What method of prevention are you using?

[Tess08]

Hi everyone,

Just curious to find out what method everyone is using to prevent pregnancy until the timing is right? I mean using BCP etc?

I was on BCP until a month ago when I had to come off it due to it causing me some problems. Instead of moving on to another pill or any other method of contraception ive just decided to come off of it all together. Instead I intend to track my cycles so that I can determine my fertile time and not have sex during this time. This is my first month doing it and because I was so used to tracking my cycles when I was TTC my LG im finding it surprisingly easy! According to my calculations, I will O any day now so I will be staying away from my partner completely until it passes. I don't intend to try again until next year so I should have a great idea of when I am fertile when the time comes to try.

Anyone else doing this by any chance lol? X

 

[Sakura15]

Hi Tess

I'm currently on the mirena but having it removed in 2 weeks in preparation for TTC in august. I bought OH a mega pack of condoms for when it's out, lol. We'll be using natural family planning as well, but since I'm new to charting I think we definitely need the back up on hand!

 

[Earthylove]

Hello! We've been doing the fertility awareness method for over a year now. I record my temps every morning and check cervical fluid to determine my fertile window/ovulation and then just use condoms when I'm fertile. It's been working for about a year and a half!

 

[EmmySocks]

i'm currently using the implant but it's due out in august. We're thinking pull out method until ttc in January. But a surprise wouldn't be the worst thing for us... xxx

 

[stellababy]

pull out method. also extremely careful around ovulation- i can physically tell exactly when its happening

 

[callmedan]

im on the pill, taking it right up until we start TTC

 

[Tess08]

Oh lovely 😊 great to see so many people doing the same as me! I'm checking CM and using OPKs that I have left over from when I was TTC. I am going to start temping next month. The only reason I used my OPKS this month because I started to see EWCM and was curious to see if my OPKs would be positive and they were. I have already O'd this month so no worries this month lol. I will start telling again next month to pin point the actual day of O because this cycle I got pos OPKs for 4 days so I don't know exactly which day I O'd.

Stellababy I can also physically tell when I O! I get little sharp pains low down and they are either on my left or right side.

Callmedan I see it's not long until U r going to try, so exciting! The only reason I want to come off my pill now is because TTC a can be a really long upsetting process so I want to make sure my body is ready well in advance to help things happen ASAP. I was on my pill right up until we tried last time but it took 4 months before I even got my first period and then a further 4 months of trying before we concieved. It doesn't sound that long but I became very obsessed with it and was thinking about it all the time so it seemed like forever! I want things to be easier next time. Although my friend came off her pill at the same time as me and went straight into her regular cycle so everyone is different x

 

[clhozac]

I had to come off BCP because they gave me horrible migraines, 3 weeks bleeding 1 week not, horrible cramps, it was hell! So I got a lady comp, which is basically charting for lazy people. It takes your temp then gives you a green, yellow, or red light. Green meaning you can have sex without getting pregnant, and Red meaning watch out. I usually use condoms on red days as a back up method. I've been using this method for 2 years, and I'm super happy with it. Although, my cycle isn't back to "normal" yet. When I first came off the pills I was having 70 day cycles, 60-62 days before ovulation, then 8 - 10 days luteal phase. It's taken a long time for my body to get back to my pre BCP normal, and I'm still not there yet. I'm really glad I've given my body time to heal from the hormones before TTC.

 

[Tess08]

I had to come off BCP because they gave me horrible migraines, 3 weeks bleeding 1 week not, horrible cramps, it was hell! So I got a lady comp, which is basically charting for lazy people. It takes your temp then gives you a green, yellow, or red light. Green meaning you can have sex without getting pregnant, and Red meaning watch out. I usually use condoms on red days as a back up method. I've been using this method for 2 years, and I'm super happy with it. Although, my cycle isn't back to "normal" yet. When I first came off the pills I was having 70 day cycles, 60-62 days before ovulation, then 8 - 10 days luteal phase. It's taken a long time for my body to get back to my pre BCP normal, and I'm still not there yet. I'm really glad I've given my body time to heal from the hormones before TTC.

