Birth Control

[mzminty]

So who's doing what and when?

Dh and I had decided that this would be our last baby, yet he told me the other day that he doesn't want to get a vasectomy for a while because it's so "permanent".  So even though I didn't want to mess with hormones at all, I think I'm going to get the Mirena IUD.  I thought that if I had it for a year, we could then revisit the issue of whether or not we want any more kids, and then if the answer is no, he can get snipped at that point.  

The only thing is, I don't know if I should try to buy myself more time since I'm breastfeeding, or if that's a recipe for disaster?  With my first, she breastfed until she was 2 1/2 and I didn't get my first period until she was 18 mo. old.  With my second, he breastfed until he was 7 mo old and I got my period two months later.  I'm afraid that if I chose to do nothing for 6 months or so, it'll really put a stress on our sex life because we'll always be worrying "what if?"  

So what's your strategy and why?

[kittywitty]

What about the copper IUD so there's no hormones that could mess with your milk supply?

Dh got a V about a week and a half ago. I'm both relieved (physically) and unhappy about it (emotionally).

[fancyoats]

milk supply is not always affected with mirena.  mine wasn't -- i nursed dd1 till she was 2.5 and we only weaned because i got pg with dd2.  got the mirena taken out when dd1 turned 2 years old.

[~Demeter~]

I can't do anything hormonal... it makes me very ill. Hubby and I won't get 'fixed' so that's a no go. I'm going to look a little more into charting, I loosely charted the past few years so I have an idea with my cycles. There's going to be some worry, lol, because we are apparently exceptionally fertile.... we didn't 'try' for any of our babies.

[FarrenSquare]

I can't do hormonal either, I had a mini-stroke (TIA) in 2005 due to the birth control patch and so I'm off hormones for life. I'll be getting a copper IUD in the next few weeks until we are ready for little one number 2.

I've heard the Mirena is progesterone only so it doesn't always affect milk supply - but my source is not particularly reliable... maybe something to look into?

[kittywitty]

Nic-what about diaphragm? I had one and charted and still had kids #4 and #5. I don't do hormonal, either, after my myomectomy and the estrogen link. I did try the mini-pill (progesterone) pp with #3 and my milk dropped off like a freaking rock. It came back when I stopped taking it. It doesn't do that for everyone, but keep in mind it does for some people, so watch that.

[mzminty]

Yeah, i asked the mw specifically about milk supply and she said it shouldn't affect it.  it is progesterone.  I've heard the copper IUD can cause heavy periods/b;eeding and since I'm cursed with that anyway, I don't want something that may make it worse...

So Desiree, no complications or anything from the vasectomy?  That scares me so much!

[my kidlets and me]

We do Billings Ovulation Method (cervical mucus), and I've had 4 planned kids.  I was on the Pill for 5 years pre-dd1, and I never want to do hormone bc again.

[Eman'smom]

If you don't want hormones the Paraguard IUD is a good choice.  Mirena doesn't have to affect milk supply, it sure didn't mine. 

We knew we were done done after number 3 but it still took a while to be comfortable with the vasectomy, even though it was something we wanted.

[Ellen Griswold]

I just picked up my mini-pill prescription today.  I did this between the other kids and never had any problem with supply.  Of course, I also got pregnant while on it.....  Dh wants to get a V and I want him to get one.  It's the money, of course, that holds us back.  Cheaper in the long run, but..... a little painful to pay out that kind of money while I have yet to pay for having the baby yet.

The mini pill isn't a great option for everyone.  My sister had a terrible time with her milk supply for the very short time she was on it.  We've used condoms the 2 times we've managed to dtd, but we don't find them to be a great long-term option either.

[~Demeter~]

Originally Posted by kittywitty 

Nic-what about diaphragm? I had one and charted and still had kids #4 and #5. I don't do hormonal, either, after my myomectomy and the estrogen link. I did try the mini-pill (progesterone) pp with #3 and my milk dropped off like a freaking rock. It came back when I stopped taking it. It doesn't do that for everyone, but keep in mind it does for some people, so watch that.

I tried the mini-pull after #3 and I bled so heavily for the 7 days I was on it, I thought I was going to die. It effed up my cycle so bad it took almost 4 years for it to level out again. Ick!

I was going to get a diaphragm after Sage... but wound up blowing it off and just charting based on cervical mucous alone. I didn't realize that was a 'method'. We also use the withdrawal method... which has actually proven to be very effective if we follow the rules very carefully. I think we'll probably use condoms and wd on top of charting.

[~Demeter~]

I have heard many people complain about being systemically effected by the progesterone in the Mirena IUC. I had considered it after my daughter but upon reading more about it, having more than one friend have complications from it and the systemic connection decided against it. I am extremely sensitive to any and all synthetic hormones.

