At present that Michael and I have three lovely children, we're thinking our family is complete.

There was definitely some grief in making this decision because I love  pregnancy, giving birth, babe kisses, breastfeeding and everything that surrounds information technology. I know that a role of me will grieve indefinitely as childbearing is a tremendous honor and gift.

And then What'southward a Mama to Exercise About Natural Birth Control?

In this post you'll find an overview of what'due south bachelor for couples… both conventional and natural options. I know many families who choose not to use any "control" and let God exist in accuse. I think that'due south beautiful. Ultimately, whatever you lot choose to do is between you lot and your partner.

Before We Start—A Special Souvenir for You lot

I cover a ton of fabric in this post. Want a really uncomplicated i-pager of this content? Download my PDF of your nativity control options ranked by safety, naturalness, and effectiveness.

Birth Command Options

1. The Pill

The well-nigh popular course of birth control is oral contraception or "The Pill." Canonical for contraceptive use in the U.Southward. in 1960, it's currently used past more than 100 million women worldwide and by most 12 million women in this country.

Though information technology'southward advent has had a huge touch on on women and women's rights,I am not a fan of this type of contraception unless absolutely necessary. It's true that many women accept oral nascency control without any side effects, but there are studies prove that advise the synthetic estrogen in the nascency control pill increase a woman's run a risk for blood clots, eye affliction, and chest and cervical cancer—not to mention weight proceeds, tender breasts, and depression.

Effectiveness charge per unit: With "perfect" utilise (i.e. no missed pills, proper prescription strength for woman, etc.), you lot're looking at 99.vii%. For typical use, you're looking at a 92-98% effectiveness rate.

Birth Control for Natural Mamas – the pill

two. Condoms

The 2nd most popular form of nativity control is the condom. Rise in popularity with the HIV/AIDS epidemic, condoms are an inexpensive option that tin assistance prevent sexually transmitted diseases as well as pregnancy. Interesting to note, condoms were effectually in the 18th century condoms and typically made from either linen treated with chemicals, or "pare" taken from an fauna'southward bladder or intestine and and so softened with sulphur and lye.

I'm not a fan of conventional condoms due to the materials used like chemical-laden latex, non-stick agents, and other ingredients, which can crusade irritation to the vaginal area. I also don't recommend the condoms that include lubrication, equally these are made of artificial (and potentially toxic) materials that have no business existence in a woman's vaginal area with its delicate pH. Additionally, spermicidal condoms contain nonoxynol-9, which in studies, increases the risk of vaginal lesions, STDs, and HPV. In terms of latex, some chemicals are added during the manufacturing process to speed upward drying. This creates nitrosamines, which are carcinogenic. Additionally, trunk fluids tin crusade these nitrosamines to be released while you're having sex! While the risk is depression, it would nevertheless be best to avoid.

For the 1% of people who demand a non-latex option due to allergies, you have a few alternatives. Similar to how condoms were originally manufactured, Trojan sells a lamb peel rubber that is fabricated out of a thin layer of sheep cecum, a office of the intestine. Yes, I know it doesn't audio appealing, but it is sanitized for safety and is certainly more "natural" than latex sprayed with various agents and chemicals. Additionally, the lamb peel condom is thinner, which can provide more pleasure for the human being. Oil lubricants, recall coconut oil, can be used safely unlike the latex condoms. Keep in heed that lamb pare condoms exercise *Not* protect confronting any STDs like HIV/AIDS. Additionally, the lambskin rubber comes "lubricated," and I couldn't confirm what ingredients are used. Some claim that the lambskin is more porous than latex. I know a very fertile couple that take used with peachy success. Use at your discretion.

The other 2 latex-gratuitous options are synthetic condoms made of polyurethane, which is "a constructed resin in which the polymer units are linked past urethane groups, used importantly as constituents of paints, varnishes, adhesives, and foams." Or a smoother and softer condom made of polyisoprene, which is synthetic version of latex which doesn't produce an allergic reaction.

Effectiveness rate: 98% with perfect employ. For typical use, 82%.

