• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to footer
  • Fertility Topics
  • Fertility Therapies
  • Hormone Health
  • Nutrition
  • Success Stories
  • PROGRAMS
  • ARTICLES
Natural Fertility Info.com
  • Shop Products
  • PROGRAMS
  • ARTICLES
Natural Fertility Info.com

Natural Fertility Info.com

Natural Fertility tips, information, herbs, supplements and more

  • Shop Products

Uncategorized

Making The Right Birth Control Choice After Giving Birth

Elizabeth Willett - M.A., Certified Herbalist
July 17, 2021
Reviewed by Christine Traxler, MD

Picture this; you just had a baby and you are positively obsessed with learning how to mother your new child, a sort of baby love haze. Then at your first postpartum doctor’s visit your doctor snaps you back into reality by bringing up birth control. As if you aren’t dealing with enough, you are urged to make an important decision to avoid getting pregnant again, so soon after giving birth.

The birth control pill, Nuvaring and Mirena IUD are the most commonly prescribed birth control methods for new mothers. But wait, why would your doctor suggest you take something that contains synthetic hormones when you just went through one of the biggest hormonal changes of your life? Over the past year you have been through pregnancy, labor, childbirth, postpartum recovery and lactation. Wouldn’t it be best to continue letting your body adjust to all of these hormonal and physical changes naturally, so as not confuse or alter this process?

The use of hormonal birth control after giving birth is not a black and white matter. Doctors deem it safe, but I’m not so sure it is. While it may seem easy to just take the pill, or get a Nuvaring, what many women don’t know is that there is a highly effective alternative natural birth control method. Why go the natural route? You will be helping to preserve your fertility (more on this below) and as an added bonus, you will get to know your fertility cycle on an intimate level!

My Personal Experience

I’m an herbalist who has given birth twice in a hospital with the assistance of medical doctors. To some this may seem a bit strange but, for several reasons, this was the best choice for my husband and me.

I chose to work with two women, both DOs or Doctors of Osteopathy in their residencies (meaning fresh out of medical school), knowing they may be more open to my herbalist ways, and they were. While they didn’t pressure me to have many prenatal tests, or receive vaccinations, and trusted my choice in prenatal multivitamins, they both took a significant amount of time to ensure my husband and I had thought about how we would prevent pregnancy after giving birth. Both were ready to write a prescription for the birth control pill and/or set up a future appointment to fit me with an IUD well before I had even given birth.

If you are going to regular prenatal appointments or have given birth, you may recall these conversations and feeling the pressure to just take the prescription for the pill. I know I did; even though the last thing I wanted to think about while eight months pregnant was having sex; and the very last thing I wanted to consider doing in the weeks after giving birth was having sex.

So, Why Are Doctors Quick to Push The Pill?

Doctors commonly prescribe birth control (low-hormone birth control pills and methods that do not contain hormones like the copper IUD) to help prevent pregnancy from happening again too soon after giving birth. I personally feel they do so for good reasons, which are because they know:

  • it is best to allow the female body 12 months to heal properly after giving birth before conceiving again
  • the uterus is weak after being stretched to its max for many months
  • the risks for blood clots and complications in pregnancy increase with some pregnancies that happen too close together
  • the risk for having a preterm birth increase the closer together that pregnancies occur
  • breastfeeding alone is not a reliable birth control method

They also prescribe birth control because a breastfeeding woman is not likely to know when her cycle will begin again. Breastfeeding suppresses ovulation, but not for the same length of time for each breastfeeding woman. Doctors feel using birth control is an easy way to keep the cycle from returning to allow the body to heal properly post birth. While it may be easy, there are known long-term impacts on fertility health when using birth control.

Doctors and many organizations like the Office of Women’s Health at the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services share that there is no harm in beginning some forms of birth control three to six weeks postpartum even while breastfeeding (although this does depend on each woman’s birth experience and overall health post-birth).

The Long-Term Impacts to Fertility

On the contrary, what we see with our clients is that taking the Pill can negatively impact long-term fertility, especially if it is taken for extended periods of time. Birth control use confuses the body and may negatively impact long-term fertility by causing:

  • menstrual cycle disruption
  • hormonal imbalance
  • disrupted ovulation
  • changes in cervical mucus
  • changes in uterine lining health and receptivity to an embryo

Not to mention that even small amounts of hormones from low-dose hormonal birth control can pass through breast milk to an infant.

Consider This Alternative to Birth Control

The Fertility Awareness Method (FAM)

Kathryn Cardinal, Herbalist & Fertility Awareness Teacher, explains, “The Fertility Awareness Method (FAM) offers a natural alternative to medical contraception methods that is both safe and very effective. The Fertility Awareness Method teaches women how to develop a deep awareness of their fertility by observing their personal menstrual cycles, identifying their most fertile time all while committing to building a respectful relationship with their body. Rather than suppress and ignore the menstrual cycle, the goal with FAM is to teach women how to recognize their hormonal signals in order to become experts on their fertility.”

