Withdrawal method

[ClaireF992]

My husband and I have been using the withdrawal method since my son was born a few years ago, I had a condition during pregnancy which means I can't use hormonal contraception. I spoke to my husband about getting the copper coil but he said why when this is working for us. I know the risks but I would be happy to fall pregnant by accident. He doesn't want anymore children and for this reason he is VERY careful (pulls out with plenty of minutes to spare). We last had sex around 2 weeks ago during my fertile window, once in the afternoon and then again in the early hours. About 5 days later I got really bad cramps in the evening and I thought I was coming on my period early, but it never came. Now i'm on either tomorrow or Friday but I have somehow convinced myself the cramps were implantation pains and I'm pregnant! Realistically how likely do you think this is? We have had sex in my fertile window before and never had a problem.

I would think it was entirely possible yeah

Of course it's possible...

Yes it's possible, the withdrawal method is not that safe

Of course possible but not sure anyone can give precise statistics. It’s a real risk. Can he not use condoms?

I have friends who have used the withdrawal method as ‘contraception’ for their entire relationship.

They’ve now got three (unplanned) kids.

He’s since had the snip.

I would take a test as soon as you can.

I’ve tried relying on withdrawal before. She was 40 in the summer 😃

Very possible. If he came the first time and didn't 100% clean up before session 2, I'd say there's a bloody good chance.

One of my friends relied on the withdrawal method. She just has her second baby.

Yep, withdrawal works till it doesn't. And it usually doesn't at some point.

You can get pregnant from sperm in pre-cum. You need to sort proper contraception if either of you don't want any more children.

It’s how I got pregnant.

My dad once told me I'm proof that it doesn't work!

I think you need to take a test...

All three of my children are proof it doesn’t work lol!

@girlmom21

You can get pregnant from sperm in pre-cum. You need to sort proper contraception if either of you don't want any more children.

Absolutely www.healthline.com/health/healthy-sex/can-you-get-pregnant-from-precum

I used withdrawal method with my partner for two years and got pregnant in July.
The only reason I knew is because I was having period pains but no period,

Please take a test xxx

Thanks everyone, I'll take a test first thing in the morning (if no period arrives). I would be ok with it but I think my husband would be devastated :( Will let you know either way! Thanks again xx

Withdrawal method worked for me my entire life. Decided we wanted a baby in our early 30s. Unexplained infertility and ivf. Felt that explained a lot tbh.

If you’re going to rely on the withdrawal method you should at the very least not have sex during your fertile window - surely?!

The better you are about using the pull out method correctly — keeping any ejaculation (cum) away from the vulva and vagina every single time you have sex — the better it will work to prevent pregnancy. For every 100 people who use the pull out method perfectly, 4 will get pregnant.

But pulling out can be difficult to do perfectly. So in real life, about 22 out of 100 people who use withdrawal get pregnant every year — that’s about 1 in 5.

www.plannedparenthood.org/learn/birth-control/withdrawal-pull-out-method/how-effective-is-withdrawal-method-pulling-out

@ClaireF992

Thanks everyone, I'll take a test first thing in the morning (if no period arrives). I would be ok with it but I think my husband would be devastated :( Will let you know either way! Thanks again xx

If he knew a pregnancy would devastate him he should have wrapped it up or booked a vasectomy. I'm finding it hard to be sympathetic.

Either way, if he would be 'devastated' then he needs to stop with the 'why bother, this is working' attitude and get sorted.

@ClaireF992

Thanks everyone, I'll take a test first thing in the morning (if no period arrives). I would be ok with it but I think my husband would be devastated :( Will let you know either way! Thanks again xx

Quite frankly, he’s an idiot. If he feels so strongly about it then he needs to do something about it: condoms or a vasectomy for example.

If he knew a pregnancy would devastate him he should have wrapped it up or booked a vasectomy. I'm finding it hard to be sympathetic.

Exactly.

Whether you're pregnant or not, get him booked in for one. His attitude is mind boggling.

Reading between the lines it seems like you want to get pregnant. Why even ask him about the coil, if you want it get it, it's not a permanent change, you don't need his agreement.
He can't tell you not to get the coil, continue having unprotected sex and then be "devastated" if you end up pregnant.

What strikes me about your post is that if your DH is so against more children then he should get a vasectomy rather than relying on withdrawal, which is notoriously not reliable.