If you are fairly certainly done having children, what is your birth control plan?

kat81 · May 2017

WombThereItIs · May 2017

I voted vasectomy but I will also be getting an IUD at my 6w pp visit to make sure we are covered until he gets it done.

kat81 · May 2017

I wrote these polls because this is us (we're done after this one) and we both know that a vasectomy is the right plan but I have a feeling DH is going to drag his heels with it for a while...understandable when you're undergoing a major, permanent procedure. So I was wondering if anyone else has started to have this conversation.

kat81 · May 2017

WombThereItIs said:

I voted vasectomy but I will also be getting an IUD at my 6w pp visit to make sure we are covered until he gets it done.

Not a bad plan. Maybe I'll do this.

onebadmotha · May 2017

DH has his vasectomy scheduled for June 9th. My back up plan until he's given the all clear = nothing is going in my vagina...haha.

RainyDays86 · May 2017

We're not sure we're done but I'd say 80% chance we are. I'll be doing the copper IUD (no more hormones for me) until we decide for sure.

WombThereItIs · May 2017

kat81 said:

WombThereItIs said:

I voted vasectomy but I will also be getting an IUD at my 6w pp visit to make sure we are covered until he gets it done.

Not a bad plan. Maybe I'll do this.

My unregulated periods are kind of a nightmare so I think something low maintenance like Mirena is a good option for that. But I also know sometimes those don't work out for a multitude of reasons so the vasectomy also gives us some security if I go off of birth control all together. Plus we talked about not doing the vas until we are out of the really hard

vrj0522 · May 2017

We are not done yet but we have thoroughly discussed this subject. If I end up with a c-section we will ask to have my tubes tied, otherwise DH will get a vasectomy.

RedInLove · May 2017

I'll be getting an IUD at first because yay to no periods. But eventually I think DH will get the V.

bacorrea · May 2017

kayemjay2 said:

DH has his vasectomy scheduled for June 9th. My back up plan until he's given the all clear = nothing is going in my vagina...haha.

Exactly this. With DD I tore pretty bad and we attempted sex again at 3 months and it was just too painful, then he deployed so I didn't have to worry about anything until he came back when DD was 16 months. I don't see wanting to have sex anytime PP so he can get his vasectomy and then go back in 3 months to make sure there is no sperm and then we can have sex again...maybe.

If I end up with a csection my OB said he is willing to tie my tubes.

nda_roxybabe · May 2017

We're definitely not done, as far as I am concerned. H has always said 1, maybe 2 and I've always told him 2 is minimum. The past couple days he's been very very open to more children (thank you Beckham family!).

Anyways, I decided years and years ago I don't ever want to do anything permanent. I'm terrified we'd change our mind down the road. Despite H's original insistence on only having 1, he too feels the same way. Not sure what we'll do when we're "done".

ShadeofGreen816 · May 2017

This is #1 for us so nothing permanent. But I suspect we'll do the IUD to vasectomy plan when it's time. Although I wasn't 100% in love with my mirena. I convinced myself it made me gain weight. Although after I had it out I didn't lose any weight so it was probably being newly married and in grad school....

. Luckily H has already agreed to vasectomy once we're done which is great because I hate hormonal BC.
*if anyone is curious/interested in my mirena experience let me know. I know I'm probably one of many on this board who had one but throwing the offer out there!

mrsrep123 · May 2017

RainyDays86 said:

We're not sure we're done but I'd say 80% chance we are. I'll be doing the copper IUD (no more hormones for me) until we decide for sure.

This!

nda_roxybabe · May 2017

I had an IUD (Mirena, pretty sure) and I wont do it again. I am not advising any of you to avoid it, but it wasn't for me. From the time I had it placed to the time I had it removed about a year later I had almost monthly UTI's. Nothing else had changed and they stopped immediately once I got it removed.

0408Bear · May 2017

We have discussed this and I also feel like even though DH says he will get a v, he will most likely drag his feet. I need to do more research on iud 's...copper iud?! I don't really want to have my tubes tied and DH is ok with that. We are so so done having kids that whatever we do needs to be permanent:)

Kipperoo · May 2017

Vasectomy for sure. Like, very soon. I casually mentioned yesterday "are you sure you don't want a 3rd?" He laughed hysterically and asked me to switch him on toddler duty driving him to/from daycare for the next week and then get back to him...it seems DS has been quite a little PITA, lol..

ShadeofGreen816 · May 2017

@nda_roxybabe that is so strange about the UTIs. I am a big believer in that some of our body chemistry just isn't conducive to certain things. I used the NuvaRing for 3ish years and loved almost everything about it EXCEPT I got BV like 25 times. It's not anything that's ever been clinically proven but I swear that was it!

