Trusting the Body or Not?
QUESTION
Dear Midwife,
I am puzzled, because for about 11 weeks my body has felt pregnant, and it was right after we were careless with contraception...believing it was quite safe to have "unsafe" sex because I am breastfeeding my little one day and night. He was around 4 months at the time and now he is 6.
The strange thing is that all the pregnancy tests that I have taken has shown negative result. This makes me insecure. I will order a ultrasound but I am curious if this is possible since I am still breastfeeding full time?
Thanks for your answer.
Kind regards,
Eva
ANSWER
You should trust a pregnancy test--breastfeeding does not affect the accuracy of the test.
Breastfeeding does help to reduce (but not eliminate) your chances of conception, but your symptoms might possibly be explained by hormonal changes.
Do you want another baby right now? If not, then maybe you should consider a form of birth control that is compatible with breastfeeding, such as foam and condoms, the mini-pill (for good pill takers) or one of the two IUDs.
-- Cynthia, CNM
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Cynthia Flynn
Cynthia Flynn, CNM. PhD, teaches in the College of Nursing at Seattle University and is President of the American Association of Birth Centers. She also practices midwifery at Valley Medical Center where she cares for pregnant and birthing women, and practices well-woman gynecology, family planning, and treatment of sexually transmitted diseases.
Cynthia founded Columbia Women's Clinic and Birth Center, where she took care of pregnant women and infants up to two weeks of age and attended both birth center and hospital births. Before Cynthia earned her CNM, she worked as a registered nurse in labor and delivery and postpartum and is a certified Doula and Doula trainer.
Cynthia hosts a monthly "Ask the midwife" chat as well as answers questions via our expert section.
Listen to Cynthia live on Pregnancy.org Live: Before, During and After.
