So tell me... What's your favorite method of contraception? And P.S., The "pull-out-and-pray" method doesn't count. Because it doesn't work.
At all.
Hi, Archer!
GGC
What are you on?
I'll be honest. I SUCK at birth control. I spent my entire teens and early twenties on a pill I forgot to take half the time. My experience with condoms has been awful. I don't know what this says about my vagina, but they ALWAYS used to break on me. Er, in me. Sorry TMI but I feel like we should be able to talk about these things:
So tell me... What's your favorite method of contraception? And P.S., The "pull-out-and-pray" method doesn't count. Because it doesn't work.
So tell me... What's your favorite method of contraception? And P.S., The "pull-out-and-pray" method doesn't count. Because it doesn't work.
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105 comments:
Mirena, but I hate it.
Makes my period all wonky and shit.
And I got pregnant on the pill.
I'm on the birth control patch - Ortho-Evra is the name in Canada. Best thing ever for forgetful gals like us.
Tubal ligation.
I used to be just like you. I never remembered to take my pill, I had trouble with condoms, tried NuvaRing for a while and that was better, but once I left it in a month more than necessary because I forgot about it.
Now, I just forget my thyroid medication.
Holy shit, we'be been using the pull out and pray method for a while now... since my husband is pretty adament about not wanting a third child... maybe we should re-consider our options, then? But I don't want to go back on the pill... and all other methods I'm too lazy to even think about right now!
Pull and pray all the way. For years. I kind of keep hoping it'll fail... WHAT? WHO SAID THAT?
I will die with my Mirena IUD. Love it, love, love, love.
I've got no kids yet, and I'm a low dose pill girl. I just take it when I brush my teeth. Plan is for hubs to get a vasectomy after we have kids. And you're knocking pulling out, but recent studies show that it can be almost as effective as the male condom (at least according to this thing I read in the New York Times)!
I was on the pill for six years. Everything worked well for me (obv - as I never got pregnant) and I took it religiously but I got to the point where I really hated taking it. I was resenting my husband because he got to have sex all he wanted (kinda) and I was the sole provider in all manners of bc! Lame!
So... I switched to NuvaRing a few months ago and it has been very easy. It was a little odd at first because, silly me, I thought it was supposed to go up around my cervix (like make a circle around it and fit securely). Nope. It just goes in your vagina. Just lays there. I don't notice it and it doesn't feel any differently to have sex with it in, but I just feel a little odd about my vagina being a carrying case for my bc. Very odd, but totally easy. I just made an alarm on my phone reminding me to take it out every 3 weeks (because it would be easy to leave in like Jessi above did) and then another alarm a week later to stick another one up there. I totally suggest it over pills.
I used the "pull-out-and-pray" method for about nine months with my first BF until I realized how stupid it was and got on the pill for a year or two.
One unplanned pregnancy (because I sucked at taking the pill, or rather re-newing my prescription) later and I'm on Mirena. I hate condoms. They're just...ugh. Why put a balloon on your tongue when you eat cake? Fuck condoms.
So far Mirena has been good to me.
Paraguard IUD. Love it. No hormones but definite periods every month. I'm 26, had it for 3 years and won't take it out 'til I want babies. Plus it's good for 10 years!
I'm on Paragard IUD numero 2.
I love it and hate it. I love that I don't have to think about it, that there are no hormones with it, and that I'm not getting pregnant. Hate that it seems to be somewhat incompatible with my post-Westley uterus...which is waaaay over to the side and waaaay tipped over. (How's that for an overshare? Let me give you the coordinates for my post-baby uterus!) Awesomely sucky symptom behind door number one? A 10-day period. Fun.
I'm also a huge fan of Fertility Awareness. Not alone, as my only birth control, but for the "awareness" part. It's just kind of cool to know when you're ovulating and whatnot. Or maybe that's just my geek showing.
There is no such thing as "my favorite method of contraception" because everything has some sort of horrible side effect on me!
Amber
http://www.wildtochild.com
We've used the pull out (sans praying) method for almost twelve years. We've not pulled out twice and gotten pregnant twice. So it does work for some people. And OMG I am not putting my name on this.
My third pregnancy (first baby) resulted in heart damage, so I can't take anything with hormones due to risks. So, condoms it is.
I'm on a generic form of Orthotricylin. I am good about remembering since I take it and other meds/vitamins before I brush my teeth. I considered the IUD, but the pictures I have seen of what the IUD looks like creep me out a little.
Oh and hubs and I have only had sex twice since my son was born 5 months ago--so total and utter exhaustion is also a good form of birth control!
-Lori at I Can Grow People
We tried the breastfeeding/birth control pill COMBO and, well, "Hello Connor!". Then it was 2 years of the Depo-Provera shot (hello 20 extra pounds that won't go away!). Then, because we're done anyway, I had my tubes tied.
