This includes extra drinks of fruit juice or artificial milk and the introduction of small amounts of solid food. Ovulation and conception are more common after a sharp decrease in suckling time and frequency. Abrupt weaning can therefore result in a rapid return of fertility. Anxiety, stress or illness - either in mother or baby. Unlike menstrual cycles where stress tends to delay ovulation, during breast-feeding the effect of stress is to allow ovulation to occur earlier than it might otherwise.
Prolactin is inhibited, the oestrogen levels rise and fertile cycles return much sooner.
If a woman chooses to bottle feed her baby then her fertility is likely to return around six weeks after the birth, but ovulation may occur as early as the fourth week. In 50 per cent of women ovulation occurs before the first menstrual period. Ovulation may occur as early as the fifth week or may be delayed to the second or third month. Menstruation commonly occurs at the seventh or eighth week. Women who wish to use a natural method of family planning post-natally require the support of a qualified NFP teacher.