Taking the next step...

I'm 16 and a virgin and have been with my boyfriend for almost a year and we've been talking more about sex but I am really nervous. My mom won't put me on birth control unless I'm sexually active but I can't just tell her I'm planning to be or she would freak, I know condoms are a safe bet but they're not super reliable. I have a neice who was the result of a condom break. I'm just hoping for a little piece of mind and advice on what to do..