If you are in a long-term relationship, what is your preferred type of birth control? Even if you are not, what is your preference?
I’m partial to oral contraceptives, myself. The good old Pill. In a new relationship, condoms come into play, of course, but I prefer to just be able to go at any time without messing with foams or sponges or whatever.
What’s your thinking on the matter? Any suggestions? Anyone have the shot, or the implant, the ring or the cap?
We have two kids here.
One was while on the pill.
One was while on depo.
Went to standard “Feelus Goodus Interruptus” and no more kids. Her sterilization was thrown in for good measure. My turn will come very soon. With both of us sterilized, I’m sure we will have quintuplets.
20+ years on the good old pill here, with time off for a couple of kids. My insurance even pays for most of it, if I get the generic.
I am intrigued by some of the new options, though.
Norplant user here.
Been on it for 2 years now, 3 more to go. Personally, I love it. I don’t have remember to take a pill which I did have trouble with in my teenage years.
Side effects for me? None really.
When I’m ready, I’m ready. No messing with condoms, foams, sponges, etc. I don’t need a lecture about not using condoms either. My partner and I have a clean bill of health.
I generally go with the combination of a spermicide such as Ortho-options, and withdrawal. I don’t know how comfortable I’d feel about using either one alone.
I guess it’s a bit elaborate, but I am queasy about oral contraceptives – and anyway, it’s fun. . .
I’m on Depo-Provera. I have the worst memory ever so I just don’t trust myself to be on the pill.
No condoms, which is nice (shh, I’m in a monogamous, long-term relationship).
No periods, which is also nice.
The only problem I can think of is that supposedly after 10 years depo users can be at increased risk for ovarian cancer. But I’ll cross that bridge when I come to it.
I prefer the pill, Ortho-tri-cyclen. I usually get up the same time every morning and take it first thing. I don’t have cramps as bad as before, my cycle is on time every month (used to have a big problem with that), and it makes your skin clearer. You can also get a compact in several different styles so the dial pal just looks like a cool compact (I prefer Lapis).
I’ve had tremendous success with just never getting laid.
Had the husband neutered. 
Well, not really, but sent him in for the big snip. Let me see - major surgery for me, half-an-hour in the clinic for you…what ARE we going to do, I wonder?
Know what Christmas trees and men with vasectomies have in common?
Ornamental balls.
I’ve been back on the pill for over a year, and I like it so far. I don’t have much of a problem remembering to take it on time. For a while I used a diaphragm and spermacide jelly, but all the spontaneity was taken out of sex, it was hell to put in, gross to take out and wash, and I suspect was a cause of some UTI’s i had.
But I would love to get that once a month vaginal ring. Maybe my HMO will start paying for that soon. That would beat the hell out of the pill, shot, anything.
I’ve heard that it is not such a major procedure anymore. I don’t know the details but have heard it is much less complex then it used to be and just a little more complex then the vasectomie.
Depo here too, but at my age it’s a lot more suitable for me than in it is for many other women.
On the down side, it tends to provoke cystic acne in me - on the upside, because it suppresses my normal hormonal cycle I don’t have to put up with 14 miserable days a month dealing with the pain of endometriosis. It’s a trade-off, but one which works for me.
My preferred contraception is my personality.
Ortho-tri-cyclene, The Pill. Before I got on it (and now, when I’ve been on it for under a month), condoms. But soon, no condoms. No STDs to worry about in either of us, plus the free condoms I get at the student health center are too small for him and bigger ones cost money. The Pill’s also supposed to help my face not break out so much.
The condoms are too small for him? What does he have, a watermelon? We’ve all seen condoms stretched over someone’s head, haven’t we? (No, the upper head.)
Lesbianism.
Alrighty-then, I’m gonna take your word for it.
While true, this does not make them comfortable, or conductive to the propper sensations. I have trouble with Magnum XL condoms at times, it can be quite frustrating.
In addition to using condoms, I just had a Paragard copper T IUD inserted last week.
Pretty cool - some very very minor cramping during the procedure and now, assuming no complications, I’m good for 10 years, maybe 12.
Prior to this I was using a diaphragm. Yuck.