Getting Pregnant Again

While your body is able to get pregnant as soon as two weeks after your baby is born, getting pregnant too soon after giving birth can be risky for both you and your baby. Give your body at least a year to recover before trying again. Make a plan so you don’t have another baby too soon. To get started, follow the recommendations below:

  • Visit a family planning clinic or your healthcare provider.
  • Find out if you qualify for Be Smart. Be Ready – free reproductive health services in North Carolina
  • Answer the following family planning questions with your partner:
    • Do we want to have a baby (or another baby?) Yes / No
    • If the answer is yes, when? ______________________
      TIP: Wait at least a year and a half after the birth of a baby before getting pregnant again to increase your chance of having a healthy baby.
  • Learn about your birth control options.

Other Links

North Carolina
NC Health Info - links to Family Planning Services across the state

Birth Control Options

Having babies very close together is hard on your body. Pregnancies spaced close together may also affect the health of the later child. You and all of your babies will have a better chance for good health when you wait at least 18 months (one and a half years) after having a baby to get pregnant again. There are many methods you can use to space your pregnancies.
Talk to your doctor or nurse about your choices. You can use a birth control method even if you are breastfeeding. Talk about what is best for you. Some methods protect against pregnancy and sexually transmitted diseases better than others. Some methods have to be used correctly every day or every time you have sex; others are long-acting.

This is a brief list of birth control methods available to you and your partner. Contact your family planning clinic or your healthcare provider for a more complete list.

  • Permanent birth control methods
  • Abstinence (No sexual contact)
  • Hormonal methods (The Pill, some IUD’s, Depo-Provera, the Patch)
  • Barrier methods (Male and female condoms, spermicides, diaphragm, cervical cap)
  • Surgical methods (Vasectomy, tubal ligation)
  • Natural family planning (Mucus, basal body temperature, rhythm or calendar method)

Resources