birth control after

[Honey693]

Has anyone started thinking about birth control after the baby shows up? I think I've narrowed it down between the IUD and the patch, but I'm wondering what everyone else is doing and why.

[louloubean]

i'm leaning towards the mirena IUD, because i have tolerated the pill well in the past, but with two little kids, i don't think i can remember to take it every day at the same time!!

there were some good online reviews, but some scary stuff too, so at least i know what to look out for!

i'm afraid the patch would fall off, and i do some fairly sporty stuff, not sure it's for me.

not doing the tubes tied thing, even though i'm 36 and pretty sure this is my last pregnancy, it's a little TOO permanent for me!

looking forward to what yous other moms are thinking of doing.

[andi-mama]

We'll be doing the same as before... a modified version of FAM. I call it Paranoid FAM- we use condoms until I'm sure I've ovulated (instead of just during fertile phases).

[lifeguard]

We won't be using anything. It took us 6 years to conceive & needed assistance at that.

If we ever use anything again in the future it would have to be something non-hormonal. I have had too many bad experiences with the hormones & firmly believe that if I had never started the pill I wouldn't have had near the problems I have with pcos & depression. Natural family planning would never work because my cycles are much too erratic.

[two bricks shy]

We'll be doing condoms until my cycle returns. Then FAM and most likely DH will be getting the "snip" at some point in time.

I don't do well on hormonal methods of birth control at all... weight gain, depression, the whole she-bang.

[AugustineM]

Ugh, I don't know what to do about birth control! I've been stressing about it because I get my fertility back quite early... at about 5 mo. PP with my first baby and about 2 months PP with my second (yes, that's super early!!) and I cosleep and nurse on demand. But we are sure that this is our last baby, so neither of us want to take any chances.

I do not react well to hormonal birth control, and I tried the Mirena IUD but it was not at all for me. I have a slightly irregularly shaped uterus, so I think that contributed to the problems. It also killed my sex drive.

DH keeps saying he's going to get a vasectomy, which I guess is probably what we'll do, but for some reason it doesn't sit well with me. I guess it's the permanent reversal of one's fertility... even though I know we don't want more kids it just seems so... unnatural. There are also some speculative side-effects that worry me. But really there doesn't seem another way that is that effective. I did FAM for quite a while but we're not *that* good at it.

[clavicula]

Mirena here.
I need some rest. I had 3 pregnancies in 4 years, my body is for sure exhausted!

[~Charlie's~Angel~]

Since i have such a hard time producing milk on my own, I will be avoiding the pill and anything else hormonal at all costs. So its condoms, condoms, condoms for us. And since my boys are only going to be 14 months apart, and I feel like I have been pregnant since Christ died, we will be using them FAITHFULLY.

[GreenFlower]

we'll just be hoping for/counting on breastfeeding and co-sleeping to keep ovulation at bay for a while. With DC#1 I didn't start cycling again until month 14 postpartum. Because of my (and my family's) history, I can't use anything with hormones, and because of my latex allergy condoms are too darn expensive...plus I really can't stand the different feel. Once I start cycling we probably will just let happen what happens (unless I get it back really early for some odd reason) because it took so long for us to get pregnant this time.

[magpiedee]

We'll probably do the mini pill again. Mini pill and nursing combined to hold off AF for about 16 months last time. I'm not totally crazy about the hormones, but I was on the Pill for 13 years before TTC, and I really think the benefits outweighed the negatives. My attitude and DDT aren't as wonderful on the mini pill, but I think that's a decent trade-off for knowing I won't get pregnant. We are also pretty sure that our family will be complete, but we don't like the permanence of vas or tubes. And IUDs freak me out. And we both hate condoms with a vengeance.

If only there were a better way! :

[Patchfire]

We'll do condoms and FAM similar to the way andi-mama does it. While we're pretty confident this is our last, we're both young enough (I'll be 28 next week, dh just turned 31) that we're not willing to do anything permanent. I can't tolerate any hormonal birth control, but I may look into the non-hormone IUD at some point.

[snowgirl]

Originally Posted by GreenFlower

we'll just be hoping for/counting on breastfeeding and co-sleeping to keep ovulation at bay for a while.

Same here. I didn't get my cycles back until 10months pp. I am hoping it will be longer this time as I might be a SAHM. If I do go back to work, I am going to hire someone to come to my home so babe can have access to breast all the time(I work from home) and I don't have to pump. After that though, probably FAM. Don't want hormones anymore, neither one of us really believes/wants to become sterile. And it took us almost 2-1/2 years to get pg with this one. 15 months with DD. This is our last for sure. I am getting too old.

[MaryLang]

We only use NFP.

[PhyllisV]

We will use NFP and if I get preg again, so be it! wheee!!:

[ma_vie_en_rose]

I will not be using anything this time around because DH is getting the big snip. We were debating that or getting my tubes tied while i was having my c/s. However, I am very reluctant to do anything permanent to myself that could affect my sex drive.

I have used the mini-pill (hated it sooo much, couldn't lose weight and got pg on it) and Mirena (liked this more, had trouble when they put it in due to anatomy, killed my sex drive). I am just not a fan of bc for my body. So, DH offered to take one for the team.

[coyotemist]

A few years ago I spent 8 days in the hospital because of pelvic inflammatory disease, so the IUD is out. We did good with NFP, but 3 years later, that's how Charlie got in the oven. Obviously, my cycles aren't as regular as they should be, and I don't do so well with temping.

DH had promised to get the big V. Then, when we had insurance, and I gave him the number to the urologist, he backpedaled big time. What with his genetic thing, and the fact that only 1 out of 3 kids got it, I'm done, taking my money and running. That coupled with the fact that I've discovered I don't really like being pregnant. It's cool, it's amazing, but at 31 I ache constantly.

So my tubes are getting tied in the hospital sometime after babies birth. Some teeny part of me is a little hesitant, but honestly, if I really want another baby we could consider adoption. But I think I'll be busy enough with 3!

[Mrs-Mama]

I'll be using a diaphragm again. I liked that it was non-hormonal and didn't affect my sex drive (big problem with me and the pill). We never had any problems with it and neither of us could feel it.

[nurnur]

I think this time we will use a combo of FAM & condoms, we're not sure yet, I have used the paragaurd IUD (non-hormonal) between two different pregnancies 4.5 years the first time and 3 years this time. it was fabulous for me, a cinch to get put in (and I was scared after reading some ladies had passed out during insertion) I really didn't even know they had began when the doc said he was done, and when we wanted to get pregnant it was a cinch to take out and walla...preggo. I will not do hormones, they mess me up. I may go back to the IUD again, just waiting to see what INS. will cover.

[Nautical]

Because of breastfeeding, I will not be doing anything hormonal. Before this baby we used NFP (natural family planning). I will start to chart again after I get my first period or maybe around 6 months. However, I think we'll just have another baby when we have another baby. Sorry, I'm no help.

[nerdymom]

Well, I know I'm not doing anything hormonal. I'm hoping that BFing will keep my ovulation at bay for a while. After that, well, I'm going to try to do charting. I am really good at reading my body, and the only reason I got pg was because I got lazy after we were married, . My MW will be offering a free fertility awareness class sometime soon, so I'll be going to that. If I can't get to that one before the baby comes, DH and I will probably try to go to a NFP class, since the Catholic church in our area offers them pretty regularly.