Nativity Control for Natural Mamas – condoms

3. Withdrawal Method

Otherwise known as coitus interruptus (I'g not making this upward!), pull out, or spills and thrills, this is when the man pulls his penis out of the vagina before ejaculation. Perhaps one of the oldest forms of birth control, approximately 35 million couples rely on the withdrawal method for birth control worldwide. Continue in mind that fifty-fifty if a man pulls out in time, pregnancy can still happen. Pre-ejaculate tin can option up plenty sperm left in the urethra from a previous ejaculation to cause pregnancy. To prevent this, a human can urinate between ejaculations before having sex again and it will help clear the urethra of sperm, increasing the effectiveness of withdrawal. Pregnancy is too possible if semen or pre-ejaculate touches the vulva. While not the well-nigh constructive form, it is certainly a very natural nativity control option.

Effectiveness rate: If done correctly, 96%. Actually "existent globe" effectiveness, 73%.

4. Diaphragms

Made of either silicone or latex, a diaphragm is a shallow, dome-shaped device that's inserted into the vagina to prevent the egg and sperm from coming together. Diaphragms are usually used in conjunction with a spermicide to exist effective. I'm non a fan of spermicides in general for several reasons. Keep in mind that near are fabricated with a harmful ingredient, nonoxynol-ix.

Note that some mamas have reported using diagrams without spermicide to great success. This approach would certainly brand a diaphragm a more than natural option. Just in that location's not a ton of information on the subject field.

This report followed women who used diaphragms without spermicide continuously, significant that they simply took their diaphragms out during their daily showers to wash them. In the report, diaphragms worn continuously without spermicide were more effective (97%) than diaphragms used with spermicide only at the time of intercourse (ninety%).

Keep in mind that this was a small-scale study. In that location's not much data on diaphragms without spermicide, so your mileage may vary.

Effectiveness: 94% if ever used correctly, 88% if by and large used correctly.

Milex Silicone Diaphragm – OmniFlex Spring – Uniform With Ortho AllFlex
Milex Omniflex Style Diaphragm

5. Intrauterine Device (IUDs)

An IUD is a small, T-shaped device that is inserted into a woman'south uterus by a health care provider to foreclose pregnancy. At that place are two types available in the U.South.—one that uses copper (ParaGard) and one that uses hormones (Mirena or Skyla). The copper one provides 2, 5, or fifty-fifty up to 10 years of protection and can be removed at any time. While it sounds similar a dream come truthful, I would exist very conscientious with this method. Past inserting copper into your body, you are setting yourself up for a potential zinc deficiency (since it can compete with copper) and a whole host of medical issues associated with copper toxicity. Although western medicine denies such a status exists, I know too many people who experienced this to agree. Manufacturers insist that the copper released is minuscule and that information technology stays in the uterus, I trust women'southward experiences more. Copper toxicity tin can atomic number 82 to things like allergies, low, weight gain and some believe even cancer.

Effectiveness rate: 99%.

The other IUD chosen Mirena or Skyla, releases small corporeality of progestin and is constructive between 3 and 5 years. I don't call up this is the ideal option because information technology can interfere with hormone balances in the trunk. Our hormones work in a wonderful symphony with one cascading unto the other. Anecdotal experience suggests that if yous supplement with a hormone, your trunk will eventually stop producing it to protect the overall residuum in the body. Problem is… when you decide to become off of it, your body will accept fourth dimension to recover and tin cause major havoc until it finally normalizes. Boo! In regards to these progestin IUDs, 12% of users reported ovarian cysts, which is a telltale sign of inflammation. We all know inflammation is a precursor to all forms of disease… and then all-time to avert if you lot can!

Effectiveness Rate: 99%.

6. Natural Family Planning

The most popular form of natural birth control is Natural Family Planning (NFP). This practice limits sexual intercourse to naturally infertile periods; including portions of the menstrual cycle, during pregnancy, and after menopause. It excludes the utilize of other methods of nascency control, which the Catholic Church deems "bogus contraception." Another secular term for this do isFertility Awareness or some still call information technology Natural Family Planning. There are three primary types of NFP: breastfeeding or lactational amenorrhea method, the calendar-based methods, and the symptoms-based methods.

