Can I Get Pregnant While Breastfeeding?

Maybe. The same hormones that make milk also suppress the release of reproductive hormones. Most women who breastfeed fulltime don't get their menstrual periods (amenorrhea). For this reason, lactation consultants have developed the lactational amenorrhea method, or LAM.

LAM Guidelines
If your physiological condition falls under LAM guidelines, you are less than 2% likely to get pregnant. This is better birth control than many prescribed contraceptives on the market. These are the guidelines:

Menstrual periods are absent (amenorrheic)
Your baby is less than six months old
You are breastfeeding around the clock (approximately every two hours)

Remember that LAM will no longer be effective once your period returns, if your child is over six months of age or if you supplement the infant's milk supply with a bottle.

For more information, visit La Leche League Inernational.