How to Get Pregnant While Breastfeeding with No Period

PDF download Download Article
PDF download Download Article

If you're wondering whether you can get pregnant while you're breastfeeding, the answer is yes! That said, your period likely won’t return for at least the first 6 months after you have your baby, so you'll need to tweak your breastfeeding approach to help you start ovulating again. Scroll down to learn everything you need to know about changing your breastfeeding cycle and diet to increase your chances of ovulation, plus what signs to look for when you're ovulating.

Method 1
Method 1 of 4:

Changing Your Breastfeeding Cycle

PDF download Download Article
  1. Typically, breastfeeding only prevents pregnancy if your baby is nursing. Your baby’s suckling triggers hormones that make more milk and suppress ovulation. If you pump your milk, it might reduce your hormone levels so that you can ovulate again. Try pumping for 1-2 of your daily feedings to help you ovulate. [1]
    • Pumping shouldn’t affect your milk production, but it may help you ovulate.
    • This is typically your best option because it allows you to continue feeding your baby on their regular schedule and you can still give them breast milk exclusively, if that’s what you prefer.
  2. Breastfeeding may make you infertile if you do it every 4 hours during the day and every 6 hours at night. If you go longer than 6 hours without nursing, you might be able to start ovulating again. Space out your feedings so that you’re not nursing for at least 6 hours in a row once or twice a day. [2]
    • For instance, you might nurse your baby at 6:00 a.m., 11:00 a.m., 4:30 p.m., 8:30 p.m, and 11:30 p.m. Keep in mind that this may not work if your baby is really hungry. Always put their needs first.
    Advertisement
  3. Most babies continue overnight feedings for several months. While this is a great time for bonding, it can also prevent you from ovulating. If you want to get pregnant, nurse your baby only during the day. [3]
    • Ask your doctor if it’s okay to stop overnight feedings completely. If your baby needs to eat, you could give them expressed breast milk or formula.
    • If your baby is sleeping through the night, don’t wake them up to eat.

    Did You Know? Prolactin is a hormone that tells your body to make milk. It can also stop ovulation. Prolactin is higher at night, so skipping night feedings may help you ovulate sooner. [4]

  4. You need to breastfeed exclusively to stay infertile. [5] If you introduce formula or cereal, it’s likely that you’ll disrupt the hormones that are preventing you from ovulating. Provide your baby with 1 or more formula feedings each day or, if once they’re at least 6 months old, give them rice cereal or other solid foods if the doctor says they’re ready. [6]
    • Ask your doctor to recommend the best formula for your baby.
    5. Advertisement
Method 2
Method 2 of 4:

Making Lifestyle Changes

PDF download Download Article
  1. It can seem really easy to get pregnant, but that’s often not the case. To conceive, live, healthy sperm need to be inside your body when a healthy egg is released. Frequent sex ensures you have sperm in your body if an egg is released. Sperm can live inside your body for up to 5 days, so have sex at least once every 5 days. [7]

    Variation: If you’re using artificial insemination, ask your doctor when you should start trying. They might advise that you wait until you get your period so that you don’t waste sperm when you aren’t fertile.

  2. It’s normal to experience vaginal dryness while you’re breastfeeding, so you may not get very wet when you’re aroused. This can make sex uncomfortable. Apply a lubricant prior to having sex to relieve your dryness. [8]
    • Use a water-based or silicone-based lubricant, depending on your preferences.
    • Make sure your lubricant doesn’t contain spermicide, which will prevent pregnancy.
  3. Stop smoking if you do. You’re likely not smoking right now because the nicotine can pass to your baby through your breast milk. If you are still smoking, it’s best to quit while you’re trying to conceive. Smoking lowers your levels of progesterone, which your body needs to prepare your uterus. Don’t smoke if you want to get pregnant. [9]
    • Quitting is really hard, but you can do it. Try attending a support group to help you quit. Additionally, replace smoking with another behavior, like chewing gum.
    • You likely won’t be able to use nicotine replacement products while you’re breastfeeding.
    4. Advertisement
Method 3
Method 3 of 4:

Making Dietary Changes

PDF download Download Article
  1. Omega 3s naturally balance your hormones and improve blood circulation to your reproductive organs. They can also help increase your cervical mucus and may help you ovulate. Incorporate omega 3-rich foods into your diet to potentially help you get pregnant while you’re breastfeeding. [10]
    • Foods rich in omega 3 are fatty fish, cod liver oil, canola oil, walnuts, pumpkin seeds, cashews, avocado, sunflower seeds, almonds, sesame seeds, olive oil, corn oil and safflower oil.
  2. Royal jelly is made by bees and may help increase your fertility. It contains vitamin B6, which boosts your progesterone levels, as well as fatty acids that improve your egg quality. Additionally, it may help balance your hormones and maintain healthy gut bacteria to support your fertility. Take a daily supplement of royal jelly if your doctor says it’s safe. [11]
    • While supplements are generally safe, they aren’t right for everyone. Check with your doctor to make sure royal jelly is safe for you.
  3. Good nutrition can help balance your hormones so your cycle can return. Additionally, it may help you conceive and have a healthy baby. Consume prenatal vitamins daily to help you get the nutrition you need to breastfeed and increase your chances of getting pregnant. [12]
    • Always check with your doctor before taking any vitamins and supplements.
    4. Advertisement
Method 4
Method 4 of 4:

Checking for Ovulation

PDF download Download Article
  1. Since your period happens when your body is shedding an unfertilized egg, your first ovulation will happen before you get your period back. That means you may already be fertile and not know it. If you’d like to monitor your fertility, get an ovulation kit from the store. Then, follow the directions on the box to find out if you might be ovulating. [13]
    • Generally, you’ll urinate on an ovulation testing strip to find out if you’re ovulating. If the test is positive, you might be able to get pregnant if you have sex that day.
    • Reader Poll: We asked 340 wikiHow readers who've tracked their menstrual cycles, and 52% of them agreed that the best way to do so is by using a period tracker app or calendar. [Take Poll] Not only do these apps help you keep track of your period, but many of them alert you of when you’re ovulating.