Through observing and recording basal body temperature (BBT) shifts, cervical mucus changes and cervix position, etc., FAM is able to help a breastfeeding woman begin to see the signs of her fertility reappear post birth.

To begin creating an intimate relationship with your fertility cycle, an easy place to start is by reading the following guides:
Natural Contraception with the Fertility Awareness Method
Using Fertility Awareness Method as a Diagnostic Tool – Part 1
Using Fertility Awareness Method as a Diagnostic Tool – Part 2

Thinking ahead for the future, I urge you to give serious thought to using hormonal birth control after giving birth. If you want to have more children, avoiding hormonal birth control use may help to preserve your fertility and make trying to conceive in the future easier. I know that being a new mother to your baby is already a lot, and that FAM can feel like a big commitment, but believe me, FAM in the long-run is so much better for your health, which is good for the whole family.

References

  • Breast Feeding and Birth Control. (2012, March). Retrieved from: http://www.midwife.org/ACNM/files/ccLibraryFiles/Filename/000000002191/Breastfeeding and Birth Control.pdf
  • Share With Women. (n.d.). Retrieved from: http://ourmomentoftruth.com/share-with-women/
  • Cardinal, K. (n.d.). Natural Contraception with the Fertility Awareness Method. Retrieved from: http://natural-fertility-info.com/natural-contraception.html
  • Pregnancy: Getting Pregnant Again. (2011, November 15). Retrieved from: http://womenshealth.gov/pregnancy/childbirth-beyond/get-pregnant-again.html

« Previous Post
Chiropractic Care to Aid Infertility - Interview with Dr. Jodi Sampson
Next Post »
Fertility Q&A - Fertilica Dong Quai & Uterine Fibroids

About the Author

Elizabeth Willett - M.A., Certified Herbalist

Elizabeth Willett - M.A., Certified Herbalist

Elizabeth Willett is the Senior Herbalist and Lead Educator at NaturalFertilityInfo.com. She holds a BS in Mass Communications (2000) from Minnesota State University, and a Master of Arts degree (MA, 2010) in Holistic Health Studies with a specialization is herbalism from St. Catherine University in St. Paul, MN. Liz has written over 200 articles on women's fertility and brings a vast wealth of knowledge and expertise in holistic health and healing to Natural Fertility Info.com

5 Steps To Improve Your Fertility Naturally

  • Learn the 5 different areas to focus on for optimal fertility health
  • Learn how to support hormonal health with herbs and essential oils
  • Tips on transitioning to a whole food fertility diet.
  • Self-care therapies to support your reproductive health

@NaturalFertilityInfo

naturalfertilityinfo

View

May 17

Open
Can added sugars in our diets affect hormonal health and fertility? Here are the details and the effects sugary foods can have on hormonal and reproductive health... 
​
​What's your biggest hurdle when it comes to sugar?

naturalfertilityinfo

View

May 12

Open
Diana’s story is one of true heartbreak after years of struggle, but with a glorious golden light at the end of the tunnel. Here is her truly inspiring fertility journey…
​
​​​​​
​**While testimonials are real life experiences of those who have used our products, results do vary. We do not claim that they are typical results that consumers will generally achieve. The testimonials are not necessarily representative of all of those who will use our products and/or services.

naturalfertilityinfo

View

May 6

Open
Q: I am on birth control, can I start supporting my hormonal health with herbs and supplements or do I need to be off of birth control to start?
​
​Swipe through the slides to see what our answer is...

naturalfertilityinfo

View

May 4

Open
Have you been waiting to begin making healthy lifestyle changes to support your fertility health? Do you feel overwhelmed about where to begin?
​
​What has been holding you back?

naturalfertilityinfo

View

May 2

Open
Girls, we all have one. Here are some ways to encourage health and balance, naturally...
​
​For the full guide, click the link in our Bio.
​

naturalfertilityinfo

View

Apr 27

Open
Jennifer experienced multiple miscarriages before finding our website. She became inspired by our success stories and was determined to become one too! Read more about her journey... 
​
​
​​​​**While testimonials are real life experiences of those who have used our products, results do vary. We do not claim that they are typical results that consumers will generally achieve. The testimonials are not necessarily representative of all of those who will use our products and/or services.

naturalfertilityinfo

View

Apr 25

Open
Q: When should someone consider having testing done?
​
​Swipe through the slides to see what our answer is...

naturalfertilityinfo

View

Apr 21

Open
To make an impact on your health, you will need to first learn the actions and steps to take... then you will need to be consistent with those actions. It is the consistency that brings you the results. You are going to be human and not be perfect 100% of the time. Just accept that and get back to it. Consistency, day in and out, is more important than being perfect. You can't be 100% perfect for long, but you can be consistent every day.

naturalfertilityinfo

View

Apr 19

Open
If you’ve undergone many consecutive fertility treatments without a successful pregnancy, it could be time for a break. Taking a break gives your body a chance to cleanse, reset and recover. Relief from the side effects and stress could be exactly what you need for a fresh start for your fertility journey.

