You can have sex as soon as you and your partner both want to. Having a baby causes many physical and emotional changes for both partners and it may take some time before you feel comfortable or ready to have sex.

Everyone’s different, so don’t feel pressured or worry that you’re not normal if you don’t feel ready to have sex.

It can help to talk to your partner or a healthcare professional such as a nurse, doctor or health visitor about any concerns you have.

The earliest your periods can return is 5 to 6 weeks after the birth, if you’re not breastfeeding.

Breastfeeding usually delays the return of your periods. You’re more likely to start having them once you breastfeed less often and feeds are shorter, but in some women they may return earlier.

You can get pregnant before your periods return because ovulation (releasing an egg) occurs about 2 weeks before you get your period.

You need to start using contraception from 3 weeks (21 days) after the birth. It’s not possible to get pregnant earlier than this.

Many methods can be started straight after the birth so that you’re prepared – see below for when can I start my chosen method of contraception?

Don’t wait for your periods to return or until you have your postnatal check before you use contraception as you could get pregnant again before then.

If you’re fully breastfeeding you can choose to rely on this for contraception – see below for will breastfeeding act as a contraceptive?

This will depend on what you and your partner prefer, your medical history, any problems you had in your pregnancy and if you’re breastfeeding.

You can find our guide to all your contraceptive choices here.

These methods can be used or started any time after the birth:

• External (male) or internal (female) condoms
• Contraceptive implant
• Progestogen-only pill
• Contraceptive injection. When using the injection within 6 weeks of giving birth you may be more likely to have heavy and irregular bleeding
• An IUD (hormonal or copper) can be fitted at the time of delivery or up to 48 hours afterwards. Otherwise, you’ll need to wait until 4 weeks or later
• Fertility awareness methods. It may be more difficult to identify your fertile time immediately after giving birth or when you’re breastfeeding

From 3 weeks after the birth if you’re not breastfeeding or from 6 weeks if you’re breastfeeding you can start:

• the combined pill
• the contraceptive patch
• the contraceptive vaginal ring

Because your risk of blood clots is higher during pregnancy and after giving birth, you may be advised to wait until 6 weeks even if you’re not breastfeeding.

From 4 weeks after the birth you can use:

• a copper intrauterine device (copper IUD)
• a hormonal intrauterine device (hormonal IUD)

A copper or hormonal IUD can also be fitted at the time of delivery or up to 48 hours later.

From 6 weeks after the birth you can use:

• a diaphragm or a cap. as long as it fits correctly

Long-acting reversible contraceptives (LARC) are the most effective methods at preventing pregnancy. You don’t need to remember to take or use them.

• Contraceptive implant – lasts for 3 years. Can be taken out earlier
• Copper IUD – lasts for 5 to 10 years depending on type. Can be taken out earlier
• Hormonal IUD – lasts for 3, 5 or 8 years depending on type. Can be taken out earlier
• Contraceptive injection (Depo-Provera or Sayana Press) – lasts for 13 weeks

Other methods rely on you remembering to take or use them. These are all effective methods if used according to instructions. But you have to use and think about them regularly or each time you have sex. If they’re not used according to instructions every time, they’re less effective.

These methods include:

• Combined pill
• Contraceptive patch
• Contraceptive vaginal ring
• Progestogen-only pill
• External (male) or internal (female) condoms
• Diaphragm or cap with spermicide
• Fertility awareness methods

If you’re breastfeeding then it’s recommended that you wait until the baby is 6 weeks old before starting the combined pill, the contraceptive vaginal ring or the contraceptive patch. These methods contain the hormone oestrogen which may affect your milk production starting.

If you used a diaphragm or cap before your pregnancy, check with your doctor or contraception clinic to make sure it still fits – your cervix and vagina change shape during pregnancy and birth.

Fertility awareness methods can be more difficult to learn and use just after you’ve had a baby. If you used this method before your pregnancy, ask your fertility awareness teacher for advice.

An implant, hormonal IUD or copper IUD can be taken out at any time you choose and your normal fertility will return quickly.

If you use the injection, your fertility may not return for several months after your last injection has worn off. It can sometimes take up to a year for your periods and fertility to get back to normal. So if you want to get pregnant sooner, this may not be the best method to choose.

You can stop taking or using other methods whenever you choose to and your normal fertility will return quickly.

Fertility awareness methods can help you with planning a pregnancy as well as avoiding one.

Waiting at least 1 year after giving birth before getting pregnant again can help you have a healthier pregnancy and birth, reducing the risk of complications such as an early birth or a very small baby. If you do get pregnant earlier, don’t worry – ask your doctor, nurse or midwife for advice.

If you’re absolutely sure you don’t want any more children you may wish to consider female sterilisation (tubal occlusion) or male sterilisation (vasectomy).These are permanent methods of contraception.

It’s not usually recommended that you or a partner be sterilised at the time of childbirth, as you need time to be sure that you don’t want any more children.

There is some evidence to show that women who are sterilised at the time of the birth, or just after, are more likely to regret this decision later. The failure rate of female sterilisation may also be higher when it’s done at this time.

Breastfeeding is also known as lactation. It can help to delay when you start ovulating (releasing an egg) and having periods after the birth. This is known as lactational amenorrhoea (LAM) and it can be used as a contraceptive method.

When it’s used correctly and consistently, LAM can be more than 98% effective in preventing pregnancy for up to 6 months after the birth. However, all of the following conditions must apply:

• you’re fully, or nearly fully, breastfeeding. This means you’re only giving your baby breast milk, or you’re infrequently giving other liquids in addition to your breast milk
• your baby is less than 6 months old
• you haven’t had your first period since the birth

The risk of pregnancy increases if any of these conditions apply:

• you start breastfeeding less often for any reason
• the time between feeds is longer than 4 hours in the day or longer than 6 hours at night
• you use supplement feeding
• your periods return

Once your baby is over 6 months old the risk of getting pregnant increases, so even if you don’t have periods and are fully or nearly fully breastfeeding, use another contraceptive method.

If you’re using a hormonal method of contraception a very small amount of hormone will enter the milk, but no research has shown that this will harm your baby.

It’s advised that you wait until the baby is 6 weeks old before starting the combined pill, the contraceptive vaginal ring or the contraceptive patch. They contain the hormone oestrogen which may affect your milk production starting.

Using the copper IUD doesn’t affect your milk, and copper from it doesn’t get into the milk.

If it’s 21 days or more since the birth and you have sex without using contraception, or you think your contraception might have failed, you can use emergency contraception – see below. It’s not possible to get pregnant earlier than 21 days (3 weeks) after the birth.

• You can use an emergency pill from 21 days.
• You can use the emergency IUD from 28 days.

If you’re breastfeeding, you can continue to breastfeed as usual after using an emergency contraceptive pill or having an emergency IUD fitted.

You can find out more about contraception from:

• a midwife, nurse or doctor in hospital or at a birth centre
• your midwife or health visitor at home
• your GP surgery or a contraception or sexual health clinic