Though I keep worrying that I'll be in that 3% of 40yr olds and up that have their tubes grow back together!
I'm on Orthotricyclin. It's fine. I take it when I take my other vitamins/meds before I brush my teeth everyday.
I considered the IUD, but the site of it sort of creeps me out.
I am a new mom to a 5 month old boy and my husband and I find that total exhaustion is the best birth control these days!
I've been on the pill since I was eighteen. I'm 24. Low-dose pills are awesome; higher does pills make me feel horrible. We use condoms when I forget to take it, which does happen. No babies yet!
mirena for life. love it. i am a horrible pill taker too, hence my first pregnancy (oops).
Today Sponge. Not as effective as most other options (90%) but no hormones (the pill/patch/etc makes me so grumpy). More spontaneity than a condom since you can put it in up to 24hrs in advance. And my fiancee says he can't feel it so no "eating cake with a balloon on your tongue". Thanks for the hilarious visual Amanda :)
Rebecca, please tell me...what shade and brand is your lipstick in this video? It's so pink! I love it!! Please tell me!!!
:)
Good old birth control pills for me! Yasmin. They have worked great for 2 years, haven't forgotten but HATE condoms. I laughed histerically at the comment of who wants to put a balloon on their tongue while eating cake?! bahahaha
I was on the pill since age 16 until about 20. It made me crazy, completely insanely hormonal. It also made my previously regular periods turn into "once every 4 months or whenever I feel like it"
I've had the mirena for a year and a half. I was happy with it to begin with, but I now have sneaking suspicion that it is also making me crazy.
We're going to start TTC soon anyway, so I'm just going to take it out and not think about anything for a while.
The nuvaring ROCKS my world! Pills made me sick (and I'm forgetful), condoms are a pain and I'm too paranoid for anything else.
It's the ONLY thing that has ever regulated/lightened my period and the horrific PMS that comes with. I recommend it to every gal I know.
I have the Mirena. It's nice not to have to remember to take a pill, but I'm not sure if thats worth the dryness we now have to deal with down there... That kills spontaneity just as well as condoms.
Oh, Mirena. Baby 2 was a birth control baby. Then I had the Mirena IUD for 4 years and it was awesome. Last March I had it out to go back on the pill, and in July I found out I'm preggers with baby 3.
BC does not work for hubby and I. I'm meticulous about taking it exactly as I should, but never fails..babies. So after this one? Mirena, again.
I was on the pill from about age 18 to 27, when we started trying for our a kid. It worked fine for me, I'd forget taking it every once in a while but thankfully had no accidents (know many others who did, though).
Then I had my son and for the first year I didn't want to use anything with hormones b/c I was breastfeeding, so we used condoms. I started looking into options for something to use after I was done breastfeeding (condoms were NOT a long-term option, hubby doesn't like them and I realized once we stopped using them that they were part of what made sex painful still even 1 yr later) and came across the IUD... and researched them, and found that they make SO MUCH MORE SENSE than the pill or condoms that have so much built-in user error (I knew there was NO WAY I'd remember to take a pill now with a baby and my brain half-fried)-- and they're finding out they're probably just as safe for women who haven't given birth before as well.
So I'm now on Mirena, have been for 6 or so months. At first it was wierd, I swore I could "feel" it inside my uterus, not anymore and I hardly even get a period anymore. Luckily I also only paid $15 total for it and that'll be the case no matter when I decide to take it out (I have a friend whose dr said she'd have to pay the full price if she decided to take it out in less than 2 yrs??). I am very happy with it, I foresee this being my method of birth control for as long as I'm able to get pregnant.
I've been on birth control basically for about 14 years - never had a problem remembering to take it and it always worked - except that one time it didn't, which of course led to my daughter being born and getting married and having my other two kids so it was just meant to be. Of course, the fact that it didn't work one time, and that we got pregnant on the first try after going off the pill (twice) makes me less secure in knowing I won't accidentally get pregnant again. When I'm absolutely sure I'm done having kids my hsband is getting a vasectomy (he'd get it now if i'd let him cause he thinks three is plenty), but for now I figure it will work or it will be fated.
nuvaring all the way. i loves it. no weight gain, crazy hormonal outbursts, or spotting etc. regular periods... its a good one.
can i ask y'all a question? i have always thought i'd have a planned cesarean. i dont want more than 3 kids, so i've always thought "ok, well three times is the limit anyway cesarean-wise, so im all good." my sister is due in 2 weeks and she is 100% in it to win it, au naturale. another friend of mine has 4 bebes and did it naturally all 3 pregnancies (twinsies the third time around).
i know "its better for the baby" to have a natural birth, but whats better for the mother? just curious as to what you guys think. post-bebe, is sex just the most ridiculously painful thing ever because of the lesions from childbirth? what would you do differently?
just wondering.
