Mirena (IUD) while breastfeeding

Hello girls,
My baby girl is 8 weeks old and I spoke to my OBG about a birth control and he suggested the IUD-Mirena, it is for 5 yrs. He told me I can put it in while I'm breastfeeding and there are no side effects. However, I'm a little bit sceptical since I'm afraid it will affect my milk supply and my baby. Does any of you use it while breastfeeding? if yes, what are the pros and cons? TIA

Message edited 7/24/2011 1:25:25 PM.

Re: Mirena (IUD) while breastfeeding

Really? My OB said that Mirena could lower supply and wasn't recommended for BFing mamas.



I'd do some more research before committing to something like that.

Re: Mirena (IUD) while breastfeeding

Mirena is safe for breastfeeding. It only contains progestin and additionally is only released in the uterus, not in your blood stream, so it wouldn't go to any other parts of your body (unlike the mini pill).
Any progestin-only BC is approved to be safe for breastfeeding.




Progestin-only contraceptives are the preferred choice for breastfeeding mothers when something hormonal is desired or necessary.

Progestin-only contraceptives come in several different forms:

the progestin-only pill (POP) also called the "mini-pill" (Micronor, Errin, Nor-QD, Ovrette, Microval, etc)
the birth control injection (Depo Provera)
the progesterone-releasing IUD (Mirena, Progestasert)
the birth control implant (Norplant, Implanon).

Milk supply: For most mothers, progestin-only forms of contraception do not cause problems with milk supply if started after the 6th-8th week postpartum and if given at normal doses. However, there are many reports (most anecdotal but nevertheless worth paying attention to) that some women do experience supply problems with these pills, so if you choose this method you still need to proceed with some caution.

If you're interested in one of the longer lasting progestin-only forms of birth control (the Depo-Provera shot lasts at least 12 weeks, but effects may be seen up to a year; the Mirena/Progestasert IUD and the Norplant implant can last up to 5 years), it may be a good idea to do a trial of progestin-only pills (mini-pill) for a month or more before deciding on the longer-term form of birth control. If you find that you are among the women whose supply drops significantly due to progestin-only birth control, you can simply discontinue the pills - rather than struggling with low milk supply for several months until the shot wears off or you get the implant or IUD removed.

Do note that the Mirena/Progestasert IUD delivers its hormone directly to the lining of the uterus, which only leads to a slight increase in progesterone levels in the blood stream (much lower than that found with the progesterone-only pill). As a result, there is much less chance of side effects from the progesterone than from the Depo-Provera shot or mini-pill.

Milk composition: At higher doses than normal this type of pill can affect the content of breastmilk. At these higher doses it has been shown to decrease the protein/nitrogen and lactose content of the milk. At regular doses, this does not seem to be as likely.

Safety: Progestin (progesterone) is approved by the AAP for use in breastfeeding mothers. See below for additional information on side effects related to lactation.