The best contraceptive method during lactation

There are very few opportunities to have a normal sexual life during the ten months of pregnancy. After entering the breastfeeding period, many couples begin to increase the frequency of sexual life. The ovulation function of lactating women will gradually return to normal. During this period, contraceptive measures need to be taken when having sex. Generally speaking, it takes half a year to recuperate after giving birth to avoid pregnancy again. So, what is the best contraceptive method during breastfeeding? Let’s take a look below.

condom

Condoms should be the most common contraceptive method. They are easy to use, can prevent sexually transmitted diseases, and do not affect menstruation, which makes them the choice of contraception for many mothers during breastfeeding. But it also has disadvantages. Some men may feel like it is a foreign body and are therefore reluctant to accept it, and a small number of women may be allergic to latex.

If you choose condoms for contraception during breastfeeding, you should also pay attention to the following aspects:

Choose a good quality condom that is not prone to breaking;

Check for damage before use, put it on before sexual intercourse, and take it off when the penis is not yet soft to prevent sperm leakage;

If the condom is found to be damaged, emergency contraceptive measures should be taken immediately.

Intrauterine device

Intrauterine device is also a common method of contraception during breastfeeding. Its advantages are long-term effectiveness, simplicity, and it can provide contraception for several years once placed in the uterine cavity. At the same time, it is reversible, and a copper IUD placed within 5 days of sexual intercourse can be used as emergency contraception and is highly effective.

An intrauterine device can usually be placed in breastfeeding women who have given birth for 3 months or 6 months after a cesarean section. This method will not affect their sex life, and there is no need to remember it every day. But it also has disadvantages, for example, it must be placed by a doctor, and it may cause abdominal pain, irregular vaginal bleeding, menorrhagia, and easily lead to inflammation.

Be careful not to take birth control pills during breastfeeding. Oral contraceptives are made of artificially synthesized estrogen and progesterone. However, some ingredients in contraceptives will inhibit the secretion of breast milk, causing the new mother to secrete insufficient breast milk, thus affecting the baby's nutritional intake. Moreover, after this drug enters the baby's body through breast milk, it will have an adverse effect on the baby's growth and development. In short, contraception during breastfeeding cannot be ignored, and condoms are the preferred contraceptive method.