What Birth Control Method Do You Recommend?
I love my girlfriends, but not just because we have fun together, because they offer great advice, too. We can talk about love, sex, friendship, and of course, how to stay pregnancy free! They've used an array of birth control methods, including Yaz, Mirena, and the NuvaRing, but they each say I should be on their preferred method because they love it so much.
Since finding the right birth control can take some trial and error, hearing recommendations from friends can be a great starting point. So ladies, what kind of birth control would you recommend? And do you have any nightmare experiences with a specific one that you'd tell people to avoid like the plaque?
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I started out with Alesse, about a month before my wedding, and I bled pretty much non-stop for 3 or 4 months straight, maybe a day or two break here and there. Thankfully I had a very understanding groom, as this was straight through wedding night, honeymoon, etc.
After that I think I was on Ortho-Tri, and things calmed down a bit (except my moods), though I still had wacky cycles with way more bleeding than I should have until I quit using the pill all together several months later. *Frustrating*!! Before bc I had 29 day cycles like clockwork. Probably even ovulated on the full moon and started my menses on the new moon like I should have, though I wasn't paying attention.
Post pill we used FAM (See Toni Weschler's book), and I knew how to use it really well because I had read the NFP book as well and had done all the practice charts and had charted my cycles pre-wedding (and through pill usage enough to know how crazy my cycles were), but we really wanted a baby - just felt like we should wait, so after 3 months, we found out we were getting one! Hooray! I do have to say this: FAM, or especially NFP, does not seem to work for newlyweds unless you have opposite work schedules or can't stand each other. If you are really serious about not getting pregnant at this point, commit to using a condom (or other barrier) EVERY time so that ovulation-libido doesn't impair your judgment and get you a baby you're not planning for.
Post-baby I tried the diaphram (which must be used with spermicide) since the pill had been so awful and my husband really didn't care for condoms. I used it. Sort of messy (and a bit hard to insert because it has to be squeezed just so to get it in (and can shoot across the bathroom/bedroom - spermicide and all!), and inserted just right, which is difficult around ovulation when the cervix is so high and soft that it is a bit hard to reach), but I was fine with it... except for one thing. The spermicide really irritated my cervix. Not fun. Allergy, maybe? Quit using it after 4 months.
Switched to ecological breastfeeding. We didn't mind if we conceived again, so we just didn't worry about it. My baby nursed a lot (12 times a day still when he was 10 months) and I got up once or twice at night when he woke up hungry until he was weaned at 15 months old. I also think I am in the small percentage of women who just cannot conceive until the baby is weaned pretty much all the way. Weaned baby #1 intentionally to conceive #2. Baby #2 nursed 22 months (not as often, but still a couple times at night) because he was allergic to dairy (respiratory congestion and endless, unconquerable rashes) but could have my milk as long as I didn't eat ANY dairy.
Post weaning we are back to FAM with condoms. Working GREAT!! We use condoms until my temps have been high for 4 days, and then take a break for the luteal phase (post-ovulation until next period). Husband is on board with condoms now and we found a better lube, and this is our favorite bc so far.