@0408Bear there are a few options but the copper IUD is the only one without hormones. The biggest drawback is that about 75% of women have irregular bleeding and/or heavier periods with it in. In contrast, wth the Mirena (probably the most popular hormonal option) about 75% of women have no period or very very light periods. So it's a factor for sure. ETA (I got distracted): Otherwise the risks benefits are really similar between the IUDs. I do believe the copper is good for 10 years while Mirena is currently only approved for 5. (Interesting note - in Europe they approved Mirena for 7 years and I believe the company is working on that here in the US so that may be a thing by the time 5 years is up).

inomniaparatus2 · May 2017

This is our first so we aren't done but when we are done DH is getting a V. He is doesn't think it's a big deal and being in the medical field knows how it's done and has done it to others during residency so that's our plan when the time comes. It took a long time to have this LO so we aren't going back on birth control. We are hoping to conceive our next one naturally but if not will do another IUI. We want kids close together so we are hoping to be pregnant again within 8-12 months after. Or that is our plan so far.

nda_roxybabe · May 2017

@ShadeofGreen816 It was super weird. The gyn I was seeing at the time insisted it couldn't be causing it and I get that as its not a known side effect, but I was definitely getting them and with the timing I don't see how it could've been anything else. I also got BV several times during that time. I think it really didn't react well with my body. This is why I wouldn't turn anyone else off of it, its just not for me.

slowmo · May 2017

The big V for us. I could theoretically get my tubes tied during c-section, but I just don't want to. After two pregnancies and two c-sections, it's time for H to take one for the family-planning team. Fortunately, he's very willing and almost eager to get it done!

clebl24 · May 2017

I'm team vasectomy, but every time I bring it up DH won't entertain the conversation. He is more set on being done than me so I think it is his responsibility. We'll probably use condoms and the mini pill in the interim.

OmegaRose3 · May 2017

DH will be getting a vasectomy and until then I will be on the mini pill. The pill worked for us before, I just can't let it run out and forget to schedule a re-up like this time.

pshaortao · May 2017

I will get the IUD first for probably a year and get DH to get the big V. Then once its confirmed that he can't get me KU anymore then Ill get it removed.

We are pretty sure we will be done after this one.

NotAPlaya-JustCrushAlot · May 2017

I'm pretty sure we are 2 and through, but I hate permanent decisions of any sort. I'm planning for a hormonal IUD. Remind me, will that mess with bf'ing?

starphish18 · May 2017

@NotAPlaya-JustCrushAlot My doctor said IUDs like Mirena don't mess with BFing because it's only progestin.

ShadeofGreen816 · May 2017

starphish18 said:

@NotAPlaya-JustCrushAlot My doctor said IUDs like Mirena don't mess with BFing because it's only progestin.

What she said. There *are* women who claim progestin-only BC dries them up but it's likely just coincidence. Mirena is considered safe/effective for breastfeeding mamas

rkstro2 · May 2017

I am on the struggle bus as far as post partum contraception is concerned. My OB has been pushing me to decide but I don't think I want any. I took regular birth control pills for 10-15 years and it gave me no trouble and it was nice to avoid things like pms and heavy periods. However, when we started our IF journey I kinda wanted to never use birth control
again until we were done having kids. I'm still in that frame of mind. There is no evidence that hormonal
contraception contributes to IF but im having a hard time with it. I considered copper iud since it's hormone free but I can't imagine having worse bleeding and worse cramps. It's kinda like pregnancy...I feel like if I was a lady of leisure and laid around with someone fanning me and feeding me grapes it would be easier to be third trimester pregnant and/or to have terrible cramping/periods due to a copper iud. But since I have a can't-miss-work and can't rest kind of job I don't think I can handle terrible cramping at all. I don't want to make a decision, but I also don't want Irish twins on the off chance that this pregnancy changed my fertility...decisions decisions. Maybe I need a magic eight ball...

kat81 · May 2017

rkstro2 said:

I am on the struggle bus as far as post partum contraception is concerned. My OB has been pushing me to decide but I don't think I want any. I took regular birth control pills for 10-15 years and it gave me no trouble and it was nice to avoid things like pms and heavy periods. However, when we started our IF journey I kinda wanted to never use birth control
again until we were done having kids. I'm still in that frame of mind. There is no evidence that hormonal
contraception contributes to IF but im having a hard time with it. I considered copper iud since it's hormone free but I can't imagine having worse bleeding and worse cramps. It's kinda like pregnancy...I feel like if I was a lady of leisure and laid around with someone fanning me and feeding me grapes it would be easier to be third trimester pregnant and/or to have terrible cramping/periods due to a copper iud. But since I have a can't-miss-work and can't rest kind of job I don't think I can handle terrible cramping at all. I don't want to make a decision, but I also don't want Irish twins on the off chance that this pregnancy changed my fertility...decisions decisions. Maybe I need a magic eight ball...