After baby #1 I tried the Mirena but after a year of nonstop periods I had it removed. Tried the pill but it made me INSANE, so thought we might want another baby at some point & went with the "Fertility Awareness Method" Oops. After Baby #2, the hubs got snipped damn near as soon as baby came out. DEFINITELY did not want more than 2 kids. So now I have acne like I'm freaking 13, but I don't take ANY hormones for the first time in 17 years & I love that.
We used condoms.
Im seven months pregnant.
Im thinking a different form of BC is in order after I have the baby.
I suck at taking pills, have always been like that. Baby #1, who is 2 years old, was a birth control baby and I swear I actually took all the pills correctly during that time! Baby #2, who is 11 months old, was a pull-n-pray so yeah.. that doesn't work for us. Currently I am on a BC pill that doesn't seem to be working for my body so we are once again using the pull-n-pray method. Have I mentioned that didn't work before?? I am hoping to get with the Mirena crowd VERY soon as I really don't want any more babies.
Ok...I have to disagree with you on the whole thing pull-out method thing. My husband and I were together for three years before we decided to have a baby. Those entire three years we used nothing in the form of birth control EXCEPT the pull out method.
Then we decided to have ourselves a little babin, and the first month we tried, and the very first time he ever, um...ya know...BOOM, I was with child!
Vinnie is 16 months old (today!) and that's what we've been using ever since and not a single scare!
And PS, we have a "healthy" sex life so it's not like we just don't have sex :)
I am BELIEVER in the pull out method. The guy just can't be, how should I say? Lazy?
Love your blog! Keep it up! Oh, and I had asked you a question about Archer walking on your Babble blog because I was worried about Vinnie not walking, and just like you said, one day right after his 15 month mark he stood up and walked! It was crazy! He couldn't even stand on his own in the morning and by the evening time he was practically running!
I got PG on the patch. Baby #4. Now I use nothing. New hubby came with a vasectomy. YAY!
I used to take the pill until I realized that it was so effective mainly because it reduced my libido to absolutely NOTHING. After that I tried the pull-and-pray which worked beautifully until it, well, didn't.
Er, we've been using the pull out method for 8 years! In fact, depending on the time of the month we don't always pull out! I highly, HIGHLY recommend the good old Taking Charge of Your Fertility. http://www.amazon.com/Taking-Charge-Your-Fertility-Anniversary/dp/0060881909/ref=sr_1_4?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1252962412&sr=8-4
If you can track your ovulation it makes it all so much easier. I can't do condoms. I already have painful heavy periods so an IUD is kind of out. I once spent 3 years on the pill which killed my libido too and I can. not. remember. to. take it. (doh!) So you know, pulling out is best for us.
Condoms + pull out. We are adopting a child from Ethiopia, and the last thing I want to do is jeopardize that. A lot of people don't get why we want to adopt instead of have babies with our own DNA and assume that it's because we can't get pregnant (it's not), so we get a lot of "reassurances" along the lines of, "Everyone I know that adopted ended up getting pregnant!" And I inwardly go, "NOOOOOOO!!!!!" Adoption is our Plan A for building our family, so birth control it is, plus a good dose of knowing my body and avoiding sex at that time of my cycle. We want to be super careful. Once the adoption is final, my husband will get "the snip," as we say around our house.
http://findingmagnolia.wordpress.com
Natural family planning. It definitely worked for us, and then when we decided to try we got pregnant right away, since we both knew when I was ovulating.
Afterward Mr. Husband will be getting a vasectomy.
I had a stroke six years ago from low-estrogen birth control pills and the copper IUD made me have contractions. So we did condoms for a LONG time, but then natural planning definitely works for us now.
My brother, who got married a year ago and is insanely religious, told us he and his wife were using "prayer" as a contraceptive. I don't know if they considered the "pull out and pray" method or just decided to do half the work. My friend who had a baby when she was 18 shook her head because that's what she used too. Anyway, nine months later we got to welcome my adorable nephew to the family.
I used to be on the pill, but due to my lack of health insurance am currently using the condom, although I agree with the other commenter. I have a love-hate relationship. I love that I'm not pregnant, I hate having to remember them and that I can tell the difference between wearing one and not. As soon as I can, I'll be back on the pill. The IUD sounds like a reasonable option for me later though!
Hubby went to Dr. 'snip, snip.' And I couldn't be happier!
How appropriate this has come up (no pun intended) now... my 2nd (and holy mother of crap my LAST) baby, Jude, is only 10 weeks old, and we're talking about The Big V. That's right... Himself is =just about= decided that he is going to get a vasectomy.
Hurrah! (and there was much rejoicing)
He was quite adamant, before the baby came, that he wouldn't ever consider getting one, despite much, much, much pleading frome me.
Then I had a really bad delivery with Jude -- the high (low?) point was when, irritated by the slow progress the surgeons were making during my emergency C-section, he busted right on outta there. Queue ruptured uterus and severe blood loss (oh yah, fun times girlfrans!)
