[Darling]

Okay I'm not pregnant! Time to take action, I need advice on what kinds are out there. What works for you?
I'm not sold on going back to hormonal birth control... Bc of the weight gain and health risks, so what ones are safe? How about non hormonal types?

[AshB$]

There are condoms... sure you know about that.
Natural Family Planning, pretty much keep track of your period and don't have sex on your fertile days, or use a condom lol
Female condom, goes inside you. Probably not the funnest pick.
Spermicides... kills sperm.
Diaphram, The diaphragm is a dome shaped, rubber, flexible, rimmed cup, which is fitted by your healthcare provider.
The sponge, I believe you soak that in spermicide. You place that into your vagina.
Cervical cap... a silicon rubber hat-shaped with a brim that flares outward, you insert that in you.

Honestly the easiest is just good ol' condoms!

[Darling]

Thanks for all the interesting recommendations!
Yes I know about condoms
But that's what got me in this scare... I just had a baby and my periods are wacky so I can't tell when I'm doing what right now. I decided I really needed added protection. I'm not a fan of spermicides they make me itch and dry. I will keep these ideas in mind when deciding what is best

[AshB$]

A diaphram or cervical cap would probably be best. Both are supposed to "block" sperm. Both also both are recommended to be used with spermicide. Doesn't mean you have to though.

[Little]

What about the copper IUD? Or if you are okay with some hormones, the Mirena? The cost to insert is rather high, depending on your insurance, and might not be feasible if you want to have a baby within the next year or so, but it's something to consider.
This isn't particularly what works for me, since I've never used it, but Mirena will be my first pick after my next baby, since I won't want to have another child for quite some time, if at all.

[Hugo-B]

One of the most under rated, under used methods of BC is the coil. No, you don't need to have had a baby to have one fitted, a nurse told me that.

I'm a bit of a conspiracy theorist and I believe one of the reasons doctors don't recommend the coil is because there is little to no profit to be made out of them to the pharmaceutical companies.

Think about it: what's BOUND to cause more complications? A pill that elevates hormones WAY out of natural range, or a simple device with no further complications than a one off insertion? (most of the time). Hormone based BC pills have to be taken daily for long periods of time, they generate repeat prescriptions and make the big pharmaceutical companies MILLIONS, if not BILLIONS, it's a ****ing racket. I've never seen a thread here yet started by a girl complaining about her coil, most don't even know about them. Threads appear no less frequently than weekly (and that's a conservative time-scale) about complications arising from BC pills, and it isn't even 100% effective.

[LittlePip]

Congratulations on remaining unfertilised!
Have you ever used any other methods of contraception, besides hormonal BC pills? I believe some IUDs also contain hormones, I think the Mirena is one of them, so if you wanted to go completely hormone-free you'd have to check with IUD you are being fitted with.

I'm contemplating ditching the combined pill for an IUD but at the moment I can't get past the risks, they're pretty low but I don't like the sound of them! On the plus side it is over 99% effective which beats the pill, and there are rarely going to be any "user errors" (like missing a pill, throwing up after you've taken a pill, etc) so the percentage is consistent.

Condoms are just a pain, and the potential for failure is comparatively high. I hate the idea of a female condom, not the most visually attractive option!

You're going to have to weigh up what is most important to you and what works best for you, some women don't have the option of hormonal BC, if you're forgetful a daily pill is not for you, if you have a very low pain threshold an IUD insertion may be too difficult for you, personally.

[Little]

BB - the coil and IUD are the same thing, there are plenty of threads complaining about them Just under a different name.

[Hugo-B]

BB - the coil and IUD are the same thing, there are plenty of threads complaining about them Just under a different name.

Sorry, I stand corrected

I still think the pill is more of a money spinner though. The reason I say this is my ex had a major intolerance to hormone based BC, and apart from some initial discomfort the coil was a god send to her/us. I personally (whilst I'm clearly not Mr. current affairs on BC) think it is under utilized because of the lack of profit it brings to the manufactures, i.e., the pharmaceutical companies.

I will have a search and I will stay up to date with this thread, as you've just reminded me, every day is a school day!

[ItsASecret]

I still think the pill is more of a money spinner though. The reason I say this is my ex had a major intolerance to hormone based BC, and apart from some initial discomfort the coil was a god send to her/us. I personally (whilst I'm clearly not Mr. current affairs on BC) think it is under utilized because of the lack of profit it brings to the manufactures, i.e., the pharmaceutical companies.

When hormonal birth control affects every single patient that is ever prescribed in a brutal unwanted way every single time then you have a case. Until then you are stuck with the words "possible side effects" which are not predictable in any way shape or form and are by no means a guaranteed outcome. Not only that but because of the side effects there are many many types of hormonal birth control produced that address the possibility that one brand may not work in a woman while another brand could be the answer. That sort of potential variety of products is not the case with IUDs, and it is not nearly as easy to switch to a different type if something is not to agree with the body.

Having surgery for an IUD insertion can also have many more problems than a pill. It can release, it can puncture the uterus at a later date, it can shift positions, it can come out, there can be a lingering infection from insertion, and there can be constant pain from the device simply because the body decides it is a foreign object and reacts in a manner that induces pain as a "warning signal" in a sense. The list of complications from IUD insertion is long and just because one of your exs did not happen to be one of the sufferers does not mean it is a safer method, just like it is not a horrid concoction of conspiracy if a woman takes a hormonal birth control pill because it happens to work with her body.