What do you use for contraception post-partum?

[Anonymous]

I hope this question is not too personal, but for those of you willing to share, what did you use after having your last baby? We are likely done having kids but still a bit reluctant to go for a more final measure like my husband having the "snip snip." Any interim methods that are working for you?

[Anonymous]

Well I was still nursing so we used the mini-pill.

Then I found out I was pregnant again.

This time we're just using condoms and if we don't have any its 69 and that's all.

[Anonymous]

I was old (at least to me, at 37-38) and super-fertile. I got pregnant each and every time I ovulated if we weren't using protection. But those weird VCF contraceptive films worked very well. I used them for five months straight once. We usually had sex daily, but with those I wouldn't get pregnant. Now, after last baby, I had my tubes tied.

[Anonymous]

This topic is frustrating for me. I was on the pill for years and when we decided to think about getting pregnant, I went off months before we wanted to try because I had read periods could be irregular for a while so I wanted to stop before I got the pregnancy bug.

Turns out my periods were super irregular and I had long cycles. We ended up getting pregnant the first time we didn't use protection, after I was off the pill for 5 months, not charting or anything, but it really made me paranoid about the pill. When we try again for #2 I will officially be the dreaded "35 and older" demographic - we want them at least 3 years apart so I will be 35 at the youngest - and at that point I won't have time to waste figuring out the cycles. The same irregular periods happened to several of my friends and it's frustrating that no dr. or anyone tells you to think about this a year or two before you may want kids, because the pill really does give you a fake period and you don't know what's going on with your body while you're on it.

So far, with a baby under one year and me BF, we haven't had to worry too much as we barely have sex! But when things calm down and we do resume more of a schedule, I guess we'll just do condoms.

I wish there were more reliable non-hormonal options out there. I have not heard of those films a PP mentioned so I may look into that. I'm scared to try a diaphragm or the sponge - with my luck I wouldn't be able to get them out! I'm also scared of an IUD - I've heard good and bad stories. I guess there are other options besides hormones but everything seems to have risks.

[Anonymous]

I used nursing. DD was 6 months when I got pregnant again - oops

[Anonymous]

How about the IUD? There was a thread about it a little while ago...

[Anonymous]

So far, with a baby under one year and me BF, we haven't had to worry too much as we barely have sex! But when things calm down and we do resume more of a schedule, I guess we'll just do condoms.

I hope you are using condoms now. You don't have to have your period return before you can get pregnant. I exclusively nursed and my children are 13 months apart. My period returned four weeks after first child was born (no bottles, pacifiers and nursed on demand), and we decided to go ahead and try for a second child. Conceived on the first try.

I have known a few moms who had gotten pregnant while nursing, it's not a form of contraception.

To answer the OP.

After my last, I had my tubes tied.

[Anonymous]

I used a Mirena IUD between pregnancies (I planned to use condoms for the time after birth but before I had the IUD placed, but it turned out we never actually had old-school sex in that time period!). I really liked it, and I'm planning to get another one after my second/last child is born. DH is thrilled as I no longer plan to insist on a vasectomy. Would highly recommend looking into the Mirena. I have posted at length about it on other Mirena-specific threads.

[Anonymous]

We've been using condoms, but I'm being fitted for a diaphram-which is what we used before I became pregnant.

[Anonymous]

I have a 5 month old. I'm nursing, although currently weaning. I'm on the mini pill, and we also use the ole "pull out method". Although we are not planning on it for a couple of years, if I got pregnant now, it wouldn't be the worst thing that happened. Once I'm done weaning I'm going back on the regular pill though.

[Anonymous]

Copper IUD - and I LOVE it. I wanted no hormones and my periods were not heavy so the fact that this caused them to be a bit heavier was not an issue. Insertion was not painless, but not even close to as bad as having a baby Lasts 10 years and no maintenece. I cannot understand why more people do not use IUDs.

[Anonymous]

IUDs have risks. My friend's IUD perforated her uterus and was floating around in the wrong place - required surgery to remove. I think her doctor put it in too early - maybe only 5 or 6 weeks postpartum - and it's apparently important to wait a little longer. I think she's getting another one after her next child, so she wasn't that deterred. . . . She really didn't want to use the pill.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

So far, with a baby under one year and me BF, we haven't had to worry too much as we barely have sex! But when things calm down and we do resume more of a schedule, I guess we'll just do condoms.

I hope you are using condoms now. You don't have to have your period return before you can get pregnant. I exclusively nursed and my children are 13 months apart. My period returned four weeks after first child was born (no bottles, pacifiers and nursed on demand), and we decided to go ahead and try for a second child. Conceived on the first try.

I have known a few moms who had gotten pregnant while nursing, it's not a form of contraception.

To answer the OP.

After my last, I had my tubes tied.

Yes - the few times we have had sex, we have used condoms! I am still BF but not exclusively, so am waiting to get my period back - and not taking chances on a surprise pregnancy, though I suppose even condoms aren't 100%.

[Anonymous]

My experience is similar to many of the PPs. I thought I would take ages to get pregnant after going off the pill (had been on forever...) and I got pregnant within 2 months!

Then, with #2, ! got pregnant while still nursing when #1 was a year old. I had only ONE very minor period !!!

Breastfeeding is only protective when you are feeding all the time--and even then not 100%. So once your kid sleeps thru the night nursing won't protect you!

[Anonymous]

Strangely my periods are even more regular postpartum than they ever have been. Before #1 I charted and knew my cycle well. Although my cycle has changed slightly, I still know all the signs so I know when it's "safe". When it's not safe we use condoms. We both hate condoms so we frequently just skip that week. : )