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Not on my radar

So, I'm at my 6-week postpartum visit and filling out a written medical questionnaire, asking me what medicines I'm taking, breast or bottle feeding, etc., when I come to the question:

What are you using for contraception?

Um...jeez. Who can think about that? I remember them asking me in the hospital, too, after just having delivered a day prior. Talk about getting on your case. At the time, we were still under the impression that my husband was being deployed to Iraq for 8 months, to leave in a week, so I dissed their question. Talk to the hand. I don't have to deal with this issue for 8 months!  Besides, after the recent MAJOR TRAUMA, it's the first on my to-do list, if you know what I mean. Yikes.

But, now, here I was, sitting in the examining room and suddenly having to contemplate big issues such as the future of our family (Is this it? Are we having any more?), sorting through a vast array of options (Birth control pills? The patch? An injectable? An IUD? The ring? The diaphragm?), and digesting the various sample parphenalia that was being planted in front of me at a dizzying pace. A female condom (So big! Scary!). A vaginal ring.  A patch. And then, a small model showing the placement technique for IUDs. Aaaah! Someone stop this madness!

Anyway, it was a lot to digest to say the least.

For awhile, I had been on oral contraceptives previously. I had liked the fact that it could easily be stopped since we had planned to have children, and my periods were lighter which was a nice plus. In my old age and "mommy brain" though, I am embarassed to admit that it's hard for me to remember to take a pill everyday (I know, I'm a bad patient). But, estrogen-containing preparations are not advised while breastfeeding since they can decrease the quantity and quality of breastmilk. Progestin-only ones are okay. That takes out the patch too, although I do like the once-weekly application, and the vaginal ring.

My practitioner told me a lot about IUDs as well. The copper forms are effective for 10 years, hormonal IUDs for 5 years. That part sounded good, but I felt kind of squeamish about its insertion (Um, not a big fan of cervical manipulation right now), and their longevity is also a bit off-putting. What if we change our minds and want to have another? That's another procedure. (Note to husband: This is theoretical. Please stop packing your bags.)

And injectables, like Depo-provera, squeamish again. I'd feel like one of those people in the movies who gets a tracking device inserted in my skin.

I left without making a decision, saying that I'd think about it. One thing I do know is that a surprise pregnancy is not on our wish list right now.