Anyway -- Himself's decision was swayed considerably by the fact that just about every single midwife/doctor/consultant that came to check me out post-op followed up their initial salutations with, "And what are you doing for contraception?" because apparently my uterus is so gnarled up and punked out now that it couldn't withstand another pregnancy. Day-um, brotha.
When my son is old enough to realize the ins and outs of the whole thing (damn, I'm on pun-fire tonight!) I will shake his hand for his reverse-pinata move, and tell him thanks for helping Mammy win The Most Difficult Husband/Wife Recurrent Argument In Our House of 2008-2009.
I am on Yaz, which I take religiously every day and we also use condoms. We do not want children, ever, so we are very careful. We have a few times not used a condom but used the pull out meathod. Since I'm on the pill and have regular periods I know when the peak pregnancy time is and the pull out meathod was used outside of that time. 99% of the time we use both meathods and are very careful not to have any accidents.
I like this topic and it's interesting to read what others use. Thanks for posting this.
i loved the nuvaring, i just put a reminder in outlook to tell me when to take it out and put it back in. hubs recently had a vasectomy so i'm off the ring...and we'll see how that affects my cycles. i hope they don't suck. I'd hate to have had him go through that only to end up on bc cuz my cycles suck so much...
pull out and pray for us :) even though we have five kids, it's not because of any accidents...it's because that was the ONE time we decided to not pull out, lol. works for us and i'm not a fan of the pill and such messing with my body.
Withdrawal has been effective for us for 5 years! When I did fall pregnant it was because we wanted to. So it has worked well for us. (Just lucky?)
Condoms don't work for us either. And I am highly sensitive to the pill - for the two months I tried several different types I spent 90 days with the worst bloated-depressed-crying-at-work PMS I've ever had in my life. And I had bad PMS. So.
After we have our second, and probably last, baby I will probably use an IUD. But not one with hormones as I don't respond well at all to the pill.
The pull out and pray method worked for me for four years. Only after on the nuvaring ring used probably 97% correctly did I get pregnant. still the best method of contraceptive since it requires so little thought.
Oh, I also love the Today sponge occasionally. But it MURDERS spontaneity.
I was on birth control (Ortho) for years...mostly just to control my bad skin though. My partner and I have always used the pull-out & pray method as well as me keeping track of my fertility. That worked for 6 years! Then one night we had a few too many White Russians and BAM! Babytime!
Pre-baby? the pill. I'd been on it for 15 years, stopped when the script ran out and was pregnant 5 months later.
Post-baby? Mirena IUD. Because its safe for breastfeeding
I have a copper iud. It has been effectivly preventing pregnancy without my having to think about anything for nearly three years. It is totally non-hormonal (a plus), good for ten years (a plus), expensive (but, they all are and it was a one time cost), painful as hell to have inserted (apparently its a piece of cake to have them taken out), and an all around fine option.
I am thinking about having it taken out in the spring so as to persue the possiblity of having a second child at some point in the future. If I were to have said second child, then I would be highly in favor of my parter getting a vasectomy. Because, seriously, why should the birth control bit be all my business? FOREVER? Once we are done-done-done having babies, isn't it logical to just, well, stop the supply?
I've been on Ortho Tri-Cyclen for 9 years this December (go me!) and have never had a single problem. I know, weird, huh?
I've had my share of my promiscuous days and totally batshit crazy behavior, and thank goodness that taking my pill every night is the ONLY THING I can remember to do every day. WOW.
I had my second baby 10 weeks ago. 4 weeks after she was born my husband had a vasectomy. I figure I worried about birth control for 16 years. I carried and birthed 2 babies...it's his turn!
I tried to have the new Essure procedure done. It's permanent, like a tubal. But they do it in the office, under mild sedation- no surgery required. However, it would appear that I have uncooperative fallopian tubes, because only one of my tubes would accept the spring thingy. So, I have one tube on it's way to being blocked, and one still the same, which means I'm 49% protected, or roughly halfway to my next baby.
I know this is not an option but it is humerous...I had my tubes tied after my second child, and three weeks late I realized I was in love with a woman. So having my tubes tied was a mute point.
That was amost ten years ago, but just yeaterday I looked over at my girlfriend and said 'ya know one of the benefits of loving you is never, ever, ever having to worry about getting my period. Then I remembered my tubal. and I was like oh, yeah, no longer relevent.
40 is the new oh fuck.
We've been using condoms for years now. My husband is really good at it, and honestly, he was such a nag when I was on the pill about whether or not I took it. He didn't trust me not to be flaky, so I passed the buck to him. If he didn't want me to be pregnant, then he could manage it. Seriously this man has the most self control - I've been wanting to have a baby for the longest time, but no accidents were happening.
We got pregnant on purpose, because that was the only way it was going to happen for us.
Thank you, thank you, thank you so much for saying positive things about Minera. As a young twenty something trying to change the world one IUD at a time, I am happy to see you on board.
