What birth control method is working for you? Please share your experiences!

[Melanie Mayo]

Hey everyone, 

I'm trying to pull together a helpful article for our readers on the best birth control methods for mamas (including Natural Family Planning). I would LOVE to hear about what you're using and why you love it or hate it.

I won't quote anyone directly or include member names in the article (for privacy reasons), but I really want to be able to pull together a list of methods that have worked for REAL moms--not just a general rundown of options. Please share your experiences. 

Thanks!

[zebramama]

Used condoms for years (yucko), kind of loved my diaphragm + NFP for years before deciding to have a kiddo, but after kiddo, ovulated 6 weeks postpartum while exclusively breastfeeding, and got freaked out. Not ready for 2 kids in one year. Paragard for me after that, and while I'd rather not have to use anything in my body, it was my absolute favorite form ever. still got to track my cycles, never had to plan ahead for sex, and never had pain or problems with it. I'll do it again after this pregnancy, I'm sure. I just couldn't trust my cloudy new mommy brain to track it right for NFP for a while.

[k x s]

Right now I do a combination of sex abstinence during my fertile period which I track by charting my cervical mucus and other symptoms (mood and ovulation pain usually tell me where I am in my cycle) and condoms at all other times. Luckily I have an extremely regular and predictable cycle. Plus the added bonus of no hormones. And DH says he likes condoms because it makes him less sensitive.

Prior to charting and condoms I was on Implanon (a progestin only subdermal contraceptive implant). It was very reassuring to be on it because it has a 99%+ effectiveness rate but was causing a few irritating problems like simple cysts, prolonged period, unusual cycle and more acne. I'm glad I'm off it because I didn't even know the acne would reduce and its reassuring to know I have a regular, healthy reproductive system/menstrual cycle as confirmed by ultrasound and charting.

[SunnyMuffin]

I charted cervical mucus at the opening only, so whAt I saw on the tp. The method is called the creighton model. It must not work for me because I've gotten pregnant twice using it and the latest pregnancy was totally unexplained

[LaurensFaire]

My husband and I have been using condoms for the past like 8 years. Working really really well for us. Our two babies are from times we didn't use them... :) I learned how to do Natural Family Planning and body temperature charting as a teenager and I have always had a good grasp of my fertility day-to-day. But you can't get a good and accurate basal body temperature reading if you haven't had like around 4 straight hours of sleep.... which doesn't happen most of the time with two babies under the age of 3. So! Condoms!
We also found that if your man has any discomfort from wearing a condom, (like a lot of circumcised men can on their scrotal webbing area) get Trojan brand magnum condoms. Seriously. :) They're not any actually bigger than other condoms, they're just super stretchy and (evidently) a lot more comfortable. I like them much better because he does.
But condoms are so reliable for us that I'm even comfortable using them and having sex on fertile days. :)
 

[sbgrace]

I don't tolerate any sort of hormonal methods. We used NFP with condoms during fertile times for years. My husband felt that Natural Lamb Condoms were pretty close to without feeling wise. Not a vegan friendly option and they don't protect against STD's either. But for sensation and pregnancy control they work for us.

[kikimezz]

I use ladycomp to track my cycles and condoms on the fertile days.

[Thalia]

We used NFP+ condoms for years--I had tried hormonal birth control in the past with mixed results and didn't want to use it any long. Condoms and NFP worked fine for us. Recently, however, I started having very severe peri-menopausal symptoms that were affecting my quality of life. I decided to try a low dose birth control pill, and it has really been effective at alleviating my symptoms. I'm planning to take it until I hit true menopause, partly because if you take it for five years, there's a reduction in the risk for ovarian cancer. So now we've been able to give up the condoms as a side benefit of my treatment for peri-menopause. 

[Mothernature]

I used ParaGard for 10 years. Then I decided to have my children. Breastfeeding and co-sleeping were the perfect cocktail for me. I didn't have a period for 3 years then got pregnant after the first cycle and didn't have another period for another 3 years. After my cycles resumed, hubby didn't want any more children so he got a vasectomy. The nice thing about ParaGard, well there were several, but it is 99.9% effective for up to 10 years and you can have it removed at any time. It doesn't effect fertility and sex can be spontaneous. It's also nice to have something this reliable that doesn't contain hormones. I admire those of you who can use NFP. I'm just way too ADHD to pay that close of attention to my cycles.

