Off the Birth Control - Now What?

Question

Hi girlies🤍
I have SO many questions and can't seem to find answers to any of it.
I recently got of the birth control (NuvaRing). I have been on birth control from age 15-23(now).
I got off because I want to be ONE YEAR free from all these birth control side effect and clean out my body and be a normal human being without any artificial things in my body.
Me and my partner want a baby but I would prefer to get pregnant at the end of this year. Because we still haven't found a place to move in (we still live at my parents house with my mom).
(But if it happens sooner by accident we would totally be more than happy, don't get me wrong🤍 I just want my own place to raise the little one).
So what am I asking is how do you manage? What are your experiences with getting off the birth control?
How can we have safe sex without condoms? Is it enough that he doesn't ejaculate in me ? 
How do you track your cycle? How do I know when am I most fertile?
Thank you so much!

Answer

It can take a couple of weeks or months for your cycle to regulate after stopping. However, you can definitely get pregnant still. That’s why people get pregnant when they miss a few pills/doses. Pull out is NOT effective. There’s still precum and all it takes is a little sperm. There are non hormonal methods such as the copper IUD I believe, and condoms of course. The only way to know if you’re ovulating is tracking, which some people use to prevent/plan. You have to be very diligent and stay on top of it. You can buy OPKs (ovulation tests) online or in person. I used Pregmate. Then confirm it with BBT (basal body temp) It’s a lot to explain so Google is best. It can get tedious, especially the BBT since there’s more rules to that. That’s the ONLY way to know when you’re ovulating though. Do not rely on any apps to tell you when you’re fertile, they just guess. If you’re absolutely not willing to use condoms which is the most effective besides BC, look into spermicide such as Phexxi or tracking. It’s better than nothing or no condoms.

Answer

I suggest you talk to a gynecologist, midwife or family planner about most of this. But pull out or having sex and not ejaculating inside you isn't birth control. I think you would be surprised at how tenacious sperm can be. 
Condoms are really the best method and although they suck for feeling it has been proven they don't effect male's stimulation. But I get it, I hate condoms too. But I had to use them when I first came off BC because there really isn't anything else effective except more birth control options.
I would say don't set your heart on timing when you get pregnant. Stuff happens that you don't expect like miscarriages, cycle adjustments, etc...if you want a kiddo then go for it or wait until you feel physically stable and use condoms until then. 
This app can track your cycles. It calculates your ovulation based on your periods. You can use BBT to track ovulation (essentially a thermometer where you have a temp rise AFTER an egg is released) or use OPKs (ovulation prediction kits) which measure the lutenizing hormone (LH) that commonly rises right BEFORE an egg is released. I recommend tracking with the LH strips for an ENTIRE cycle minute your period so you can get a better idea of what YOUR hormones are doing, because everyone is a littl different. Then try not to diligently track because stressing about tracking will often backfire with trying to get pregnant. 😣
But understanding what progesterone, LH, HCG, and the Corpus Luteal cyst do and how they affect your body is crazy helpful. 
Or you can wing it. 
Also, last tid bit. You mentioned getting BC hormone stuff out of your system for a year and resetting. I will say when you get pregnant the changes in progesterone and HCG really do mess with your system and likely your "normal" will never be the same again. Just an FYI. Pregnancy is like going through puberty and you never come out the same.

Off the Birth Control - Now What?

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