Copper IUD?

[CountryMom2e]

Anyone have experience with the copper IUD? We're not certain if we want more kids, but I'd like a non-hormonal form of BC that we can rely on for awhile until we decide if we want DH to have the big V.

I'm a little nervous about having something *in* me for an extended period of time - but I don't want to use a hormonal method (took me too long to reset after being on the pill) or diaphragm (tried it - messy, and had a lot of UTIs).

Thanks!

[Bartock]

I have the copper T IUD I had it for 4 years after last DS and now it has been in for 6 months, i like it, have had no problems, my periods have not been heavier or more crammpy than the doc said they would.

[shelbean91]

I tried the copper IUD, liked it until I figured out it had fallen out of place. It was still there, but the bottom of it was hanging out of my cervix and hitting dh. He's the one who told me. So, I had it removed and another one put in. Same thing happened. I was worried about it happening and getting pg, so decided to not try a 3rd time.

While I had it, I liked it. I did have longer periods and slightly more cramping, but nothing unmanagable.

[terpstation]

I have had a paraguard for about 4 years. I needed a non-hormonal reliable method and this was the best for me. My periods haven't changed. I check it every month. Once I thought it disappeared and I had an ultrasound, but it was there right where it should be. I have had no problems with it and when I am at a time when I can have more children, I will have it removed I can't wait

[Threefold]

I have had a paraguard for almost a year. I had some spotting for about 3 weeks after insertion, and with my first period with it in place I had about 20 minutes a labor like cramping, but no more and none since. My first 6 cycles were heavy and longer than usual, but things have since evened out. Dh has felt the string a few times, but he's gotten used to it. We both love it. I really trust the NP/CNM who inserted mine; insertion was painful, so it would have been hard for me to have it done by someone I didn't trust.

[shooflymama]

I had the copper IUD and while I did get annoyed by spotting, overall I was really happy with it. We used it for birth control while I was nursing, which was excellent since no hormones were involved and it was super-easy, and had it removed later before conceiving DC#2. I will probably get another one after DC#2 is born, as we aren't sure if we want to have a third and an IUD is a pretty reliable form of birth control.

My suggestion would be, however, to find someone who does IUD insertions a lot, and preferably a midwife. I felt only one twinge of pain for a nanosecond when the IUD was inserted. My wonderful midwife told me that the first IUD insertion she witnessed while training was done by a doctor and caused a great deal of pain for the woman (he went very fast, etc), and that she learned from another midwife how to do it right .

[crysmomofthree]

I had a copper iud, after my 2nd son I had it put in a 6w pp, but it fell out 10 months later, then I had another put in, and it fell out 6 weeks later, right around the time I had my first pp af.

after my 4th baby, we didn't know if we wanted more kids, not ready for a vasectomy, but not thinking we wanted to decided right away, so I had one put it at 6 weeks pp. it was fine, barely noticeable for 11 months, then it fell out ! then I had my first pp af. So they don't work for me, my body wants to reproduce so bad it kicks the iud out when I can get pregnant. So I"m not having another one put it, we are going to allow baby #5 to come along when it wants and then he'll go get a vasectomy

[julie128]

I had one. After it had been in about 8 months, I started bleeding heavily. I went on the mini pill (progesterone only) to stop the bleeding. That worked for about a year when I started bleeding heavily again. I took it out myself and stayed on the pill until a month ago. If I use an IUD again, I would try the Mirena.