Post-baby Birth Control? « Back to Group Discussions

[meesh933]

My last DDC (Feb 2010) had a thread about "how to make sure you're not in a 2011 DDC." Uh, oops. Last time we relied on ecological BFing to avoid, and it worked ....for a year. DH was supposed to get a vasectomy, too, but missed his appointment, lol. Anyway, his plan is to get the vasectomy after the baby is here, but I'm not so sure. Three kids will be a lot, but it just makes me sad to close the door on the possibility. Sometimes. And then sometimes I think I'm crazy for even considering a fourth baby. IDK, it's just really hard to say that I'll ever be ready to do anything permanent.

What are you planning on for birth control after baby is here?

[Abraisme]

Breastfeeding, then later we'll use nfp and condoms.

[birdhappy85]

My husband and I are going to use condoms and just be careful. That's what we did the year leading up to our planned pregnancy and had no problems. Neither of us minds that method of contraception at all. Birth control is off the table for me since I don't tolerate it well for various reasons. Maybe someday in the future I'd entertain the idea of using it again, but not now, and especially not while I breastfeed. I like the idea of an IUD but I don't think I could ever do it. Those are pretty much the options we've entertained. This is our first child and we plan to have more. We decided already, though, that neither of us would ever get a vasectomy or tubal ligation. We're not into the permanent surgical methods. But power to the people who are! I think I'd always wonder "what if" if we didn't leave options open even after having the number of kids we plan on having. And I know my DH just doesn't like the idea altogether anyway; he's a simple person. Condoms it is! lol

[jbk21]

We're seriously considering a vasectomy, but I think perhaps it would be wise to get an IUD (which I really don't want to do) for a few years while we meditate on permanently shutting the door.  We're 95% sure we're done after two for a lot of different reasons, but I think for peace of mind we ought to think a while longer about it.  We're 27 and 26 years old, so it seems young but we'd always be willing to adopt a foster child.

[MrsKatie]

I am entertaining the idea of an IUD, but I'm not totally sold.  I'm unwilling to take anything with hormones, so if we went the IUD route it'd be a copper IUD, but I've heard it can cause tons of bleeding... and I'm just a little weirded out by the thought of having something inside my uterus.  Does seem so friggin' convenient, though... So like I said. We're entertaining the thought.

I'm tempted to "just" use breastfeeding as BC but I got pregnant the instant we stopped using condoms so I'm a little hesitant to use that as our only method.  But if you breastfeed enough it's like 97 or 98 percent effective, so I don't know.

Ultimately I have a feeling we'll go back to condoms; don't love them, but they don't bother me much, either.  It's been so nice being pregnant so that we don't have to worry about birth control!

[Ajbaby]

We used FAM with pull out during fertile times for a year and a half before ttc this baby, more than likely we will go back to that once I can have a reliable chart. I will never have another IUD or go on hormonal bc.

[jbk21]

Originally Posted by Ajbaby 

We used FAM with pull out during fertile times for a year and a half before ttc this baby, more than likely we will go back to that once I can have a reliable chart. I will never have another IUD or go on hormonal bc.

Would you mind sharing your IUD experience?
 

[Paigekitten]

Breastfeeding, and NFP with condoms if we really aren't ready for another. This isn't probably isn't our last though, so I'm more interested in spacing then preventing.

[Abraisme]

I'm only comfortable using bf as birth control because I know what my body does.  I have never gotten my af back before 12mo pp and I have always been able to tell when it was about to start.  I have known many women that have gotten their cycles back within months of giving birth and I know another young mom that is about to have babies 11 months apart in spite of bf!  It's not a reliable method if you don't have a history. 
 

Originally Posted by MrsKatie 

I'm tempted to "just" use breastfeeding as BC but I got pregnant the instant we stopped using condoms so I'm a little hesitant to use that as our only method.  But if you breastfeed enough it's like 97 or 98 percent effective, so I don't know.

