Intro and a question of concern

WestIsleFlower · November 2013

Hi everyone! So I have been a lurker on this board for a while, and I thought I should introduce myself before asking my question. I have been married almost a year (me 23, husband 24), and as you can see from my siggy we are a little ways out from TTC, but that doesn't stop me from having baby fever! We wanted to wait a while so we can save some money and just enjoy being married

You may have seen me on the BNB, but I didn't really need to put an intro in there since I don't have a baby to name....yet. I watch too much tv, love junk food, like working out (which in my mind cancels out the junk food :P ), and we have two fur babies (cats named Snickers and Tootsie Roll). Any other questions I will be happy to answer, but for now I have a question.

My friend and I were talking last night (she is about 25 weeks *unexpectedly* pregnant), and she told me that she had never been on bc (the pill specifically), and that even after she has her child she won't go on any. I asked her if there was a reason and she said her mom told her bc was BAD for you. She also said that women who take it, have children that "develop" too early, resulting in pregnancies that rush the growing process. Now I have been on bc for about 4 years now (and will continue to be until we are ready to conceive) and I haven't heard any of this before. I was just wondering is there any truth to this? Should I be worried? Or was she just misinformed?

FemShep · November 2013

Welcome! (Also, great GIF.) Your friend is grossly misinformed. I took BCP for over 10 years, had two healthy pregnancies, and have two healthy, happy, beautiful daughters. While taking BCPs can cause some complications in women with certain pre-existing conditions (like smokers), BC pills can also offer protections against certain kinds of cancers.

https://www.plannedparenthood.org/health-topics/birth-control/birth-control-pill-4228.htm

While each woman should make the choice about the type of birth control that is best for her individual situation, your friend is being extremely irresponsible in spreading such misleading info.

designer303 · November 2013

okay, welcome and please dont take the following the wrong way:

THAT IS COMPLETE AND UTTER BULLSHIT. Even Dr. Google agrees and that rarely happens. Birth control hormones leave your body in a week or less and even the research that the Mayo clinic has done shows that even those that accidentally took BC while pregnant had no higher instance of birth defects.

That being said going off birth control will likely cause some wonky hormonal changes which tend to result in *irregular* cycles for most women that can take months to level out, so it can be helpful to get off the pill a few months in advance of when you plan to TTC and use other methods during that time to let your body get back to normal.

WestIsleFlower · November 2013

@femshep Thank you, my husband and I love grumpy cat

And thank you for the article, it reassured me greatly. And she was a smoker (she quit when she found out she was pregnant), so maybe that affected her decision too.

@designer303, I figured it was BS. She actually did tell me this RIGHT AFTER we drove by my ob/gyn office and I mentioned that I was just there for a refill. I have heard about the irregular cycles after getting off of BCP which isn't a problem, but if I stop taking it a few months before we start trying, would condoms only suffice until we are ready?

Thanks ladies! I feel so much better!

designer303 · November 2013

WestIsleFlower said:

@designer303, I figured it was BS. She actually did tell me this RIGHT AFTER we drove by my ob/gyn office and I mentioned that I was just there for a refill. I have heard about the irregular cycles after getting off of BCP which isn't a problem, but if I stop taking it a few months before we start trying, would condoms only suffice until we are ready? I would say yes, but I might not be the best person to ask, since getting preggly is almost impossible for me, but that is what my OB told me to use after I had my DS, because I did't want to go back on the pill. Ladies what's your non-pill go to for birth control?

Thanks ladies! I feel so much better!

WestIsleFlower · November 2013

designer303 said:

WestIsleFlower said:

@designer303, I figured it was BS. She actually did tell me this RIGHT AFTER we drove by my ob/gyn office and I mentioned that I was just there for a refill. I have heard about the irregular cycles after getting off of BCP which isn't a problem, but if I stop taking it a few months before we start trying, would condoms only suffice until we are ready? I would say yes, but I might not be the best person to ask, since getting preggly is almost impossible for me, but that is what my OB told me to use after I had my DS, because I did't want to go back on the pill. Ladies what's your non-pill go to for birth control?