Wow that's a long time for your body to still not be back to normal! Hopefully it reverts back soon? When do you hope u try? I just googled the lady comp and it's pretty much completely out of my price range lol. I will just temp with my little thermometer and plot it on FF to tell me what's going on inside x

 

[xstitcher87]

I am taking BCP until my prescription runs out (November), then we'll have to make a decision about whether to go and get another prescription for Nov/Dec (as we plan to TTC in January) or just use condoms.

 

[clhozac]

Wow that's a long time for your body to still not be back to normal! Hopefully it reverts back soon? When do you hope u try? I just googled the lady comp and it's pretty much completely out of my price range lol. I will just temp with my little thermometer and plot it on FF to tell me what's going on inside x

Well, I'm having fairly "normal" cycles, about 35-38 days now. With an 11 day L phase, I'm just not to my pre-BCP cycles. As far as cost, it works for 10 years (according to reviewers) and you can use it safely right after having a baby, it will also tell you if you're pregnant or not, so it was like 500 / 10 = 50 dollars a year 50 / 12 = 4 dollars a month and then maybe when I am TTC saving money on tests. It's also the only alarm clock I've never been able to sleep through.

The reason I did this over temping like a normal person is that my DH had zero faith in the FAM method, but the lady-comp was scientifically reviewed to be as effective as BCP so it got him on board.

I would be a little careful with FF because they skew their interpretation to promote pregnancy. Several times they've said I've O'd before I have, or that I "might be pregnant" when it was way too early. Don't let it stress you out and get a book on how to read the chart yourself.

 

[Tess08]

Wow that's a long time for your body to still not be back to normal! Hopefully it reverts back soon? When do you hope u try? I just googled the lady comp and it's pretty much completely out of my price range lol. I will just temp with my little thermometer and plot it on FF to tell me what's going on inside x

Well, I'm having fairly "normal" cycles, about 35-38 days now. With an 11 day L phase, I'm just not to my pre-BCP cycles. As far as cost, it works for 10 years (according to reviewers) and you can use it safely right after having a baby, it will also tell you if you're pregnant or not, so it was like 500 / 10 = 50 dollars a year 50 / 12 = 4 dollars a month and then maybe when I am TTC saving money on tests. It's also the only alarm clock I've never been able to sleep through.

The reason I did this over temping like a normal person is that my DH had zero faith in the FAM method, but the lady-comp was scientifically reviewed to be as effective as BCP so it got him on board.

I would be a little careful with FF because they skew their interpretation to promote pregnancy. Several times they've said I've O'd before I have, or that I "might be pregnant" when it was way too early. Don't let it stress you out and get a book on how to read the chart yourself.

Well that is good they are relatively normal now. And yeh it doesn't seem that bad when u put it like that lol.

I've used FF before to conceive so I'm pretty confident I know how to use it. Just wondering, what specific days are u careful in ur cycle? I mean like 7 days before O until 3DPO or what? I'm going to abstain from are completely because my OH hates condoms so just want to know exactly when I shod stay clear of him lol.

How does ur lady comp tell u if u are pregnant and when can it tell? X

 

[wtbmummy]

I came off the depo injection and swapped to the pill on 5th March. They only gave me three months worth even though was 6months till ttc but the las time we used condoms until we were ready (n tried 2months earlier than planed) we will do the same this time when pill finishes end of May until we are ready. We like to do it this way to try and get my body as natural as possible
So currently pill n then condoms. I will use ovulation strips once of pill to get rough prediction as we want to try gender swaying this time round

 

[TwilightAgain]

We've been using the pull out method successfully for 3.5 years

 

[bakedbean]

