How many types of birth control have you tried in your life?

[*MamaJen*]

I was thinking the other day, I've tried damn near every kind of non-permanent birth control out there. I think a lot of women go through a similar journey searching for "the one". And of course, "the one" might be different in various stages of your life.
Here's what I've done:
--Condoms. I've never really liked how they feel, but often necessary.
--Various brands of the birth control pill. Took me a long time to realize that it killed my libido.
--Depo Provera shot (AKA The Devil). Total libido death, also made me gain weight and made my emotions go haywire.
--Cervical cap (Lea's Shield). Never really liked this one. It was really honkin' big and me and my partner could both feel it. Plus I wasn't crazy about its effectiveness rates.
--Withdrawal. Worked great for a long time, until one night we hit the bourbon and DTD a few times in a row -- had a beautiful homebirth nine months later.
--Spermicidal film plus withdrawal -- worked pretty good, actually not a bad method.
--Charting. Never done full-blown NFP, but I've done basic charting combined with other methods.
--Paraguard copper IUD. This is what I'm on now. Some side effects, and it cost an arm and a leg, but overall it's my favorite method.

I've never used a diaphragm (that's probably what I would have gotten if the IUD didn't work out), certain kinds of hormone delivery like the patch or ring, or any permanent methods like tubal ligation.

[rhiOrion]

condoms, several types of BCP, and a diaphragm.

[lyterae]

-- "The Patch"
-- Nuva Ring
-- Two forms of the "pill"
-- FAM
-- condoms (including the female condom)
-- diaphragm

We've given up on hormonal birth control because it turns me into an unpleasant person and we're currently utilizing FAM again.

[broodymama]

Condoms, several types of BCPs, Depo Provera (big mistake!), copper IUD, patch, spermicidal film, cream & suppositories, NFP.

[Drummer's Wife]

I voted 2-3 but forgot about condoms (what are those? ). That was yeaaaaars ago. Other than that: The Pill, a Mirena IUD, and NFP.

NFP is what we have used for about 5 years now.

[JAZE MOMMIE]

when I was 15-20 -the pill-off of it 9 months and pregnant with #1
then NFP of a sort (I hurt for 5 days when trying to ovulate ) plus withdrawal for the next 18 years (had 2 more children and then a big surprise with pregnancy #4)
now we use the good condoms -shshssh

[eclipse]

The pill, nfp, condoms, abstinence, withdrawl, spermicidal film, and now have Mirena. I've never had a BC failure. The pill made me gain weight and killed libido, nfp was okay but hard to keep up with when my cycle went all wacko, condoms feel weird, abstinence is no fun , withdrawl made me nervous, spermicidal film. . .uh. . .tasted bad, and Mirena would be awesome if not for the acne and the 9 day period I'm on right now.

[Sk8ermaiden]

Condoms
The pill
The ring
NFP
Withdrawl

All the hormonal stuff made me insane, we don't like condoms, and got pregnant charting (our mistake, but in a time that really should have been safe).

Blah. I would have gotten an IUD for the next year or so, but I have heard so many horror stories.

[*MamaJen*]

Originally Posted by eclipse

abstinence is no fun

Oh, yeah, forgot about that one. I've never done it deliberately. I also tried the female condom a couple of times. I think we were doing something wrong, 'cause it, uh, got reaaaally lost. Both times. Not fun.

[MamaFern]

condoms, abstinence & withdrawal. we have three oops babies

[Jane]

Condoms
Condoms + Foam or Film
Female Condoms - everyone should have this type of hilarity in life
Oral Contraceptive Pill - regular orthotricyclen and the skip your period type
Depo Provera, no libido is a great BC!
Copper IUD - lots of cramping and bleeding, but kept it 2+ years

I think my favorite type is the pill. I feel great on it, good moods, clear skin, no issues at all.

[ElaynesMom]

I've used:

-BCP (3 different brands), but I always forgot to take pills.
-the patch, stopped using when I decided I wasn't comfortable using hormonal BC
-the sponge (Protectaid brand), expensive and didn't like the failure rates
-withdrawl, worked fine, but made me too nervous
-condoms, still use

I have no desire to try anything else as we really like condoms for BC. Sometimes I feel like I must be the only married woman using condoms (ok, a bit of an exageration), but they're cheap, make for tidy sex, and haven't failed so far

[Viola]

I voted 2-3. Condoms, I've tried two different pills. I did Ortho-Novum for a year and Micronor for a year. Currently we use abstinence. If we happen to quit using that, I guess we'll use condoms, or just have the non-procreative style.

[etsdtm99]

i voted 4-5 .. the pill, condoms, diaphragm, NFP, withdrawl.. and i'm currently pregnant with a withdrawl baby..

[Teenytoona]

Let's see, the pill, condoms, w/drawal, the sponge (really bad idea), NFP and vasectomy. Oh, I voted 4-5, should have said 6.

[Seie]

Condoms: Good for casual sex and a occationally when I am fed up with diaphragm, but I am not big fan. They smell and kill lubrication.
The Pill: Killed libido, messes with my hormones. Used them for around 8 years, but wont ever go back there.
Withdrawal: Well that worked for - some 4 months and I was knocked up. And we didn't have any accidents mind you.. it just didn't work.
Diaphragm: Inconvenient in some ways, but better than condoms. I have used it with FAM - and then only used the spermicide around ovulation. If I had a partner who was in on it I would probably prefer to only use it when fertile and go FAM the rest of the time, but my most recent BF (unfortunately not together anymore) was terrified of having more babies, so to reassure him I used the diapragm all the time, then only spermicide around ovulation. Spermicide sucks, but I still prefer this method over others I have tried.

I will not be doing hormonal again I think and am not keen on the sideeffects I hear are common with IUDs

[*MamaJen*]

Originally Posted by Seie

Diaphragm: Inconvenient in some ways, but better than condoms. I have used it with FAM - and then only used the spermicide around ovulation. If I had a partner who was in on it I would probably prefer to only use it when fertile and go FAM the rest of the time, but my most recent BF (unfortunately not together anymore) was terrified of having more babies, so to reassure him I used the diapragm all the time, then only spermicide around ovulation. Spermicide sucks, but I still prefer this method over others I have tried.

I was nervous about getting my non-hormonal IUD, but I wound up liking it pretty well. If that hadn't worked out for me, I think this is the method I would have used -- diaphragm + FAM + spermicide during fertile period (and maybe some pulling out during fertile periods as well).

[2xy]

I voted 4-5.

-The pill in a few different forms
-Copper IUD, which was a disaster
-Condoms here and there
-The sponge, also disastrous (allergic to spermicides, found out the hard way)
-Tubal ligation

[Sol_y_Paz]

abstinence - during certain times in life
the pill - ten years straight pretty much, never again
condoms - do not like
withdraw - extra protection during certain times, overly cautious
NFP - so happy I found this, it is the only one I feel comfortable with, will not be going for all the artificial hormones ever again in my body

[nia82]

The pill - four different versions (Valette of Jenapharm, Belara of Grunenthal, Yaz, Allesse) with little success (well it prevented pregnancy, but made me feel like a robot).
Then we used condoms, now we use FAM with abstinence/withdrawel/condoms, depending on the day.
Not a single method got me pregnant by accident