Nursing and Birth Control Pills
QUESTION
Dear Lactation Consultant,
I am nursing a 5-month-old baby and recently started taking the nursing birth control pill. After two days of taking it, I started to bleed and continued for three days. It was like having a period. Why would starting a pill make me bleed or am I pregnant? Please advise.
Thanks!
Tammy
ANSWER
Hi Tammy,This is really more of a question for your OB/GYN than for a lactation consultant. When you say that you are taking the "nursing" birth control pill, then I assume that you are referring to a pill that contains progesterone only rather than one containing both estrogen and progesterone. The progesterone only pills, or mini-pills, are generally preferable for nursing moms because the estrogen in the regular pills can cause a decrease in your milk supply.
Spotting, break through bleeding, and irregular cycles are side effects that are often found with any type of birth control pill, but are more common with mini-pills. I doubt that you are pregnant, but the only way to be sure would be to take a pregnancy test or to see your doctor.
You can call your doctor and ask him or her about the bleeding, but since it is such a common side effect of taking the pill (especially when you first start and your body is adjusting to the hormones) I doubt if he will say that there is anything to be concerned about.
After nine months of pregnancy and five of breastfeeding, your body is in a state of hormonal flux to begin with. When you add the additional hormones from the pill into the mix, it isn't surprising that your body goes through some changes as it adjusts.
By the time you read this, chances are that the bleeding has stopped and may or may not reoccur. Call your doctor if you still have concerns, but I don't think you have anything to worry about.
-- Anne, IBCLC
Kathleen Tackett
Dr. Kendall-Tackett is a health psychologist, International Board Certified Lactation Consultant, and Research Associate Professor of Psychology specializing in women's health at the Family Research Lab, University of New Hampshire. She is a Fellow of the American Psychological Association in both the Divisions of Health Psychology and Trauma Psychology. Dr. Kendall-Tackett is a La Leche League leader, chair of the New Hampshire Breastfeeding Taskforce, and the Area Coordinator of Leaders for La Leche League of Maine and New Hampshire.
Dr. Kendall-Tackett is author of more than 140 journal articles, book chapters and other publications, and author or editor of 15 books including The Hidden Feelings of Motherhood (2005, Hale Publications), Depression in New Mothers (2005, Haworth), and Breastfeeding Made Simple, co-authored with Nancy Mohrbacher (2005, New Harbinger). She is on the editorial boards of the journals Child Abuse and Neglect, Journal of Child Sexual Abuse and the Journal of Human Lactation, and regularly reviews for 27 other journals in the fields of trauma, women's health, interpersonal violence, depression, and child development. Dr. Kendall-Tackett is the "Ask a Lactation Consultant" columnist on Pregnancy.org and serves on the Board of Directors of Attachment Parenting International.
Dr. Kendall-Tackett received a Bachelor's and Master's degree in psychology from California State University, Chico, and a Ph.D. from Brandeis University in social and developmental psychology. She has won several awards including the Outstanding Research Study Award from the American Professional Society on the Abuse of Children, and was named 2003 Distinguished Alumna, College of Behavioral and Social Sciences, California State University, Chico.
