Can I take the combination pill while breastfeeding an 18 month old?

[kbstanley3]

This is related to another post I have in TTA, but I currently have a copper IUD and am considering getting it taken out. I can't take the low dose pill or get the Mirena IUD, due to it worsening my depression and anxiety, which I can't have since I'm currently managing it without medication and do not wish to be on medication. I also cannot rely on condoms as that is how I got pregnant with my second. Anyways, I never had a problem with the combination pill pre-kids(estrogen/progesterone) and it was suggested to me that I could take this since my little one is 18 months old. I was under the impression that it completely dried your milk up, so is this not the case as long as you have an established supply? Thanks in advance!

[l_Kimmie_l]

It can dry you up for sure. They proably think you are weaning due to age. If you want to continue nursing, I would not do the combo pill till baby is weaned.

[kbstanley3]

Okay, that's what I thought but I figured I could be wrong! No, I don't want to wean her yet. She's probably going to be our last and I'm going to let her nurse until she's done. =)

[l_Kimmie_l]

I would not risk it then. I know a lot of women who started the combo pill while nursing and dried up.

[VeganCupcake]

I think it can have an affect, but it doesn't always. I have no milk supply problems, and I use the NuvaRing right now, which is a combination method. I have plenty of milk for my two nurslings.

Dr. Jack Newman says that most women have enough milk that a combination birth control pill shouldn't cause problems. It may reduce milk supply, but not significantly enough to cause problems for the baby. But YMMV.

[jasminegrl]

I started the nuvaring when my son was 6 months, my doc told me that I would know within a couple of days of starting if it would affect my milk supply and if i noticed a decrease to stop immediately. I went on to nurse my son for almost 18 months. I couldn't risk another pregnancy at that point for emotional reasons and needed another layer of protection for my sanity.

[l_Kimmie_l]

Nuvaring is supposed to be "safer" for BFing because it is Progestin only. The combination pill also has Estrogin which is what causes the mass decrease for most women as it counter acts prolactin.

Naturally prolactin reduces the production of estrogen and increases progesterone and oxytocin. This stops ovulation for many women. Hence the old wives tale you cannot get pregnant while BFing. Some women make enough estrogen to still ovulate or at least have anovulatory cycles. Adding more estrogen from the pill tells the brain to make new babies and not produce for exsisting one by conflicting with prolactin verses estrogen in the body.

[jasminegrl]

Originally Posted by l_Kimmie_l Nuvaring is supposed to be "safer" for BFing because it is Progestin only. The combination pill also has Estrogin which is what causes the mass decrease for most women as it counter acts prolactin. Naturally prolactin reduces the production of estrogen and increases progesterone and oxytocin. This stops ovulation for many women. Hence the old wives tale you cannot get pregnant while BFing. Some women make enough estrogen to still ovulate or at least have anovulatory cycles. Adding more estrogen from the pill tells the brain to make new babies and not produce for exsisting one by conflicting with prolactin verses estrogen in the body.

I'm not sure who told you it was progestin only but that is false

http://www.nuvaring.com/Consumer/how-it-works/index.asp

right from their website NuvaRing contains 2 types of hormones (estrogen and progestin), which work together to prevent your ovaries from producing mature eggs. These are the same hormones found in the pill, and they work the same way in your body even though they are administered differently with NuvaRing.

[l_Kimmie_l]

I was told that 10 years ago when I went on it, as I cannot have anything with estrogen in it due to medical reasons. Glad I never died...LOL!

[jasminegrl]

oh wow, i'd be super irritated if i found out something like that after the fact, i think it has always been both, not a formula change or anything like that, I was on it when i was in my teens which was roughly 10 years ago.