Contraception after pregnancy - definitely no more children wanted

[Wilkiepedia]

Basically: Am 28, DH 31, been together 6 years, married 3. Have two DSs, youngest being 9 weeks old.

I catagorically do not want anymore children - hate being pg, got horrific PUPPPs rash with last pg and DO NOT WANT to be pg again.

Other than vasectomy (which DH is happy to have but I want to wait until DS2 is a little older), my only option is the copper coil. Can't take any form of contraception containing hormones, condoms give me thrush and are unreliable.

If you have had the copper coil, what do you think? Was it reliable? Did it hurt? What did you find are the plus and minuses of it.

Any advice gratefully recieved - this is stressing me out a bit and making not want to have sex with DH!!!

I had a copper coil fitted and got very heavy periods with it. Got it removed after a year and now have child number 4. Have since had mirena coil with very low hormone and no prob at all.. i also could not have contraception containing hormones. not very pleasant having fitted but once fitted just have to check string every month or so and lasts 5 years. hope this helps.

Why no hormonal contraception? The mirena coil is the single most effective form of contraception - even better than sterilisation (the clips can come off) and, as mum4kidz says, it's a very low dose of progesterone. Also great for making your periods light/non-existent.

The mirena may be low dose, but isn't without it's own set of side effects. Research it thoroughly before deciding to go ahead!

I had mine out after 2 months of headaches, weight gain, depression, anxiety, spots, terrible mood swings. I had a strong smelling increased discharge & an infection that 2 weeks worth of (3 different) antibiotics shifted.

Bad reports put me off having a mirena coil so hubby's just had a vasectomy - do read up on it though, it's not always the simple, uncomplicated "snip" that doctors would have you believe.
Hubby had his exactly 4 weeks ago and is only just feeling back to normal, the consultant said take a couple of days off and rest then you will be fine to go back to work ( office based) so he rested all weekend and went to work on the Monday, he lasted 3 hours before the pain was unbearable - he wasn't badly swollen or bruised either, he must have had a lot of internal swelling as he found urination difficult.
He went to our GP who was horrified and said he should have at least a week off, he ended up having 10 days off work and was walking funny for a fortnight.
He is still getting used to his testicles feeling different, they have definitely changed position too, his sexual pleasure is unchanged thank God - there are a fair few men who say sex just isn't the same after vasectomy, loss of feeling during ejaculation is one of the un-discussed side effects of vasectomy.
I was so worried about possible bad effects that I almost talked him out of it the day before - when you read about men having their life ruined by chronic pain and unsatisfying sex, it does put you off but hubby was adamant he was having it done and it was the best thing to do as I was having a week of bleeding every 3 weeks due to my coil.
I used vasectomy-information.com for research because it has real life stories, good and bad ( VERY bad!).

Look there isn't any form of contraception that is without drawbacks but most of those drawbacks pale into insignificance compared to the side effects of pregnancy!

Don't be put off by the fact that some people have had bad experiences on particular forms of contraception. What is wrong for someone else may be ideal for you.

I love my copper coil.

It did make my periods a bit heavier and more painful, but not really bad at all. Apparently they can give you medication to lighten the bleeding if yours become really bad.

Insertion - wouldn't say it was fun, hurt like period pains but I coped with it fine and I haven't had children, which apparently makes it more painful. I imagine if you have had kids it not only hurts less but is prob. totally insignificant compared with childbirth!

I think it has the same success rate as the Mirena too.. Some people told me stories about it being unreliable and dangerous but I reckon that was a while back and they are much improved these days. Plus the Dr can always remove it in 2 mins (painlessly) if you don't like it.

There is a relatively new procedure called Essure which is non-surgical permanent female sterilisation. Someone on MN talked about having it a while ago. the only thing is the doctors have to be specially trained to do it and don't think there are many places in the UK you can get it yet. The link is here: Essure