[TalkToMeNow]

I think I am going to try the Mirena IUD this time. I can't even pretend we will use condoms. I'd rather not do it at all than use them! I can't rely on breastfeeding as AF comes back for me right after the PP bleeding stops. I'm "lucky" like that.  I've had side effects from the copper IUD, Depo, and birth control pills. In the past I was okay with charting and using the pull-out method, at this point I do not want an oops baby. 100% on that. :)
 

Originally Posted by jbk21 

Would you mind sharing your IUD experience? 

I will! I had the copper IUD for 1.5 years. I bled around 10 days a month for the entire time. And it was crazy bleeding. The first night/ day or two, I actually felt weak. (This may have been in my head, though, just from seeing all the blood). There was literally nothing I could do to stop from bleeding everywhere overnight. No pad/ tampon, whatever combination, nothing. It sucked! Plus, one time mid-cycle, I got this sudden, sharp pain in my uterus and starting bleeding. Kept bleeding for days. Went to get it checked out and they said nothing was wrong. My main problem was the heavy bleeding, though. I'm going to try the Mirena because I hear it actually reduces bleeding. Plus, the hormones are localized, so I shouldn't have the side effects I did on normal forms of BC. 

Honestly, I'd love it if dp would get a vasectomy. I know he wants one more kid eventually, but I don't. I feel like four is already pushing it. 

[dashley111]

I think I might be the most fertile person in the world.  No kidding.  I got pregnant at 17, which was obviously just from being irresponsible.  I got pregnant at 23 from not using a condom ONCE, 5 days before I ovulated.  I had my tubes tied after DD1, in 2006.  I got  them untied in December and we started trying at the beginning of March since I had been tracking my cycles and knew I ovulated around the 5th.  NOW, your not supposed to be able to get pg right away after a surgery like that- the doc said don't be surprised if it takes 6 months to a year.  And here I am...

I have no idea what we will use, but I know we definitely need to use something!  We will probably rely on spermicide/pull out until I get my cycle back...then just go from there.  Charting works well for me, and Im pretty regular.

[jbk21]

You and me both.  We have never, in our 4 years of marriage, tried to get pregnant :-)  Here we are with a 2.5 year old and a baby on the way!  Both times we were using NFP but must have conceived ~5 days before ovulation just like you.  I think we were just meant to have these babies so I'm not complaining.  

Originally Posted by dashley111 

I think I might be the most fertile person in the world.  No kidding.  I got pregnant at 17, which was obviously just from being irresponsible.  I got pregnant at 23 from not using a condom ONCE, 5 days before I ovulated.  I had my tubes tied after DD1, in 2006.  I got  them untied in December and we started trying at the beginning of March since I had been tracking my cycles and knew I ovulated around the 5th.  NOW, your not supposed to be able to get pg right away after a surgery like that- the doc said don't be surprised if it takes 6 months to a year.  And here I am...

I have no idea what we will use, but I know we definitely need to use something!  We will probably rely on spermicide/pull out until I get my cycle back...then just go from there.  Charting works well for me, and Im pretty regular.

[jbk21]

Originally Posted by TalkToMeNow 

I think I am going to try the Mirena IUD this time. I can't even pretend we will use condoms. I'd rather not do it at all than use them! I can't rely on breastfeeding as AF comes back for me right after the PP bleeding stops. I'm "lucky" like that.  I've had side effects from the copper IUD, Depo, and birth control pills. In the past I was okay with charting and using the pull-out method, at this point I do not want an oops baby. 100% on that. :)

I hate condoms.  Hate, hate hate.  They smell bad!  I do NOT like putting that yucky stinky slimy who-knows-what's-in-it lubricant in my fine china, if you know what I mean.  Ugh the smell.  (Does it bother anyone else?)  Plus, DH dislikes them of course.  

[Krystal323]

I've done NFP/charting/pull-out for years, but then there's always the chance of that rogue outlying variable, lol.  Two of my babies were from freak-ovulation cycles!  I mean, who gets pregnant on day 7, or day 27?  Me, apparently.  