[mzminty]

Originally Posted by ~Demeter~ 

I have heard many people complain about being systemically effected by the progesterone in the Mirena IUC. I had considered it after my daughter but upon reading more about it, having more than one friend have complications from it and the systemic connection decided against it. I am extremely sensitive to any and all synthetic hormones.

Yikes, Nic!  Can you give me more details?  We've also used withdrawal since we've known each other, but aren't always great about it, which is how #2 and #3 were conceived! I'd be comfortable doing that again for 6 months or so while I'm exclusively bfing... Maybe dh and I need to re-discuss...

[~Demeter~]

My best friend decided to be the 'guinea pig' awhile back ago... I think I was pregnant when she had the IUC placed. She had it for about 4 months and had crazy mood swings but that wasn't the worst... she started feeling a lot of pain went in and it was infected. I realize this can happen to anyone but she's not the first person I've known to get an infection from the IUC. Another woman I know had it for almost 5 years and they had a terrible time removing it, something about it slipping and almost adhering to something?? I'm not sure fully... if you read in the family planning forum here you'll see some more of what I'm talking about. Some people love it... but I personally don't want to risk it considering I'm so sensitive to hormones. Also, both of my aunts had breast cancer which likely was caused by synthetic hormones.... I don't want to play with fire.

[mzminty]

Originally Posted by ~Demeter~ 

My best friend decided to be the 'guinea pig' awhile back ago... I think I was pregnant when she had the IUC placed. She had it for about 4 months and had crazy mood swings but that wasn't the worst... she started feeling a lot of pain went in and it was infected. I realize this can happen to anyone but she's not the first person I've known to get an infection from the IUC. Another woman I know had it for almost 5 years and they had a terrible time removing it, something about it slipping and almost adhering to something?? I'm not sure fully... if you read in the family planning forum here you'll see some more of what I'm talking about. Some people love it... but I personally don't want to risk it considering I'm so sensitive to hormones. Also, both of my aunts had breast cancer which likely was caused by synthetic hormones.... I don't want to play with fire.

Yeah, I know those risks exist, but I hadn't known of anyone that actually had them happen!    I actually just got off the phone with my insurance company and it turns out they don't cover IUD's!  So I guess that's out.  No way am I paying $1,500-$2,000 for something I don't know if I want anyway!

[kittywitty]

Yikes! What about implanon or what hormones does that have? I have an online friend who ended up pg with an IUD and it was horrible what she went through (she lost the baby) and another who had it fall out, and yet another who had it migrate into her abdomen!

[MisaGoat]

We're not using bc. I didn't get my period back after my first for 15 months and I didn't get pregnant until he was almost two. We do want more children, I would like to wait a year or so to get pregnant again. Once I get my period back I'll be charting and withdrawal to time the next pregnancy.

I went on the mini pill for the first couple months after my first and then I stopped taking it. I was pumping and having trouble getting enough. (although I think there were other contributing factors to that). Otherwise we just used charting and withdrawal.

[HeatherB]

No bc here, either. Thankfully, my cycles have stayed away longer and longer with each one. Last time, it was 2 years and a week after he was born before it returned. We're not thinking we'll have more so we'll likely just commit to charting or buy one of the computer thingies that can help (like LadyComp). We haven't even had an opportunity to try again in the last 8 weeks, so who knows, it may not be that much of an issue!

[YayJennie]

I'm fairly positive I just got my period back, at 6 weeks pp   Seriously, I am the most fertile person in the world.  So frustrating, because we don't want anymore kids!  

So I was going to not worry about bc for a few months, but it's back to using the diaphragm for us until my husband gets a vasectomy.  We have a consultation scheduled, so it won't be too long from now, and the diaphragm has always worked fine for us.  I'm anti-hormone bc as well, and I am not into condoms or withdrawal, so it's diaphragm or cervical cap for us.  I can't wait until he gets his vasectomy and we never have to worry about bc again!

[ocelotmom]

Originally Posted by YayJennie 

I'm fairly positive I just got my period back, at 6 weeks pp   Seriously, I am the most fertile person in the world.  So frustrating, because we don't want anymore kids!  

I know what you mean! If I could just go give my fertility to someone else who wanted it, I totally would, even though I'm not quite ready to say for sure that I'm done.

We're leaning towards IUD or vasectomy. I'd like the ability to revisit the issue in 5-10 years, but don't want any more "joyous surprises" before we're sure we want another. I'd prefer Mirena, because I'd rather it suppressed ovulation rather than simply preventing implantation, but I'm also wary of the hormones. A geneticist friend of mine says home-freezing of sperm is pretty easy and we have a deep freezer... I may ask her more about that.