I have no problem being on BC. I use the NuvaRing which I LOVE!! But we have talked about doing something more permanent. Both of us are willing to do the procedures, just picking the best option. I need to talk to my doc about it.
Although my DH has been talking about a 4th so we shall see...
I had thought about the IUD - as my periods have been historically bad, but we will likely try for another 1-2 years after this little nugget is born. My practitioner doesn't want to really do it if she's going to take it out within a year. Has anyone run into this?
@merrylea my friend got an IUD after her son was born and then taken out less than a year later to try for #2. Not sure how her dr felt about it though!
I just assumed that I would go back on my birth control pills, but didn't realize the mini pill is the only option if breastfeeding. I may just do the mini pill and switch once I am done BFing. The fact that you need to take it at the same time everyday definitely scares me though. I used to just take mine within maybe 3 or 4 hours of the same time. We are on the fence about more children, but will revisit the idea in about a year and a half so I would rather not get an IUD. I guess TBD!
I think we'll just do pull out method while I'm breastfeeding. It worked for two years while I nursed DD. I might go back on the mini pill after I'm done breastfeeding. I was on it for years before TTC and it was fine. DH has said he would get a vasectomy but I'd like to wait on that a few years as it just seems so final - even though I'm 99% sure we are done having kids after this baby. We have fertility issues (I don't think I have many eggs left) so I'm not that worried about an oops.
MC Sept 2010 BFP Oct 2011 - DD born July 2012 TTC again since July 2014 First IUI 9/26/16: BFP! EDD 6/19/2017 It's a girl!
Born 6/26/17, 9lb 5oz
I'm thinking of getting my tubes tied after my csection. I really just don't want the periods anymore, but can't do hormonal contraceptives. So I'll just have to hope my periods don't come back heavy and cranky like they have been for most of my life.
I seem to have the weirdo H who is enthusiastic about getting a V. It was his idea and he hasn't even brought up me getting my tubes tied or other birth control because he's certain that's what he wants.
@meilay haha that's funny. Mine is definitely not excited about it, but agrees that it's the best choice for us. He made me call to make the appointment. He was like, "I just can't do it".
My doctor said they wouldn't recommend the IUD if you were going to try again in a few months, but if it was going to be close to a year, it would be fine. It's more that it might not be worth it for you, discomfort wise, and especially depending on how your insurance coverage works. I got mine put in thinking we might be done after 2 kids and the next month had it taken out because I changed my mind. Definitely not recommended but I thought I was done!
Am I the only one who hasn't had any issues with hormonal BC? I loved my previous prescription and would totally use it again if my OB okayed it. No weird side effects or anything and it completely regulated my previously out of control cycles and insanely heavy periods. I'm just surprised to see all of the negative feedback!
We'll likely just go to condoms. I can't take hormonal birth control because of health issues, and don't really like the idea of an IUD. We made it work for 10 years before getting pregnant, I'm not too worried.
@ladylolly89 I loved my BCPs also. I just read that the minipill is the only one approved for breastfeeding, but I will have to discuss with my doctor. If I can, I will go right back to what I was taking previously.
@ladylolly89 I've never had issues with BCP. It actually regulates my long cycles and keeps periods light.
This is our first so we'll probably go with tracking and pull&pray or the mini pill due to breastfeeding. No clue how many kids we want but eventually DH will most likely get a vasectomy unless I end up with csections and in that case I'll get the tubal ligation.
Am I the only one who hasn't had any issues with hormonal BC? I loved my previous prescription and would totally use it again if my OB okayed it. No weird side effects or anything and it completely regulated my previously out of control cycles and insanely heavy periods. I'm just surprised to see all of the negative feedback!
I have never used hormonal BC, so no idea what it would do for me. But I just don't want to put that into my body. I know way too many people who've had bad side effects from weight gain, to mood swings, etc. I've known a few people who haven't gained weight, but most have. In my experience, the people who don't gain weight are those who are already pretty slender and have a pretty easy time staying slender. The people I've know who maybe have a lower metabolism or something but have a harder time keeping weight off tend to gain weight on it. I am unfortunately one of the latter. I just see no reason to potentially throw my regular just fine hormones out of whack by putting additional hormones in.
