Mini Pill. Anyone have any experience?

leap_frog

Had my pp check up today. Waiting for my husband to go in and have "the" vasectomy appt. OB scared the shit out of me when I told him I got my period already (EBF) and he was all "OHMYGOD you must be super fertile right now."



I'm feeling the need to triple up on BC options in the meantime.

Monilee1017

For my  first i was EBF and i also got my period before my pp checkup, the day before. Doctor gave the mini pill, no issues with it here. It did its job.

l4rk

Also curious about this. I have an appointment on Monday and was highly considering asking for a mini pill prescription.

ainverso

Works well as long as you take it at same time every day consistently and are ebf. Like within an hour of the time u take it. If u miss taking it by more than 3 hours, use another form of birth control for at least 48 hours, maybe more.

JandJ62914

My OB prescribed it at my PP appointment. I'm just starting it now so my experience is still limited, but she said it's very effective if you're consistent in taking it. 

thoughtfulmommy

I started taking it 8 weeks pp with my DS and used it for over a year. I have no complaints. I just got my prescription again for it and will start taking it in a few weeks.

kaym6

My ob prescribed it to me at my 6 weeks pp checkup and I haven't started it yet since I'm still healing and not having sex yet but the instructions I got were to use a backup method for at least the duration of the first pack, take it at the same time everyday if you're off by more than an hour use backup, and some women get no period or a very irregular period. 

babym418

I agree with the other posters. Ive been on it for 4 weeks and I'm ebf. My only issue with it is that it caused my supply to drop. I had an oversupply before so we haven't had to supplement as I'm producing just enough for dd. But my lc Saud that it can continue to cause your supply to drop over 6 months. I'm starting supplements to help and boost production so I can keep storing milk. 

l4rk

babym418 said:

I agree with the other posters. Ive been on it for 4 weeks and I'm ebf. My only issue with it is that it caused my supply to drop. I had an oversupply before so we haven't had to supplement as I'm producing just enough for dd. But my lc Saud that it can continue to cause your supply to drop over 6 months. I'm starting supplements to help and boost production so I can keep storing milk. 

Ahhhhhhh, I thought the mini pill was prescribed because it doesn't cause supply issues? It's the entire reason I was considering it over my regular birth control (nuvaring)...

mrsgetz4000

Yeah. It can cause a drop in supply. I just picked mine up from the pharmacy. The doctor neglected to inform me. The pharmacist did. I'm really angry that the doctor didn't tell me this.

BabyHope2013

I took it for several years before and in between my two kids. Never had any issues with it. Back in college I set an alarm on my phone to take it but since having kids I just remember to take it when I start to get them ready for bed so it's really easy to remember and be consistent with taking it. 

l4rk

mrsgetz4000 said:

Yeah. It can cause a drop in supply. I just picked mine up from the pharmacy. The doctor neglected to inform me. The pharmacist did. I'm really angry that the doctor didn't tell me this.

No kidding. Luckily we have you lovely Mamas to give us a heads up!

mrsgetz4000

Lol i was heated! They're fortunate they are closed today. I'll be calling on Monday to discuss my options. I'm still not impressed, but I'm a lot calmer then i was

chillmama1518

The mini pill is progesterone only. Combined pills have estrogen and it's the estrogen that decreases supply. See this kelly mom article about birth control methods and that the mini pill does not typically reduce supply. 
https://kellymom.com/bf/can-i-breastfeed/meds/
Mini pill is my Dr's preferred option for breastfeeding mothers!

kaym6

I was prescribed the mini pill and was told by my OB, lactation consultant, and pharmacist that it is okay to take while breastfeeding, I haven't started it yet as we plan to just use condoms for a while. I was also told that since it is progesterone only it shouldn't affect supply as it is usually estrogen that will lower supple BUT like I said no personal experience with it just what I was told, I def hope that's not true! 

l4rk

I just got the mini pill filled -- Movisse, the generic form of Micronor. How long were you told to use a backup method when you started the mini pill? My pharmacist said a month (!!) but the info packet seems to say 48 hours. I'm second guessing my reading comprehension:

"It is best to begin taking this medication on the first day of your menstrual period. If you begin taking it on any other day, use an additional form of non-hormonal birth control for the first 48 hours to prevent pregnancy until the medication has enough time to work."

That's a pretty big difference in direction... Also, if it is 48 hours, what am I going to do with all these condoms I just bought?!  

Becky012016

No personal experience with the mini pill, only the regular pill.  Unless you wouldn't mind getting pregnant this month, I would use condoms for the first whole pack just to be safe. I also tend to be obnoxiously cautious with the pill so maybe I'm not the best to take advice from lol 

kaym6

@l4rk my doc told me backup for a month and then after a month if I miss a pill then backup for 48 hours! I haven't even started it yet though at 10 weeks I'm still not healed and so annoyed about it

melturz

I'm on my 4th week of the mini pill and haven't noticed a drop in my supply at all. I got my period like 2 days after starting it. It only lasted 3 days though.

happymrs17

I started taking the mini pill at 6 weeks pp - I'm now 7 weeks pp. 2 days after starting I began bleeding again lightly...had stopped at 5 weeks. By Friday it was extremely heavy ...way worse than after baby was born. I was in the ER Saturday and back to my doctor on Monday because the bleeding became so bad. I stopped the mini pull last night and this morning the extreme heavy bleeding has tapered off to normal...more like a period. I'm not sure if this is a coincidence that it stopped with stopping pill or what caused it. They have done 2 ultrasounds and can't come up with anything other than hormones causing this at this point due to the extreme bleeding. This is definitely NOT the norm for most using the mini pill. I used it years ago and never experienced anything like this. I can only attribute this to my body still in recover from baby/c-sec. 

l4rk

Thanks @kaym6 and @012016 for your input! Last night I read through the medical booklet that comes from the drug provider and it says to back up for 7 days when starting. Talk about mixed messages! But it sounds like one month is the safest option for preventing future babies so I will go with that!

leap_frog

I filled my prescription but haven't picked it up yet. I'm slightly terrified to start it. 

l4rk

leap_frog said:

I filled my prescription but haven't picked it up yet. I'm slightly terrified to start it. 

Know what's more terrifying? Unplanned pregnancy...

kaym6

@l4rk good to know! I def need to read the info before I start because my brain doesn't seem to work properly these days lol