Mirena coil insertion at planned C section

[Quantum88]

I have a planned C section scheduled in the next couple of weeks for my 2nd baby. My husband and I are certain we don’t want more than 2 but feel tying tubes/a vasectomy is too permanent a decision at this stage. I’m therefore currently deciding whether to have the Mirena coil inserted during my C section

Please can you share your experiences of this?

My concerns are:

• bleeding for even longer after childbirth
• the risks involved with it moving due to a contracting uterus
• it interfering with breastfeeding and my hormones during a crazy hormone time anyway

But I'm seriously considering it as light or no periods and not worrying about contraception for 5+ years sounds great. It sounds like it also has less hormones than the pill and therefore there should be less side effects?

I’m also keen to have it done at the section as I HATE speculums

what would you do??

Is it something offered by your medical team?

Yes they have said they will do it, I just need to tell them on the day

I think it’s more common at the 6 week check, it’s not something I’ve ever heard happen as they have to be put in by a trained person. Mine took 2 minutes and didn’t hurt

I personally wouldn't but I had an awful experience with the mirena coil. It definitely affected me hormonally, I bled for a long time after and the cramping was bad enough I ended at the out of hours chemist for painkillers but the strongest they could give me was really only taking the edge off. My worry would be that if you had side effects you wouldn't necessarily know what was the coil and what was from the section/pregnancy. So in that respect I'd wait until your 6 week appointment and see how you find it.

I'm honestly not sure how it might affect milk production either. Maybe something to ask la leche league about or if your hospital have an infant feeding coordinator? I'd be inclined to let your hormones regulate a bit which normally happens at around 6 weeks by which point bf would be established.

I know it's not quite the same but I went back on the pill at 4 months pp and my milk supply tanked and ds weight dropped.

I had a coil after about 6 weeks and it was absolutely fine. It didn’t affect breastfeeding and I didn’t even really feel the coil go in (I had a VB). I’m not sure I would want one straight after having a baby though, I think it’s best to let your hormones settle a bit first.

Yeah had one after 6 weeks

I was offered it during my last section, so it’s definitely an option!

Thank you so much for this, super helpful! I think I’ll wait then.

I have had two Mirena coils post-childbirth and neither affected my milk production - I fed my DDs for 20 months and 24 months respectively.

Personally, I find it to be a very effective method of contraception. It doesn’t require any input from me, is super-effective, doesn’t interrupt sex, I have no periods for the best part of 5 years (I do get a bit of cyclical spotting towards the end of the 5 years sometimes) and I have minimal side effects. I’ve had one, apart from when I was actively TTC, since I was 18.

I can’t answer the post birth part , BUT since having mine put in 2 months ago I’ve had no bleeding at all !
Hormones are far more localised than the pill . Of course everyone is different .
Insertion wasn’t too painful (I have had copper coils in the past though so knew what to expect )
So far so good

No experience immediately post-natally and I'd be inclined to wait a few weeks too, but they've been totally, lifechangingly brilliant for me, reliable contraception, no periods for 15 years, virtually no menopause symptoms when that time came. Insertion and replacement very straightforward for me, similar to a smear test, a moment of ouchiness but nothing really.

I wish I had read this before getting mine in at my second c section after being convinced to do so by midwives, with hormones all over the place it’s led to 7 months of non stop bleeding, dizziness and brain fog, been in a battle to try and get it removed and finally on waiting list to get it out. Frustrating as am exclusively breastfeeding and could have had some glorious non bleeding months. For anyone else considering it I would follow the advice above to wait until 6 week checkup