Birth Control

This page contains considerations for various birth control methods. Please note my suggestions arise from a foundation of beliefs based in supporting women to work with their body in natural, holistic ways which empower them to know their own body intimately. The considerations herein are a reflective of the desire to avoid interventions that disrupt the natural rhythms and gifts of being a woman.

My first argument in favour of natural fertility tracking, and against any intrusive birth control methods, is the fact that as women we are taught that in order to have safe sex we need to modify our body with hormones and/or disruptive interventions. We are not encouraged to know and feel confident in the identifying various phases of our cycle, during which our body provides clear indications as to whether we are fertile or not.

We are NOT encouraged to be in tune with our own body, and this message is prevalent throughout out culture. Making the shift to find a birth control method that allows you to work with your body results in benefits that women often will not become aware of until this shift has occurred. In the same way that we may not have the awareness that certain foods make us feel poorly until we stop eating those foods or make healthier choices, the same can be said for choosing natural birth control methods. The benefits may not matter to you until you actually experience them, but here are a few...

• a greater sense of empowerment as a woman

• deeper connection to self

• self-confidence

• radiant health

• intuition

• self-trust

• & self-love

Hormonal Contraceptives

(i.e. The Pill, Depo Shot, &/or Hormonal IUDs)

Consider the important regulatory and influential roles that hormones play in our body - regulating physical, emotional, and psychological aspects of our being. When it comes to the Pill as a form of birth control, or as a way of moderating issues like PMS or skin breakouts, there is usually little discussion around how altering levels of one of the most important hormones in the female body can affect our health and wellbeing in other ways long term. The long-term effects of hormonal birth control are only now coming to the surface as these methods have not existed long enough for us to have meaningful long-term research. 

One of the most compelling arguments for other undesirable shifts that can occur as a result of hormonal contraceptives is how they have even been shown to disrupt a woman's ability to properly choose her suitable partner through disrupting her interpretation of the smell & pheromones of others. 

In addition, hormonal IUDs (i.e. Mirena) and the Depo shot cause women to stop having a period altogether. As women, our natural state is to experience the flow our our cycle monthly, so I encourage you to think carefully about the potential internal dissociation that can occur from choosing to use one of these birth control methods.

Finally, there is often a re-adjustment period that can be extremely uncomfortable or even scary for women when they choose to stop one of these methods, particularly because your period can remain absent for extended periods of time even after the contraception has been removed. This threatens the ability to conceive or return to alignment with your cycle after prolonged use of a hormonal form of contraceptive.

IUDs (Copper or Hormonal)

I have had a copper IUD twice in my life. One of the nearly-guaranteed side effects is the experience of significantly heavier and more painful periods. In addition, even when the IUD is "properly" placed within the uterus, it can shift and even create excruciating pain during sex, particularly with deep penetration.

I experienced immense dissociation from my womb and cervix as a result of my copper IUD - both as a result of having a foreign object in my womb, as well as feeling occasional sharp pain during sex resulting in the desire to alter my sexual experiences to avoid this. I recall distinctly how the second time I had my copper IUD removed, there was a profound feeling of my body being my own again.

Another consideration is that some women have reported a significant increase in anxiety with copper IUDs - supposedly due to increased copper levels in the body, which disrupts the necessary copper-zinc balance required for balanced mental health.

Recommended Alternatives

Natural fertility tracking methods are effective due to their ability to pinpoint ovulation through observing various vaginal and bodily indicators...

The Billings Method: https://billings.life/en/

Natural Cycles App: https://www.naturalcycles.com/en

The Marquette Method: http://www.marquettefertilityed.com/

More questions?

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