Can I conceive while breastfeeding?

Midwife Nikki replies: I wouldn't advise you to rely on breastfeeding alone, as it's not a safe enough method. It's true that breastfeeding mothers produce a hormone called prolactin, which stimulates milk production and prevents the release of eggs from your ovaries. However, to keep your prolactin levels high enough to offer you protection, you need to be relying solely on breastfeeding and never leaving a period of more than six hours between feeds. Even if you stick to this, the protection you get won't be as good as using a proper contraceptive. Your best choices are either the condom/barrier method or the progesterone-only Pill as this won't affect your milk. You can't take the combined Pill if you are breastfeeding.

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