While Breastfeeding Could I Be Pregnant??

Updated on March 20, 2007
M.R. asks from Lincoln, MA
15 answers

I just had a baby 10 weeks ago and have been breastfeeding. I feel a little different and don't know if I might be pregnant again. I have taken a couple of pregnancy tests and they have all come back negative. However, when I was pregnant the first time it was not until the 3rd pregnancy test that I showed positive. Could the pregnancy test be wrong again? Can I get pregnant while breastfeeding and no period?

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G.B.

answers from Dallas on

Mariessa!

Honey, you can get pregnant ANYTIME! ALL it takes is the right time!! Anytime is the right time. I have several friends who got pregnanat with their 2nd one when their first was 3 months, 5, and 6 months!! WOW!! Breastfeeding DOES NOT PREVENT PREGNANCY AND I DON'T KNOW WHERE THAT CAME from, except is is an old wife's tale!! Believe me, you can!! Breastfeeding assist in contracting the uterus, where it can sometimes help w/contraception, but it DOES NOT prevent it!

Where do we get some of these old sage advice???

Good Luck!

Gladys

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J.S.

answers from Dallas on

Yes, you can get pregnant when breastfeeding. I would continue your research.

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D.A.

answers from Dallas on

Yes, you can get pregnant while breastfeeding.....I have 2 friends who ended up pregnant 6-8 weeks after giving birth so yep, it's possible!

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B.K.

answers from Binghamton on

You could absolutely become pregnant! It happened to my friend and she just assumed that she couldn't become pregnant while nursing but then one day felt some wierd gas as she told me and that wierd gas ended up being a baby kicking! She was almost 5 months along before she knew she was pregnant. I would give it about a week and then take another pregnancy test, you may just be a little early on for the test to read positive. My first two pregnancy tests were negative with my son who is now 5 months old, i think it just takes longer for the pregnancy hormone to show up for some people. Good luck!

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H.

answers from Dallas on

Mariessa,

Yes, you can absolutely get pregnant while breastfeeding. Many people think you can't because you usually don't have periods when you're breastfeeding. I have been an L&D nurse for 8 years now and I have seen plenty of people have babies and then show up 10 or 11 months later having another child. I would try another pregnancy test in a week or so, you may be very early and just not have enough hormones to show up that you are pregnant yet. Take care, H.

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C.

answers from Dallas on

Yes, you can become pregnant while nursing. I did! I agree with the first response to wait a week and take another test. If you still feel like you may be pregnant and the test comes back negative call your doctor.

Best wishes!

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T.L.

answers from Dallas on

Yes...it is very possible to get pregnant while breastfeeding. Just b/c you don't have a period doesn't mean you aren't ovulating. This is a misperception to many women. My boss had a 6 week old baby when she found out she was 3 weeks pregnant. My advice to you is to get on birth control ASAP. Your ob-gyn will be able to prescribe something that is okay to take while you're breastfeeding. Good luck.

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A.S.

answers from Dallas on

i was breastfeeding my daughter who at 3 1/2 months old became a soon to be big sister!!! if you are pregnant just know your kids will be very close friends but the first six months is a killer! just make sure to eat and get lots of water!!! at least when you change on diaper you change another so when you're in it it's not so bad. mine are 3 and 2 now so they are getting easier and have so much fun with each other! their both girls so i dress them alike alot! it's soooooo fun!!!! God bless!!!!

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M.G.

answers from Dallas on

It is a myth that you can't get pregnant while breastfeeding, and it actually seems like it's easier to get pregnant then. I know so many people who got pregnant while breastfeeding, and some didn't even know because they weren't missing their cycles, and they blamed the weird feelings to hormones. You may want to check it out with your doc.

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A.T.

answers from Dallas on

Hi Mariessa,

I asked my doctor the same question. And his answer was yes. Yes it is possible to get pregnant while breastfeeding. I know I was actually on some type of birth control (a little different than the normal one) while my daughter was nursing. Although it's not as likely, it's definitely possible.
Your body is also going through a lot of changes right now. That could explain some of the things you are feeling. I would definitely keep in tune to the situation, but not get overly worried just yet, especially since the tests are reading negative right now.

Best wishes,
A.
www.free2Bmom.com

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C.D.

answers from Dallas on

Dear Marriessa,

With my first I had my first cycle at...oh wait...I didn't have a cycle because I was pregnant again at 4 months. With my second I had my first cycle at 9 weeks postpartum , which means I ovulated at 7 weeks. Did I mention I nursed both children? It is possible.

However, we tend to get paranoid with any change we notice. I wouldn't worry much about it untill you get a positive.

Also my Doctor says the average time for cycles coming back is 7-8 moths postpartum.

Let us know what happens!!

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K.B.

answers from Dallas on

In answer to your question, Yes I believe you can. I don't know if you are but it is possible.

A little about me and why I think so:

I am a widowed sahm mom of a 15, 5 and 3 year old. My late husband and I tried for many years to have another baby and after test showed there was no medical reason for it not to happen we decided to just see what happened. When my son (15) was 10, we found out I was pregnant with our first daughter (now 5) and since I did not breastfeed my son I wanted to try it with my daughter. I nursed her from birth and was still nursing her when she turned 1 and I found out I was 3 months pregnant with our second daughter (and I was on birth control; however, I had missed one pill) My girls are 19 months apart.

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E.M.

answers from Dallas on

Breastfeeding can be a source of birth control and this is NOT a myth. It can be 99% effective (it is called Lactation Amenorrhea Method or LAM).

But your baby must be fully or nearly fully breastfeeding, and certain other stars must align as well! 1. No menstrual period since birth, 2. Baby is not getting more than one 5 hour stretch w/o nursing, 3. Baby is less than six months old 4. Limited use or no use of pacifier (pacifiers are sometimes used to pacify a baby that would otherwise be nursing)

Congratulations to you if you are pregnant! You can go to Kellymom.com and learn all about continuing to nurse while you are pregnant. Good Luck!

E.

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C.P.

answers from Dallas on

To be honest, I would be careful if I were you...I have a friend who thought she couldn't get pregnant while breastfeeding, but did. But, I'm not 100% sure if she had a period or not. And, her baby was a little older, so I don't think she was probably breastfeeding as often as you would for a 10 week old baby.

In any case, assuming you are not pregnant, you might want to consider using extra protection moving forward.

But, you might want to check with your OBGYN.

Good luck!

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J.W.

answers from Dallas on

Well yes you could be pregnant but then again your hormones could just be playing with you. I would be that latter of those. I Was so sure that I was after 4 negative tests I went and had a quantive blood test done and yes that was negative too. However I took my friend to have a test done at a resource center. That day it was negative along with about 3 others, 9 months later she had a baby boy.

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