To rely solely on condoms during fertile window?

[willisurvive3under2]

We have 3 tiny children. We're definitely done. DH went to the GP for a vasectomy referral, came back with printouts about me getting the coil We're going back ASAP. In the meantime we're using condoms.

Needless to say, I feel like having sex when I ovulate. Pretty normal I guess when off hormonal contraception. Am I being naive to think this is ok for x months until we sort the snip? Getting pregnant again would be a disaster but I don't think I could bring myself to have a termination. I get pregnant very easily and I've had twins so I guess it could happen again. Am I playing with fire?

No, used properly condoms are very effective, 97/8% I think.

Ive been using condoms for 15 years and never had a problem. Every time i want to get pregnant i do straight away so obviously fertile but the condoms have been doing their job!
Just make sure you use them properly and get durex for good quality :)

www.nhs.uk/conditions/contraception/how-effective-contraception/

98% is the ‘perfect use’ figure. Typical use is more like 82%. If it would be an absolute disaster to be pregnant again then consider using a second method alongside - maybe a diaphragm, or spermicide.

We use condoms, they work fine. Except once when it came off but I didn't catch. Caught the next month when we stopped using them.

As long as you're using them correctly and not doubling up etc (doubt you would anyway coz you sound capable and aware and non-crazy) I don't see the problem.

You could double up with a diaphragm during fertile times.

Not a terribly fashionable method these days, but I used one for years, I loved it.

To clarify, when I said double up I meant using 2 condoms at the same time...

I had to stop taking hormonal contraception after the birth of DC2. It fucked me up six ways to Sunday and I’ve vowed to never put artificial hormones in my body again. We used cycle tracking and then condoms during my fertile window for 2 and a half years with no problems at all.
Then we over-indulged on the sloe gin on Boxing Day, and completely forgot about the date/checking cycle tracker over Christmas, resulting in me now being 15 weeks pregnant with DC3

I'd second doubling up with a diaphram. I used (before this pregnancy) one solely and loved it. And the pregnancy happened when we weren't using the diaphram, not whilst!

I don't want to be the bearer of bad news but we got caught out by a split condom and failed map last year. It must have been right in my fertile window as the map failed even though I took it within 9 hours. I knew I didn't want more children so after much heartbreak had a termination.

Now have the mirena coil fitted which is much more reliable but I think has effected my libido and possibly caused some hair loss. I wonder if I should have had the copper coil but it was marginally less safe I think. Wish DH would have the snip but he's heard horror stories of after effects

Definitely not just during your fertile window - if that means not using then the rest of the time!? If I’ve read that right that’s a sure fire way of ending up with 4 small children! You have to use them 100% of the time, every time, properly, for them to be 98% effective.

Dh and I have never used anything but condoms (every time, not just in fertile window! Been together 8 years), stopped using them when ttc and the only times I've been pregnant is when we planned it, never had an issue with condoms! Though obviously accidents can happen, they are f very effective!

Thanks everyone. Definitely not doubling up (2 condoms)! Using them properly, putting on before anything starts, checking when taking off. Using every time, not just during fertile window. I don't want to use hormonal contraception. I've done 20 years of it and it's time for DH to take care of it (he suggested it when the twins were 6 months although has heard some horror stories since).

Well we use condoms and I think after 6 years together
I can safely say.
."Theyre working for us." With that I'll be starting a thread next week saying. "Can you see a line?"

1. use condoms at all times (not just when an app says you are fertile)

2. you say 3 tiny children - how old is your youngest? I have heard that doctors are wary of vasectomy if the youngest is under 1 - in case you are just reacting to normal newborn 'never going to do this again'

My husband saw the GP at the beginning November, then had it mid January - got the all clear in May

For vasectomy I recommend www.mariestopes.org.uk
They are cheap, good, and your money supports reproductive health around the world.
We are a very fertile pair and used condoms with no issues.

Doubling up is not using 2 condoms. It means using another, second form of birth control such a s a cap and spermicide.

I had to re-read thread title but I think the OP means does she need to use condoms + something else? She isn't asking if she only needs condoms during fertile window?

FWIW I've got pregnant whilst using condoms and I've been pregnant after (unprotected) CD6 sex.

Are you tracking when your fertile window is with eg. mucus and BBT? Ideally you should use 2 barrier methods during your fertile window, especially as you say it would be a disaster for you to get pregnant.

To a pp, it is not necessary to use condoms 100% of the time, IF you can confidently identify when your fertile window has opened and closed, which is entirely possible to do with some practice.

I would not just rely on condoms. Since we were limited to just condoms for a while, we abstained during the fertile window

Also I want to go kick that dr. Why should you get a coil and deal with the side effects from hormones when the vasectomy is so low risk.

Used nothing but condoms for 20 years. No accidents and 2 DC when we wanted. Much Better than invasive hormones and procedures.

@Purpleartichoke Me too. Immediately assumed male GP but apparently female doc. We're going back with all 3 kids in tow I think

@PatrickMerricksGoshawk I don't need to do BBT. I do CM, get very strong ovulation cramps and I would shag anything that moves if left to my own devices

@iolaus Yep, at all times. Twins are nearly 1!

Never had a problem with condoms in 14 years. Only once has it came off and I took the MAP as a precaution.