Illustration of a woman in bed, breastfeeding

Can you get pregnant while breastfeeding?

Written by

Lucy Abrams-Husso

Lucy Abrams-Husso is an artist and academic who has been working as a researcher for nearly 10 years. Her own experience starting a family motivated her to want to work towards providing others with easy-to-understand, factual, and empathetic resources on topics in women's health, particularly fertility, pregnancy, and postpartum. Lucy recently completed her doctorate degree at the Sibelius Academy of the University of the Arts Helsinki and is based in Helsinki, Finland.

Fact checked by

Dr. Erica Brondolin PhD

Dr. Erica Brondolin obtained her PhD in particle physics from the Technical University of Vienna. Following a decade-long tenure at CERN, she transitioned to her current position as a Data Scientist at Natural Cycles. Dedicated to women's health, Erica specializes in women’s reproductive health research within her role at Natural Cycles.

, Scientist at Natural Cycles

Follows NC° Editorial Policy

At Natural Cycles, our mission is to empower you with the knowledge you need to take charge of your health. At Cycle Matters, we create fact-checked, expert-written content that tackles these topics in a compassionate and accessible way. Read more...

Last updated:

May 1, 2026

5 min read

Key takeaways

Breastfeeding as birth control, or lactational amenorrhea (LAM), is a form of natural birth control that can be used while your baby is under 6 months and you are exclusively breastfeeding
Breastfeeding naturally delays the return of ovulation after you’ve given birth, but the length of this delay can vary from person to person, and it is possible to get pregnant while breastfeeding
Doctors recommend thinking ahead of time about contraception while you’re still pregnant or just after delivery, since it’s possible to become pregnant again just weeks after giving birth

As you recover from childbirth and begin to reconnect physically with your partner, you might have questions about your chances of becoming pregnant while breastfeeding. The short answer is: yes, it is possible to become pregnant while breastfeeding. At the same time, breastfeeding can be used as birth control under certain conditions. In this article, we will dive into breastfeeding and ovulation and cover the ins and outs of using breastfeeding as contraception. We’ll also go over some FAQs on family planning postpartum.

Ovulation postpartum

It can be really difficult to know when you begin ovulating postpartum, since it will happen before you get your period. Unless you are tracking your fertility by monitoring bodily changes like basal body temperature or cervical mucus or you take ovulation tests, it can be impossible to know when ovulation returns until you start to regularly get your period again. Because of this, doctors recommend using some sort of contraception or birth control as soon as you begin having sex after giving birth.

It’s possible to get pregnant very soon after giving birth – in as few as 3 weeks after giving birth – even if you are breastfeeding [1,2]. For this reason, your healthcare team will likely discuss contraception with you either before you give birth or right after your baby arrives. It’s important to use contraception every time you have sex postpartum, even if you have had trouble conceiving in the past. The body goes through many changes during pregnancy and childbirth, including changes to your fertility and chances of getting pregnant.

Breastfeeding as birth control

As it’s possible to get pregnant very soon after giving birth, before your body has had time to heal and recover, birth control is recommended immediately when you begin having sex again. There are many different safe options to choose from. If you are exclusively breastfeeding, it can be used as birth control. As with any form of birth control, correct use is necessary to ensure its effectiveness in preventing pregnancy.

What is LAM?

When breastfeeding is used as birth control, it’s referred to as lactational amenorrhea, or LAM. LAM is a temporary method of birth control that relies on the ways in which the body naturally does not ovulate when you’re breastfeeding. LAM is typically classified as a form of natural family planning. There are no known health risks or side effects to using LAM as birth control, but it only works as birth control under certain conditions [2].

How does it work?

LAM can only be used as birth control if you are exclusively breastfeeding. This means that your baby is not getting any other food or drink aside from breastmilk and is frequently feeding [3]. For LAM to be effective, the amount of time between feedings should not be longer than four hours during the day or six hours during the night [2]. LAM can only be used temporarily, usually until your baby is around six months old.

How effective is breastfeeding as birth control?

LAM requires exclusive and frequent breastfeeding to work as birth control. If instructions are followed exactly, LAM is estimated to be more than 99% effective in preventing pregnancy [4]. If not followed, even if you are breastfeeding, the estimated chances of becoming pregnant increase. If you are expressing milk (like pumping) instead of, or in addition to, breastfeeding, it’s also unclear whether this affects LAM and could make it less effective as birth control [1,2].

Pros of breastfeeding as birth control

The biggest benefit of breastfeeding as birth control has to do with ease of use. If you are only breastfeeding your baby, LAM can easily be used, at least temporarily, as birth control. You do not have to do anything, except continue to take care of your baby as you have been doing. LAM is also completely natural and doesn’t cost anything.