Why is my generation so scared?!
Mirena. love.
I had it implanted at each of my 6-week post partum checkups. Under those circumstances, you don't get the most common draw-back, i.e., ongoing, irregular bleeding. I don't get periods. period. My OB (also a personal friend) uses it herself and hasn't had a period for 5 years.
Before kids, I used a combo Pill (Marvelon in Canada, don't know if it has a different name in the U.S.) It worked great because I was the model user. In 7 years, I only forgot a pill once and was late taking a pill (12 hours) only a handful of times.
Forgot to mention the thing I didn't love about the Pill - weight gain. I'm not a very vain person, I think, but boy did I love it when I dropped 12 pounds (12 pounds!) as soon as I stopped taking the Pill (Marvelon)
Nuvaring...set it and forget it.
NUVARING! seriously revolutionized birth control for me. It's the lowest dose as it delivers a constant steady dose of hormones over 3 weeks, instead of spiking and slowly diminishing which is what happens with a daily birth control pill. I am so sane and feel totally protected and unparanoid on it...zero side effects and a crazy desire to write the inventor love letters (and no, I don't work for them).
I always forgot to take my pill. I am now on the Nueva Ring and love it. So easy...
My most useful birth control was watching this momversation! Whoops 3 hours past since I was supposed to take the pill!
We use both birth control and condoms since after the first time, the condom broke and I had to take morning after... Yuck.
I'm considering Mirena after I have kids though, let us know how you like it!
Anything with hormones makes me puke my guts out. Not that I haven't tried. I've been on every low dose pill, the ring, blah, blah, blah. I managed the mirena iud successfully and loved it... except for the rather unnerving feeling of having a piece of plastic in my cervix for 4 years. So now we're all about the pull-out method. Wish us luck!
I was on the pill for 3yrs. Got off it to get pregnant...had a son...got back on the pill for 2yrs...got off it...had a daughter...got on the pill for 3 mos...and when she was 3 mos I had a tubal.
Mirena, although I'm always paranoid that it's fallen out even though I have no reason to believe it
nothing for me! but i have vestibulitis. so i'm not doing the dirty, anyway. (yes. i want to hang myself. but i'm getting surgery soooon!)
i hate birth control. forgot the pill like a million times, the shot made me crazy, now i can't do anything! boo.
when i regain the sexin', i am going with nothing. i have no prob with getting preg again at the moment :)
Mirena. Haven't had a period since the day they put it in. Hurt like a mofo for about half a day, but I've never given birth, so I imagine it'd be easier on you.
I am on Mirena but I don't really like it too much. I've had it for about a year and for the first 7 months I got a light period about twice monthly and for about 7 days at a time. Barf. Now I have a light period once monthly but my crams are different, they are sorta like someone is stabbing me with a toothpick in my uterus, instead of achy like they were before. So we are planning on another babe so it's coming out soon, thank goodness, but I don't know what I am gonna do after that, this was veeerry convenient not having to take the pill even with all that other crap.
I've been on a low dose birth control pill since I was 16 and I'm 22 now. So far, I've had no oopsies though it did take me a while to find the right pill as hormones tend to make me super sick. I take the little buggers 3 packs straight with a period every 3 months since I tend to be low on iron.
I never forget to take it but it definitely kills my libido, leading to weird binges right after my period and being off the pill for a week. I'm also fairly sure it's a contributing factor to my 34 FF boobies on a normal sized person body.
Condoms would be nice if I wasn't allergic to latex, so just because my man and I are super paranoid, we also use the pull out and pray method in addition to the bc pills. I'd vote for the IUD though I've never been on one.
Pull out. Seriously. It worked until he didn't lol.
Condoms too.
I don't take any birth control that has to do with my body and hormones. It freaks me out.
My husband and I used the withdrawl method for over a year and never got pregnant. Then when I tried, it took 5 months. Now that we have our little girl, I'm very paranoid to use it again. But I'm breastfeeding and don't want to use the pill. Reading the NY Times article is reassuring.
So many options these days! At 43 I feel like a dinosaur when it comes to all the options.
Hubby got snipped after we had our desired number of children. I kind of resent that move though (his) as I probably would have pushed for one more.
We have a son and then our 'virgin conception' twin daughters.
(I was on Paxil which completely killed my sex drive. We had sex ONCE that month, WITH a CONDOM. Twins :)
All the best choosing what will work best for you.
We pulled out for about four years before we decided to use a condom one night, just to shake things up a bit. The condom broke and I got pregnant.
So, yeah..
I'm pregnant again (planned) and I think we'll be looking into vasectomy after this.
Nada, abstinence and um, doing other activities besides intercourse.
Also, loving your hat.
Also also: I had a LOT of trouble losing the baby weight on Mirena (had it put in November, went CRAAAAZY and couldn't figure out why I wasn't losing any weight while working out/eating healthy, etc. Damn Mirena. Google it. It causes some women to GAIN weight. Dammit!