[MichelleZB]

We use condoms, too! Cheap, non-hormonal and effective. They require no planning (no charting, no taking a pill, no inserting something an hour before, etc.) and you can get pretty thin non-latex smelling ones these days.

[cynthiamoon]

I used NFP as per the TCOY rules (abstinence when fertile) on and off for 6 years with success... Relatively speaking. I was "off" when not in a committed relationship. At those times abstinence and condoms did the job 100%.

When I was on top of it, I had no issues, but while using NFP I've gotten pregnant twice due to "user error" mostly due to missing a few days of temp and taking a chance due to high libido.

Your ability to keep to a method and your control over your libido should be taken into consideration when choosing a method.

After our LO is born, when will continue with NFP though. Hormones make me feel sexless and out of touch with my body, and I cannot stand the idea of having a perpetually irritated uterus with an IUD.

I know NFP works when we work it, so really, maturity and self control is our real BC method. 90% of the time, it's 100% effective

[mamabatty]

We used condoms, and then the withdrawal method successfully for a year before TTC. After a few months of TTC I got pregnant, and my daughter is 2 years old now, and I haven't had a full period as I'm still nursing. We are still using the withdrawal method. We know that it may not be the most effective birth control method, however my husband is very consistent with it and prefers it to condoms so it's working well for us.
 

[Kaydove]

We use LAM and withdrawal. My DD is 12 mos and I still haven't gotten my cycle back.

[Elowyns mom]

HI! I had a Paraguard installed 4 months after having my daughter (2years old now)! I am still breastfeeding her to this day and intend on letting her wean herself when she is ready. I didn't want another baby close to her and so the paraguard made sense as it is safe to breastfeed and I don't have to worry about another pregnancy! Oh, and my period came back when she was 15montths old. I do feel that my periods are a little heavier than they used to be but not more painful or uncomfortable. I love being able to be spontaneous when it comes to my sex life as I feel like planning it was always a bit of a downer for both myself and my husband ... we already have to kinda plan it around our daughter (naps and bedtimes!) :)

I never feel it and neither does he. I still write my periods down in my calendar but that is mostly because I like to know so that if i feel moody or a little more emotional I can rationalize and explain it with my hormones! hahaha

[lisa landen]

NFP, loosely.  Condoms combined with withdrawal method when I am fertile.  When not fertile, we always use withdrawal, too.

[tammy123]

i've been using the pill since i have been 19, not continuously but whenever i've needed some form of birth control. (i'm 42 now) for me it works, i have 3 children and they have all been planned. we also use abstinance when necessary. we don't plan on having any more children so my husband will be getting a vasectomy.

[LoveChild421]

Withdrawal :)  I know it sounds insane, but it has worked for us for 5 years.  We aren't opposed to having another if an "accident" occurs.  

[col2e2n]

My husband and I are enthusiastic students of The Creighton Method of fertility care - I highly recommend it for both achieving and avoiding pregnancy, and even more especially as a means of attaining and seeking fertility answers and health. The Method is disease-based, so if a woman (or man, for that matter), is looking for answers to a problematic situation (endometriosis, luteal phase defect, PCOS, etc.), instead of just slapping hormonal birth control or IVF on the situation, the physicians/instructors root out the underlying cause and work from there. So, not only were we able to achieve pregnancy, but I am much healthier in ways that IVF never could have helped me.

[Debbie S]

Extended breastfeeding has really helped for us. I was trained with NFP and tried to use it, but I've never had a "regular" cycle, so my chart was all over the place. It also doesn't work (as mentioned above) on little to no sleep or irregular sleep, so we kind of just gave up. My fertility is touchy enough that while breastfeeding it just doesn't exist. Pretty lucky for us!

[Twinma]

Breastfeeding twins, they are almost 16 months old, co-sleeping too, so my cycles returned back after 22 months since conception! hurry! love the long break :) Now we follow the NFP method mostly, before pregnancy we  used condoms. Happy that my body is free of pills and crazy hormone imbalances. Have never taken a pill !