Although breastfeeding can be a protection against pregnancy, many women become pregnant while they are still nursing. However, detecting pregnancy in breastfeeding women is often tricky because the act of breastfeeding can mask common signs of pregnancy. Because getting early prenatal care is so important, breastfeeding women should learn how to recognize the signs of pregnancy while breastfeeding.
Step 1
Keep track of your menstrual cycle. Although you can get pregnant before your menstrual cycle resumes after childbirth, this is uncommon, according to the website KellyMom. If you are nursing, you can tell you might be pregnant if you miss a period after your cycle has resumed.
Step 2
Note any physical changes. Breast changes are a common sign of early pregnancy, but these changes can be harder to detect if you are nursing. It might be easier to notice other early pregnancy signs, including nausea, vomiting, fatigue, headaches or frequent urination.
Step 3
Note changes in the way the baby nurses. When a woman is pregnant, her milk supply might change, and the nursing baby might change his eating habits. This does not always occur, especially early in pregnancy, but if your baby inexplicably changes the way he eats and you are having other pregnancy signs, you might be pregnant.
Step 4
Take a pregnancy test. Home pregnancy tests are widely available at drugstores and supermarkets, and they are inexpensive and easy to use. Breastfeeding does not influence the accuracy of the results of these tests, according to KellyMom.
Step 5
See a doctor. If you suspect you are pregnant but your symptoms or home pregnancy results are unclear, a doctor can perform a blood test to conclusively confirm whether you are pregnant.
Tips and Warnings
- Mothers can use a breastfeeding method called the Lactational Amenorrhea Method of birth control to prevent pregnancy. Women who use this method nurse exclusively and frequently. If you are interested in this method, talk to your doctor or lactation consultant. You also can talk to your doctor about progesterone-only birth control pills if you want to prevent pregnancy. These pills are less risky for nursing mothers than combination birth control pills. If you are nursing and would like to conceive a baby, you should gradually eliminate the frequency of feedings. The less a woman nurses, the quicker her fertility returns, according to the Le Leche League International.
- Continuing to breastfeed while pregnant can interfere with milk production or cause uterine contractions, according to William Sears, M.D. Talk to a doctor or lactation consult about the best way to continue nursing during pregnancy or for advice on how to wean your child.
Things You'll Need
- Pregnancy test