After five kids, we NEED something permanent or nearly so.  Still on the fence about what, or who, is going to have to deal with that.  I have never had an IUD, but I think the copper ones sound not-so-bad.  I won't do anything hormonal tho.  I'm not against getting my tubes tied, and DH isnt' against the big V either, but I don't know about when or how we'd pay for those thing to get done.  Stuff to think on for us....

[dashley111]

I had my tubes tied, if you have questions about it.

[SoCaliMommy]

Breastfeeding and then charting, It took a little over 3 years and a miscarriage at 9-10wks before getting pregnant with this baby.

[Jaimee]

Well, I would like to use NFP and condoms, but dh is solidly against it since that resulted in our last two babies, which were not planned. However, I have since learned that I am a statistical outlier and must follow much stricter NFP rules than most. I feel that since I now know that, I could use it effectively, but again, dh is DONE. Of course, he was DONE after #2 as well. I would never consider an IUD or hormonal bc. He wants to get a vasectomy and he would totally go do it right now if I wasn't so hesitant. It's not even like I think I want a 4th, I just hate the permanence of it not to mention the side effects that are so rarely talked about. I think that the big V is often touted as the problem-free bc solution. Dh's dad got one and we know several others that have as well and not had issues, so it appears to be easy and without risk. I want him to do more research and he just doesn't. But if we do settle on it, I would have him get a consult around 5 months pp and have the procedure around 6 months pp. I don't want two babies in the house at the same time and around 6 months is when EBF stops being so effective.

[jbk21]

I don't know... I feel like vasectomies are pretty safe as far as medical procedures go.  The way I think of it, the chance of complication (and that includes minor, temporary complications) is 4-5%. Risks in low-risk births aren't much lower than that (3% by most estimates, and those are more serious complications, life/death whereas that is not usually a complication of vasectomies). But I choose to birth out of the hospital even given that risk margin.  I think it's safe to assume that if you get an amazing urologist that is highly recommended and very experienced that everything will be fine.  I wonder if some of the complications of the big V aren't due to family docs and other health professionals performing them.  So all in all I feel comfortable with the procedure, and my husband feels like it is very safe as well.

[Krystal323]

Well, there's going to be a risk of *something* unexpected happening with any sort of medical procedure that's designed to get in the way of the body's natural processes.  Human-being bodies want to procreate, and there's a lot of delicate and far-reaching systems that are linked to that ability.  

I've read about some men having hormonal weirdness after getting a V, which caused problems in their physical and emotional relationships with their partner.  It actually happened to a couple of our friends, which is what got me researching permanent BC methods in more depth.  

Then there's also the artificial menopause that causes all sorts of potential health problems when a woman has a hysterectomy as opposed to just getting her tubes cauterized.  Not that you'd go in asking for a hysto-, but depending on how a tubal ligation is performed, they can also burn thru the main arteries that bring blood to the ovaries, causing one or both of them to become non-functional, and thus stop producing hormones.  

Not to make anyone paranoid..sorry.   =)  Can you tell I'm apprehensive about surgeries in general? =O

[dashley111]

Originally Posted by Krystal323 

I've read about some men having hormonal weirdness after getting a V, which caused problems in their physical and emotional relationships with their partner.  It actually happened to a couple of our friends, which is what got me researching permanent BC methods in more depth.  Then there's also the artificial menopause that causes all sorts of potential health problems when a woman has a hysterectomy as opposed to just getting her tubes cauterized.  Not that you'd go in asking for a hysto-, but depending on how a tubal ligation is performed, they can also burn thru the main arteries that bring blood to the ovaries, causing one or both of them to become non-functional, and thus stop producing hormones.  

My ovaries never became non-functional, but I have heard of that- and it was never mentioned before I got my tubes tied.  I did get some kind of post sterilization syndrome- I had irregular periods, painful to the point that I had to take pain killers and was unable to move from bed sometimes for days.  Its actually NOT that uncommon, but never mentioned by the performing surgeon.  I also had periods of hormone imbalance.  It was terrible.