Is breastfeeding really a form of birth control?

Lactational amenorrhea is medical speak for when someone breastfeeds (also called chestfeeding) consistently after giving birth and doesn’t ovulate (a.k.a., release an egg). This method can be 98% effective at preventing pregnancy IF… 1) It has been less than six months since the baby was born; 2) The baby is only breastfeeding (that means no formula, bottles, or food); AND 3) Your period has not started again.

If you aren’t exclusively breast or chestfeeding your baby, you can ovulate and get pregnant as soon as three weeks after giving birth.

Still not working?

If all three points don’t apply to you, or if you just want to be super-confident that you’re covered against another pregnancy, there are a bunch of other methods that are safe after having a baby.