Contraception discussion

mattandlora

I had an IUD before kids and loved it. Between kids, DH and I just used condoms because we knew we wanted our kids close together. Now we *think* we're done, but we're not positive. We're looking for a semi-permanent birth control method again. My new doc doesn't place IUDs but offered the implant instead. I can't take oral contraceptive / nuvaring / patch because of breastfeeding, plus the types of migraines I get and the meds required for that. (Don't want to have a stroke). Once we're convinced we're done having kids, we're looking at more permanent options (aka - I think he should get a vasectomy, he thinks I should get my tubes tied).

I have a few questions for general discussion:

If you know you're done having kids, what is your preferred method of contraception and why?

If you're not done, what is your preferred and why?

If you're iffy, what is your preferred and why?

Hope that this isn't TMI for everyone! I mean, this IS a website for TTC / pregnancy / parenting so I think family planning fits in the realm (unlike my thread about Game of Thrones, although there are a lot of parenting issues there - twincest. Ahem)

NeonNoon

Not sure my response is of any use, hence the lack of answer to @mandyreads question a couple of weeks ago.

We're not done yet but that doesn't change my answer. We're in the low intervention camp.

BCP gave me a litany of health problems (weight gain, crazy moods, trouble sleeping, nasty yeast infection etc). So, I'm never doing anything hormonal again with the exception of maybe unbearable menopause. I'm even sensitive to the hormones in dairy. When I cut it out of my diet, my cycles shortened by 4 days. There's also the increased cancer risk associated with it.

We tried the natural method until I read that you can get pregnant with week-old sperm, which is worse because the sperm will have degraded and could cause problems.

I've tried female condoms, which is like sticking a plastic bag up there.

We settled on extra thin male condoms that DH orders from abroad. He found ones that are pretty reliable.

I'm also opposed to surgical methods. I had minor oral surgery a few years ago where nothing went wrong but it took me 6 painful months to heal. So, no surgery for us except as a last resort.

mandyreads

I have always taken BCP but I am more forgetful now than ever. I have went over every single kind of BC and there was always some side effect that didn't sit well with me on each one. So I started looking at our insurance and what they cover. And found out mine is covered 100% but apparently eptopic (spelling?) pregnancy is common with tubes being tied.

My dr said it is easier for a male to recover than it is for the female. So hubs is getting it done next month. He is covered at 80%.

mattandlora

Thanks @NeonNoon. I should have searched the board for similar topics before I posted this! Sorry if it's already been discussed.

I had lots of side effects with the pill. I could tolerate most, but the worsening migraines was a no-no. Then research came out linking people who have migraine with aura and are on the pill with higher risk of stroke. But the hormonal IUD and implant are ok. That's why I went with one last time and the other this time. I had absolutely no problems with the IUD and even had less headaches, less periods. Both were great side effects! The research shows the implant has the same side effect profile, but I don't know if I'll react the same. Guess we'll find out.

My cycles aren't super regular (vary 24-31 days), so the natural methods aren't really reliable for us.

LOSS MENTIONED
We dont trust the natural birth control. I've gotten pregnant 3 times when I technically wasn't in my fertile window. I wouldn't say those were unplanned as much as not trying but not preventing. Of course we lost 2 of those, so there may be something to the old sperm theory.

DONE WITH LOSS DISCUSSION
I'm not opposed to surgery if we know we're done. But I kinda feel like I went through the pregnancies and labor and birth control headaches long enough. Time for DH to have a turn and get a snip snip. Besides, getting tubed tied can lead to a higher risk of tubal pregnancy if one of those little guys gets through. I'd much rather have his planned surgery than my planned one, followed by my emergency surgery!

Designermomma

We aren't sure we are done yet so I am on BCP and we also use condoms just in case. Once we know we are done, I think the hubs should have surgery but we haven't discussed it yet. My cousin and her husband didn't want kids at all so her husband had the surgury and said it was quite painful and he had to ice it down for a week. Then it turned out she couldn't even have kids. It's kind of a funny story when they tell it but it sounds like either surgery is no picnic.