Breast Feeding

When you breastfeed, your body releases a hormone called prolactin. If the level of prolactin is high enough, your body will not release an egg. You release enough prolactin to protect against pregnancy as long as your baby is under six months, your period has not returned, and breastfeeding is the baby’s primary feeding (you feed your baby breast milk day and night and about 9 out of 10 feedings are breast milk).

But if the level of prolactin decreases, your body will release an egg. If you start giving your baby formula or foods other than breast milk, your level of prolactin will decrease. Also, after your baby is 6 months old, the contraceptive effect of breastfeeding decreases. When your period returns, it is a signal that you are or are about to be fertile, and can become pregnant.

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