Lactational Amenorrhea Method

After we give birth, most women don't get their period till at least ii months postpartum. Notwithstanding, if a adult female is exclusively breastfeeding her child, it can be much longer until her menses return. The condition is chosen lactational amenorrhea and it can be used equally a natural form of birth control. Still, in society for this to method to work, the breastfeeding adult female must:

  1. Non accept had a catamenia since birth
  2. Have a baby aged 6 months or younger
  3. Nurse her child exclusively
  4. Nurse at least every 4 hours during the day and every half dozen hours during the nighttime

If all of these conditions are met, you tin can use this equally a course of nascency control in the short-term. Go on in mind, similar all of the other nascency control methods presented hither, nothing is 100% constructive—except complete abstinence. Some women ovulate before they get a period so there's a vulnerable "window" where pregnancy tin occur. I nevertheless hear stories of moms who go pregnant using this form of nascency control, despite what studies say, and so be cautious.

Effectiveness: 98%, if above-mentioned weather condition are present.

Birth Control for Natural Mamas – Lactational Amenorrhea Method

Other Options

These side by side methods listed below are recommended for women who accept pretty consistent cycles and are generally healthy. They also have discipline and menstrual chart logging. A woman's fertility depends on the life span of the egg and the sperm. Generally, an egg lives for nearly a day later on ovulation while sperm tin live inside the female body for about six days and so you're looking at a 7-8 day window of fertility per calendar month. This includes the 5 days before ovulation, the day of ovulation and one-two days later on ovulation. These are general guidelines and every woman is different that's why information technology's and so important to know your own cycles well when practicing this method. The cardinal is to know what day yous ovulate each calendar month.

Calendar-based Methods

Calendar-based methods estimate the likelihood of fertility based on the length of past menstrual cycles. This method doesn't rely on concrete symptoms of fertility. In this practice, it's recommended that you chart your menstrual cycle for at least half dozen months, if not 12, to go very familiar with its "rhythm" earlier yous implement these forms of natural birth command.

  1. Rhythm Method: As a form of birth control, you apply the following formula: To find the estimated length of the pre-ovulation infertile phase, xix days (some say 18) are subtracted from the length of the woman's shortest cycle. To find the estimated get-go of the post-ovulation infertile stage, ten days (some say eleven) are subtracted from the length of the adult female'southward longest cycle. Every bit you lot tin see, for some people this means a substantial time of abstaining from sexual intercourse throughout a month.
    Effectiveness: With perfect use and very consistent cycles, 91%. Real world effectiveness rate: 76%.
  2. Standard Days Method: In guild to exercise The Standard Days method, yous need to have regular cycles that come every 26-32 days. You also cannot accept unprotected vaginal intercourse from twenty-four hour period 8 through solar day 19 of each cycle. Most women utilize special strings of beads called CycleBeads that help them keep track of their cycles with different colors of beads indicating what days are safe and unsafe to have unprotected sex activity.
    Effectiveness rate: 95%. Nascency Control for Natural Mamas – Natural Family Planning Calendar

Symptoms-based Method

The symptoms-based method of NFP tracks biological signs of fertility. The three main signs of a woman's fertility are:

  • her cervical mucus
  • and her cervical position
  • her basal body temperature

Let's unpack all three.

