mini pill+breastfeeding

Christina - posted on 03/28/2013

I started the mini pill 3 1/2 months post partum and within the first week I was having mood swings, mild depression and my milk supply cut in half!!! I've been pumping 4 ounces out of one side first thing in the morning after her long sleep since she was a month old and since I started the mini pill I haven't been able to pump more than 2 ounces and baby started eating every 2 hours. I'm not going to continue using it.

Sara - posted on 09/03/2009

I am on it and have not noticed any side effects, you do need to try and take it at the exact same time every day for it to be most effective. I make sure I do by setting an alarm on my cell phone to go off at 10 am everyday. My daughter is 15 months old and I am only feeding 2x a day and I have still not gotten my period. I will say that I feel like I am starting to get PMS like symptoms again though, bloated, light cramps and a bit more moodiness. My Dr did tell me as soon as you stop nursing it is better to get on a combination pill if possible. Hope this helps :)

Elizabeth - posted on 09/03/2009

Hi Amali..totally agree with Rachael. The mini-pill is progesterone only birth control, so very safe to take while breatstfeeding. I found the trouble with me was that after 2 kids I was really bad at remembering to take that pill every day...surprise boy#3 for me! I also found I had more mood swings..but that was probably apart of being post partum and also going on/off that pill wasn't a good idea either. I did start spotting and had periods return when my baby was 12 mos old, but was working and had quit pumping at the time. Now, after baby#3 I opted for a more permanant form of progesterone only-Mirena IUD. Whole other experience..I'm not far enough into it to have formed an opinion, but so, it is handy..but side-effects do kinda suck.



Hope that helps!

Rachael - posted on 09/02/2009

As long as you're breastfeeding and keep your milk supply up you shouldn't need a backup. The minipill takes advantage of the hormones used in breastfeeding and as long as you continue to breastfeed, you shouldn't bleed or have your period. However, once you start weening or your supply goes fairly low, you will start spotting and bleeding fairly regularly. Therefore it is very important to breastfeed while on the minipill, otherwise it looses its effectiveness.



I was on it after I had my first child and compared to combination pills, I wasn't particularly fond of the mini. But that's just me. Personally I didn't really notice any side effects that couldn't be explained by being postpartum (e.g. hungry all the time, water retention, mood fluctuations, etc...), but for some reason I just didn't really like taking them. Current studies have shown that any side effects associated with the minipill are inconclusive. I hope that helps.