Question Title: Birth control pill after pregnancy

Hi, I am 11 weeks postpartum with child number three and am 38 years old. I bleed for 5 weeks (red) and spotted 2 weeks more. I stopped nursing at 7 weeks. I started on Demulen 1/35 at 7 and 1/2 weeks. I had no blood or spotting weeks 7 (before pill )and 8 (1st week on pill) I began spotting week 2 and bleeding red (3-6 pads/day) week 3. It is now the week of having menses for the pill schedule and I am bleeding moderately. These are my questions:

1. With all this bleeding am I protected against pregnancy?
2. Should I continue with Demulen or switch to ortho tricylen (am I less likely to have breakthrough bleeding with it?)( I was on Demulen for 5 years before preg.#1 and for 5 years between pregs #2 & #3) (my only problems were dizzy spells and longer periods toward the last year I was on it)
3. I assume some of my problem is widely flucuating hormone levels. Should I just go off the pill completely for awhile?
4. At what point should I be concerned with amemia? (My doctor's office nurse advised me that I could continue on the Demulen and that this "breakthrough" bleeding could continue for several months. I would like to avoid months of bleeding like this. (it's been 9 out of 11 weeks so far) PS at lest my baby is doing GREAT. Thank you for your help.

Dear Ann:
Breakthrough bleeding is common in the first cycle of all birth conrol pills. Staying with the formulation through three cycles, 92+% of women will exerience controlled cycles. Changing formulatons may not improve the original problem may add second problems such as headache, or may trade on set ofsymptoms for a second.

During breakthrough bleeding, ovulation is blocked and contraception is being provided.

Anemia can be avoided by a blanced diet combined with a multiple vitamin with iron.

Do not stop the birth control pills until you have an alternate contraception plan in place.

Keywords: breakthrough bleeding, oral contraception

This information is provided for education purposes and is not a medical consultation. If you have specific questions, please speak with your healthcare provider.