1. Yes, pills are okay, as long as…
The first concern: Can you take pills? Experts say, yes, you can after about 6 weeks, even if you’re exclusively breastfeeding, but especially if you’re only partially nursing. The catch, however, is that your milk supply must already be established.
2. You may want to consider progestin-only pills
If you’re worried about pills affecting your breast milk, you may want to talk to your doctor about mini-pills or progestin-only pills (they don’t have estrogen). They are less likely to interfere with nursing, but they are also less effective than pills containing progestin and estrogen.
3. Contraceptive pills with progestin and estrogen are okay, too, but…
Progestin and estrogen birth control pills while breastfeeding are okay, too, but experts point out that:
- They might reduce your breast milk supply
- It’s not good to use them within 3 to 6 weeks after giving birth
- Before using, milk supply must already be established
- You need to stick to low-dose combination pill
4. Emergency contraception is also safe
If you’ve had unprotected sex, you may take emergency contraception pill called levonorgestrel emergency contraceptive pill. It’s not advisable to take the other kind of emergency pill called ulipristal acetate (UPA).
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