Can I Start Contraceptives Immediately After Postpartum?

After child brith and having a newborn baby, you must be thinking about a break from being pregnant. This break is important for your body to recover and regain its strength. And it is very important for you to be able to care for your newborn baby. So naturally, you might be thinking about using contraceptives. But when is the best time to start using them after child birth? What are the different types of contraceptives, and which one to choose? You will find the answers here.

Are there different types of contraceptives?

There are many types of contraceptives that you can choose from. Here are some of them:

1| Oral contraceptives

Also known as morning after pill or birth control pill. This is probably the most common contraceptive method ever. There are two types of birth control pills. The first one is the mono-hormonal, which is a Progestin-Only pill. This one is prescribed for breastfeeding mums. And the other one is the regular one. Also, both are 99% effective.

2| IUD

This is one of the contraceptive methods mums prefer because it does not affect breastfeeding. And it is 99% effective when installed correctly.

3| contraceptive injection

This injection works by releasing progestogen hormone into your body preventing pregnancy. Doctors and experts say it is 99% effective, and it lasts about 8 to 13 weeks. You need to check in with your doctor about how regularly you should take it.

4| contraceptive implants

A contraceptive implant is a flexible plastic rod that a nurse or doctor places under the skin of your upper arm. It works by making the cervical mucus thicker, and the uterus lining thinner. Thus preventing pregnancy.

5| Condoms

This is the most popular contraceptive method. Most mums prefer it because it is 98 percent effective when used correctly. In addition, breastfeeding mums prefer this method because it has zero effect on their breastfeeding experience.

What is the best contraceptive method?

This is probably one of the most questions mums ask, and the answer varies. In truth, all of the previous contraceptive methods are effective. We believe that the choice depends on a series of factors:

– Your age.
– Are you breastfeeding or bottle feeding?
– Medical history. This is important because some contraceptives shouldn’t be given to people with certain medical histories.
– Having issues using a certain kind of contraceptives.
– Your own personal preference.

Once you look into those factors, you can make a final decision on which method to use.

When is the best time to start using contraceptives?

Doctors usually recommend starting contraceptives after around 6 weeks of giving birth. Some others recommend not to start them until the postpartum period is completely over. Furthermore, this highly depends on whether you are breastfeeding or not. If you are breastfeeding, it is best to wait around 21 weeks before using oral contraceptives. As for IUDs, you can install one after four weeks of child birth.