Maybe you should track your cycle and use that as birth control if you do in fact want more children.

jayandaplus · May 2017

@rkstro2 Do you know the root of your IF? I was on BC for over a decade, and even though I know our struggle was my PCOS, I still feel like I'll never want to go back on anything hormonal. I also feel in hindsight it messed with me emotionally, my weight, and I still had horrific periods most of the time. Also, I don't think you'd know for sure that the copper IUD would make your periods worse symptom-wise. Have you talked to your OB about options?

I haven't done research on vasectomies, but my understanding was that they are reversible. No?

inomniaparatus2 · May 2017

Anyone see the article about a baby born and there was a pick of him with his moms IUD in his hand? She had the mirena placed and found out she was pregnant. They eventually found the IUD behind the placenta.

Not to scare anyone just thought it was interesting as we were just talking about BC options.

hp_momma · May 2017

Three and done! DH is getting a vasectomy, although who knows when since his training schedule is pretty busy for the rest of the year. I'll just go on the mini-pill until it's confirmed he's good.
I am kind of nervous to be completely off BC as my non regulated periods are super heavy and painful.

jayandaplus · May 2017

@hp_momma Can't you just stay on it then if you prefer being on the hormonal BC? Many women take it just for those benefits, not solely birth control.

hp_momma · May 2017

jayandaplus said:

@hp_momma Can't you just stay on it then if you prefer being on the hormonal BC? Many women take it just for those benefits, not solely birth control.

Oh I definitely could! But I've been on some
sort of BC pill for 10+ years now, so I don't know how excited I am about continuing with the hormones. Everytime I've stopped BC (to get pregnant) I was only off of it for 2-3 months before getting pregnant. I'll probably try without BC after his vasectomy to see how my body does "all natural" and then decide from there. The IUD doesn't appeal to me either so I really just need to do more research!

WombThereItIs · May 2017

jayandaplus said:

I haven't done research on vasectomies, but my understanding was that they are reversible. No?

Yes and no. They can be reversed but it isn't a guarantee it would be successful. If you want the option of something reversible then a vasectomy isn't the best idea, it is intended to be a permanent thing.

SKZW · May 2017

@hp_momma: I'm in a similar situation, been on bc pills for a really long time, and often wonder, if given the opportunity to see what would happen, if my "nonregulated" non-pregnant post-all-babies body would behave differently (period-wise) than it did from like 20 years ago. I always assumed it'd be older and wiser, and act as such... but that logic doesn't exactly hold true for the rest of me!

psherman42wwsa · May 2017

My husband says he will get a V because birth control pills made me crazy... Truthfully they did. The hormones were just too much. I eventually got on the "mini pill" but you have to be careful about taking it at the same time each day.

Funny story about vasectomies... My co-worker and I were just discussing them the other day. Her husband got one and they live like over an hour away from the doctors office and apparently after 25 or so ejaculations the man is supposed to bring in a "fresh sample" less than 30 minutes old for them to test for sterilization... Anyway she told her husband to get some dirty magazines and have at it in His car in the parking lot of the doctors office. So he did. I was laughing so hard when I heard this story.. I'm pretty sure they have rooms inside for such business to occur .

rkstro2 · May 2017

WombThereItIs said:

jayandaplus said:

I haven't done research on vasectomies, but my understanding was that they are reversible. No?

Yes and no. They can be reversed but it isn't a guarantee it would be successful. If you want the option of something reversible then a vasectomy isn't the best idea, it is intended to be a permanent thing.

I was going to say the same thing...it should only be your plan if permanent sterility is the desire. It can be reversed in some cases but it's not a guarantee. If you have any doubt Vasectomy is not the way to go.

@jayandaplus our IF is unexplained. It was/is so frustrating because there is nothing inherently "wrong" but stuff wasn't working right for unknown reason. As far as the copper IUD goes, in general heavier periods are experienced by a large number of users. It's not for sure that it would happen but that side effect makes me wary of using one.

@kat81 we will likely track the cycles because we couldn't get pregnant while tracking them so maybe tracking them again will help us avoid pregnancy? That answer never makes an OB happy bc obviously so many people don't do it regularly and it's unreliable. But although we don't desire a close together pregnancy it certainly wouldn't be the worst thing that happened to us and we would totally welcome a natural pregnancy if it happened.

lilbeautysxt · May 2017

WombThereItIs said:

I voted vasectomy but I will also be getting an IUD at my 6w pp visit to make sure we are covered until he gets it done.

Ditto except I plan on getting Nexplanon.

march2008 · May 2017

I have endometriosis and need something that's both compatible with breastfeeding and hormonal because the hormones help keep the endo at bay. My OB recommended the mini pill as the best choice for both of those things

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If you are fairly certainly done having children, what is your birth control plan?

If you are fairly certainly done having children, what is your birth control plan? 41 votes

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