Debunked: 5 Common Birth Control Myths Following Childbirth

So, you’ve just welcomed your new bundle of joy into the world. It’s an exciting, albeit overwhelming, time in your life that’s full of changes and new experiences. Delighted as you may be with the arrival of this little person, it’s doubtful you’d be as thrilled at the news of another one on the way any time soon.

Most new moms are very concerned with making sure that doesn’t happen. But how to go about this? Unfortunately, you’re likely to have received an abundance of misinformed (however well-intentioned) information on the subject. Sigh… Everybody’s an expert, right?

Forget the old wives’ tales and fear not, Mama. Going (back) on birth control postpartum is actually much simpler and safer than you may have heard. To help you get the facts straight, here are five common postpartum birth control myths that need busting:

(Note: Before we go any further, remember that every woman’s body is different. So, it’s essential to discuss any medical decisions—including any regarding contraception—with your doctor before making them.)

MYTH 1: IT’S BAD TO START BIRTH CONTROL STRAIGHT AFTER GIVING BIRTH

With that in mind, here’s the general rule regarding when it becomes safe to start birth control after giving birth. The short answer is: right away*. Yes, doctors generally advise to wait four to six weeks post delivery before you start having sex again, or possibly even longer if you have a C-section. But that has nothing to do with birth control—it’s to allow your body some time to heal. As soon as you become sexually active again, you run the risk of falling pregnant.

Since doctors also advise waiting at least six months after delivery before getting pregnant again, implementing some form of birth control is essential. While abstinence is always an option, it’s not always a practical or fun one, and it doesn't have to be the only way. There are plenty of safe contraception methods for new moms.

These include the progestin-only pill, contraceptive injection, an IUD, condoms, diaphragms, birth control implants, and even permanent sterilization, also known as tubal ligation. Depending on whether or not you are breastfeeding (see Myth 3), certain forms of emergency contraception like the “morning-after” pill are also safe to use.

*An important caveat to all of this is that use of oral contraceptives can marginally increase your risk of developing blood clots, including deep vein thromboses (DVTs). If you have other DVT risk factors such as obesity, diabetes and hypertension, among others, it’s especially important that you consult your doctor before starting birth control.

MYTH 2: USING AN IUD WILL PREVENT YOU FROM GETTING PREGNANT LATER

What’s an IUD? IUD stands for intrauterine device. An IUD is usually a T-shaped, plastic apparatus that doctors insert into your uterus as a mode of birth control. These little devices work by emitting certain hormones that prevent sperm from joining with your egg, or they have a copper coil that creates an inflammatory reaction that’s toxic to sperm and eggs.

The strangely pervasive myth that IUDs reduce your chances of getting pregnant later is as untrue postpartum as at any other time. As your doctor will surely confirm, the IUD is a perfectly safe and effective mode of contraception. These devices can be inserted at any time after you have delivered and do no harm to your uterus.

IUDs, once inserted, can remain effective for up to 10 years. However, as soon as your IUD is removed, your fertility will return to normal.

MYTH 3: YOU SHOULD NEVER USE BIRTH CONTROL WHILE BREASTFEEDING

Almost all methods of birth control are safe to use while you are breastfeeding. These include the progestin-only pill, condoms, diaphragms, contraceptive injections, contraceptive implants, IUDs, and tubal ligation.

Nevertheless, there are some types of contraceptives that you should avoid until you stop breastfeeding your newborn. These include the combined estrogen/progestogen pill, the vaginal ring, and the birth control patch, all of which may reduce breast milk production.

Once you’ve stopped breastfeeding, your choices of birth control methods expand somewhat. A large number of women tend to opt for a combination pill once they’ve finished breastfeeding, as these pills can reduce menstrual cramps and lighten periods. They’re also as much as 99% effective in preventing pregnancy.

In terms of emergency contraception, you can use the levonorgestrel emergency contraceptive pill (LNG-ECP) or have a copper IUD inserted. Meanwhile, the ulipristal acetate (UPA) emergency contraceptive pill is not recommended as its contents can be excreted in breast milk and the potential effects thereof on infants are, as yet, unknown.

MYTH 4: BREASTFEEDING IS THE ONLY BIRTH CONTROL YOU NEED

Because breastfeeding usually stops ovulation, there is a general misconception that you don’t need to use birth control while breastfeeding. Although it’s true that you are unlikely to fall pregnant while breastfeeding, it’s not impossible for you to conceive this way.

Also, there are several factors that impact the efficacy of breastfeeding as birth control. Breastfeeding is less effective as a contraceptive in the following instances:

●         It has been more than six months since you gave birth.

●         You go more than four hours between feeds in the daytime or six hours overnight.

●         Your period has restarted.

●         You supplement breastfeeding with bottle feeding of expressed breast milk or baby formula.

As we’ve already mentioned, there’s a range of contraceptives that are perfectly safe to use while breastfeeding. So, if you want to be extra careful to avoid pregnancy, it’s best to rely on these and not on breastfeeding alone.

MYTH 5: NATURAL BIRTH CONTROL IS BEST AFTER CHILDBIRTH

What do we mean by “natural”? Essentially, natural birth control involves monitoring your fertility and only having sex during the least fertile days of your cycle. The thing is, although this can be quite effective if practiced correctly, studies show that natural birth control methods fail around 24% of the time.

Is that a risk you’re prepared to take?

If you would like to practice natural birth control (exclusively, or alongside other methods), here are some tips to make it as effective as possible:

●         Monitor your cervical mucus. Avoid having sex when this mucus is stretchy, transparent, and slippery, as this indicates high fertility.

●         Keep careful track of your cycle on a calendar to ensure that your estimates regarding ovulation days are as accurate as possible.

●         Breastfeed. As we said, breastfeeding is not a foolproof method of contraception, but it is likely to stop you from ovulating, so it can reduce fertility.

The takeaway? It’s generally safe to use birth control postpartum and while breastfeeding, but you should always consult your doctor before doing so.