Let's see... I just had to have laparoscopic surgery to remove my Paragard IUD, so NOT that!! Punctured right through my damned uterus and was parked somewhere near my left ovary. Probably a fluke, but very, very uncool none the less.
Well, now, let's see... Hormonal birth control messes with my ability to function as a contributing member of society. I joke with my husband that the Pill is VERY effective because it makes me never want sex (he doesn't think it's so funny). We also have two children and have no plans for any more, but we live in a predominantly Catholic country in Europe where doctors refuse to provide tubals, vasectomies, or IUDs. No kidding. So... we go with a combination of fertility awareness and condoms (I keep track of ovulation with a microscope and basal body thermometer, and we use condoms for about a week each month). It's not awful, but I'm thinking we will have to finagle our way into getting a vasectomy sometime soon.
Pull and pray works so well for us that before we had our daughter, I was worried that one of us was infertile. But we got pregnant the first month of trying both times!
I've had my paraguard IUD since shortly after my son was born, nearly 9 years ago...
I haven't had any problems with it at all!
Just set it, and forget it!
I don't even have to think about it for another year and a half!
i have the Mirena too & LOVE it!!! got the 5 year & it's due 2 come out...thinking about getting another one actually...not quite ready 2 permanently "fix" things & i love not having a period! the 1st year was wonky - heavy & irregular...but after that, no spotting, no nothing! plus, sex anywhere/anytime & no worries about condoms or forgotten pills? hells yeah!!!
I spent three years on the NuvaRing and LOVED IT. Like, seriously loved it. Now with my three month old and the breastfeeding, we're stuck with condoms. We want another one anyway, and maybe in 9 months from now, so I didn't want the more permanent options and I would get pregnant tomorrow on the mini-pill because I'd forget to take it. I miss the Nuvaring, though...
The pill made me nauseous 24/7 (all brands)
I could feel the Nueva Ring - rather uncomfortable.
The patch - very nice, but ended up with fuzzies around the edge (like a band-aid. Not exactly sexy).
Mirena - perfection!
Although, we've been trying for baby #2 for two years now with no luck... maybe all the birth control was a bad idea?
Paragard IUD. I can't recommend it enough.
Babysitting works wonders.
It has yet to fail me.
i got the copper IUD when i was 18 after having done EXTENSIVE research and really wanting something that did not pump my body full of chemicals. it worked beautifully for about 7 years, at which time it decided to wiggle itself down into my cervix where it definitely did not belong and needed to be removed. not painful, just inconvenient.
due to financial constraints and no insurance i went on the pill and although i stayed on it for about 3 years i hated it and would never do it again. i put on a lot of weight, my sex drive dropped to practically nothing and i generally felt like crap. going off the pill was like getting myself back.
after that we used condoms for a while, then decided to start "trying" for a baby... as in, we stopped using any kind of bc but weren't doing the whole scheduling, basal temp thing. it took about a year but now i'm 20 weeks preggers with our first, and i definitely plan to get another non-chemical IUD after our babe is born.
I'm with you on the bad-at-birth-control-pills thing. Right after my son was born, my mid-wife came in to talk about birth control options while breastfeeding. She mentioned the "Mini Pill" that you have to take at the exact time every single day. "Are you good at taking the pill?" she asked. I looked down at my newborn and said, "Um, obviously not. Exhibit A."
I took the mini-pill for the first six weeks -- meaning I FORGOT the mini-pill for five of those weeks. Thankfully I now have the ParaGuard IUD (I'm not down with the hormone-regulation of Mirena) and I haven't had a problem at all. Peace of mind.
I do have to warn you: Having the IUD inserted hurt like a B. And I thought this mere weeks after having a drug-free vaginal delivery. So, really. It hurt.
I just had to comment on this topic. Because of negative side effects to the pill or anything w/hormones I have always been a condom girl. They worked for me. Now I've been married for 5 years, we have 2 beautiful girls, and are done having children. I wanted permanent birth control, and no surgery. Hubby couldn't bring himself to get snipped, so my doc recommended a procedure called essure (http://www.essure.com/) It cannot be reversed, is not surgical, and it's done right there in the office. Also, unlike most other procedures you go back in after 3 months to make sure it worked. I have had the best luck with it. Just had to had my two cents on this topic :-)
I've been on and off the pill since I was 14, nearly twenty years. I HATED it. It made my emotions all over the place! When you blogged about getting the Mirena on Babble a year ago I read all the comments and decided to do it. I've kept it for 9 months, and LOVED it. It's still hormone-based, but the effects were barely noticeable. And I only had two really light periods during this time.
I got it removed last month, and now we're using condoms until November, when we'll start trying to conceive again (long story, but I'm Canadian, and it has to do with waiting to be eligible for our long, paid mat leave benefits). I've had two normal periods, but I'm not sure I've ovulated, I think it can take a few cycles after for things to get back on track.
