Hello, dear readers and subscribers! Ekaterina is with you. Today I will tell you how to understand that you are pregnant during pregnancy. How to recognize the early signs of pregnancy while breastfeeding. There are quite a few signs that can indicate the position if you are breastfeeding, but there are only three ways to accurately determine it.
Relatively recently, I published an article about the menstrual cycle during breastfeeding. I told you when menstruation appears while breastfeeding, and to what extent a woman is fertile. Although breastfeeding can reduce fertility if the lactational amenorrhea method is followed, it does not prevent pregnancy.
The effect of breastfeeding on pregnancy
Stimulation of the nipples during breastfeeding increases the amount of prolactin, which causes a lack of reproductive hormones. After six months of exclusive 24-hour lactation, prolactin levels and ovulatory menstrual cycles return to normal. Even this is still not a 100% effective method of contraception. More detailed information about the types of contraceptives can be found here.
Most women can become pregnant after their menstrual cycle returns. However, it is also possible to ovulate without having a menstrual cycle. The longer amenorrhea remains, the greater the likelihood of ovulation without a menstrual cycle. In both cases you can get pregnant.
Are lactation and conception compatible?
Both processes - pregnancy and lactation - belong to the hormone-dependent sphere of the body. And what is subject to hormones seems to most women to be very complex and difficult to identify symptoms. In fact, knowing the physiological characteristics of the processes, if not revealed, then at least suspected, one against the background of the other.
Pregnancy during lactation is not uncommon
Hormones after childbirth
So, during the period of active lactation, a woman does not have periods. This condition is called lactational amenorrhea: the new mother’s body is recovering after childbirth. During this period, prolactin, a hormone secreted by the pituitary gland, suppresses ovulation, cyclic changes do not occur in the uterus, which means there are no periods.
Contraception using the lactational amenorrhea method
A natural method of preventing unwanted pregnancy, the lactational amenorrhea method, is based on hormonal changes in the body of a nursing woman. But it is 96% effective, and only if the child receives only breastfeeding, without additional feeding or supplementation, at any time on demand (at least six times a day), including full night feedings. Six months after birth, when the baby begins to receive complementary foods and begins to breastfeed less intensively, the level of prolactin will decrease, and the level of estrogen and progesterone, female sex hormones produced by the ovaries, will, on the contrary, increase. The monthly cycle will begin to recover.
This is interesting. Since the hormonal background of each woman is individual, an earlier onset of menstruation, after 3-4 months, is not considered a deviation. The lactation hormone may be released less if the young mother takes any medications, including hormonal ones, or if her immune system is weakened.
But even the complete absence of menstruation is not a guarantee of protection, since prolactin may not be produced enough, ovulation still occurs, and it happens that already in the first cycle after childbirth, after 2-3 weeks, a woman becomes pregnant again.
Restoring the ability to conceive occurs individually
Factors that increase the likelihood of pregnancy
The likelihood of conception during lactation increases if:
- breastfeeding alternates with artificial feeding;
- the woman adheres to a strict feeding regime for the baby;
- Night feedings are rare or absent altogether.
Signs and symptoms of pregnancy during breastfeeding
I retreated a little from the most important question, how can you understand that you are pregnant during pregnancy? The very first signs that you are pregnant while breastfeeding are the same as during normal pregnancy. That’s why don’t forget to listen to your body.
Poor pregnancy rates
Basically they are subjective, only the mother can feel them. These include:
- Breast changes. This is one of the earliest signs of pregnancy. These changes are side effects of the hormones estrogen and progesterone. This will work on the breasts and prepare her for breastfeeding after birth, even if she is currently breastfeeding.
Note. Breast changes can happen for many reasons, so while they sometimes indicate pregnancy, avoid thinking of them as signs of pregnancy.