Thanks ladies! I feel so much better!

I'm sorry to hear about your fertility issues

But congrats on the little one you have

And thank you for asking this! Let's hear it ladies!

designer303 · November 2013

@westIseflower thanks but as you said we got so lucky with our DS that its all good!

FemShep · November 2013

We've used condoms in the time leading up to TTC. They're the easiest to "recover" from since they don't involve any hormonal changes. Good luck!

SmileyJay · November 2013

Everything everyone else said. Your friend is completely wrong and I have never even heard any of those weird claims.

If the pill is working for you and you have no bad side effects, consider yourself lucky and continue using it until you are ready to ttc. For most women it is best to plan to come off the pill a few months before ttc to allow your body to regulate. You don't have to, many women get pregnant within days of coming off the pill... some may take a few months to have a period. The hormones are out of your system within days, that is why it is so important to take them every day around the same time and not miss pills.

This is a perfect picture of what false information leads to. Her mom told her some false info that she never questioned, and now she is unexpectedly knocked up before she was ready. Just a simple google search could have set her on the right track.

laurenstar18 · November 2013

I've been using condoms since coming off the pill. H and I are planning to TTC in january. Also i've been temping and charting so i know when i ovulate to be extra careful around that week. Best of luck to you!

magdalina.h · November 2013

Your friend, is BSC

jnnfrrose6 · November 2013

designer303 said:

WestIsleFlower said:

@designer303, I figured it was BS. She actually did tell me this RIGHT AFTER we drove by my ob/gyn office and I mentioned that I was just there for a refill. I have heard about the irregular cycles after getting off of BCP which isn't a problem, but if I stop taking it a few months before we start trying, would condoms only suffice until we are ready? I would say yes, but I might not be the best person to ask, since getting preggly is almost impossible for me, but that is what my OB told me to use after I had my DS, because I did't want to go back on the pill. Ladies what's your non-pill go to for birth control?

Thanks ladies! I feel so much better!

My midwife told me to stick with condoms after DS was born and I didn't want to take the mini-pill while breastfeeding (really, I have to take it AT.THE.EXACT.SAME.TIME.EVERY.DAY. no thank you). When you are ready to go off the pill, I'd recommend temping/charting as well so you can start to get to know your body. Once you're ready to start TTC, you'll have a good base of information and can try to more effectively time sex.

mostewart · November 2013

Welcome.

Looks like we'll be starting TTC around the same time!

Ducktale · November 2013

We do the same. Temp/chart and then use condoms when needed.

WestIsleFlower · November 2013

@thecraftykoala - The only real side effect I've had was gaining weight, not too much but enough to notice. I never really had bad symptoms before I started the pill, it was just reallllllllllllly heavy, and now it seems to be a more "normal" flow.... whatever that means to each of you. And I agree with you about misinformation, the internet can be a very useful tool, but it can also be very damaging.

@laurenstar18 - Thank you! And best of luck to you in the coming months!

@magdalina.h - I am starting to think so.... :P

@jnnfrrose6 - Thank you for the advice! between you and @joy2611 I don't think I want to go on the mini-pill ever haha. I was always regular before starting BCP and I always know when I'm ovulating (or supposed to be) because I get a headache. But I know when we get close to trying I will definitely talking to my OB/GYN about charting and temping etc.

@mostewart - Thank you! You too! Maybe I will see you on the Sept/Oct 2016 BMB

And I may have to steal your ticker :P

@Ducktale - Thank you for your input! Very helpful!

@Iwoehlk - Good luck TTC, It is interesting to hear that you won't go back on it, but great that you know your body so well. Thank you for your advice, and I will look at TCOYF

WestIsleFlower · November 2013

@Kimbus22 I wouldn't be surprised if she got pregnant again. Her boyfriend and she are in the navy, and he ships out about 6 weeks after the baby is born, and my husband and I joke she is going to have irish twins.

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