Use the time to work on yourself- mind and body. A break might even give you the opportunity to find a new sense of peace or a new version of your fertility program.
​
Learn more about natural therapies you can use to help your body reset after medical fertility treatments...

naturalfertilityinfo

View

Apr 13

Open
After 6 unsuccessful IUIs and one IVF of the same result, Angela takes a break and discovers the Natural Fertility Company. Using our resources to help her implement some changes, she has a much different result on her next IVF at 43. Click through the slides to read her story...

naturalfertilityinfo

View

Apr 11

Open
Q: My partner smokes, will this affect his fertility?
​
​Swipe through the slides to see what our answer is...

naturalfertilityinfo

View

Apr 6

Open
I have KMF imprinted on many of my personal belongings as a constant reminder to Keep Moving Forward. This started to be my mantra about 20 years ago when I was in a tough patch and knew the only way was through, and step by step. Keep moving forward. What is the next step, shuffle or even pause that may need to happen? Whatever it is, move towards it, into it, and forward.

naturalfertilityinfo

View

Apr 4

Open
With so many chemicals and outside factors contributing to estrogen dominance in the body, it is good to help support hormonal balance and one way to do that is through foods.
​
​Here are some tips, including foods that help to promote the body's natural ability to get rid of excess estrogens. ..
​
​Are you getting any of these foods in your weekly diet?

naturalfertilityinfo

View

Apr 1

Open
Trish conceives her second child with natural therapies at 37. Swipe through to read her story... 
​
​​​**While testimonials are real life experiences of those who have used our products, results do vary. We do not claim that they are typical results that consumers will generally achieve. The testimonials are not necessarily representative of all of those who will use our products and/or services.

naturalfertilityinfo

View

Mar 30

Open
Q: I have heavy periods, should I be concerned about using tampons?
​
​Swipe through the slides to see what our answer is...

naturalfertilityinfo

View

Mar 28

Open
I knew what my life's calling was at a very young age. At around 16, I had a dream where a dreadlocked rasta man came to me (Burning Spears to be exact) and in that dream was told that I was to be a healer. It was the type of dream that was more real than reality. The next day I woke up feeling different than I had ever felt before. Later on that day, we had new neighbors move into the house above us and a woman came and introduced herself. When I opened the door, she said her name and told me she was opening up a school of healing and that I was to be one of her students. It was one of the most intense series of events in my life. I went on to go to her school and my path started with an amazing community and so much support. What are one of the most life changing experiences you have had? I would love to hear...

naturalfertilityinfo

View

Mar 24

Open
Stress can be one of the primary factors behind infertility. Believe it or not, our bodies are equipped to prevent conception from occurring during times of extreme stress. The presence of adrenaline, the hormone that is released by our bodies during stressful times, signals to our body that conditions are not ideal for conception. Adrenaline inhibits us from utilizing the hormone progesterone, which is essential for fertility. It also causes the pituitary gland to release higher levels of prolactin, which also causes infertility to occur.
​
​Swipe left for ways to reduce the effect of stress on your fertility...

naturalfertilityinfo

View

Mar 21

Open
At 39, Milissa focuses on natural ways to prevent another miscarriage & goes on to conceive. Swipe through the slides to read more about her journey... 
​
​
​**​​While testimonials are real life experiences of those who have used our products, results do vary. We do not claim that they are typical results that consumers will generally achieve. The testimonials are not necessarily representative of all of those who will use our products and/or services.

naturalfertilityinfo

View

Mar 17

Open
​We come into contact with xenohormones on a daily basis. Once you know where and what they are, you can avoid them or not use products that contain them. There has been extensive research on the connection between xenohormones and hormone disruption, which leads us to fertility issues and imbalances. Swipe through the slides to see what our answer is...
​
​If you would like support in getting started with your Ditch and Switch, download my free guide on how to get started. The link is in our Bio.

naturalfertilityinfo

View

Mar 14

Open
You are strong enough. Life can get hard sometimes, but we are stronger through it all. You can figure this out. You know your body. Trust yourself. You are worthy of health, you are worthy of motherhood. You are worthy of having your own opinion. Listen to your gut. You've got this.
Load More...

Footer

  • Programs
  • Upcoming Classes

  • Consultations
  • Contact Us