A woman who is breastfeeding goes through many emotions. It is a time of healing for her body and it is a time that she is still responsible for providing nourishment to her child. During this time, getting pregnant again may seem very unlikely even though your body has not returned to its original cycle, but it is not impossible.
A plenty of women don’t realise that they are pregnant during breastfeeding until they notice signs of pregnancy. In this article, we’ll walk through the key early symptoms to watch for, how breastfeeding can mask some classic pregnancy signs, and what steps you can take if you suspect you’re pregnant.
Why Pregnancy Can Happen While Breastfeeding
Many moms rely on breastfeeding as a form of contraception. There’s a reason for this: exclusive breastfeeding triggers hormonal responses that suppress ovulation, a method known as lactational amenorrhea. However, while it reduces the chance of pregnancy, it doesn’t guarantee it — especially:
- If breastfeeding frequency lessens
- If solids or bottles are introduced
- Once your baby reaches about 6 months
- If periods have returned
Even if your period hasn’t happened, ovulation can still happen, meaning you could conceive without realizing you’re fertile again.
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What Makes Detecting Pregnancy Harder During Breastfeeding?
There are many physical and hormonal changes that occur during breastfeeding which may be confusing for mothers trying to determine whether these symptoms are normal postpartum or indicative of another pregnancy, such as fatigue, breast tenderness, fluid shifts, etc. The vaccines and treatments received by a mother for her previous pregnancy may also have an impact on the symptoms experienced by the mother when breastfeeding a new child.
For instance:
- Breast sensations that are normal with nursing can feel like pregnancy tenderness
- Being tired is expected with a baby, but heightened tiredness may be a red flag
- Mood changes can occur from sleep disruption or hormones
This blur is exactly why knowing the signs of pregnancy while breastfeeding is so important. Let’s break them down.
Common Early Signs of Pregnancy While Breastfeeding
Here are the symptoms most frequently noticed by moms who discover they’re pregnant again —
1. Changes in Milk Supply
The most obvious indication one has of pregnancy while breastfeeding is a sudden drop in supply, but there may be other signals as well which may indicate low supply, too. The biggest signal of a sudden plunge of breast milk is often a sign of pregnancy, as breast milk can naturally vary at times depending on hormonal changes within the body.
Some mothers reported that there was a change in texture or taste of the breast milk during the early stages of their pregnancy, which in turn caused the babies to to refuse to nurse at all, which can be quite frustrating for mothers desiring to continue their breastfeeding.
2. Heightened Breast Sensitivity
You may have breast-related symptoms that are different from what you usually experience when you nurse your child. Many women notice an increase in their symptoms, such as tenderness or swelling, during their pregnancy, but also an increase in the amount and duration of soreness.
3. Exhaustion Beyond Normal Fatigue
Most breastfeeding mothers are tired during their breastfeeding duration. However, pregnancy fatigue tends to be more ubiquitous, lasts longer, and sometimes does not correlate with how much rest the mother has had to that point in time. Listen to your body; if you rest and you remain tired, then your body is practically telling you that you are suffering from pregnancy fatigue.
Pregnancy fatigue can occur in a woman as early as 3-6 weeks following conception.
4. Nausea and Morning Sickness
Pregnancy symptoms, including nausea, may start appearing in the same timeframe as regular pregnancy symptoms but may occur at any time during the day. When nausea is coupled with fatigue or decreased milk supply, it gives more definitive signs that a woman could possibly be pregnant. In some instances, nausea may be more prevalent when a woman is breastfeeding or feeding their baby, which may indicate fluctuating hormones.
5. Mood Swings and Emotional Changes
Hormonal changes at the beginning of a pregnancy can produce ever-changing emotions that are heightened compared with standard stress and/or lack of sleep. This may show itself through irritability, crying spells, and a short fuse.
Although these same types of emotional variations are possible at some point after giving birth, they are generally much stronger than the hormonal variations experienced during pregnancy and are therefore more unpredictable.
6. Frequent Urination
Blood volume increases in the first months of pregnancy and the rising levels of hormones take their toll on the bladder.Increased bathroom usage during night time could indicate pregnancy while still breastfeeding and lead to frustration.
Increased number of bathroom trips compared to previous baseline breastfeeding trips may also indicate an underlying cause that could be pregnancy related.
7. Spotting or Light Bleeding
Implantation bleeding can occur after egg fertilization during a time frame of 6 or 12 Days after conception where the embryo implants itself into the inner lining of the uterus. Since implantation bleeding is typically very light in amount (not as heavy as would normally occur during a monthly menstrual cycle), and usually has a brownish to reddish color; it might be confused with menstrual bleeding. Because of this, it will be helpful for the women’s reproductive health to keep an accurate record of their monthly Cycle Patterns along with knowledge of their ovulation cycle, to help them know if they are experiencing implantation bleeding.
8. Changes in Appetite
Pregnant women may experience sudden and increased hunger pangs. They may start experiencing cravings for food you did not enjoy before. This may happen due to changes in hormones and can happen both during lactation and pregnancy. Your nutrient needs may naturally increase because you are now carrying a new individual in your uterus.
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Pregnancy and Milk: How It Really Works
Because the levels of the hormone prolactin increase during lactation, lactation functions as a contraceptive by inhibiting ovulation and delaying the return of fertility. Once ovulation is restored, however, menstruation does not have to occur prior to pregnancy becoming possible. Therefore, if you are relying solely on lactation to tell you when to start trying to conceive, do not rely on the absence of menses as an absolute indication that you cannot become pregnant.
Understanding pregnancy signs in breastfeeding women allows for the quicker action of the woman — especially before the classic signs (like missed menses) are clearly demonstrable therefore providing the women with the time needed to take the appropriate actions based on those pregnancy signs.
When Should You Take a Pregnancy Test?
If you exhibit any of the symptoms mentioned in this article, especially decreased milk supply, severe breast pain, nausea/vomiting, or fatigue, we suggest that you take a home pregnancy test for potential pregnancy. For the most reliable results, wait at least 1 week after one’s expected menses before performing the test.
Be mindful of the fact that many women have conceived soon after ovulation, even though they hadn’t yet menstruated after their delivery. Never discount any possible indication of pregnancy because you have not yet had your initial postpartum menses.
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Final Thoughts
If you are breastfeeding, then watching for pregnancy signs can help you reduce some of the uncertainty, and allow you to make more informed decisions regarding your health and the health of your infant. You may not notice a missed period while breastfeeding, as this symptom is masked or delayed, but the following symptoms could indicate pregnancy: Increased Tiredness, Nausea, Changes to milk supply, Breast tenderness and Mood swings.
If you notice any combination of these signs, taking a pregnancy test and consulting with your doctor will allow you to identify whether or not you are pregnant, and help ensure the best outcomes for you and your babies.
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