Cervical Mucus

Some systems use only cervical fungus to decide fertility. Normally chosen the Ovulation Method or Cervical Fungus Method (CMM), a woman learns how to identify the thicker cervical fungus that accompanies ovulation. The thicker mucus "catches" the sperm and increases the chances of getting pregnant. 2 well-known fungus-merely methods are the Billings Ovulation Method and the Creighton Model FertilityCare System. The Creighton Model looks at the vulvar belch of cervical mucus, the type of mucus, the days with no mucus and the presence of bleeding to inform couples on the phases of fertility and infertility and the state of the adult female's procreative and gynecologic health. Inspired by the Creighton Model, NaProTECHNOLOGY has expanded the uses of this system into the treatment several gynecologic atmospheric condition like PCPOS, infertility, premenstrual syndrome, and they continue to expand with further research. While everyone'due south unlike, the general pattern of cervical fluid throughout a month'south fourth dimension includes:

  • dry or sticky
  • to creamy, like lotion
  • to wet and watery
  • to a raw egg white consistency (almost fertile time)
  • back to dry and sticky

Cara-Menghitung-Masa-Subur-600×521

Cervical Position

Outside of ovulation, our cervixes are relatively low and firm (remember the firmness of your nose). During ovulation and our fertility fourth dimension, all the same, our cervixes become college and softer (think the softness of lips) than normal. It'south all-time to practice feeling your cervix several times throughout a cycle so you tin can feel how it changes.

Basal Body Temperature

In most women, our basal trunk temperature will go up at least 4-tenths of a degree (commonly more like 1/2 a degree) for at least three consecutive days after ovulation. For this marking to be effective, y'all need to take your temperature at the same time, or with no more than a 30 minute difference, each solar day. You'll need a Basal Body Thermometer (where to purchase). Each night, set your thermometer past your bedside. When you become up, immediately achieve for thermometer and accept temperature either orally or nether arm pit. Let the thermometer stay in mouth for up to five minutes to be certain y'all have your truthful temperature. Do not become up to go to the bathroom or have a sip of h2o or even motility before you lot accept your temperature as this can throw off results. If you're breastfeeding in the night or get upward to pee, be sure that you have 4 consecutive hours of sleeping before you take your temperature. If you lot want a more sophisticated tool to mensurate temperatures, y'all could purchase a Lady-Comp Fertility Monitor (where to buy). While it is definitely pricey (!), the company stands behind a 99.iii% accurateness rate and people stand up backside its effectiveness. And if you lot think of it, the price tin can be cheaper than the other methods over the long-term.

If two or more than signs (cervical mucus, cervical position, and temperature) are tracked, the method is referred to as a Sympto-Thermal Method or STM. STM typically combines charting of the basal body temperature and cervical mucus with other optional indicators, such as changes in the cervix and secondary fertility signs (acne, breast tenderness, etc.).

Sympto-Thermal Systems are taught by the Couple to Couple League, Various Diocesan Programs, and the secular Fertility Awareness Method (FAM) taught past Toni Weschler. She outlines the details of her method in her volume,Taking Accuse of Your Fertility (where to buy). Her book too references saliva/urine tests (see below) as other tools you lot tin can employ to decide your fertile/infertile periods. All of this can exist tracked manually using these forms. Another awesome book regarding natural fertility is Katie Singer's Garden of Fertility  (where to buy).

Y'all can nautical chart your fertility signs on your telephone with different apps (where to purchase for iPhone and Android).

Effectiveness Charge per unit: A study completed in Germany in 2007 institute that the Sympto-Thermal method has a method effectiveness of 99.6%.

Birth Control for Natural Mamas – Basal Body Temperature

Sympto-Hormonal Method (SHM)

The method that observes several signs of fertility and adds the utilise of an ovulation predictor kit (OPK) or fertility monitor is chosen the "Sympto-Hormonal Method" or "SHM." I like the ovulation urine tests because they are relatively inexpensive and accurate (where to buy). You can also use a saliva test to make up one's mind our more than fertile times of the calendar month (where to buy). Various diocesans, Marquette University'due south Plant, and some Fertility Awareness programs brand apply of the SHM. And the rex of all fertility symptom monitoring is the OvuCue. It measures and tracks daily saliva and cervical fungus samples to measure changes in electrolyte concentration (and therefore hormone output). Definitely an investment, many moms love it and the company promotes a 98% effectiveness rate.