    Tip: You can only get pregnant if you’re ovulating. Knowing when you may be ovulating will help you better time intercourse or insemination so you can get pregnant more easily.

  2. Track your basal body temperature to look for a small spike. Your temperature spikes slightly when you ovulate, so tracking your temperature can help you detect when you’re ovulating. Use a basal body thermometer to take your temperature every morning before you get out of bed. Track your readings so that you can look for a small spike of a few tenths of a degree. When this happens, you’re likely ovulating. [14]
    • An average basal body temperature ranges between 97 to 97.5 °F (36.1 to 36.4 °C). During ovulation, it might rise to around 97.6 to 98.6 °F (36.4 to 37.0 °C).
    • The changes in temperature can range from 0.2° to 0.5° C (0.4° to 1.0° F).
  3. Your cervical mucus varies in consistency throughout your cycle. To check it, wipe the opening of your vagina before you pee, stick 2 clean fingers in your vagina to collect the mucus, or look at the discharge in your panties. Rub it to see if it’s sticky or slippery. Write down your observations to help you figure out if you might be ovulating. [15]
    • If you feel dry, you probably aren’t ovulating.
    • Yellow, white, or cloudy mucus that feels sticky may be a sign you’re about to ovulate.
    • During ovulation, your mucus should look clear or slightly cloudy like egg whites. It’ll likely feel slippery and may stretch if you pull on it.
    4. Advertisement

Expert Q&A

Ask a Question
200 characters left
Include your email address to get a message when this question is answered.
Submit
      Advertisement

      Video

      Tips

      Submit a Tip
      All tip submissions are carefully reviewed before being published
      Name
      Please provide your name and last initial
      Submit
      Thanks for submitting a tip for review!
      Advertisement

      Warnings

      • It’s generally recommended that you wait 12-18 months after giving birth to get pregnant again. This helps you have the healthiest pregnancy possible.
        Thanks
        Helpful 18 Not Helpful 2
      • Talk to your doctor before changing your baby’s feeding schedule.
        Thanks
        Helpful 8 Not Helpful 3
      Advertisement

      You Might Also Like

      How to
      Recognize Implantation Bleeding
      How to
      Conceive a Boy
      How to
      Get Pregnant with a Girl
      13 Most Effective Ways to Help Get a Woman Pregnant
      How to
      Get Pregnant
      How to
      Use a Fertility Calendar
      How to
      Get Pregnant Quickly
      How to
      Improve FSH Levels
      How to
      Increase hCG Levels
      How to
      Get Pregnant Using Instead Cups
      How to
      Take & Track Your Basal Body Temperature (BBT)
      Are You Pregnant? Recognizing the First Signs
      How to
      Calculate Your Ovulation
      11 Signs You're Ready to Start a Family
      Advertisement

      References

      1. ↑ https://www.plannedparenthood.org/learn/birth-control/breastfeeding
      2. ↑ https://www2.hse.ie/babies-children/breastfeeding/fertility-other-children/fertility/
      3. ↑ https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/pregnancy-and-baby/sex-contraception-after-birth/
      4. ↑ https://www2.hse.ie/babies-children/breastfeeding/fertility-other-children/fertility/
      5. ↑ https://www.healthdirect.gov.au/breastfeeding-and-periods
      6. ↑ https://kidshealth.org/en/parents/solid-foods.html
      7. ↑ https://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/getting-pregnant/expert-answers/pregnancy/faq-20058504
      8. ↑ https://www.plannedparenthood.org/learn/birth-control/breastfeeding/what-are-disadvantages-using-breastfeeding-birth-control
      9. ↑ https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/9265557
      1. ↑ https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/35147198/
      2. ↑ https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1111/jpn.13303
      3. ↑ https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/pregnancy-and-baby/healthy-pregnancy-diet/
      4. ↑ https://www.plannedparenthood.org/learn/birth-control/breastfeeding/what-are-disadvantages-using-breastfeeding-birth-control
      5. ↑ https://www.uofmhealth.org/health-library/hw202058
      6. ↑ https://www.plannedparenthood.org/learn/birth-control/fertility-awareness/whats-cervical-mucus-method-fams
      7. ↑ https://www.plannedparenthood.org/learn/birth-control/breastfeeding
      8. ↑ https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/pregnancy-and-baby/sex-contraception-after-birth/

      About This Article

      Article Summary X

      If you want to get pregnant while you’re breastfeeding even if you haven’t gotten your period back, make some changes to your nursing schedule and lifestyle. Typically, breastfeeding only prevents pregnancy if your baby is nursing. Pumping your milk may reduce your hormone levels so you can ovulate again, so try pumping for 1 or 2 of your daily feedings. Another way to start ovulating again is to try to go longer than 6 hours without nursing once or twice a day. You can also stop nighttime nursing to increase your chances of getting pregnant. However, you may not be able to space out your feedings if your baby gets hungry often. Whatever you do, make sure to put your baby's needs first. If you’re not sure if you’ve started ovulating again, start having sex every 5 days to increase your chances of getting pregnant. To learn how to use royal jelly supplements to balance your hormones, keep reading!

      Did this summary help you?
      In other languages
      Thanks to all authors for creating a page that has been read 183,616 times.

      Reader Success Stories

      • Lynda Chiamaka

        Jul 9, 2022

        "At least I know when I can get pregnant."
      Share your story

      Did this article help you?

      Advertisement