birth control

My birth control will need to be pried from my cold, dead fingers . . .

I think that it birth control should be widely distributed, here and abroad, for free. I especially hate the fact that we give so much food aid to countries where women would strongly prefer not to have more children but have no choice. My understanding is that the studies show that birth control (voluntary) is a much better response to the worldwide famine problem.

I can respect that some people choose NFP for either religious or crunchy/organic reasons. To each her own.

[DCJenn]

My whole 'thing' with religion, BC, careers after kids, etc.

As long as it's an informed choice- fantastic. People are 95% responsible human beings. Do what makes sense to you and to your family.

but to deny people knowledge of choices? that's wrong.

Jnn

I'm pushing for a urology program where men are offered $50 to GET a vasectomy. Think of all the drug addicts who'd get the procedure done just to collect the money... Poof! It's an immediate, effective and cheap remedy to a piece of the problem... Creative thinking, that's all it takes. :>

Jodi

Sad but true. And not an entirely bad idea.

[DCJenn]

Jodi-

Still doesn't do much about the HIV, STD problem though...

but it's definitely a start.

Jenn

[Stella]

He quickly said, "NOT that it's for us! We're going to be extra careful. But later, LATER, it could be an option."

I look forward to the years when that is an option for us, too. We just use the pill and the major annoyance is the libido thing. I'm young and it's frustrating for that to be an issue! Bahh.

Humph. Anything is better than Depo. The pill is nothing compared to that. I've been off it for six months and I'm still recovering from side effects (and so is our relationship.)

[Lo]

I look forward to the years when that is an option for us, too. We just use the pill and the major annoyance is the libido thing. I'm young and it's frustrating for that to be an issue! Bahh.

?? The pill lowers your libido? How?

The hormones can do all sorts of things - often lowering of libido is one of them.

I actually really loved Depo. I was on it YEARS ago (ummm .... like 12 or 13 ) I'm really getting old when I can speak about my BC choices for more than a decade!

[Phoebe]

I believe in BC. I have always used it. We are done having kids now and I want to look for something more permanent. Unfortunately, our insurance doesn't cover any family planning. It is going to cost me $1000 to get an IUD. I still wouldn't do NFP because I don't want to risk being pregnant, even though if I did it right it would work.

If NFP is right for other people, I believe it is great for them. I know people who have used it and it was right for them.

Jennifer

[samssugarmomma]

I'm not as elequoent (or able to spell) as Tara, but I feel the same way as the original poster - I don't believe that it is ok to use manmade BC (NFP IS a form of BC).

[Malpka]

Exactly! We do NFP (sort of) too. My DH has NO freaking clue what is going on with any of my lady bits unless I inform him verablly-- usually more than once.

Anyhow- I am another "hospital as barrier method" user. I stopped tracking my fertility signs because 1. as an extended breastfeeder, the whole thing gets pretty cloudy (I have had exactly 3 periods since being married ) and 2. The infrequency of "relations" did not justify the effort of tracking.

So, DH gets a vacation thrown in the middle of our own little personal gyn-onc hell, and now baby #3 is on the way! We were going to "try" for another baby a few months later anyhow, so no biggie.

I like NFP for many reasons, but if it was not for religion I would probably choose another method for this period in our lives. NFP is not always easy to follow in medical training hell.

[samssugarmomma]

Does anyone's husband actually know their cycles?

Mine does. We use an electronic chart, so he can log in at any time to see if we are in the fertile time or not. It is really obvious - the fertile days are pink and the nonfertile days are blue.

His part in NFP is to get the thermometer ready every night (when he isn't on call) and to assist in the temperature taking. My part is to note my signs and enter them in the chart. It is definately a "team" effort - because we make it so.

Even though he knows where I am in my cycle, that doesn't always equal to him being understanding of my moods so we still do some :argue:

We didn't do much charting the first few months after DD because of the lack of sleep and because we were exclusively breastfeeding.

One of the things that I love most about NFP is that we never have a "scare" - I always know what is going on in my body (even when ovulation is delayed) and there are no side effects! I feel like me again!

[rainbabies]

we have never used birth control. when we were ready to try for another kiddo, we tracked my cycle.

now we use a barrier method....a pillow i stuff between the two of us that dh calls the great wall of china...and of course being a first year res. helps too.

I'm not as elequoent (or able to spell) as Tara, but I feel the same way as the original poster - I don't believe that it is ok to use manmade BC (NFP IS a form of BC).

Our insurance won't insure another pregnancy, after our little half-a-million dollar pregnancy/birth experience... So what then?

Jodi

I'm not as elequoent (or able to spell) as Tara, but I feel the same way as the original poster - I don't believe that it is ok to use manmade BC (NFP IS a form of BC).

Not okay - as in "against God"? Or not for you?

Many people have a hard enough time parenting the children they intended to have -- top that with 1 or 2 'surprise' children, and I shudder to think at the emotional damage that will be done.