There Is Nothing Wrong With Getting Pregnant Whilst Breastfeeding
Islamic Rulings -
Living Shariah Verdicts
Islamic Questions & Answers
I have a son who is 19 months old, and I would
like to know: is it permissible for me to get pregnant
whilst I am breastfeeding my son? What is the ruling
if I get pregnant and cannot continue breastfeeding
him? Do I have to wait until I complete two years of
breastfeeding, and then try to get pregnant?.
Praise be to Allaah.
It is permissible for a man to have intercourse with
his wife who is breastfeeding, and there is nothing
wrong with it. And there is nothing wrong with a woman
breastfeeding when pregnant, because of the report
narrated by Muslim (1442) from Judaamah bint Wahb al-Asadiyyah
(may Allah be pleased with her), that she heard the
Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be
upon him) say: "I was thinking of forbidding
intercourse with a breastfeeding woman, until it
occurred to me that the Romans and Persians do that
and it does not harm their children."
But the woman should examine her own case and her
ability to put up with that, and she has to weigh up
her duty towards her nursing infant and what she
herself will need during the period of pregnancy. If
she thinks that she may not be able to balance
matters, or she thinks that it will harm her, then
there is no reason why she should not put off getting
pregnant for a while, so that she can finish
breastfeeding, then start a new pregnancy.
Ibn Jibreen (may Allah have mercy on him) was asked:
I am a woman with six children, and in most cases I
got pregnant before completing the breastfeeding of
the previous child -- before the end of the two years
-- and I want to use the so-called "coil"
[intra-uterine device, a form of contraception that is
inserted in the uterus] to prevent pregnancy for two
years only. What is the Islamic ruling on that?
Answer:
There is no reason why you should not do that, if both
spouses agree to it, and they are certain that it will
not cause any harm to the uterus or prevent having any
children in the future and so on. End quote.