Hi, I am new to BnB too. I have had the copper Paraguard IUD for 2 years, after being on the pill for 6 years before that. I was on the pill from age 16-22, and had to get off it because after 6 years it started doing weird things to me like increased weight gain, moodiness, and just made me feel heavy, muddy, and yucky overall. I had an overwhelming intuitive feeling that I no longer wanted to be on hormones. I had one older female gyno who said she had heard other women complain of the same things after being on it for 6 or 7 years. I think it's okay for a shorter term but should be avoided for longer than that. From what I've read online, they say the progestin only pill "mini-pill" is more recommended for nursing mothers than the combined estrogen + progestin pill because the combined pill can suppress lactation. There is also a trace amount of hormone that goes to the baby through breastmilk with either pill, but they say there is no evidence that it harms the baby - however there is also not much information on the long term effects the hormones could have on the child's reproductive system or hormones.
As for the IUD, I have a thread going right now where we are talking about it, you can check it out here: https://www.babyandbump.com/pregnan...e-if-im-pregnant-need-some-advice-please.html .
Also, another member gave me this link https://fmmh.ycdsb.ca/teachers/F00027..._pill_iud.html which talks specifically about this issue.
After having the IUD for 2 years, I can't really recommend it to anyone else. It hasn't given me any medical problems really, but it has caused me quite a lot of emotional distress. It is quite risky, the risk of pelvic inflammatory disease is high, which can be fatal and make you infertile. This shouldn't be an issue if you are in a relationship though, it's more if you get an STD that it is a danger. There is a small risk of ectopic pregnancy, which can also be fatal and make you infertile. It can puncture your uterus, grow into the walls of your uterus, or become lodged in your cervix. The IUD does not prevent you from getting pregnant, it keeps you from staying pregnant. You still ovulate and fertilization can still occur, but it prevents it from implanting in your uterus (The Mirena does take additional steps to prevent fertilization, such as thickening the mucus to help prevent sperm from entering). This is something I recently realized, because I am going through some weird hormonal issues right now that seem like pregnancy but can't be explained by the doctor yet. I am pretty convinced that I have been pregnant on the IUD before but that it miscarried. If you do have successful implantation and pregnancy with the IUD, there is like a 50% chance it will miscarry when taking the IUD out, or even push the IUD up into your uterus where it will have to stay for the duration of the pregnancy. Also, some women get pregnant with the IUD if they lose a significant amount of weight. This happened to my bf's aunt. Must have something to do with the positioning of it. It also makes your periods much heavier and crampier than normal. They say for the first 6 months, but mine are just now getting to a normal level, and I think they are still crampier than they would be naturally. It was quite painful inserting the IUD, but not horrible. The worst part was when she measured my uterus, and poked it from the inside with a ruler. I was laid up on the couch for the next 24 hours with cramping and general discomfort, but it was fine after that.
However, it is good because it's supposedly very effective (I do think they overestimate it's effectiveness though), and it is one of the only effective non-hormonal methods. You can get pregnant again immediately upon taking it out, so there's no yearlong wait like there often is with the pill. I can't remember if I had to wait for a period or anything to put it in, I don't think so though. There's no fumbling with condoms or worrying about contraception during sex, so that is a perk. You don't feel it inside you either. Sometimes my bf can feel the string, and gets a little irritation from it. However, from my experience, it has been worrisome and caused me question my body a lot, like right now where I am having all the pregnancy symptoms but negative tests, I can't help but wonder if the IUD has something to do with it. It also bothers me that I've probably been fertilized before and gone through a rollercoaster of hormone changes from unknown miscarriages. Anytime that happens I get worried about what if it's ectopic and hurts me, etc. I am seriously considering taking it out and either going back on the pill or maybe trying a combination of other methods, like NFP plus a diaphragm or condoms or something. I haven't quite decided yet. But good luck deciding, I would definitely do a lot of research on your own about each method before you decide. Don't just take my word for it or anyone else's, everyone has a different experience. Many women love the IUD and have no problems with it. Others have tons of problems. It's all about what you're comfortable with. Best of luck!!
