Today, I’m going to tell you why I ditched birth control and how to prevent pregnancy without it.
First of all, I believe that every woman should be fully informed of ALL her options before making a decision concerning what type of birth control she wishes to use.
And I don’t just mean fully informed of all your birth control options. No. I mean fully informed about your body, too! To help you understand more about your cycle and your fertility, I HIGHLY recommend the book “Taking Charge Of Your Fertility” by Toni Weschler, MPH (buy here). This is the book that changed my life.
“Taking Charge Of Your Fertility” is extremely informative, easy to read, and full of resources. The book looks large, but that’s because it’s full of resources, charts, and extra information you can look up on an as-needed basis. I also really appreciated that it was well-written and easy to read. My only regret is that I didn’t read it sooner.
Modern Birth Control
The current model of birth control is based off the faulty assumption that women can get pregnant at any given time. The reality is that in a given cycle, there is only a 25% chance we could achieve a pregnancy. Conversely, men are fertile 100% of the time, but they are not the ones targeted for birth control.
This is why I am huge believer in fertility awareness and body literacy. Women should be informed about themselves, their health, their cycles, their fertility, their femininity!
I have personally used the pill, condoms, the LadyComp, the copper IUD, and fertility awareness for birth control.
The Pill
When I married my first husband at 19, everyone I talked to recommended I get on the Pill so that I wouldn’t get pregnant while still in college. I took the Pill for 9 months, and then I just couldn’t do it anymore.
I constantly felt sick, moody, or bloated. My cervical fluid was strange, and I couldn’t get past the fact that long term side effects included blood clots and permanent blindness! The history of the Pill is even more foreboding. Just check out this excerpt from an article in New York Magazine:
The whole point of the Pill from the beginning has been population control. Even though America was consuming more than 50 percent of the world’s resources in the late fifties (with 6 percent of the world’s population), eugenicist fears of the developing world’s excessive procreation ran rampant during the Cold War. According to Andrea Tone’s fascinating history of contraception in America, Devices and Desires, Cold War–era birth-control proponents used the terms ‘family planning,’ ‘birth control,’ and ‘population control’ interchangeably. Women’s rights weren’t the primary impetus to approve the Pill, but they were part of the package, too, of course. “The Pill symbolized the redemption of science,” writes Tone, “showing it capable of developing a technology to stabilize a world order that it simultaneously threatened to destroy.”
After getting off the Pill, I used condoms for a few months, but, as everyone knows, condoms greatly decrease sensitivity and pleasure for both parties.
Still, if you must use condoms, I recommend the thinnest on the market: Beyond Seven Crown (buy here).
The LadyComp
The next thing I tried was the LadyComp, which is an ovulation tracker/computer that records your temperature and uses red, yellow, and green lights to tell you if you’re fertile or not. (Green means “GO! Have sex.” Red means “STOP! Use protection!”)
There are rave reviews about the amazingness of the LadyComp, but I personally did not find it helpful as a sole method of birth control, and here’s why:
- It does not allow for other factors, like caffeine or lack of sleep.
- The Ladycomp gives you quite a large window to take your temperature, which means it could vary greatly. It does not record the time you take it.
- The LadyComp will sometimes show you a green light before ovulation. The problem with this is if you have unprotected sex 5 days before you ovulate, there it still a chance you could get pregnant.
- It makes you lazy because you’re relying on the computer instead of being informed about your cycle.
- It’s less accurate than the Fertility Awareness Method.
- It costs $485 to buy, unlike the Fertility Awareness Method, which is free except for the cost of the book and a thermometer.
- Compared to the Fertility Awareness Method, the LadyComp allows for LESS unprotected sex per cycle because it has a higher margin of error.
- Because there are so many “Red days” where you have to use protection, a barrier method is needed most of the time anyway.
Copper IUD (Intrauterine Device)
When I got fed up with the LadyComp/condom combination, the next thing I tried was the copper IUD, which is inserted into the uterus through the cervix.
It is effective for up to ten years, is a non-hormonal form of birth control, and allows you to have sex without using a barrier at any point in your cycle.
What I wasn’t told before getting the IUD was that:
- It keeps the cervix in a constant state of inflammation.
- It can create copper toxicity in your body.
I also experienced:
- Periods that were heavy and lasted 8-10 days.
- Severe cramping during menstruation.
- Non-stop spotting on every day of my cycle.
- Pain during intercourse.
