Contraceptive pills when breastfeeding

Even before pregnancy, many women prefer to use hormonal pills as a contraceptive. The question of birth control arises after childbirth, but you cannot drink hormones anymore, since they affect the quality of breast milk. What to do and how to choose birth control pills when breastfeeding?

The basics of contraception after childbirth

There are several types of birth control pills: hormonal and mini-drank. The peculiarity of the first group of drugs is that the pills contain two types of hormones simultaneously - estrogen and progesterone. Such funds are extremely rarely prescribed after childbirth, as they strongly influence the hormonal background of a woman and the quality of milk.

As a replacement for them, doctors suggest using so-called minimum-action pills, the active substance of which is only progesterone. Progesterone contraceptives, compared with the combined hormonal drugs, act on the body much softer.

They have no effect on ovulation, and the principle of their action is built on the thickening of cervical mucus, making the movement of sperm along the cervix more difficult. And even if one of them still gets to the egg and miraculously can fertilize it, conception will not happen. Endometrial thickening is the second feature of mini-pills. They simply do not leave the fertilized corpus luteum attached to the uterus.

It can be said that the effectiveness of birth control pills during breastfeeding will depend directly on the woman. The drug must be taken every day at a fixed time, which for most busy moms can be a real problem. The instructions of most drugs say that it is recommended to start drinking pills at 6 weeks after delivery. However, an obstetrician can answer this question more accurately.

Another significant disadvantage of mini-pili is the fact that such drugs have some contraindications. So, to abandon the minimum birth control pills will have women with pathologies such as:

• structural changes in the liver;
• hepatic hepatitis;
• epilepsy;
• adverse tumors in the mammary gland;
• heart failure and impaired blood supply to brain cells;
• bleeding from the vagina.

It is also worth noting that during the administration of the drug there may be various unforeseen situations. And if you are confused by any symptoms, it is better to consult a gynecologist.

A brief overview of drugs and recommendations for use

Almost all mini-pills are identical in the presence of active ingredients and the principle of action. There are contraceptive pills recommended for breastfeeding, only the names. Today, women are offered the following drugs:

• "Lakinet";
• Charozetta;
• "Micronor";
• "Continium";
• "Norgestrel";
• "Ovret";
• Exluton.

Any of the above drugs can only be prescribed by a doctor. Independent contraceptive use, even with minimal hormone action during lactation, can lead to serious complications and consequences for both women and children.

In addition, the doctor will tell in detail about the effect of the drug, its side effects and give recommendations on how to take the pills correctly. In general, it will look like this:

• Progesterone medications can cause mild nausea. To prevent this unpleasant effect, the doctor will recommend to start taking birth control pills in the evening or with meals.
• If you delayed taking the pills for less than three hours, then you should drink the next pill right away.
• If the pill was missed for more than 3 hours, then you need to use additional contraception, and the drug should be restored at the beginning of the menstrual cycle.
• It is necessary to take mini-drank every day in the strictly allotted time.
• In case of severe vomiting, it is recommended to repeat the pill. If gastric motility is not restored, it is necessary to consult a doctor, and at this time use other contraceptives.

All mini-pili should be stored in a dark, cool and dry place out of the reach of children. You can not keep birth control pills near water, for example, in the bathroom. Humidity can significantly reduce the effect of the active components of the drug.

Medical opinion

Many women believe that breastfeeding can not become pregnant. However, this popular belief is wrong. All gynecologists agree that the uterus after childbirth will be capable of fertilization after six weeks. And with a lack of milk, when a woman leads an additional feeding of the baby with mixtures, pregnancy can occur much earlier.

To protect themselves and give the body time to fully recover, and the uterus to come to a tone and relax, moms should think about the means of additional contraception. Here come to the aid of available tools - mini-drank.

Medical reviews of birth control pills for breastfeeding are mostly positive:

• Unlike combined preparations, mini-pills do not reduce the amount of milk and do not impair its taste.
• The full effect after taking the drug is achieved in 4 hours.
• Reception of pills can not be associated with the time of sexual intercourse, as they do not affect the female libido.
• There is no risk of blood clots, increased pressure. Tablets do not affect the emotionality of women.
• If you wish to re-pregnancy after the cessation of pills, the ability to conceive is restored within 30 days.

Of the shortcomings of these drugs, doctors distinguish the following:

• Taking pills should be regular and under strict control.
• Women after childbirth when taking a mini-drink can notice a slight increase in weight.
• Tablets with one hormone are not able to protect against genital infections.
• Pills can not be combined with taking some other drugs.

Lactation can protect a woman from unwanted pregnancy only for several weeks after giving birth. Next, you need to think about taking birth control pills. Remember that only a doctor can choose the right drug! And all the information in this article is presented only as a reference.