Pregnancy & Baby 

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The Pill and breastfeeding

Oral contraceptives containing oestrogen are not recommended for a breastfeeding mother. Many GPs are concerned that all hormone combinations that suppress ovulation may have short- and long-term adverse effects on breastfeeding babies because small amounts of hormones do appear in breastmilk. The pills containing oestrogen can also significantly reduce your milk supply.

Birth control pills that contain only progestogen are considered compatible with breastfeeding. If you plan to use a progestogen-only contraceptive, I recommend that you wait until breastfeeding is well established and start with the lowest effective dosage. Also, monitor your baby's urine and stool output and weight gain to make sure they fall within the normal range.

There are various alternatives to oral contraceptives. I would recommend discussing non-hormonal methods with your doctor. I hope this helps you in making your decision. My best wishes.

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