Well, lo and behold, my uterus expelled the IUD after 6 months! I had it reinserted, and I expelled it again after 3 months. My body knew what was best, I suppose!!
The copper IUD is also very expensive, and not all insurances cover it. I would not recommend it after my experience.
Fertility Awareness Method
(i.e. how to prevent pregnancy without hormones, pills, or invasive procedures)
FIRST OF ALL, the Fertility Awareness Method (FAM or FA) is NOT the same as the Rhythm Method. Fertility Awareness uses temperature readings, charting, cervical fluid observation, and cervical position to determine when ovulation has occurred. The Rhythm Method relies on counting days on the calendar—not bodily signs—to predict ovulation.
Anyway, after my body rejected the IUD (twice), I had no choice but to inform myself. I decided to take the plunge and buy “Taking Charge of Your Fertility” book for a grand total of $20. (I was seriously smacking myself for not doing this YEARS earlier.)
Learning to read your fertility signs for effective pregnancy prevention is one of the easiest things I’ve ever learned. All it requires is that you record both your temperature AND the time each morning when you awake. Taking your temperature each morning quickly becomes routine and is no extra work. And by charting, you can easily see when ovulation has passed and it is safe to have unprotected sex.
I like that unlike the LadyComp, charting your temperatures on paper allows you to visually see when you’ve ovulated. (Oh, BONUS, there is now a smartphone app!) By charting, you can also predict your period a few days in advance. After you chart for a while, you may get to the point where you can predict when you’ll start by the hour. It’s really neat!
Also, unlike the LadyComp, you can write down extenuating factors, like caffeine consumption, exercise, lack of sleep or interrupted sleep—all things that can affect your temperature.
By charting, you get a more accurate reading, so you can have unprotected sex more of the time.
And, if you ARE trying to get pregnant, if you’re charting, you can know as soon as 18 days after ovulation if you’re pregnant just by reading your temperatures!
To clarify, fertility awareness is where you identify the parts of the cycle you are in, when you are most fertile, and learn to (A) avoid sex during the few days you could get pregnant or (B) know when to use condoms or (C) know when you don’t have to use protection at all.
It’s as simple as taking your temperatures and writing them down. You just need to have the book to understand how to interpret them, which you can buy here.
Effectiveness
The Fertility Awareness Method has been proven as effective as the Pill if used correctly. I have personally been using it for over a year with excellent results: no baby! (***UPDATE: I’ve been charting for 59 cycles as of Jan 2017 and still, and still NO BABY! That’s almost 5 years folks!)
Taking my temperature every morning has become routine. You can also get your partner involved by having them put the thermometer in your mouth if you don’t hear the alarm. Some couples have found that both partners taking an active role has made them closer.
I WOULD RECOMMEND CHARTING FOR AT LEAST 3-4 MONTHS BEFORE USING IT AS BIRTH CONTROL. Just so you know what you’re doing and if you’re reading the signs right. In the meantime, barrier methods can be used.
I have found amazing freedom and peace by knowing what my body is doing and reading the signs my body is giving me. I also feel very empowered knowing that I can prevent or achieve pregnancy when the time comes.
I always see so much hate for the humble condom. We don’t notice much of a difference and have used them without breakage, error, or babies for 6 years. If anything they make him last longer (more fun for us) and we get peace of mind from the physical evidence of protection.
I’ve tried both convetional BC pills and centchroman, but they both made me feel ill.
In relation to Lady-Comp there is no problem with caffeine or lack of sleep (the minimum is five continuous hours of sleep) – if less you just don’t take the reading. And even if you ignore the reading, Lady-Comp will adjust and just give you additional orange or red if not sure….I find it very reliable….
All the best
I will come back to this very important issue: many fertility experts (including doctors) are concerned about the fact that women often are not informed that the birth control pill can cause an chemical abortion as well as prevent pregnancy.
Despite the hormones’ ability to prevent the release of eggs, sometimes a “breakthrough ovulation” takes place.
A woman can still conceive an embryo (baby), who because of synthetic hormones cannot attach to the uterine lining and is aborted. The pill’s third mechanism is to change the lining of the endometrium, which creates a hostile environment for a newly created human life.
The similar and even worse mechanism works in case of IUDs (coils), like Mirena, where one of the mechanisms incorporates a physical intrusion to prevent implantation of already conceived embryo.