I've used the pill, the patch and the shot. Since 16! I never had problems until I switched from the shot to a chewable pill. Then I got migraines and went on the mini pill. Other than that I've never had any complaints. DH would prefer I don't go back on horomonal birt control so he brought up the V. I'm not sure if I'll let him get it right after #2. What if I want 3 later on?!
I'm stuck between a rock and hard place. I don't prefer BCP due to the way it makes me feel. I do not want an IUD and DH refuses condoms. We aren't sure if we are done having kids but once that time comes, DH will be getting snipped.
@itsfine You are way more charitable than me. If bcp made me feel bad and my dh refused condoms, I would refuse sex. Imo, less enjoyable sex is a way lesser drawback than taking hormones that you know make you uncomfortable. Birth control is not your responsibility alone!
Eta- I'm not saying your response is wrong, just that I am struck by how much more tolerant you are then me!
I like pill because it regulated my periods and made them so much lighter. However, it also made me feel a little emotionally crazy so I feel like I'm going to stray away from that method. We'll most likely try for one more after this baby, and the pullout method was successful for us for quite some time so we'll most likely go with that for now. Then my DF said he's totally on board for a vasectomy.
My mom had her first bout with breast cancer at a very young age(30 and then again at 40). I remember at that time being advised not to go on bcps because of the hormones and the increased risk, albeit incredibly low. So I've just decided to never use them.
I haven't been on BC since I stopped to try for our first baby (this is our third). While I'm nursing we usually use condoms or pull and pray. I track my cycles but it's hard when you are up nursing at night. We are leaning towards this being our last child so we've talked about DH getting a vasectomy. I think we will wait a bit to make sure we don't want a 4th kiddo. I did enjoy taking BCP when I was young and would only have a few periods a year but I don't really want to put all those hormones in my body.
We had done the pull and pray for 5 years successfully, but I know that because we're "done" we would have an oops baby if we continued with it lolol Unless I have to get a c-section, Mr CM416 is getting the big V.
@ladylolly89 The "mini pill" is supposed to work with breastfeeding as it doesn't have estrogen.
I will have to see if there is a dissolvable option (as I can't swallow). I have my doubts. I was on Ministrin before trying for DS, but that has estrogen. There aren't many dissolvable or chewable forms of BC. I'm sure my OB will bring it up at some point though!
Have you tried the nuva ring? I used it and really liked it. I am not sure if it plays nice with breastfeeding. After DS was born I got the Mirena but it fell out at about 6 months.. great waste of money... Plus the string was uncomfortable.
I have no idea if this is our last child. This pregnancy has been rough on me and we still have a ways to go. However... I am getting older so I don't want to wait too long to decide. We used the rythem method for about 6 months but we didn't care if we got pregnant... I am not sure how comfortable I am with that now. I definitely do not want anything that will effect my milk supply.
Not sure if it was a fluke, but my aunt had her tubes tied after her 3rd baby and immediately went through menopause, in her early 30's!! That was definitely rough!
We think this is our last but we won't do anything permenant until I get a bit older and we see how we feel.
I seem to have the weirdo H who is enthusiastic about getting a V. It was his idea and he hasn't even brought up me getting my tubes tied or other birth control because he's certain that's what he wants.
This is my DH also. He has been telling me he wants to get a vasectomy when we are done having kids before we even had our first. He even has a plan to get it done during March Madness so he can watch basketball while he recovers. I am not arguing!
I loved my IUD...had it in for ~1.5yrs, no periods after the initial spotting phase (which was awesome) and very easily taken out in my OB's office! I'll probably go with the same one (Mirena) this time around or the Skyla, which I've heard good things about. Would easily get pregnant before we're ready for #3 (IF we're ever ready!) if I went with the Minipill, as I can't reliably take a pill at the same time every day. And while I love love loved the Nuvaring when I was using it before having DS#1, I had minor milk supply issues last time, so I was hesitant to start back on a combination "OCP". I also want to get the IUD placed back in before all of my insurance coverage changes next year and I'd have to start paying for all of my contraception again.
I did not have a good experience with the pill, so it will be condoms until my period comes back, and then I'll track my cycles. It worked well for us before DD1, and we still want at least 1 more baby after this. After that, DH had already said that if we accidentally get pregnant with #4, he's getting a V. I most definitely appreciate him volunteering for that.
