard from nursing friends, breastfeeding can actually stop you from conceiving.
Here’s what you need to know to help ensure your next pregnancy arrives safely and on your terms.
How soon can you get pregnant after giving birth?
It's possible to get pregnant before your first postpartum period, which can occur as early as four weeks after giving birth or as late as 24 weeks after baby arrives (or later), depending on whether you're breastfeeding exclusively or not.
Can you get pregnant before your first period post-delivery?
Yes, you can get pregnant before your first post-pregnancy period. Some women have a sterile first period — in other words, they don’t ovulate during their initial cycle. Others ovulate before having a period, which means they could conceivably go from pregnancy to pregnancy without ever unpacking the tampons.
Since you don’t know which will come first, the period or the egg, contraception makes sense if you’re hoping to plan your next pregnancy.
What are the chances of getting pregnant after giving birth?
Your practitioner will probably give you the green light to start having sex again four to six weeks after you've had your baby. Among women who aren’t breastfeeding, periods usually kick in six to 12 weeks after delivery.
Most nursing moms won't get their periods for the first three to six months, with many getting their first period about nine or more months after baby's birth. Some women can conceive sooner, while others begin ovulating later.
If you’re not using some form of contraception, it’s nearly impossible to determine your personal odds of getting pregnant after giving birth. That's because every woman’s body is different, and the timetable for first postpartum ovulation is unpredictable.
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Can you get your period while breastfeeding?
It is possible to get your period while breastfeeding, although the odds and timeline depend on several factors.
The hormones that prompt your body to make breast milk can also stop your body from producing the hormones that cause you to ovulate. That means that some women don't have periods while breastfeeding. Others get their first postpartum periods in the months after delivery.
Nursing moms have been known to begin their periods as early as six weeks postpartum or as late as 18 months after giving birth. On average, women who breastfeed resume their cycles later than those who don’t.
Frequent, exclusive breastfeeding (that is, your baby relies on breast milk for all of his nutrition) often delays ovulation longer. You're more likely to start ovulating if you go for more than a few hours between feeds.
Supplementing with formula, introducing solids, making it through the night without breastfeeding and even pumping in place of nursing can interrupt your breast milk production. That increases the odds that your body will resume ovulation ... and you'll get your period.
Your period while breastfeeding
Many women are a bit surprised by their first postpartum periods. Yours may arrive unexpectedly, and it may be slightly heavier than your pre-pregnancy periods. In general, however, most women find that their periods tend to be lighter while breastfeeding.
Perhaps most surprisingly, getting your period is not a sure sign that you're ovulating or that your period has permanently returned.
Some women have irregular periods while breastfeeding. Hormones fluctuate during breastfeeding as your body tries to find its new normal. As your hormones fluctuate, your periods may as well.
Can you get pregnant while you’re breastfeeding?
It is possible to get pregnant while breastfeeding. Although breastfeeding does suppress ovulation, it’s not a very reliable form of birth control. If your period resumes — even if you have an irregular period while breastfeeding — you can get pregnant.
What's more, it's actually possible to get pregnant before your period arrives. So if you're not ready to put another bun in the oven just yet, be sure to take proper birth control precautions.
How long should you wait before getting pregnant after giving birth?
Both the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the March of Dimes recommend that women wait at least a full year and ideally 18 months after having a baby before getting pregnant again.
The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG) advises waiting at least six months or more after your last baby's birth before getting pregnant again and cautions against the risks of pregnancy sooner than 18 months after having a baby.
That’s because conceiving within 18 months of giving birth increases the odds of some complications in the following pregnancy, including having a premature and/or low-birth weight baby — especially if conception occurs within six months of birth. That can, in turn, increase the risk of a child having asthma, developmental delays and vision and hearing problems later in life.
Experts aren’t sure why shorter intervals between pregnancies have been linked to these complications. It may be because there’s residual inflammation in the uterus from the previous pregnancy, and because the body doesn’t have enough time to fully replenish the vitamins and nutrients required for the following pregnancy.
Still, plenty of babies conceived shortly after their moms were pregnant the last time are born perfectly healthy.
On the other hand, some research has also shown that waiting longer (more than 60 months, or five years) between babies is also linked with increased risk of the same complications, including preterm birth and low birth weight babies.
Bottom line: Talk to your doctor about the best timing for your next baby. In the meantime, play it safe and use birth control once you start having sex again after giving birth, whether you're breastfeeding or not.
That way you'll avoid unplanned back-to-back pregnancies, and you'll up the odds of keeping yourself and your next baby healthy when you're ready to do it all over again.
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