- Changes in milk production. When a nursing mother is pregnant, she may notice that her milk production begins to decrease. If you notice that you are not producing as much milk as before, you may be pregnant. Again, pregnancy is not the only reason for decreased milk production. Stress and illness can cause your body to go into survival mode and divert the energy used for milk production to vital exercise. Substances such as liquor, caffeine, and nicotine can dehydrate you and reduce your breasts' ability to produce milk. When taken in large doses, some herbs, such as mint and parsley, can actually reduce milk production. Avoid eating too many herbs and spices while breastfeeding. Dehydration and malnutrition will also reduce your milk supply, so you should eat and drink properly while breastfeeding. If you have had trouble conceiving, you may also have trouble breastfeeding. For breasts to make milk, they rely on hormonal signals that are sent to them. If you have a hormonal imbalance, hyperthyroidism or hypothyroidism, hypertension, diabetes, polycystic ovary syndrome or another medical condition, it is likely that you will not produce much milk. You may need to use formula milk.
- Other physical symptoms. There are quite a few physical symptoms that can indicate the position, but can also be caused by a number of other reasons. These include: fatigue, frequent urination, enlarged uterus, skin changes, nausea and vomiting.
Moderate chance of pregnancy
Another sign of how to understand that you are pregnant during breastfeeding, your gynecologist will tell you. Such signs of pregnancy are not noticeable to a young mother. However, they are more reliable than weak signs, which are not entirely accurate. These include:
- Braxton Hicks contractions
- Chadwick's sign. When the cervix, vagina, and vulva turn from pink to purple, a woman may be pregnant. It usually appears six to eight weeks after conception, when the areas develop more blood vessels to meet the additional needs of mother and baby. Associated with this is swelling of the legs and pelvic pain, resulting from changes in blood and lymph circulation. Hormonal imbalance can cause this sign, so it shouldn't be your main indicator.
- Guddell's sign (significant softening of the vaginal cervix from increased vascularity)
- Sign of Hegar. The lower segment of the uterus becomes softer. Again, this may be due to hormonal imbalance rather than pregnancy.
- Pregnancy tests. Although pregnancy tests are accurate up to 98% of the time, the results are considered probable rather than positive because there is still the possibility of misdiagnosis. There are many types of tests that indicate pregnancy. Urine tests are the easiest to use, but they are not as sensitive as blood tests.
signs of pregnancy during breastfeeding without menstruation
Good day! Girls, I think I'm not the only one. I have, one might say, a panicky fear of getting pregnant. If I find any signs in myself, I worry very much until I do the test, or until the signs disappear. It’s still complicated by the fact that I haven’t had a period for more than 2 years, first, of course, pregnancy, then breastfeeding, we still have it (I’m only feeding one daughter). Breastfeeding is very active, I never refuse during the day, and even eats three times at night... that’s why I don’t have periods, apparently.
Well, my lower abdomen is feeling very tight, like before my period, I think maybe I have a cold (windows of soap), but the thought of getting pregnant still pops into my head. BUT, of course, we use protection (condom). And yesterday I googled “can you get pregnant with a condom?” I was horrified by how many people write that they got knocked up with a condom! And now what i can do? Now I won’t be able to relax when I’m close...
I had such a fear at the institute, well, of course, I had to finish my studies, there were no schedules then, I then started drinking OK, and that’s it, life became easy! True, after the withdrawal, I couldn’t get pregnant for a year, but then I had twins, I’ve been dreaming about them since I was 16. And I thought that after giving birth I would again use OK protection. I came to the gynecologist, but she dissuaded me, she said it was undesirable before the first period, like the bleeding could be heavy... She recommended an IUD, but it’s not my idea, I don’t want interventions, and there are a lot of negative reviews, two, so what remains is what I know and have tested condom. I also tried vaginal tablets, but they don’t suit me...
Well, let's return to the original topic of the post. Why am I afraid...In fact, there are many reasons:
-mortgage
- maternity leave until they are accepted into kindergarten, together these two reasons result in a very, very economical life, if you talk softly... Again, a new two-room hut... It was taken for mat capital, therefore, it can be sold after the daughters’ 18th birthday...
