Does breastfeeding prevent periods?

This article is part of a series on using breastfeeding as birth control.

Does breastfeeding prevent periods?

Q: I gave birth 1 year ago and my periods haven't returned yet. Is it because I'm still breastfeeding? Will my periods automatically come back once I stop breastfeeding?

A: Breastfeeding doesn't prevent periods but it delays when your period will be coming back.

Without breastfeeding, periods can come back as early as a few weeks after giving birth. If you breastfeed, periods will take months to come back. This is because breastfeeding requires the release of prolactin hormone which limits your brain's ability to produce the hormones necessary for ovulation and periods.

If you stop breastfeeding there is no rule as to how long it will take your periods to come back. Typically it takes between a few weeks to a few months after you stop breastfeeding.

If you follow the LAM method, as explained in our article about using breastfeeding as birth control, you can delay your periods for a minimum of 6 months after birth and likely even for 9 months to a year. The higher the volume and frequency of breastfeeding, the more time your periods will take to come back.

One of the main requirements of the LAM method is that you exclusively breastfeed your baby. Some mothers wrongly think that they can just breastfeed occasionally and be protected during the first 6 months. This is not true. Your baby should eat no other solid or liquid than your breast milk.

This is, by the way, not only necessary for the birth control purposes but also the best thing you can do for the health of your baby. All medical professionals recommend exclusive breastfeeding until 6 months old. It is for instance what the US Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) officially recommends on their website.

Milk Boost Tea may help you with your milk supply

Producing a high enough volume of milk to exclusively breastfeed their baby might be difficult for some women.

We find Milk Boost Tea to be a considerable help if that's your case. It's a 100% natural herbal tea designed to help you boost your milk volume as well as the quality of your breast milk.

Milk Boost Tea may help you with your milk supply

Among its ingredients is Dong Quai, a root also known as the "female ginseng" for its wide range of health benefits for women. It also contains Sponge gourds (Loofah), famous for their ability to facilitate lactation.

You might also be interested by the other articles in our series about using breastfeeding as birth control: