TTMA postpartum birth control

NoraAurora · August 2016

So I went 4 pages back and couldn't find a thread on this, and I refuse to go further! And as we all know the search function is basically useless for finding anything in the selected BMB. So really I'd like a discussion about personal experiences and pros/cons of different birth control methods you plan to use. BUT I made you a clicky poll as apology if a thread already exists somewhere in the annals of time....and everyone loves a clicky poll (it is known).

Personally I'm trying to decide between the arm implant (nexplanon) and mirena IUD. H was going to get the big V right away after DD gets here, but now he's saying he wants to wait.

1). What do you plan to do for baby prevention after your current bundle gets here?

2). What did you use in the past?

3). Did you like what you used before or did it morph you into a hormonal raging twatwaffle? Explain.

Kittens22 · August 2016

We are going to try for a second asap, so I didn't vote...

LauraPCOS · August 2016

1) I was diagnosed with a mild form of PCOS a few years before pregnancy (not sure how it's mild but there is no arguing with this OB). I'm hopeful that this pregnancy will reset everything hormonal wise, but scared shitless that we'll end up with 2 under 2. So I'm considering the patch because I don't think I can remember the pill regularly and I have concerns about something implanted and how it might affect the PCOS.

2) I've used the pill, but I also used the shot for 5 years that stopped my period completely. There are theories that this might have been the start of my PCOS, but no one knows for sure cause I was always on the pill (started young so I can take acutane). Once I stopped the pill my period decided to come anywhere from 4 days after my last one to 85 days so ya I knew things were going to be a challenge.

3) I actually loved the shot, not having to think or care, but it killed my sex drive. When I decided to stop the shot, a few months after it was out of my system I turned into a cat in heat! I couldn't get enough and I would literally whine for sex. The pill was better but I always forgot to take it regularly to the point I had to set myself an alarm, but I would still mess up. Emotional wise though, I think I was good, but then again I wasn't one of my victims

Mintz1982 · August 2016

I prefer the pills I set an alarm for same time everyday kept them with me. I had a horrible time with implants was worst experience of my life I had to go to emergency room to have to removed.

I'm allergic to adhesives so I can't do the patch

NoraAurora · August 2016

Kittens22 said:

We are going to try for a second asap, so I didn't vote...

I wanted to make this option but it cut me off at 10!

kmtz89 · August 2016

1). What do you plan to do for baby prevention after your current bundle gets here?
I'm leaning toward the arm implant as it is commonly used here and I won't have to remember a pill every day. DH recently said he wants to do the natural family planning/bfing/pray method and I'm not really sold on that since we will already be going from none to two fairly quickly (adoption). Though we both agree we want at least a year before we are actively trying again.

2). What did you use in the past? the pill for awhile and natural family planning. There is a problem with lots of fake bc pills on the market here in Tanzania and so I always felt kinda risky about it anyway. And now the president is trying to ban ALL birth control pills so we'll see... haha

3). Did you like what you used before or did it morph you into a hormonal raging twatwaffle? Explain.
I felt like it didn't really change me/my personality/my sex drive at all on the pills

ashleymn-2 · August 2016

1). What do you plan to do for baby prevention after your current bundle gets here?
I'm leaning toward nuva ring. It simple and from what I've read very effective.

2). What did you use in the past? The Pill.

3). Did you like what you used before or did it morph you into a hormonal raging twatwaffle? Explain.
I started taking ortho tri cyclen lo when I was 16 because I was not having periods but maybe once or twice a year. It regulated my periods to were I had them every month.The pill didn't change me but I kept forgetting to take it at the same time everyday which is how my SO and I ended up pregnant. (ironically enough there were 2 years in our relationship where I didn't use BC at all because of insurance and nothing happened.) I did gain a bit of weight when I started the pill; however, it was not much.

amye102485 · August 2016

1) I plan on trying nexplanon. I don't particularly want to go the IUD route and I refuse to go back on pills. I tried pills when we first got married and they messed me up.

2) We used the pull out method for 5 years successfully. My husband has a lot of self control. We didn't get pregnant with this guy until we actually started trying.

3) I liked what we did before, however this is our last baby so I want to be extra safe. I considered a tubal, but I don't want to get weird side effects from it and not be able to do anything about it.

mrskratt · August 2016

1). What do you plan to do for baby prevention after your current bundle gets here?
Natural family planning, condoms and the good old pull out method.

2). What did you use in the past?
I have never been on birth control before, so TBH, it really scares me. DH and I have also been together for 11 years, never had a scare and only got KTFU when trying. So, we are just going to stick to what we are use to doing.

3). Did you like what you used before or did it morph you into a hormonal raging twatwaffle? Explain.
That's one of the reasons why I'm so afraid of birth control. That, other side effects and feeling like something foreign is controlling my body. I'm weird like that.

sportiegrl1213 · August 2016

1). What do you plan to do for baby prevention after your current bundle gets here?
Back to calculating when I'm not fertile. It worked well for us for years. I really don't want anymore kids, as of right now, DH won't let me get my tubes tied just in case we do want another. But going on 37, I feel rushed to have another right away and I don't want that. I want to enjoy our son and I don't want to be 40 pregnant again. So we shall see what happens.

2). What did you use in the past?
I was on the pill for a bit but kept forgetting to take it. So I just followed an app to make sure I wasn't fertile. And we looked at it as, if it happened it happened.

3). Did you like what you used before or did it morph you into a hormonal raging twatwaffle? Explain.
I was fine. The pill didn't bother me and then I didn't use anything for years.

missmaehurt · August 2016

1). What do you plan to do for baby prevention after your current bundle gets here?

I've been lucky that I'm fairly regular so the natural family planning worked well for us when we weren't TTGP. However I really don't want back to back kids, so I may try to go back on the pill.

2). What did you use in the past?

Starting at 16 I've been on the low dose hormone pill, shortly before DH and I met I stopped taking it due to insurance issues.

3). Did you like what you used before or did it morph you into a hormonal raging twatwaffle? Explain.

I briefly tried to start the pill again after DH and I were together, but it definitely made me ragey all the time. I felt bad because DH got the brunt of it, so I stopped.

ibabyloveb87 · August 2016

1). What do you plan to do for baby prevention after your current bundle gets here?
I would like to get back on NuvaRing after baby, but I'm not sure I can be on it with breastfeeding. I need to ask my OB about it soon. Most people they seem to put on the mini pill to get back to "normal" after birth and protect from additional pregnancies. So I'm leaning toward just being super careful..........

2). What did you use in the past?
NuvaRing and when we decided to let my body get used to no BC, we just used the old fashioned pull out method until we were actually ready to start trying. Worked well for us.

3). Did you like what you used before or did it morph you into a hormonal raging twatwaffle? Explain.
I really like the ring because I don't have to think about a daily pill, which I am not good at remembering. I think it kills my sex drive some but not nearly what pregnancy has done to it, and DH never complains too much. I never had side effects otherwise.

SuperNerd42 · August 2016

1). What do you plan to do for baby prevention after your current bundle gets here?
If I end up needing a c-section due to this previa I'm going to push hard for a tubal while she's in there. We are 100% done at two kiddos, so I'd love to just have it done with. If dr won't do it or I don't need a c, then DH will get the snips in a few months. I'll probably do an IUD in the meantime, since we're moving and he hasn't even started to get set up with a doctor (and knowing him it will take some time). We will figure it out if we have an oops baby while on the IUD, but based on our struggles to conceive this time around I'm not too worried about it.

2). What did you use in the past? the pill, but I hated being on it and am horrible at remembering to take it.

3). Did you like what you used before or did it morph you into a hormonal raging twatwaffle? Explain.
I hate the pill. I've tried four different ones over the course of my life, and was a rage monster on all of them. Plus I gained weight and had a spike in acne on all of them, which only added to the rage. Before trying for #2 we did natural family planning and/or condoms.

blaf322 · August 2016

1). What do you plan to do for baby prevention after your current bundle gets here? IUD

2). What did you use in the past?
Pill, shot, IUD (Merena). One of my best friends used the ring and implant and I remember her feedback on those so I'll touch on that too.

3). Did you like what you used before or did it morph you into a hormonal raging twatwaffle? Explain.
-IUD was by far my favorite. I had zero issues with it, it almost stopped my periods (they were super light/short each month), and it lasts 5 years but if I decide to take it out early we can start trying right away (which we did with my 2nd IUD). I didn't have excessive cramping with it either and removal/insertion isn't bad (pain wise). Day of insertion you'll have some cramping but manageable with Advil and rest. (I got the IUD without having had kids, so insertion was slightly more difficult for me bc it involved manual expansion of my cervix)
-Implant- my friend liked it at first. Insertion was easy and she had no real issues with it until it was time to remove it. Removal of an implant often takes surgery. Hers did. Often, scar tissue forms around the implant and makes it very difficult to remove. They only last 3 years, so remember that you'll need to go through that every 3 years. There's an episode of I Am Jazz where she gets her hormone implant removed. Check it out, that's the surgery.
-shot- loved it but found it difficult with my college schedule to make it into my MD office one a month on an exact day to get this shot. One other negative is that it makes you more susceptible to yeast infections. So if you start antibiotics for anything, expect a yeast infection.
-ring- my good friend also used the ring at one point. She said she liked it but her H could feel it so they didn't stick with it. I don't know much else other than that about it

2 THINGS TO CONSIDER before you make your mind up on a specific type of BC...
-Check with your insurance to see what's covered. The reason I went with the IUD over the implant years ago is bc my insurance covered one but not the other. So glad it worked out that way
-Does the coverage for the type you've chosen go through your deductible first? Although it likely won't matter bc we'll max it out when baby's born, if you wait a while to make a decision and your insurance resets, you're facing a deductible for the more invasive methods like IUD and Implant. This is what happened to me with my first IUD. I didn't know until after it was done and was in college and broke with a $500 deductible to fork over. I cried... But learned a valuable lesson about how insurance works lol

MRSCORKER · August 2016

I'm not sure what we're going to do. I was on BCP for nearly 15 years before going off to TTGP. I was really lucky that my cycle regulated right away and I had textbook 28 day cycles from the first month off. I'm a little nervous to go back on BCP and risk that not happening again when we decide to try for a second. I'll be 32 when this one is born and I'd like to be done by 35 if possible so I know that once we decide to try again, we're not gonna want to waste any time. Getting KU is so out of your control that I'd like to be able to control what I can and I'm not sure I'll be able to do that if my hormones are slave to the pill. I'm also not trying to jump back on the temping/charting train right away. It worked so well for me when TTC this LO but it seems like it would be a lot of work if TTA and while parenting a toddler. All of that said, I think we'll probably go for the pull out method and hope for the best.

Sorry for the novel.

mothernorth · August 2016

1). What do you plan to do for baby prevention after your current bundle gets here?
I am already scheduled to get the Nexplanon arm implant at my 2 week PP check up. Like you, the had previously planned on a vasectomy, but we both decided we're too young and got cold feet.

2). What did you use in the past?
Combination Pill
Condoms/Pull-Out
Progesterone Only Pill

3). Did you like what you used before or did it morph you into a hormonal raging twatwaffle? Explain.
Combination Pill: Took after DD
Pros- Didn't get pregnant, stopped my period after 3 months, clear skin.
Cons- Extreme depression, hair shedding, "brain fog" comparable to "pregnancy brain", dry vagina, loss of sex drive, high blood pressure, clotting in legs, abnormal cycle for 3 years after discontinuation.

Condoms/Pull-Out: After discontinuation of Combination Pill
Pros- Didn't get pregnant, No mess to clean up after sex.
Cons- Decrease in sexual satisfaction and sensation, less spontaneity, mild paranoia, perception of lessened "real intimacy".

Progesterone Only Pill: Took to reestablish regular cycle while TTC LO/Took after birth of LO.
Pros- Didn't get pregnant, made cycles very regular, clear skin, no weight fluctuations, no noted psychological changes, leaves system quickly.
Cons- Must be taken at same time everyday and no placebo week (NBD IMO), Spotting if not taken at correct time, only in system for 12-24 hours so may become pregnant for missing ONE day, changed the natural smell of my skin (weird side effect, but I didn't stink- just smelled different).

My experience with POPs is what led me to choose Nexplanon. It is a progesterone-only option as well which is safe for breast feeding, I know my body is very tolerant of progesterone and have a positive experience with it actually regulating my system. I like that Nexplanon functions for 3 years, and I am more comfortable having a foreign object implanted in my arm as opposed to my vagina.

blaf322 · August 2016

MRSCORKER said:

I'm not sure what we're going to do. I was on BCP for nearly 15 years before going off to TTGP. I was really lucky that my cycle regulated right away and I had textbook 28 day cycles from the first month off. I'm a little nervous to go back on BCP and risk that not happening again when we decide to try for a second. I'll be 32 when this one is born and I'd like to be done by 35 if possible so I know that once we decide to try again, we're not gonna want to waste any time. Getting KU is so out of your control that I'd like to be able to control what I can and I'm not sure I'll be able to do that if my hormones are slave to the pill. I'm also not trying to jump back on the temping/charting train right away. It worked so well for me when TTC this LO but it seems like it would be a lot of work if TTA and while parenting a toddler. All of that said, I think we'll probably go for the pull out method and hope for the best.

Sorry for the novel.

Check out MIrena (IUD) and see if you like the idea. I had my first for the full 5 years and my second for only 3. With the IUD you ovulate the very next month so there's no delay and you can always remove early.

MRSCORKER · August 2016

bnsmith85 said:

MRSCORKER said:

I'm not sure what we're going to do. I was on BCP for nearly 15 years before going off to TTGP. I was really lucky that my cycle regulated right away and I had textbook 28 day cycles from the first month off. I'm a little nervous to go back on BCP and risk that not happening again when we decide to try for a second. I'll be 32 when this one is born and I'd like to be done by 35 if possible so I know that once we decide to try again, we're not gonna want to waste any time. Getting KU is so out of your control that I'd like to be able to control what I can and I'm not sure I'll be able to do that if my hormones are slave to the pill. I'm also not trying to jump back on the temping/charting train right away. It worked so well for me when TTC this LO but it seems like it would be a lot of work if TTA and while parenting a toddler. All of that said, I think we'll probably go for the pull out method and hope for the best.

Sorry for the novel.

Check out MIrena (IUD) and see if you like the idea. I had my first for the full 5 years and my second for only 3. With the IUD you ovulate the very next month so there's no delay and you can always remove early.

I've heard of women taking a year or more to regulate after Mirena... I'm just too nervous to do anything hormonal at this point. Although, I will say, I really miss my perfect BCP skin!

mommathoner · August 2016

1). What do you plan to do for baby prevention after your current bundle gets here?
Hubs has volunteered to "go to the vet and get fixed" as we like to joke.

2). What did you use in the past?
3). Did you like what you used before or did it morph you into a hormonal raging twatwaffle? Explain.
- BCP in college/when first married - I was a hot mess of hormones no matter what brand I tried.

- After DD, I had Paragard (the copper IUD), and it gave me REALLY heavy periods but was otherwise OK.

- To control my bleeding, I decided to switch to Mirena. It was fine for a while, but then I started having abdominal pain/gall bladder flare-ups ... according to Dr. Google, that's a common side effect. My OB didn't think there was a connection, but I couldn't stand it and asked for the IUD to be pulled. Guess what? The pain stopped.

- We used condoms until we were ready to TTC this baby. I'm relieved my husband has agreed to get the snip so we don't have to mess with birth control any more!

maf9866 · August 2016

1). What do you plan to do for baby prevention after your current bundle gets here? back to the pull out method for us

2). What did you use in the past? I went on the pill when I was 19 but it made me sick every night and killed my sex drive. So after 3 years of being on it, my dh and I decided it wasn't worth it. we had gotten married in that time frame so it was like 'if I get pregnant it's fine'. We did try condoms for a while after but that's no fun at all. Especially with your husband! But like someone else said, my husband has super human self control so the only time I have gotten pregnant (in 8 years) has been the two times we've tried.

We also want one to two more kids and since I hit 30 this year, I want to have a quicker turn over then I had before (my first two will be almost 4 years apart)

3). Did you like what you used before or did it morph you into a hormonal raging twatwaffle? Explain. I don't think the pill turned me hormonal but without sex, we both were on edge all of the time!!

mizzkbrat · August 2016

1. I have no clue. I can't do the pill (see below) and we aren't the most responsible when it comes to condoms. I planned on talking to my doctor at the next appointment to discuss options

2. The pill, condoms

3. The pill totally killed my sex drive. When I got with my FI I wasn't on anything so we used condoms. We weren't as careful so I went and got on the pill. I went from craving my FI to just having sex because it's what we did. Immediately got off the pill after 3 months and went back to condoms. However, after we are drinking, the condoms never quite make it on and well, that and vodka is how I got myself knocked up today. So I need something more permanent and something that won't kill my sex drive because I love sex with my fiancé. We are good at it and I don't want to lose that connection.

LauraPCOS · August 2016

For the ladies that have had IUD and the implants - do you still have periods?

bosslady925 · August 2016

Just wanted to comment that I LOVED the arm implant. I had it removed after 2 years to get pregnant, but it was awesome. No side effects (for me) and it stopped my periods.

For us, having male factor infertility, we won't do anything to prevent. If we were to get pregnant naturally we would welcome it.

mothernorth · August 2016

@MorganL925 Excellent, I love hearing good things about the arm implant!

scostel2 · August 2016

1). What do you plan to do for baby prevention after your current bundle gets here?
I have PCOS with anovulation, meaning in all the time the docs were monitoring me, I never ovulated on my own. I know sometimes being pregnant can "reset" your hormones/cycles, or so they say, so I know the fact that I needed fertility treatments doesn't mean I'll still be infertile after. But fertility treatments also blew really bad, so part of me is cool with getting accidentally pregnant shortly after if it means not having to go through all that again. So we'll probably use the pull out method and I definitely don't want to go on anything hormonal until I see if I somehow magically get a natural cycle after this baby.

2). What did you use in the past?
I've taken lots of different brands of birth control pills, primarily to manage the symptoms of my PCOS, since I was 12.

3). Did you like what you used before or did it morph you into a hormonal raging twatwaffle? Explain.
I'm lucky that I've tolerated all the BCP pretty well. Nothing has ever made me more of a hormonal raging twatwaffle than cycles of Clomid and Provera. Holy shit, I was terrifying.

emmaaa · August 2016

1). What do you plan to do for baby prevention after your current bundle gets here?
Kind of a combination of Natural Family Planning, pulling out, and condoms.
2). What did you use in the past?
Same as above. That's worked for us for almost 8 years.
3). Did you like what you used before or did it morph you into a hormonal raging twatwaffle? Explain.
I was on the BCP (LoEstrin) for about 6 or 7 months out of high school and hated it. It made me super hormonal, my periods and cramps were still awful, I gained a lot of weight (and lost it immediately after I stopped taking it), my acne was still awful, and my hair fell out, like a lot. I just couldn't handle the side effects of a HBC and DH (then BF) told me he would wear condoms (which I made him do even when I was on the pill) and we would be careful.

ashleyp625 · August 2016

1). What do you plan to do for baby prevention after your current bundle gets here?
I am planning to take the pill again. We did NFP to conceive, but never to avoid. My cycles are somewhat irregular when not on BCP, so I'm afraid we would have a surprise. We are not planning on another for 3-4 years until H finishes school for financial reasons, so a surprise would not be ideal at all.

2). What did you use in the past?
The pill, though I don't remember the brand. I'm sure it's in my Gyn chart.

3). Did you like what you used before or did it morph you into a hormonal raging twatwaffle? Explain.
I did like it. I never experienced side effects, and with the changes to insurance through Obamacare, mine is completely covered. I'm hoping that H will come around to the snip when we are completely done, but I don't mind doing the pill again between babies.

jennielu · August 2016

Seems like there's a few people who use NFP to avoid pregnancy. Anybody know of resources for how things change post-partum?

kelliott09 · August 2016

LauraPCOS said:

For the ladies that have had IUD and the implants - do you still have periods?

I've had the mirena IUD twice. Both times I had a regular period but it was very light. I could wear just a pantyliner and it was only for a few days.

MRSCORKER · August 2016

kelliott09 said:

LauraPCOS said:

For the ladies that have had IUD and the implants - do you still have periods?

I've had the mirena IUD twice. Both times I had a regular period but it was very light. I could wear just a pantyliner and it was only for a few days.

How long did it take you to regular when it was removed?

CopperBoom86 · August 2016

1). What do you plan to do for baby prevention after your current bundle gets here? We want to try for a second not long after the first, so we'll be relying on BFing and pulling out until then.

2). What did you use in the past? I had the Mirena IUD for 4 years prior to this pregnancy.

3). Did you like what you used before or did it morph you into a hormonal raging twatwaffle? Explain. I absolutely LOVED Mirena. It was cheap, effective, and I never had any issues with it. I was on Yaz prior to getting Mirena and it made me a crazy person (suicidal thoughts, depression, etc), so I definitely wouldn't recommend that. Although, I do know that BC is extremely subjective, so I think you just have to try things to find what works for you and hope the failed methods don't fuck you up too badly.

ETA: @MRSCORKER - My cycles returned to normal about 2 weeks after I had my Mirena removed. We started NTNP in October 2015, actively TTC in December 2015, and (obviously) KU by the end of January 2016. I'm not saying it would work the same for you or anyone else; I just wanted to share my experience with it

kelliott09 · August 2016

First off, not sure if you're planning to breastfeed or not but that's going to affect what you choose.

1. Right now, we're thinking a vasectomy but I know that won't be immediate and I'm not sure what our plan is in the meantime.

2. In the past... I had the shot twice. I bled everyday for the entire 6 months and decided that was definitely not for me.
I was on the pill for many, many years, different brands. I never had any problems with it. I got pregnant with my first immediately after stopping them. I was on them again with my second. I think it took about 4 months to regulate to get pregnant with him. I've also had the mirena IUD twice. The first time, I had it the full 5 years, no problems. Extremely light periods also. The second time I regret. The doctor will tell you there's no connection between the mirena and milk supply but a lot of moms will disagree. I got mine at 8 weeks pp after my last baby and breastfeeding was going fine. Within a few days I noticed a dramatic drop in my supply. So much so that my son wasn't gaining weight and his pediatrician kept recommending that we supplement until I eventually had to switch to formula by the time he was 3-4 months. I plan on breastfeeding this time so Im not taking that chance. I kept this IUD until I was ready to try for this baby. They say you can get pregnant immediately after having it removed but again, that wasn't the case for me. I temped every day since I had it removed so I know I didn't ovulate for 4 months after. Not a huge deal but something to think about if you want to have another. It takes some people up to a year to regulate.

3. I guess I've already answered this one. The only thing I wouldn't do again is the shot or the mirena while breastfeeding. I would get the IUD again if I weren't planning to breastfeed. I don't think anything turned me into a hormonal raging bitch, I do that on my own. Ha! But I for sure noticed it when coming off of them. Shew!

MRSCORKER · August 2016

@CopperBoom86 I'll ask you also, how long did it take you to regulate after getting the Mirena removed? I was on Ortho-Lo forever and then decided to switch it up and get the Seasonique so I could only have 4 periods per year. 6 weeks into it, I woke up one morning a complete crazy person. Full on panic attacks, couldn't function, couldn't eat, it was AWFUL. After a few days I realized what it must be and switched back and was back to normal within a week. I agree, you have to find what works for you and hopefully you get lucky on the first try because the wrong pill can completely mess you up!

amye102485 · August 2016

@LauraPCOS I had the same problem with very irregular, sometimes month long periods before having my daughter. After having her, my cycles became extremely normal! I'm hoping that happens for you too.

blaf322 · August 2016

MRSCORKER said:

bnsmith85 said:

MRSCORKER said:

I'm not sure what we're going to do. I was on BCP for nearly 15 years before going off to TTGP. I was really lucky that my cycle regulated right away and I had textbook 28 day cycles from the first month off. I'm a little nervous to go back on BCP and risk that not happening again when we decide to try for a second. I'll be 32 when this one is born and I'd like to be done by 35 if possible so I know that once we decide to try again, we're not gonna want to waste any time. Getting KU is so out of your control that I'd like to be able to control what I can and I'm not sure I'll be able to do that if my hormones are slave to the pill. I'm also not trying to jump back on the temping/charting train right away. It worked so well for me when TTC this LO but it seems like it would be a lot of work if TTA and while parenting a toddler. All of that said, I think we'll probably go for the pull out method and hope for the best.

Sorry for the novel.

Check out MIrena (IUD) and see if you like the idea. I had my first for the full 5 years and my second for only 3. With the IUD you ovulate the very next month so there's no delay and you can always remove early.

I've heard of women taking a year or more to regulate after Mirena... I'm just too nervous to do anything hormonal at this point. Although, I will say, I really miss my perfect BCP skin!

That shouldn't be the case and would more likely be an issue with their ovulation cycle being irregular than an issue because of the Mirena. I confirmed this when I first started IVF bc I didn't want to go through all the early steps of IVF with it in and then have to wait for transfer and suchj just because I wasn't ovulating.

MRSCORKER · August 2016

bnsmith85 said:

MRSCORKER said:

bnsmith85 said:

MRSCORKER said:

I'm not sure what we're going to do. I was on BCP for nearly 15 years before going off to TTGP. I was really lucky that my cycle regulated right away and I had textbook 28 day cycles from the first month off. I'm a little nervous to go back on BCP and risk that not happening again when we decide to try for a second. I'll be 32 when this one is born and I'd like to be done by 35 if possible so I know that once we decide to try again, we're not gonna want to waste any time. Getting KU is so out of your control that I'd like to be able to control what I can and I'm not sure I'll be able to do that if my hormones are slave to the pill. I'm also not trying to jump back on the temping/charting train right away. It worked so well for me when TTC this LO but it seems like it would be a lot of work if TTA and while parenting a toddler. All of that said, I think we'll probably go for the pull out method and hope for the best.

Sorry for the novel.

Check out MIrena (IUD) and see if you like the idea. I had my first for the full 5 years and my second for only 3. With the IUD you ovulate the very next month so there's no delay and you can always remove early.

I've heard of women taking a year or more to regulate after Mirena... I'm just too nervous to do anything hormonal at this point. Although, I will say, I really miss my perfect BCP skin!

That shouldn't be the case and would more likely be an issue with their ovulation cycle being irregular than an issue because of the Mirena. I confirmed this when I first started IVF bc I didn't want to go through all the early steps of IVF with it in and then have to wait for transfer and succ just because I was ovulating.

Gotcha. I'll do some more research. It does seem to be the easiest way to go.

kelliott09 · August 2016

MRSCORKER said:

kelliott09 said:

LauraPCOS said:

For the ladies that have had IUD and the implants - do you still have periods?

I've had the mirena IUD twice. Both times I had a regular period but it was very light. I could wear just a pantyliner and it was only for a few days.

How long did it take you to regular when it was removed?

The first time I had it removed, I went right back to pills so I'm not sure. The second time was right before this pregnancy, it took 4 months. I was terrified I was going to be one of those people that takes up to a year. I was almost 35 and really didn't have the time to wait around lol.

mrskratt · August 2016

jennielu said:

Seems like there's a few people who use NFP to avoid pregnancy. Anybody know of resources for how things change post-partum?

I think it might be different for every woman. After DD, I got my first period back 12 weeks postpartum, which was 2 weeks after I stopped breastfeeding. So obviously you still have to be careful while breastfeeding and should probably use condoms and/or pull out. But right after I got mine, it was back to the completely regular, every 28 day cycle.

ball4768 · August 2016

1). What do you plan to do for baby prevention after your current bundle gets here? I plan to BF, so I need to discuss my BC options with my doctor. With DD, I took a version of the Pill that was safe for BFing mamas.

2). What did you use in the past? I've only ever used the Pill, but I haven't been on it for several years and I'm interested in trying out an IUD.

3). Did you like what you used before or did it morph you into a hormonal raging twatwaffle? Explain. I liked the Pill. I gained a little bit of weight, but it also helped clear up my skin. When I was trying to prevent pregnancy, it was reassuring to me to have a period each month. I'm not sure I feel the same way now, since this pregnancy will likely be my last.

CopperBoom86 · August 2016

@MRSCORKER - I edited my original post to include my experience with Mirena for you. I will also add that I didn't have a period at all while on Mirena. That's right, zero period for 4 years. Even after all that time, my body returned to its regular (for me) 25 day cycle just two weeks after having it removed. The only difference in my periods post-Mirena is that they were lighter and shorter with less cramping. Also, I think it's fairly safe to say at this point (over a year after removal) that it cured my cystic acne. I had horrible cystic acne for a couple years before I had Mirena. A couple months after I had it implanted, the acne started to clear up and it hasn't returned.

Obviously, I had an excellent experience with Mirena and would get it again in a heartbeat. I hope you find something that works that well for you!

jennielu · August 2016

@mrskratt Thanks! I also am not a fan of hormonal BC for many reasons but I really don't want to be worried about getting prego right away either.

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Fell in love: Dec 2005 // Married: Feb 9, 2013

Little Miss Rosalie Harper--Born Jan 9th, 2014

Fell in love: Dec 2005 // Married: Feb 9, 2013

Little Miss Rosalie Harper--Born Jan 9th, 2014

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