I use NFP methods since the beginning, currently Lady-Comp, which works great for me….
Ewa
This just blew my mind! My boyfriend and I have had unprotected sex ever since we got together a yr ago. I had stated I wasnt on birth control at the time we got together which some how split his mind… Men. Recently we had a conversation and I had stated how much I don’t like it because of all the artificial bs that is pumped into your body or how your hormones over react and cause you to gain weigh or have excessive bleedings or excruciating cramps that leave you floored! In high school I took the pill and hated having to remember it because if its missed tthere’s a pack down the toilet. I had heavy, painful periods, and gained 10lbs from it. So I stopped.
I haven’t had birth control in 5years, and NO baby. However, maybe that’s luck. Maybe that’s because the man above knows I’m not ready. Idk
So, knowing that we have been playing with fire, he has told me I need to be on birth control because we both aren’t ready to have a child. I hate using condoms, well because like you said it takes the passion and feeling out of it and I hate latex going in me, gross.
I have just purchased the book and am gong to try this! Reading this makes me feel a whole lot better about how I feel on broth control and the fact I can do it naturally!
Thank you soooo much!!!!!!
YAY! I’m so happy for you! I discovered this 3 years ago now, and still no baby!! Totally works! And no birth control messing up my body! Idk if you saw my other post about the mooncup (http://www.revivedkitchen.com/2012/09/why-i-love-my-mooncup/), but it’s shortened my periods from 5-10 days to just 3! And no cramps! Definitely check it out! <3
ugh my period comes every 3/or 2 month and im on the pill right now and i hate it. i feel like something is wrong with me sometimes. i went to a gynecologist a few times and my ultrasound and everything came out normal. However, I still worry about not being able to have a baby in the future. im 23 right now and im not financially ready to have a baby but i still worry about it for some reason. Now i ended up in this website and im wondering if this really could work for me,cuz my period is all over the place
The Fertility Awareness Method is compatible with people with irregular cycles. It might even help you identify the reason behind your irregularity.
Can you start charting and get into the swing of things before you stop taking the pill?
You can, but you won’t see any ovulation since the Pill represses it. It would be better to start after getting off the Pill.
After 10 years on the pill I finally ditched it. 2.5 months later… pregnant. Be careful!! Don’t quit the pill right before holiday parties… that’s all I have to say! One night of too much wine and tequila and apparently my husband and I forgot we needed protection. Just one night! On the plus side, I’m still fertile so the pill didn’t destroy that. But was not planning on this. That’s what I get for being a lush. :/
PS I have Taking Charge of Your Fertility and feel it’s a great resource! Maybe I’ll actually get to try it out after the baby…
I would like to give Thanks to Toni Weschler, Courtney and all others who have shared. Peace, what a relief…
This would be helpful if I was regular. I had my period two weeks ago and the last time I had it was 8 months before that. Then before that was a month before. Ha, wish I was regular so I could keep track.
You don’t have to be regular to do this. In fact, it’s incredibly helpful for people who are irregular. And it might even help you identify the cause of your irregularity (if you don’t already know).
I just wanted to say thank you for suggesting the Taking Charge of Your Fertility Book! My husband and I had been trying to get pregnant since January and I was beginning to get discouraged. I got this book and we got pregnant the second month. Turned out there were months where I wasn’t ovulating. Also, I just love how educational it is. It really is a good book to just help you understand how the female body works.
I’m glad you posted this. So many people want a healthy lifestyle but pollute their body with that junk. It’s so bad for you. I did the copper IUD and got so sick and was in so much pain. In the end I could hardly walk and went to the ER to get it removed. I’m also really glad you mentioned the history of the pill. I don’t understand why Magaret Sanger is a feminist icon. She was a disgusting eugenicist who advocated for the eradication and sterilization of all poor women and men.She was also the founder of planned parenthood who still don’t have the best record with how they treat women. They make money off what they do and they don’t provide information for other choices or tell women exactly what in involved in their procedures or what could happen to them. That all said we do absolutely nothing to prevent pregnancy. I don’t think my temperature would be reliable anyway. It’s wonky. I also don’t think my husband would enjoy another time period to not have sex. We are all naturally more excited during ovulation anyway. We just let God do what he plans for this family and enjoy our time together. I would probably be fine not having sex during a certain time, even if that was when I wanted it the most, but I just couldn’t do that to my husband and neither of us really see the need, no matter how poor we feel, to prevent it.