Mirena and breastfeeding?

Anyone used the Mirena (progestagen-containing coil) while
breastfeeding? How old was your baby when you started using it and was
your bleeding pattern like? I'm deciding whether to go for this or a
hormone-free IUCD after this baby's born, and I'd welcome any feedback
on people's experiences.


All the best,

Sarah
--
http://www.goodenoughmummy.typepad.com

"That which can be destroyed by the truth, should be" - P. C. Hodgell

Sarah Vaughan wrote:
Anyone used the Mirena (progestagen-containing coil) while
breastfeeding? How old was your baby when you started using it and was
your bleeding pattern like? I'm deciding whether to go for this or a
hormone-free IUCD after this baby's born, and I'd welcome any feedback
on people's experiences.

I had it, I got it put in between 5 and 6 months postnatally, it could
have been earlier, but I don't recall how much earlier, it just took me
that much time to get round to making the appointment for precautionary
swabs and then the appointment for fitting, which due to my SPD I was
pretty anxious about, the doctor was marvellous though, managed to get
in with my knees about 12 inches apart.

However, it does seem that a lot of people are mentioning problems with
it, maybe it's that if people don't have problems they don't mention it,
but it seems to have come up an awful lot here recently, from the info I
can find on the internet there are a lot of side effects in the grouping
that is said to be up to 10% of the people, obviously lots of drugs do,
so it depends on the value of reliable long term contraception to you -
but I couldn't hack persistent nausea whilst not pregnant, it was a full
year before I decided enough was enough and was confident it was the
mirena and got it taken out and the nausea vanished pretty quickly.

For me the mirena surpressed mensturation, which is very tempting,
particular as my cycles have got shorter and my periods heavier than
ever before since stopping. It think I had spotting for about 2 months
after fitting - but once you've had kids and done the whole lochia
thing, that's no biggy (or at least it wasn't for me), whereas it might
be if you haven't had kids.

I have a suspicion that the rate of side effects may be counted too low
as when it's something you leave in, you've less chance of noticing a
change if you say accidently miss a dose.

If the non hormonal one works for you, I'd be inclined to stick with it
(or rather go for it again!), I had heard the suggestion of trying the
mini pill for 3 months before choosing a longer term progesterone only
method, but I didn't have any problems with that and did with the
mirena, so I don't know how strong the predictive value really is.

Cheers
Anne

Sarah Vaughan schrieb:
Anyone used the Mirena (progestagen-containing coil) while
breastfeeding? How old was your baby when you started using it and was
your bleeding pattern like? I'm deciding whether to go for this or a
hormone-free IUCD after this baby's born, and I'd welcome any feedback
on people's experiences.

I got mine when Sam was about 1 year old and I was in a steady
relationship. I had some ongoing spotting for a while (two months Like
Anne? I'm not sure, but it seemed like for ever at the time.) but when
it vanished I didn't have it again pretty much the entire time. I got
the mirena removed last October and bled once before getting pregnant again.
I didn't have a regular period at all while the mirena was in. I did
bleed occasionally, when I was very stressed (I used to have a really
really heavy period that got even worse with stress). I bled maybe 5-10
times during the 5 years I had the mirena, and it was always a very
light period that lasted maybe 3 days and I only needed pads for one or
two days, the rest was really more light spotting.
I totally loved the mirena and if I find myself in a steady relationship
again I'll definitely get one again. (It's mostly a money issue, I' not
shelling out 300 Euros for something I don't really need.)

I nursed Sam until he was about 4 and didn't have supply issues at all.

cu
nicole

"Sarah Vaughan" wrote in message
...
Anyone used the Mirena (progestagen-containing coil) while
breastfeeding? How old was your baby when you started using it and was
your bleeding pattern like? I'm deciding whether to go for this or a
hormone-free IUCD after this baby's born, and I'd welcome any feedback
on people's experiences.

I got mine at 6 weeks pp. No issues with bf at all - DS self weaned at 2.5
years and was certainly "doing well" (ie pudgy) on breastmilk.
Previously, I would have said it was a great bc method - AF was a bit of
spotting for a month or two then non existent , no pain, no chance of
forgetting it etc.

BUT, it seems that I have developed an ectropion (Gyn thinks its due to the
mirena) which will have to be surgically removed sometime in the next year
or so.
I won't be having the mirena replaced.
Amanda

On Aug 11, 12:33 pm, Sarah Vaughan
wrote:
Anyone used the Mirena (progestagen-containing coil) while
breastfeeding? How old was your baby when you started using it and was
your bleeding pattern like? I'm deciding whether to go for this or a
hormone-free IUCD after this baby's born, and I'd welcome any feedback
on people's experiences.

Yep, loved it. Had it put in at 6 weeks pp and kept it there for 3.5
years. Only trouble was that the OB initially left the string a
little too long and it was a sharp little wire poking around in there
for a day until I got back in to have it fixed. Had maybe 2 or 3
episodes of spotting the whole time. No supply issues, as I had to
sleep in a bra and nursing pads until around 8 months and the Bug
breastfed until 2y/o.

Kate, ignorant foot soldier of the medical cartel
and the Bug, 4 years old

I had the Mirena for about 18m and had it placed around 6m pp. As a bc
method and for bf'ing Iliked it but I got cramps and an ovarian cyst with
it, which eventually caused me to have it removed. Insertion was, for me,
extremely painful and I cramped for a few days afterwards, and then I had
cramping on and off for months until it finally got too unbearable (like
early labor). I have just started with the Implanon which is a plastic
matchstick sized rod implanted in the inner arm which slowly releases
progesterone. So far so good, but it's fairly new in the US so you'll have
to call around to find a doctor who is trained in its insertion.

Good luck!

CY
"Sarah Vaughan" wrote in message
...
Anyone used the Mirena (progestagen-containing coil) while breastfeeding?
How old was your baby when you started using it and was your bleeding
pattern like? I'm deciding whether to go for this or a hormone-free IUCD
after this baby's born, and I'd welcome any feedback on people's
experiences.


All the best,

Sarah
--
http://www.goodenoughmummy.typepad.com

"That which can be destroyed by the truth, should be" - P. C. Hodgell