Hello! I'm doing exactly the same
I was taking bcp (i'd been on them for 9 years) but stopped at the end of last year and went on to charting instead (I really don't get on with any form of birth control due to various reasons, mainly endometriosis, unfortunately). I'm now charting/temping as well My cycles are very irregular and long (currently on a 38 day cycle) so i'm glad i'v done this as i need to get used to my body and figure out if i need to ask for help about my cycles. We don't plan on ttc until next year, but like you, we are avoiding dtd during fertile periods (which is very hard to work out with my cycles! :/)

 

[Lucky4Tine]

I was on BC (NuvaRing) for years at the request of my FI. I finally got fed up with the migraines and came off in 2011. It took my body about a year to normalize (I was having my period once every two months); During this time, we religiously used condoms.

Then my FI asked me to consider a BCP. I talked to my doctor about trying a copper IUD instead but considering I have not had a child, he advised against the risk and recommended that I consider Depo. We settled on a trial with Micronor (mini-pill) to see how my body handled the progestin. I lasted one cycle.

In hindsight, I wish I had stuck to my guns and said no to synthetic hormones and BCPs. I still have migraines but they are becoming more manageable every year (with dietary changes, I've come down from 12-16/month to 4-5 and they are a lot less severe!).

I'm actually really interested in starting FAM, if not as a birth control method (condoms work for us), as general information for myself. I can physically feel my ovulations (minor discomfort) and have started to actually take notice of my fluids. It would be nice to already be in a routine when we start TTC next year!

 

[Tess08]

Wtbmummy what is gender swaying lol?

Yes we are the same as a lot of u, want to have my body back in normal working order and have a good idea of when I O well in advance of actually TTC! We want to get pregnant again ASAP after wedding because if it hadn't been for us booking our wedding for next year then we would prob have TTC again this year so by next year I will be reeeeeeeally broody lol x

 

[wtbmummy]

Wtbmummy what is gender swaying lol?

Yes we are the same as a lot of u, want to have my body back in normal working order and have a good idea of when I O well in advance of actually TTC! We want to get pregnant again ASAP after wedding because if it hadn't been for us booking our wedding for next year then we would prob have TTC again this year so by next year I will be reeeeeeeally broody lol x

Gender swaying is well just that. Depending on if you want a boy or girl you both eat certain things, use certain sexual positions. With a girl they recommend dtd a few days before O so the strong female sperm survive and it ups your chsnces of a girl. If you dtd on day of or after O then the faster male sperm are suppose to reach the egg. We will be swaying for a girl but tbh I can't actually see myself with a girl Be intresting to see if it works. A few of us are ttc in Sep and will be gender swaying so be good fun to see what happens

 

[Tess08]

Wtbmummy what is gender swaying lol?

Yes we are the same as a lot of u, want to have my body back in normal working order and have a good idea of when I O well in advance of actually TTC! We want to get pregnant again ASAP after wedding because if it hadn't been for us booking our wedding for next year then we would prob have TTC again this year so by next year I will be reeeeeeeally broody lol x

Gender swaying is well just that. Depending on if you want a boy or girl you both eat certain things, use certain sexual positions. With a girl they recommend dtd a few days before O so the strong female sperm survive and it ups your chsnces of a girl. If you dtd on day of or after O then the faster male sperm are suppose to reach the egg. We will be swaying for a girl but tbh I can't actually see myself with a girl Be intresting to see if it works. A few of us are ttc in Sep and will be gender swaying so be good fun to see what happens

Oh I've never heard of that! Well with my baby I DTD the day before O and had a little girl. Yeh would definitely be good to see if it works! I'll be keeping my eye on that lol. I'm not bothered what I have next because there are reasons I would like both. If I have a boy then I have one of each but if I have a girl then my daughter will have a little sister to be her best friend. I don't see myself with a boy but I think that's just because you get so used to having what you've got haha x

 

[WhiteKhocol8]

Bcp all the way as for me it alleviates other issues too!