Birth Control Options

Imported from Vox

Having two children so close together (my second and soon to be third child) has really got me thinking about birth control options. I love my children and, at the moment, haven't ruled out the idea of having more, but I really don't want to have them this close together again. Until this pregnancy, the idea of having kids so close together was a bit of a non-issue for me. Before we had our oldest son we didn't use any kind of birth control for about three years before conceiving him. So, forgive me if I didn't really consider myself the fertile type.

I've repeatedly talked to my GYN healthcare providers (usually a midwife in my case) about birth control options and the responses I get are to take something hormonal based (the pill, ring, etc.), get an IUD or use some kind of barrier method (condom or the like). None of these options are very appealing to me. I've not taken any form of birth control for the majority of the past six years (wow, that seems weird to think about in our culture), and, truthfully, I really like not taking birth control. For the short time I did take a hormonal birth control over the past six years (for about six months after the birth of my oldest son), it did not agree with me. I gained weight and at very least it didn't help things with my postpartum depression (at worst it contributed, perhaps even caused my PPD). I don't like the idea of anything as invasive as an IUD and as far as any long term use of a barrier method, well let's just say I'm married people! Are you kidding me! That's just not a realistic option for us. So, where does that leave us?

Through various blogs I subscribe to (which mainly focus topics like fertility and child raising) I've again and again seen mention of the book "Taking Charge of Your Fertility" by Toni Welcher. So when I saw a copy for sale on Craigslist for only $5 I decided to get the book and read it. This book is awesome! The whole time I was reading it I kept thinking over and over "why isn't this taught in Sex Ed. classes?!" TCOYF teaches the Fertility Awareness Method of birth control/pregnancy achievement. Reading this book led me to the book I'm currently reading "The Art of Natural Family Planning" by John F. Kippley and Shelia Kippley. I'm enjoying this book also. This book teaches the Natural Family Planning (NFP) method. It is very similar to FAM with the major difference being that when used for birth control FAM allows for the use of the use of barrier methods of birth control during fertile times and NFP is against any form of outside birth control. There are a few other nuances that distinguish the two methods, but that is the major difference.

So, what are your thoughts on birth control options for married people? Do any of you have any practical experience using NFP or FAM?