birth control options

[vacuumprincess]

ok, so i just read a post about getting tubes tied.  I have been thinking about these things also.  

I am 33 yrs old & 13 weeks pregnant.  i have a 5 1/2 yr old from a previous marriage that ended with no contact from the father.  My current, WONDERFUL husband is 35 yr old & this will be his first child.  We talked about more children after the baby is born & we both are completely satsified with two (he considers my daughter his own).  that being said, we do not want more children after this baby is born.

This is a REALLY awful thing to think about... if something horrible would happen to this baby, would I want another one????  I had a miscarriage last year.  It showed me how fragile life is.  What if this baby is stillborn or dies of sids?  these thoughts terrify me.  I still have the greatest fear that something will happen to my 5 yr old.  Sometimes I can't sleep at night because of it.

Anyway, back to the subject!  I am considering options (I know it is a little early) for birth control.

1.) tubes tied???  does it hurt?

2.) the pill.  I love how birth control pills make me feel.  I love how nice my skin is when I take them.  i love the short, pain free peroids.  But, As i said, I am 33.  I will be 34 when this baby is born.  How much longer is it safe to take the pill?

3.)  I heard of something that is inserted inside that causes trauma, making you unable yo conceive.  Does anyone know what this is?  Is it painful?  Is it permanent?  Is it effective?  

I know I don't want an implant or to be on a shot or any other hormone stuff other than the pill.  What do you suggest?

[jenkaye21]

I, too, am hoping to continue on the pill. I am 32. I like the benefits, too, that you mentioned vacuumprincess. Not sure how age effects it.  :/  I am hoping DH will go thru with getting a vasectomy like we've talked about (this is our 5th and final baby).  I am reluctant to have the surgery myself, probably for emotional reasons....

[LosingMyMindInGA]

I can't tell you from experience about the tubes thing but according to my doctor it's a fairly simple procedure with minimal discomfort and recovery time.  Personally I do not want this done.  I am 33 and just had my 6th child.  My first son was stillborn and I have had 2 miscarriages.  I personally know that after my stillbirth I wanted nothing mroe than to have another baby.  

I prefer not to do anything permanent. If I do any birth control at this point it will be the pill.  As far as I know it's safe to continue taking until menopause.

The things you were talking about I believe are implants.  It's like a spring that is "screwed" into the tube, it causes scar tissue to form and blocks the tube.

You could also go with something like mirena which is an IUD that is placed in the uterus and you can keep it in up to 5 years before changing it.  Or if you decide to have another child you can have it removed and return to fertility immediately.

[Clysta]

You don't have to have a c-section to get your tubes tied. I wouldn't suggest it at all though. There are far too many women who regret it. They get divorced, become widows or just want more and no one really knows how they'll feel in 5 or 10 years.

[mom2ariana]

i dont recommend getting your tubes tied just because you sound like you are on the fence about having anymore kids. what if something did happen? and its your husbands first child so he might have the desire for another. what if its a girl and he wants a son?

what i recommend is what i have..its an IUD (intrauterine device) called mirena. i LOVE it. its over 99.9% effective and lasts for 5 years. it helps block sperm from entering your tubes, helps to prevent ovulation, AND causes your whole system to basically be a hostile environment for sperm and very unwelcoming in a sense lol.

ever since i got mine put in i haven't had a period at all. and i had bleeding for a few months but it finally stopped. i have no side effects. no headaches, breast soreness, etc...nothing related to estrogen and progesterone bc products. and if i decide to get it removed in 5 years i can start TTC immediately or have another one put in.

just a thought!!

[vacuumprincess]

thanks for all the imput.  I have lots of time to consider everything.  I think the tubes tied thing is only a possibility if I have another c-section.  Can't they just do it all at once?

[Brittny27]

I am one of the rare women that gets blood clots when on the pill. I have tried almost everyone and develop leg cramps and I hate how I feel on it. I tried the patch and was only able to wear it about 5-10 minutes before it would burn my skin.

I am breastfeeding right now and can't decide if I want to get the IUD or just use condoms and pray I don't get pregnant until we TTC #2.

Once we are done having kids most likely after #2 he is getting a vasectomy it's less intrusive for him than having our tubes tied.

[sweetpea03]

I would push the vasectomy option. It's safer, less invasive, shorter recovery, etc. It's also extremely common to have done. I know so many men who have had it done. It's a very simple procedure.  

Using the pill after age 35 increases many risks, so I wouldn't go that route or any hormonal one.

[Ashelen]

There's also another option....your husband could get a vasectomy. My husband is going to after our next baby is born (not during the pregnancy in case something goes wrong) because it's much less invasive than getting your tubes tied, shorter recovery, less chance of complications....right now I'm on Micronor (progestrone only birth control pill) and I think it might have failed since my period is now 5 days late..I'm testing tomorrow if AF doesn't show...so whatever we do it has to be more effective than the pill because it failed for me in 2007 and I got pregnant but that was after years and years of it being effective so I had no idea it would fail on me...looks like it may have done it again :(.

Anyway...I would consider it...it's an out-patient procedure (walk in, get it done, walk out sore but not having gone through major surgery). It all depends on how your husband feels about it...my husband wants to spare me the surgery.

Let me know what you're deciding...I need to explore more effective options soon as well, lol.

[5n1]

I just had my tubes tied July 31..the day after my daughter was born...I am not going to lie, it did hurt and my period cramps are worse..but I think the worse thing is, is my scar...it is HUGE and UGLY...I have no stretch marks, but this hideous(sp) scar under my belly button...It hurt like h@ll the first week after, but now only the first day of my cycle...at the time, I would have rather had two more kids then had this done I was sooo sore. but now its not so bad...just make sure to tell them to cut IN YOUR BELLY BUTTON not around it...

but the mirena is another option, I had that a year and a half prior to having our last, and I had no problems with it...and got pregnant three months after having it removed..

[Clysta]

I have the non-hormonal IUD and so far it's been really nice. I won't lie, it does hurt going in, but it wasn't really as bad as I thought it would be. I bleed lightly for three days and cramped for around 3 days as well. I've only had mine for almost a month though. I didn't want to go on anything hormonal, I hate the shot and I'm bad with pills. For me personally this was the best thing to do because I didn't want something I had to worry about. There is of course the chance of perforation and whatnot, but the odds are not high for this to happen and it has a very good success rate for preventing pregnancy. (And it lasts 10 years. Can't beat that)

[tinkerbell1124]

My friend has an IUD. It lasts for 5 or 10 years, BUT can be taken out when ever you want IF you would ever want another child.

[Destani214]

I'm getting mine tied there is birth control options but i get prego on all of them but when I'm not on them I struggle wow! So after this is a tubal the mirena jacked me up doc said thats why I had the miscarriage so I would not do that one

[vacuumprincess]

p.s.  I had a c section last time, so it may be another c-section if that makes any difference on the advise you wish to share.