Permanent Options

i. Vasectomy

A male surgical option, a vasectomy is when a doctor cake the vas deferens tubes to keep sperm out of the seminal fluid. Instead, the sperm are absorbed by the body rather than being ejaculated. This is designed to be a permanent solution to nascency command, although at that place are successful attempts at reversing furnishings.

It's of import to note though: Approximately 15-20% of vasectomy patients report pain, sometimes many years subsequently procedure. It's called mail service-vasectomy pain syndrome, and the symptoms can exist from mild groin pain or irritation to debilitating, life-altering pain. Some observe relief by reversing the vasectomy. Additionally, studies advise vasectomy very slightly increases a human's take chances of prostate cancer.

Effectiveness Rate: Nearly 100% if the man uses other forms of nascency control for the first iii months post surgery. That's considering sperm remains beyond the blocked tubes and it takes a few months for it to be all used up. Very rarely (one in ane,000 cases), the tubes volition abound back and cause pregnancy. That's why it's imperative that the man render to doctor 3 months after procedure to be sure that it worked.

2. Sterilization or Tubes Tied

A permanent birth control procedure for women is sterilization, often referred to every bit "getting tubes tied" in which a healthcare provider volition go in and tie and sever the fallopian tubes. This is called tubal ligation. The fallopian tubes also can be closed with clips, clamps, or rings (OUCH!) Many women who have planned c-sections may opt for this procedure since they volition be having an incision already. For other mamas, information technology is a more invasive surgery when compared to the vasectomy for men. Every bit with any surgery, there are risks with anesthesia, infection, mail pain and healing, and then forth. Information technology is also more permanent than a vasectomy equally reconnecting fallopian tubes is much more than hard and expensive.

Effectiveness Rate: Well-nigh 100%

What Other Natural Mamas Are Doing

I asked the moms on my Facebook page what they're doing well-nigh natural birth command, and around 500 of them replied. Their responses looked like this.

natural-birth-command-what-other-mamas-are-doing-Mama-Natural

So, What Are Michael & I Going to Do Virtually Natural Birth Control?

For at present nosotros are doing a blend of NFP and condoms. While I love NFP, I do know several people who got meaning while using this class of nascency command (including with twins!), so that's why we combine with condoms (this is the brand nosotros use).

Total Disclosure

Before I wrote this mail service, we figured Michael would get a vasectomy. But now we've decided to skip that route.

One of Michael's friends has some agin effects later on getting a vasectomy. And so we learned that 15-20% of vasectomy patients study pain, sometimes many years after process. As I mention above, information technology's chosen post-vasectomy pain syndrome, and the symptoms can be from balmy groan pain or irritation to debilitating, life-altering pain. (Sources at the very lesser of the references list below.)

Get a Printable One-pager of Your Birth Control Options

Don't forget to download my sectional 1-pager of your birth control options ranked by prophylactic, naturalness, and effectiveness below!

Natural Birth Control – Options & Suggestions Crook Sheet

How About You?

What exercise y'all practice for nativity control? How did yous decide on what to do? Share it with us in the comments beneath!

References

  • https://www.cdc.gov/reproductivehealth/unintendedpregnancy/contraception.htm
  • https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Combined_oral_contraceptive_pill
  • https://www.nejm.org/doi/total/10.1056/NEJMoa1111840?query=featured_home&
  • https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/History_of_condoms
  • https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nonoxynol-9
  • https://www.plannedparenthood.org/larn/birth-control/breastfeeding
  • https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Natural_family_planning
  • http://www.usccb.org/bug-and-activeness/union-and-family/natural-family unit-planning/what-is-nfp/methods.cfm
  • http://christiancontraception.com/calendar.php
  • https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Calendar-based_contraceptive_methods
  • https://world wide web.verywellfamily.com/how-to-check-your-neck-and-cervical-position-1960299
  • https://www.verywellfamily.com/checking-cervical-fungus-to-go-meaning-faster-1960279
  • https://www.verywellfamily.com/basal-body-temperature-charting-become-pregnant-faster-1960300
  • Vasectomy bug: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/9052481
  • Vasectomy issues: https://world wide web.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/8632554
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