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  • Pregnancy and you blog

  • Dec. 14, 2010

    Birth control after pregnancy: Think ahead

    By Mary M. Murry, R.N., C.N.M.

6 comments posted

Being pregnant has many benefits. If you're currently in the stage of nausea or vomiting, it may be harder to see those benefits — and if you're close to your due date, you might think I've lost my mind! You could be right about my lost mind, but think about it. When you're pregnant, you don't have any periods and you don't have to worry about birth control!

Still, pregnancy is a good time to think about future birth control. There's no pressure and you have time to explore all of the options open to you. You can decide which method of birth control after pregnancy will be best for your body and your life.

In the weeks after delivery, you may feel most comfortable with complete abstinence. That's a perfectly appropriate choice. Your health care provider may even recommend avoiding sex for a certain period of time. Eventually, though, you'll want to have sex again.

If you're planning to breast-feed your baby, remember that breast-feeding by itself isn't a reliable method of birth control. You might consider:

  • Birth control pills. Combination birth control pills, which contain both estrogen and progestin, are a common type of birth control — but estrogen can affect your milk supply. A better choice during breast-feeding is the minipill, an oral contraceptive that contains only progestin. The minipill provides effective contraception without decreasing your milk supply.
  • Barrier methods. If you'd rather avoid hormonal contraceptives, you might consider condoms and spermicide or a diaphragm.

When you're no longer breast-feeding, you'll have many more options for birth control after pregnancy — such as other types of birth control pills, the vaginal ring, an intrauterine device (IUD), contraceptive implants or contraceptive patches. If you're not planning any future pregnancies, you might consider permanent options such as the Essure system, tubal ligation or a vasectomy for your partner. Do the research, check with your health care provider, and discuss it with your partner. After all, birth control is a shared responsibility.

Remember, too, that no decision is also a decision. If you don't use birth control, you're deciding that another pregnancy would be OK. If you don't want another baby right away, make another decision. Of course, if everyone used birth control all of the time, I'd be out of a job!

Share your stories about birth control after pregnancy.

6 comments posted

blog index

  • March 3, 2012 4:00 p.m.

    I did the same re advent calendar. 24 beautifully thought-out and written activities, slotted nicely in the calendar, each promising a joyful day of seasonal festivities. and I made sure WE DID EVERY SINGLE ONE OF THEM. But dammit, it was exhausting and I have no idea what I was trying to prove.??????? ????

    - stas

  • January 10, 2012 2:56 p.m.

    Our periods can be very different when we start birth control after having a baby. It can take about 3 cycles of the pills before our periods can get "normal" again. Keep taking the pills on schedule even if your period is not on schedule. Emily if I am reading your note right, you did not start your next pack of pills until 10 days after you finished your previous pack of pills. Just continue on the pills as you were directed. If you are concerned you are pregnant, take a home pregnancy test. If you stop taking your pills for any reason, use a back up method of birth control unless you want to get pregnant.

    - Mary@Mayo

  • January 2, 2012 12:45 p.m.

    I started having birth control pills after 6 weeks of having my first baby. I finished the first pack but the period didn't start. I waited another ten days for the period to start. It didn't. Then I started the second pack of pills. But soon after i started the second pack my period has started. DO i need to stop taking the pills now? Very confused!

    - Emily

  • May 6, 2011 5:13 p.m.

    Thanks for this posting. I recently gave birth to twins and resumed birth control use after 5 weeks. I started taking the pill again (until my husband has his vasectomy) and began bleeding the week before the placebo pills. I've been continuing to take the pills, regardless and am now finishing up the placebo week. I have stopped bleeding and am wondering if it's safe for my husband and I to have intercourse without a barrier method in addition to the pill? I wasn't sure if the early bleeding was a sign that the pill wasn't "working" yet. Thanks!

    - Jodie

  • February 21, 2011 2:00 p.m.

    Andrew, I am sorry I took so long to get back to you on this question. It really does have to do with this topic. Pre-ejaculate fluid does not normally contain sperm. It's job is to lubricate and improve the enviornment for the advancing seman. The fluid can contain sperm if there has been a recent ejaculation. I am happy to answer any questions.

    - Mary MAYO

  • January 20, 2011 5:01 p.m.

    ok this doesnt really relate to the topic but i have a question about pre-ejaculate fluid. does i contain sperm or does it pick it up in the urethra? i have heard that by its self it doesnt contain any but when it passes through the urethra it can pick up precum.

    - Andrew

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