Postpartum Birth Control?

[gghmommy]

I'm sooooo glad you asked this question, I want some advice too! I'm not sure about an IUD, it seems a possible good option for now. This is our 2nd, didn't get PP AF until 6 months with first pregnancy (that was exclusively pumping, but I totally want to nurse this time, since baby has already baked MUCH longer, it's a possibility!!). Between babies, we've paid attn to my cycle and used condoms, but I don't like them! I know hubby isn't crazy about it either, but me and hormones don't play well together and we're just not 100% sure we're done. I think I am, but... Once we know, I think a vasectomy is the answer, but until then... who knows! thanks for getting this discussion started.

[EmilytheStrange]

I have a friend who has gotten pregnant twice on an IUD and miscarried both. That is not an option I would go for.

[poohbear1208]

I use a diaphragm. Works great, don't have to deal with hormones and side effects, and it's way more convenient than condoms. Works for us

[finleyjudemommy]

Soon to be 4 kids, 3 cats, black lab, hubs works a million hours a week and I'm a stay at home mom = no worries here....too tired to do that :-)

Actually....I'm not worried about it...we've had to do IVF for all the children we have (and the one we lost). I know people have gotten pregnant after all that intervention...we're leaving it up to God....:-)

[joeslittlewoman]

Originally Posted by poohbear1208 I use a diaphragm. Works great, don't have to deal with hormones and side effects, and it's way more convenient than condoms. Works for us

Is it? I thought you had to put it in 15 min before and leave it in for hours? What if a couple hours later you want to go at it again, can you just go after it? Does it affect sensation for either of you? How is it mess-wise? I hadn't seriously considered a diaphragm because it sounded really inconvenient, but maybe I'll take another look.

[poohbear1208]

Originally Posted by joeslittlewoman Is it? I thought you had to put it in 15 min before and leave it in for hours? What if a couple hours later you want to go at it again, can you just go after it? Does it affect sensation for either of you? How is it mess-wise? I hadn't seriously considered a diaphragm because it sounded really inconvenient, but maybe I'll take another look.

You can actually put it in up to a couple hours prior, I believe, if you use a spermicide. I actually don't use the spermicide, just the diaphragm itself, but if you do use the spermicide you can put it in in advance (it's supposedly more effective with the spermicide, similar efficacy to a condom, and the spermicide is similar texture wise to ky jelly.) When I'm not pregnant I put my diaphragm in nightly, just in case Then I just leave it in all night and remove it in the morning. It doesn't affect sensation at all, and neither hubby or I can feel it when it's in. Mess wise I'm not sure because I don't use the spermicide, though I'm guessing it would be similar to a condom??? If I remember correctly from when I first got it, the spermicide goes into the cup facing your cervix, and a little around the rim. So in theory there shouldn't be any mess until after you remove it, and then I'm guessing it would be similar mess to any other time you might use a lubricant. After I had breast cancer it was one of our only options since we weren't done having kids yet and hormonals were out , so we decided to give it a go. It seemed old fashioned to me at the time, but now I love it

[joeslittlewoman]

Just putting it in for the night sounds convenient. As for the mess, I was thinking as far as the normal ejaculate making it's way back out. Is it speedier because your cervix is blocked, or would you be "squiggier" (my word, lol) longer, because the you have to keep the diaphragm in so long. I like that neither can feel it. It looks so big in pictures I wasn't sure.

[EmilytheStrange]

Couldn't you put it in a couple hours early even without the spermicide since its not hurting anything?

[poohbear1208]

Originally Posted by joeslittlewoman Just putting it in for the night sounds convenient. As for the mess, I was thinking as far as the normal ejaculate making it's way back out. Is it speedier because your cervix is blocked, or would you be "squiggier" (my word, lol) longer, because the you have to keep the diaphragm in so long. I like that neither can feel it. It looks so big in pictures I wasn't sure.

It's speedier with the ejaculate because the cervix is blocked- I get up to pee immediately after sex and it all goes in the toilet lol. It does look huge at first. When the dr showed it to me I was like you want me to put that where?!!! Lol. But you fold it to put it in, so it's not bad. I can literally put mine in in 2 seconds

[poohbear1208]

Originally Posted by EmilytheStrange Couldn't you put it in a couple hours early even without the spermicide since its not hurting anything?

Absolutely!! The spermicide is the only thing that's sensitive to time. The diaphragm itself is just a rubber barrier that you don't feel, so really you could wear it all day and it wouldn't bother anything.