Cons of breastfeeding as birth control

Though natural, strict conditions must be met in order for LAM to prevent pregnancy. Any changes to your breastfeeding patterns can make LAM less effective as birth control and increase your risk of becoming pregnant, unless you are also using a secondary form of contraception. For example, if you start to introduce solids to your baby, they start sleeping through the night, or you start using a pacifier, these can all change your fertility and, therefore, impact LAM’s effectiveness. For this reason, LAM might not be a practical method of birth control for everyone.

Is LAM right for me?

If you are exclusively breastfeeding, feeding your baby frequently, and not using a pacifier, LAM can be a really easy method of preventing pregnancy postpartum. However, if your baby is more than six months old, they use a pacifier or dummy, they are getting other food or drink, you start to breastfeed less often, or you stop breastfeeding in the night, it’s important to use another form of contraception [2].

If you have any questions about LAM, or any other form of contraception postpartum, it’s important to speak with your healthcare provider for advice.

Can you ovulate while breastfeeding?

It is still possible to ovulate while breastfeeding, though unlikely if you are exclusively breastfeeding and feeding your baby frequently. Babies usually start to eat and drink other foods besides breastmilk around six months, so this is when your chance of getting pregnant increases [3]. Remember that ovulation happens before menstruation, so pregnancy is possible before your period returns after giving birth.

Finding postpartum support with Natural Cycles

Natural Cycles was developed to empower women during all phases of their reproductive journey. If you just gave birth, NCº Postpartum can help support you during your recovery from childbirth with symptom trackers, daily check-ins, and tailored messages and guides. Our fertility algorithm can detect your first ovulation after giving birth, so you can switch to NCº Birth Control for natural contraception that’s 98% effective when used as intended, and 93% effective with typical use. Why not see if Natural Cycles is right for you?

1. Sex and contraception after birth [Internet]. nhs.uk. 2025 [Cited 30 Apr 2026]. Available from: https://www.nhs.uk/baby/support-and-services/sex-and-contraception-after-birth/

2. Postpartum birth control [Internet]. ACOG. [Cited 28 Apr 2026]. Available from: https://www.acog.org/womens-health/faqs/postpartum-birth-control

3. Breastfeeding and fertility [Internet]. HSE.ie. [Cited 28 Apr 2026]. Available from: https://www2.hse.ie/babies-children/breastfeeding/fertility-other-children/fertility/

4. Natural family planning [Internet]. nhs.uk. 2025 [Cited 28 Apr 2026]. Available from: https://www.nhs.uk/contraception/methods-of-contraception/natural-family-planning/

5. Breastfeeding while pregnant [Internet]. American Pregnancy Association. 2026 [Cited 28 Apr 2026]. Available from: https://americanpregnancy.org/postpartum/breastfeeding-while-pregnant/

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Frequently asked questions

Breastfeeding as birth control, or LAM, is estimated to be around 99% effective for preventing pregnancy [4]. If used as birth control, LAM requires frequent and exclusive breastfeeding, meaning your baby is not getting any other food or drink, or using a pacifier. If you are breastfeeding, but not exclusively, the chances of pregnancy increase.

Breastfeeding usually delays ovulation and the return of your period for around six months. When your baby is around six months old, they typically start having other food or drink besides breastmilk. When this happens, breastfeeding as birth control (also known as LAM) becomes less effective, and your chances of starting to ovulate again increase.

While all forms of birth control are considered safe to use while breastfeeding, combined hormonal pills, rings, and patches are not typically recommended during the first 4-6 weeks of breastfeeding because there’s a chance they can affect milk supply [1,2]. If you are breastfeeding and have any questions about contraception, it’s important to ask your nurse, midwife, or doctor.

It can be really difficult to know when you’re ovulating postpartum until your period returns. If you are exclusively breastfeeding and your baby is less than six months old, breastfeeding normally delays ovulation temporarily. However, if your patterns of breastfeeding change, or your baby starts having other food or drink, it’s important to switch to another form of contraception in order to prevent pregnancy. Tracking body temperature, for example using Natural Cycles, can notify you of ovulation before your period returns.

If you suspect that you might be pregnant, you should take a pregnancy test and contact your healthcare provider. In most cases, it is safe to continue breastfeeding. However, if you have a high-risk pregnancy, are at risk for preterm labor, are pregnant with multiples, have been advised to avoid sex, or are experiencing bleeding or uterine pain, weaning might be advised [5].

There is a chance that certain types of hormonal birth control might affect breastmilk supply, which is why methods like the combined pill are usually not recommended during the first 4-6 weeks after childbirth if you are breastfeeding [2]. There are other forms of contraception, though, that can be started immediately after giving birth, even while still in the hospital.