- I’m afraid of all sorts of congenital diseases, I’m afraid I can’t bear it, in short, problems with pregnancy. It was not easy for the girls, especially the period after childbirth. In addition, I have negative Rh.
- I want to give all of myself only to my girls...
- I’m afraid that my relatives will misunderstand...
- I’m simply afraid that I won’t be able to cope... I still want to find time for myself...
-I'm afraid of multiple pregnancies again...
Sorry for the long post and any mistakes (I'm writing from my phone).
Thanks to everyone who finished reading...I ask for various kinds of advice:
- methods of protection are RELIABLE
-how to get all the rubbish out of your head?
Or did I just write to buy tests and do them at the slightest suspicion, until nature returns to me the natural indicator of pregnancy - menstruation?
Diagnosis of pregnancy
The easiest way to confirm or deny pregnancy is a test. Its strips contain reagents that appear if they are exposed to the hormone produced from the first days of conception - hCG (chorionic gonadotropin). Already 7–10 days after fertilization of the egg, the test will show two stripes.
Important: for breastfeeding women who do not have regular sexual activity or the cycle has not yet fully recovered, and there is no contraception, gynecologists advise taking a test every two to four weeks so as not to miss unexpressed symptoms of pregnancy.
Another informative diagnostic procedure is ultrasound.
A pregnancy test is the simplest diagnostic procedure
Video: conception while breastfeeding - expert opinion
Signs of pregnancy during lactation
Different dates for the arrival of menstruation, as well as an unstable cycle, mean that a woman may not immediately find out about pregnancy while breastfeeding. But we can identify several main symptoms of the onset of conception during lactation.
- Atypical behavior of the baby during feeding. Such signs include reluctant sucking or even refusal to eat. Hormones produced to support a new pregnancy can affect the consistency and taste of milk, it becomes salty. True, this sign is not considered too reliable, since a child’s appetite can be affected by many factors (malaise, teething, etc.).
- Reducing the amount of milk. A woman’s body seeks resources to maintain pregnancy, so other functions become secondary, and there is less milk.
- Changes in sensation in the mammary glands. In this case, we are talking about swelling, unusual sensitivity and pain that interfere with normal feeding. These symptoms usually end by the second trimester.
In addition, during lactation, a pregnant woman who is breastfeeding experiences the same “classic” symptoms as a non-breastfeeding pregnant woman:
- delay in menstruation (this manifestation of a new condition of a young mother is indicative only if the cycle has already been established);
- heaviness in the uterus, the presence of contractions;
- pain in the lumbar region;
- toxicosis;
- frequent urge to go to the toilet;
- change in taste preferences;
- constant fatigue, drowsiness.
Both sets of signs are relative, since certain symptoms can occur against the background of various changes in a woman’s body, and are not always caused by pregnancy. For example, fatigue and drowsiness are constant companions of a young mother, whose worries have increased several times with the birth of her baby.
Some signs of pregnancy may appear late or not appear at all.
Reviews from women
Signs of pregnancy are very individual, so personal impressions are varied.
My nipples hurt when feeding (but this was after 6-7 weeks), although I could tolerate it. I didn't feel any other changes. Signs of pregnancy are an individual thing, milk supply may or may not decrease. So, in any case, you will have to buy the test. Pregnancy is quite possible - I also only had 2 menstruation, and without a clear cycle.
Mashanna
https://www.kid.ru/forummamy/t31656.html
Usually the breasts react clearly to pregnancy during breastfeeding - the nipples become painful and often feeding the older one begins to irritate. Breasts are like a litmus test; they will determine pregnancy more quickly than any test.
Victoria Semyonova
https://www.baby.ru/community/view/3335924/forum/post/397205451/
I got pregnant twice during Guards. Apart from the delay, there were no signs; toxicosis began later.
PUNK IN THE SHOWER
https://deti.mail.ru/forum/v_ozhidanii_chuda/beremennost/beremennost_vo_vremja_grudnogo_kormlenija/
