It's amazing what the female body can go through and then bounce back from. 5.5 weeks ago I was hugely pregnant, +40 pounds, swollen, and about to push a 7 lb. 7 oz. baby out of me. Now I've lost 33 lbs, can see my ankles, wear my wedding rings, and have my period and sex life back (I only missed one of those). It's really pretty incredible, but I suppose it makes sense if women were made to do this before modern medicine and conveniences showed up.
Speaking of getting back to normal, I'm trying to figure out my birth control options before my 6-week check up with my midwife. I was on the pill for 6 years which worked just fine, but I'm intrigued by the IUD/Implant options. They're so big in Europe and Asia and so not big here. I wonder why- it seems like it would be nice to have a relatively foolproof and maintenance free birth control option until we want baby #2 (2-3 years off). I'm about to do some google research, but if anyone has any explanations/comments/experiences/friend's experiences, I'd welcome them!
Women in the US were frightened off of the IUD after the Dalkon Shield problems in the 70s (I think the 70s). Though IUDs are completely safe now, I think American doctors also still remember the Dalkon Shield and distrust IUDs and don't recommend them. The Dalkon Shield was only sold in the US and Puerto Rico, so the negative implications never really took root in Europe.
ReplyDeleteInterestingly, even though IUDs are perfectly safe for women who have not had children, and are used by childless women all over the world, many American doctors refuse to prescribe them to childless women (possibly because they remember how many women were rendered infertile by the Dalkon Shield?). That means that women who can't tolerate hormonal birth control have no long-term options that preserve spontenaity and are highly effective.
My understanding of not wanting to give women who have not had a term pregnancy an IUD is about uterine size/elasticity.
ReplyDeleteI just opted for Mirena. One of the perinatalogists said "The number one choice of ob/gyn residents in our hospital." :)
The nice things about the Mirena (other than the obvious) is that you continue to ovulate (which means it can be pulled and you could get pregnant the next month), the hormones only affect the uterus and aren't systemic, and a number of women completely lose their periods.
I used the Mirena IUD after the birth of my first child as my primary method of birth control. I never had any ill effects from it and I easily became pregnant each time post-removal.
ReplyDeleteI don't use one anymore because hubby got a vas, but I would recommend an IUD to any woman seeking a worry-free method of birth control.
I've had Mirena for a year with no problems except some spotting at first. It eliminates your period (yay!). :)
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