I will track BBT to avoid while breastfeeding. I was on the pill for almost 12 years and I just feel better without it. I'm also irrational about putting anything into my body while I'm breastfeeding because I don't want to screw with milk production. We were NTNP for about 6 months before moving to actively TTC this time around, and there was only maybe 1-2 months where I maybe could have been pregnant. We're really once a week sex people normally, so it just doesn't line up well a vast majority of the time.
I'm torn on having a third, and DH doesn't think he wants one. I think we're going to NTNP for maybe a year once this LO turns 1 and if I get pregnant I get pregnant, and if not (or if we decide after having this one that there is no way we want another one), DH is going to get a vasectomy. I suspect he'll waffle on that and put it off a bit, but that has always been our plan. I'm not willing to have major surgery to get my tubes tied, and I'd really like to avoid hormonal BC if at all possible. If DH is being a total baby about, I would consider an IUD once I'm done breastfeeding.
I'm with @gabadoo - Mirena all the way! I just about cried when they pulled it out when we started trying to get pregnant. I had no periods on it after a few months adjustment and it was just the best. Got pregnant about 7 months later! I'm not sure I will ever use anything else - even when we are done having children, just for the no periods benefit.
Me: 36 DH: 37 Married May 2013
TTC #1: April 2016 (Mirena removed March 2016 after 2.5 years)a BFP #1: 10/14/16 - DD born 6/2017 TTC #2 November 2018 (Mirena removed October 2018 after 1 year) BFP #2 9/11/19 - EDD 5/24/20 - DD born 5/2020 TTC #3 May 2022 (Mirena removed after almost 2 years) BFP #3 11/24/23 - EDD 7/30/24
Re: Birth control after baby
Although my DH has been talking about a 4th so we shall see...
We are on the fence about more children, but will revisit the idea in about a year and a half so I would rather not get an IUD. I guess TBD!
BFP Oct 2011 - DD born July 2012
TTC again since July 2014
First IUI 9/26/16: BFP!
EDD 6/19/2017
It's a girl!
Born 6/26/17, 9lb 5oz
~Declare it..Claim it..It will be!!~
5/9/09
Here We Go Again!!
This is our first so we'll probably go with tracking and pull&pray or the mini pill due to breastfeeding. No clue how many kids we want but eventually DH will most likely get a vasectomy unless I end up with csections and in that case I'll get the tubal ligation.
Eta- I'm not saying your response is wrong, just that I am struck by how much more tolerant you are then me!
~Declare it..Claim it..It will be!!~
5/9/09
Here We Go Again!!
I have no idea if this is our last child. This pregnancy has been rough on me and we still have a ways to go. However... I am getting older so I don't want to wait too long to decide. We used the rythem method for about 6 months but we didn't care if we got pregnant... I am not sure how comfortable I am with that now. I definitely do not want anything that will effect my milk supply.
We think this is our last but we won't do anything permenant until I get a bit older and we see how we feel.
https://kellymom.com/bf/can-i-breastfeed/meds/birthcontrol/
MC 4/15
BFP 10/10/16
I will track BBT to avoid while breastfeeding. I was on the pill for almost 12 years and I just feel better without it. I'm also irrational about putting anything into my body while I'm breastfeeding because I don't want to screw with milk production. We were NTNP for about 6 months before moving to actively TTC this time around, and there was only maybe 1-2 months where I maybe could have been pregnant. We're really once a week sex people normally, so it just doesn't line up well a vast majority of the time.
I'm torn on having a third, and DH doesn't think he wants one. I think we're going to NTNP for maybe a year once this LO turns 1 and if I get pregnant I get pregnant, and if not (or if we decide after having this one that there is no way we want another one), DH is going to get a vasectomy. I suspect he'll waffle on that and put it off a bit, but that has always been our plan. I'm not willing to have major surgery to get my tubes tied, and I'd really like to avoid hormonal BC if at all possible. If DH is being a total baby about, I would consider an IUD once I'm done breastfeeding.
Married May 2013
BFP #1: 10/14/16 - DD born 6/2017
TTC #2 November 2018 (Mirena removed October 2018 after 1 year)
BFP #2 9/11/19 - EDD 5/24/20 - DD born 5/2020
TTC #3 May 2022 (Mirena removed after almost 2 years)
BFP #3 11/24/23 - EDD 7/30/24