What birth control do you use?

Moonrise Lu

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I will be getting married in a few months and so I've been recently thinking about birth control. My fiance and I want to have kids, but not for a few years so we can get our feet planted in our jobs and also pay off school debts (to be more financially stable to care for children).

I've been looking at different methods online to try to see which ones I should use, but there is so much, and of course there is the varying opinion on which ones are okay to use as Christians...

So I'm just wondering which forms of birth control other Christian couples use? (Or if you don't use it, I guess)
 

Dave-W

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When we were new marrieds we used the diaphragm (with a spermacide). It worked well for us. A barrier method like that is our preferred method as it prevents sperm from meeting egg. After we were thru having kids (we stopped at 4) she got a tubal ligation.
 
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Poppyseed78

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When we were first married we used condoms until I felt confident with understanding my cycles. Now we practice NFP (natural family planning) and have been for the past 6 years. It worked for us for both avoiding pregnancy and conceiving.
 
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faroukfarouk

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When we were first married we used condoms until I felt confident with understanding my cycles. Now we practice NFP (natural family planning) and have been for the past 6 years. It worked for us for both avoiding pregnancy and conceiving.
Even if you do use them, they are not 100% effective, right?
 
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Dave-W

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We also supplemented intercourse with "manual" alternatives.

A quick word of warning on that however (and I hope this is not TMI):
Do NOT use the male "byproduct" from that action for lubrication for the female. Sperm can travel from there to do their job almost as well as in actual intercourse.
 
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Dave-W

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Even if you do use them, they are not 100% effective, right?
Actually nothing is 100% effective. On his 3rd marriage my dad had a vas and his wife had a tubal after their first. A couple of years later they had a 2nd.
 
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faroukfarouk

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Actually nothing is 100% effective. On his 3rd marriage my dad had a vas and his wife had a tubal after their first. A couple of years later they had a 2nd.
I guess my point was that even if worn there are microscopic holes; thus, not 100% effective.
 
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faroukfarouk

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We also supplemented intercourse with "manual" alternatives.

A quick word of warning on that however (and I hope this is not TMI):
Do NOT use the male "byproduct" from that action for lubrication for the female. Sperm can travel from there to do their job almost as well as in actual intercourse.
I guess I take your point about keeping on topic.
 
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Dave-W

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I guess I take your point about keeping on topic.
I would take that as on topic since many places (including Planned Parenthood) consider "outercourse" (shared non-coital sexual activity) to be a form of contraception.
 
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faroukfarouk

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I would take that as on topic since many places (including Planned Parenthood) consider "outercourse" (shared non-coital sexual activity) to be a form of contraception.
Oh really; I didn't know PP used the term. So I suppose it's on topic.
 
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faroukfarouk

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I think if used correctly, they work 97% of the time, but user error actually makes it lower than that.
Like if less good quality ones rip, you mean; I think you would know about the exact percentages a bit more than me, so you're probably right.
 
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Moonrise Lu

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When we were first married we used condoms until I felt confident with understanding my cycles. Now we practice NFP (natural family planning) and have been for the past 6 years. It worked for us for both avoiding pregnancy and conceiving.

Was the NFP done with nothing else? Or did you use condoms, or something else, along with it? I had been reading about it and curious how effective it is
 
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Paidiske

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I have an Implanon (contraceptive implant - lasts three years).

Some Christians will not use them because, for some women, an Implanon does not suppress ovulation and so it can work by preventing implantation of a fertilised ovum. For me, I am very sensitive to hormonal contraceptives and it does suppress ovulation, so I feel able to use it without feeling that I am at high risk of that being the result.

Have you had this discussion with your fiance yet?
 
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Poppyseed78

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Was the NFP done with nothing else? Or did you use condoms, or something else, along with it? I had been reading about it and curious how effective it is

We did NFP and nothing else. However, for us, a surprise pregnancy would have been okay. If it wouldn't be okay, then we'd also use a backup form of birth control. I've had friends who use birth control pills, Nuvaring, and Paraguard, and all have their pros and cons. If I were to use a hormonal birth control method, I'd probably try a low-dose pill. Keep in mind if you do use the pill, you should be careful to take it at the same time every day.
 
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Poppyseed78

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If you're considering an IUD, I will also add that for women who have not had a child, having an IUD placed can be painful. For some women it's not painful at all, and for others it's kind of bad. The people who I know got one said they just took a couple Motrin beforehand and it was okay, just mild cramping. Not sure how helpful anecdotal info is, but wanted to share that.
 
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