Breastfeeding could keep you from getting pregnant? This one sure sounds like a hoax, but breastfeeding can help prevent pregnancy under very specific circumstances. It’s a form of birth control known as the lactational amenorrhea method (LAM).
But — and this is important — you do have to follow specific guidelines to ensure you do not accidentally get pregnant while breastfeeding, according to OB-GYN Kecia Gaither, MD.
Dr. Gaither, an ob-gyn and maternal fetal medicine specialist, is director of perinatal services at Lincoln Medical and Mental Health Center, a member of NYC Health + Hospitals System in Bronx, New York.
References
American Congress of Obstetricians and Gynecologists. (2023). Postpartum birth control.
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (2023). Birth control methods.
Planned Parenthood. (n.d.). Breastfeeding.
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