Susanna,
If you are looking into contraception while breastfeeding, start with
the lactation amennorrhea method (LAM).  You might search the archives
for LAM or for Miriam Labbock.  Other's may be able to direct you to a
webpage that explains the technique more fully.  If I remember
correctly, the World Health Organization had a page explaining this.

In my clinicial experience, each mother's tolerance of hormonal
contraception varies widely.  It is not safe to presume that the
establishment of the milk supply will be uncompromised by ANY type of
hormonal birth control.   It is distressing when I discover women who
have slow-gaining babies which can be tracked back to a pill or a shot
that "they told me it was safe," or worse "they said it would increase
my milk supply."  How sad

As always, I believe women should be presented with a range of options,
and full information which includes the experience of practitioners in
this field.

Good luck in your studies.

--
Jeanne Mitchell, Austin, TX
http://www.flash.net/~xanth/home.htm
mailto:[log in to unmask]
"You can tell the quality of a person by how
they treat people they don't need." My Dad