Seriously, I don't mind condoms. I actually prefer them, because it makes no difference for me, and I love the, er, un-messiness (TMI, sorry). My husband hates them, of course.
After baby #2 I'll get on the Mirena again, which should make me cruise until right about the end of my fertile years.
We used the pull out technique and it worked well for us. We didn't have a kid until we wanted one or two. Then someone, I won't mention any names, decided not to pull out and hello, kid number 3. I have moved on to permanant birth control. Tie those tubes in a pretty bow and never worry again.
However, I have told my doctor that if I should become pregnant again, she is responsible for all medical expenses and college for that kid. I think she might have tied mine in a double knot.
Wow, I've never commented until now...was on bc for 8 years --age 15 --23 after not wanting to have my hormones dictated by science, I stopped all and did the pull out and pray method with making sure I didn't have sex on the week of my peak ovulation. Did this for 3 years. No problems with either...the 1st month we tried to conceive...it happened. We were lucky and blessed. After baby was here, went back to calendar method of just avoiding sex during ovulation week and haven't had any problems, I got a disease where I have to take chemo and was forced to get a tubal ligation for several reasons. I'm lucky I got one.
Was on bcp for 8 years, then got a blood clot - no more hormonal methods for me! Had the paragard IUD for a year, it was great. Then we took it out to ttc and did after some trouble. In between kid 1 and kid 2 we used pull and pray, worked fine. DH was very conscientious! Kid 2 came after 2 months of 'regular' sex. Lucky us! After we are done with kids, hubby is getting the snip snip. :)
Wow - there are a surprising number of people using the pull out method as their only form of bc. Who knew?!
You don't have to have had children to get a Mirena - I think *I think* they only say that it is best due to being more open for the insertion? Feel free to correct me if I am wrong here. When I got mine not only was a childless (still am) but I was a virgin - insertion was fine/easy and it did hurt/pinch but it was totally bearable. I have had no problems with my IUD other than the basic side effects that have now waned/disappeared.
However, we also use condoms because we are paranoid :) I don't mind at all and it has actually kind of become a fun part of the whole process (yeah, I know we are weird).
I've never done well with hormonal birth control. (Hello baby #1!)
Had the mirena put in after baby. Had a mound of side-effects but no more babies, so it did its job, I suppose.
Had mirena removed last month. (After a hell of an ordeal.)
Found out I'm preggo this past weekend.
(yay!)
Plan to maybe let the third happen in it's own time (assuming all goes well with this pregnancy) and then I'll hopefully have the mister convinced to do the snippity-snip by then!
No more hormonal bc for me for sure.
Call me old fashioned, but we use a diaphragm...okay, I use a diaphragm. I love it. No hormones, just a little spermicide and you can put it in hours before. You can't feel it and neither can your partner. It does kill the spontaneity a little. It says you need to be re-fitted after children or weight gain/loss, but I stayed the same size after two kids. It's also so much cheaper than the pill or condoms. You buy one and it lasts two years. It says it's only 80% effective, but we haven't had a problem or a surprise baby.
i did the pill from 15-27, till i got off to get knocked up. the few months i was off before we started trying, i felt AMAZING. didn't know that for 12 years i was popping a pill that made me feel way sub-par.
no idea what i'll do after baby comes out. because i'll need a HUGE break before i get pregnant again.
i've heard good things about the copper iud...no hormones, but really effective. we'll see...
I effing hate birth control. For years and years, I was on the pill. It worked nicely and also controlled my horrendous, horrendous periods. After my last baby, I had my tubes tied--nice solution all things considered, since we know three is enough for us. Unfortunately, that does nothing to control my out-of-whack hormones, so welcome back to hemmhorrage-like bleeding, cold sweats, cramps through my entire body, etc. I went to the dr. and explained that since I'm still nursing, I know my options are limited, but there must be something that will help with this. And she suggested the Depo shot--nice and simple. Simple, indeed! And I've now been bleeding for more than three months. No kidding. Apparently this is a relatively common side effect that no one ever mentioned when I said I was there because of bleeding! Now I have to decide whether to get another shot and hope this one stops the bleeding, forget the hormone solutions and deal with my body's wrath, or try something new (still nursing). No risk of pregnancy, but I'm considering the Diva Cup just to save money!
The Nuva Ring is my BFF. Before that (and marriage) it was the pill and condoms. Religiously.
I'm on Loestrin 24 and LOVING it! No periods, no side effects, skin looks good. Mama like!
I've been on one form of the Pill since I started having sex at 21 (yeah, yeah, late bloomer) and I really have no complaints.
As an aside, I will say that I have the same problem you do, Bec, with condom breakage. Must be the wild & crazy sexy times. ;)
Whoa! So many of you are pulling out and praying. Perhaps you are more religious than I.
