Birth control and BFing

baby*love

If you BF for a year or close to it, did you take hormonal birth control and did it have any effect on your supply?

I exclusively BF my first daughter til she was weaned 2 weeks before she turned one but didn't take any hormonal BC during the time I was BFing.  My OB prescribed the mini-pill (micronor / jolivette) and said I could start it at 6weeks but I have been nervous about it messing w/ my supply and hindering my ability to BF my daughter for a year at least. I need some success stories for BFing moms on hormonal BC. Thanks

~Kat~

I started the mini pill at about 5 weeks. I don't think it affected my supply, but I never really had issues in the first place. DS BF a lot so I think that really helped. FWIW, we still BF sometimes.

AnnapolisLari

I started the mini pill at 6 weeks and quit not long afterward. Not only did it make my supply dip, but it has to be taken at EXACTLY the same time every day to be effective. With a sporadically sleeping newborn, it was really hard to do that.

I BFed DS until 14 months, and we just used condoms.

shopgirl78

I took the minipill (Jolivette) after my IUD (Mirena) expelled at 7 months pp; I had no problems w supply with either BC method.  Although, I am about to throw the minipill in the trash because I am going on day 12 of AF (on my 3rd pp cycle)

JOEBunny

I took it, I had some issues, but they were mostly due to my DD being very small to begin with and remaining small.  The pill did not effect the supply, since she would be fine for a few months, then not for a few months.

Heidisean

I took the minipill from 2 months pp until dd was 1 year old and then stopped.  I had no issues while I was bf'ing but after I stopped bf'ing at 12 1/2 months I literally got my period every 2 weeks for 4 days each time.  OB said it was not strong enough for me.  You also need to take it very religiously because it is not as strong and a reg bc pill and has a less effectiveness than the reg pill.  Something like 94% effectiveness instead of 99% if I remember correctly.

RCH151

I was on the minipill at 6 weeks pp...it did not affect my supply at all.

r9stedt

Okay I know nothing about this subject (DS couldn't/wouldn't BF despite best efforts).

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BUT.... .Your siggy is tooooooo frickin' cute!?