How safe is the mini-pill?

[FaerieGothMommy]

I want to know for sure how safe the mini-pill is while breastfeeding, i'm not talking about how effective it is as i know it'll be effective enough, plus with breastfeeding and using condoms, but is it safe for baby?
They say not to use any other hormone based contraceptives as they contain two hormones, estrogen & progestin. And the mini-pill only contains progestin, so does that mean progestin doesn't affect baby? I'm really iffy about taking it, i want to know for sure that it's totally safe.

My only other option for contraception is the coil, and i'm not too keen on that.

[Bec_W]

I thought you couldn't use the normal pill because it dries up your milk. I could be totally wrong though.

[FaerieGothMommy]

I thought you couldn't use the normal pill because it dries up your milk. I could be totally wrong though.

I think it can, but also the hormones are too much for baby to handle.

[Arinya]

I don't know anything from personal experience, but I found this site that might help.
http://www.arizonalactationcenter.com/contraception.html

In the end I'd ask a doctor though, just in case. :)

[FaerieGothMommy]

I don't know anything from personal experience, but I found this site that might help.
http://www.arizonalactationcenter.com/contraception.html

In the end I'd ask a doctor though, just in case. :)

Ill deff be asking a doctor, because i need to go to a doc to get the prescription, but i need to have a method of birth control i want to take before my 6 week postnatal check up. Thanks for the link, i'll take a look.

[FaerieGothMommy]

I guess i just mainly want to know if it's totally safe with Ethan.
I'm a worry wort!!

[Shanti]

I breast fed my son for 2 years and used the mini pill just fine. Its not the regular pill since is contains just one hormone.
My son is now 24 years old and fine and I was fine with the mini pill too!

[FaerieGothMommy]

I breast fed my son for 2 years and used the mini pill just fine. Its not the regular pill since is contains just one hormone.
My son is now 24 years old and fine and I was fine with the mini pill too!

Thanks!
I know that a tiny bit of the hormone in the mini-pill does get into babies body, thats whats concerning me. I know theres been no research to say theres any risks with it, but i can't help worrying.
It makes me feel better though to know that someone else used it while breastfeeding for so long with no problems.

What is the time limits for taking the mini pill, like i know it lasts 24 hours, but can you be so many hours out from when your supposed to take it and it still be effective? Or does it have to be at the same time every day?

[Shanti]

Your suppose to take it the same time everyday, just like the other BC pills.

Breastfeeding in itself is birthcontrol if that is all the baby gets, meaning no pacifier either. If the baby solely suckles on the breast and nothing else, breastfeeding is a good natural birthcontrol. But the baby has to feed and suckle at the breast for it to work well as BC.
Thats where the mini pill comes in nice, its a backup BC. The less time the baby is at the breast, the more the mini pill is needed. The baby should be at the breast ever 2-3 hours, including the night time for breast feeding to be reliable. I did that the first year with my son so I took the mini pill without much accuracy as to time of day. But once my son was at the breast less often, I was more careful as to the time of day.

But taking the minipill at the same time everyday does ensure its affectivness.

The depo shot(taken once every 3 months) is the same hormone as the mini pill. I used the shot with my second son and my DIL used it with her son. The shot did create probs that the mini pill never did.

Both worked well but the shot is a differant form of the hormone and it alters the womans system more and more hormone is passed in the milk.

The mini pill is a much smaller amount and doesnt alter the womans system as much and very little gets through the milk. For the 2 years I breast fed and took the mini pill, I never noticed anything differant. My monthy menstral cycle was almost none exsistant, but diligent breast feeding will do that alone. My moods didnt change, I had no PMS, my son was perfectly fine too. My milk flowed very well too. :)

Given the choice, the mini pill is gentler and safer with less to no probs.

Oh and my son that I used the mini pill with is a dad too! His son is 2 years old and perfect in everyway! :)

Oh yeah, I didnt get PG again till I wanted to which was 18 years later!! So on the minipill/breast feeding combo...no PG's happened for me!!

[devotchka]

My son is 2 months and breastfed. I was prescribed the mini pill about a month ago and I haven't taken it (actually, I'm 27 and have never been on any sort of birth control). I'm a little freaked that my boby might react weird to it, like either I'll gain weight or have a hard time losing weight, and most importantly; I'm concerned that it may interfere with my milk production.

I did some online research on norethindrone (the mini pill) and there was something that said it may possibly decrease milk production. There was also weird stuff like acne, oily scalp, hair loss, facial hair growth, decrease in breast size, depression, fatigue, and may increase susceptibility to yeast infections... I know that's rare cases, but knowing my luck, I'll turn into some big hormonal gorilla.

My body seems to tell me no, so I'm going to wait.

The OBGYN said that there's nothing wrong with it and that it won't mess with breastfeeding, I'm just freaked. Possibly because I've never used bc and I don't know how I'm going to react.

[Amethyst Rose]

I used the mini pill up until very recently. It's much better to take while breastfeeding than the regular pill, because it doesn't affect milk supply and it's okay for the baby. The only reason I stopped using it is because Quint only nurses about 4 times a day now, and I couldn't take the pill at the same time every day. So I chose to go with an IUD (with progesterone) instead.

[aluokaloo]

My baby got breatmilk on the minipill, and it seemed to have no ill effects, plus I have found the minipill more effective in preventing pregnancies. I'm a very active person in that department, there are plenty of good websites, that can tell you about it. Ask your dr. about information. webmd.com I think is the site I was thinking of. Its a good pill, and very few side effects too boot. But you can determine that for yourself.

[Temair]

I used the minipill first, but it gave me my period every two weeks, and since mine last 7-8 days, that was way too much for me so I quit. Baby didn't seem to have any problems with it. I then went on the regular pill after that and we had no problems. With this baby, I am on Depo Provera (the shot). I got my first shot when she was 7 weeks old, then I thought they would send a reminder and I failed my math, so now I have to have a pregnancy test before they will give me my next one. I'm exclusively breastfeeding and am not worried about being the rare person who will still get pregnant. We have had no problems with the shot as far as nursing goes.