Seriously, though? What about pre-cum? That shit is real, yo.
And re: IUD. I love mine. Hal's less in love because he can feel the strings from time to time but it beats the alternative. And there is no way in hell I'm asking Hal to get a vasectomy. You never know. We could want one or five more kids (Ha! Yeah right) or something could happen to me... He could remarry, fall in love and want to knock up someone else... ?
I'd rather chance an unplanned pregnancy than chance him never been able to father more children. Life's an unpredictable ride, you know?
Thanks for sharing, all. This has been most fascinating. xo
Wow! A lot of other pull and prayers! That's all we've done for 13 years except for the 3 times we didn't and the 3 times we got pregnant.
But what about this one Rebecca, on the pill, which I carry with me EVERYWHERE, and I have an alarm on my phone to go off the same time every day, PLUS pulling out and praying.
I figure pulling out got me through my teens (thank you Lord!), so add in some birth control in my later years and so far I've got a magic combination. At least I think it's a magic combination.
Either that or I'm infertile. Which would make me laugh considering the worry and effort I've put into not getting pregnant all these years...
I LOVE the nuvaring. It was my best friend. I mourn it, there is grief in my house. I live in Turkey now and they don't sell it here. I am on the pill and pray I don't mess it up. NUVARING was the best thing to happen recently in Reproductive Care.
We used condoms and now are on pull and pray. I actually fretted quite a bit about it until I read a few of the articles about it and realized that the effectiveness is not as low as I thought it was.
As for pre-cum, that was addressed in the articles. As long as the guy has urinated inbetween ejaculations they said there are no living sperm in pre-cum and none in the canal.
Hey... don't burst my bubble on this... I'm choosing to believe it. :-)
Thanks for posting this topic! It's been fascinating to read everyone's comments. I am currently in school to become a Women's Health Nurse Practitioner, so it's pretty much my favorite topic ever. I used both the pill and the shot previously and hated being on hormones, so I had a Paragard IUD put in two months ago. It hurt like a MOTHERRRRRRRRRRR getting put in (I've never been pregnant), and I've had some irregular/heavy bleeding and severe cramping on and off since then, but mostly I'm pretty satisfied and hope that it will only continue to get better (they say it does the longer you have it). Even if I continue to have heavy periods it is still worth it to me to be off hormones and have a very reliable method. I really can't recommend it enough. My only suggestion to anyone who is considering an IUD is to really research where to get it. I got mine put in by an OB/GYN in a clinic, and it cost around $900 for the whole thing. Afterwards I found out Planned Parenthood does it for around $300 (I think), and there are even some IUD promoting project groups that will do it for free (there is one in St. Louis at least). So find out where it would be the cheapest for you! I was just so happy to find a doctor who would put it in someone who has never been pregnant (I went to 2 who wouldn't do it) that I didn't even research it further. It's still cost effective for us since I plan on having it for 5 years, but cheaper would have been even better obviously.
Anyway, thanks for letting me share.
I've been on the pill for about 10 years without any major issues. But I found out that (young and old) women in my family have a history of getting blood clots caused by artificial estrogen. So I went to visited a hematologist to see if I was at risk. In the meantime my OBGYN switched me to a progesterone mini pill, that made me feel terrible. Although the hematologist found that I do not have clot-loving blood, because of my family history he recommended that I stay far, far away from any hormones and said I should get an IUD. But my OBGYN will not give IUDs to anyone who has not already had 1 child (many have this policy). As an alternative she said she could measure me for a diaphragm that day. Seriously, I think heard her offer me a wagon wheel. I do not know anyone who uses or has used a diaphragm, and I'm not sure that I knew they were still made. 80% effective? And a hell of a lot of room for operator error. No thanks. And it takes like 30 mins to be fully effective--like I need another obstacle to spontaneity in my life. Wouldn't that be fun, sitting on the edge of the bed with my husband for half an hour like we're waiting for a bus. So I guess I cried a little when OBGYN offered the diaphragm...because she put me back on my original pill. Condoms when I miss a day. Still no probs, no babies. Oh, the drama...
We have two kids. We used condoms at first, which I hated, but they worked. Then I went on the pill. It worked, but then I decided to give my body "a break" from hormones. For some stupid reason, I thought that I wouldn't get pregnant for many months after going off the pill...Duh... I got pregnant within a month. After our first was born, we used spermacide for over two years. Just spermacide; nothing else. It worked well, you just have to put it in before penetration. It's sticky, but doesn't really interrupt the process, it just doesn't feel as um, naturally juicy (can't think of a better way to say it!) down there as without. Anyway, I got excited once and let my husband enter before we put the spermacide in; although I wasn't on there long (sorry fot the imagery) and we put the spermacide in, those few moments of "pre-ejaculate" were enough to get me pregnant...I plan to go back to using spermacide, (lesson learned, though!) as we plan to have a third child, but after that, I will get a copper IUD.
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