Newsgroups: misc.kids

Here is my summary of the responses I got regarding birth control during
breastfeeding.  The entire file of responses is too long for me to post,
and there is quite a bit of information (mostly summarized below); if 
anyone wants the huge file, e-mail me at joanne@corp.hp.com and I'll be
glad to send it (the file will have names/addresses removed, as requested).
[Note: I will be going on maternity leave after next week, so any requests
received after Labor Day may not be promptly replied to! -- however, I will
continue to read my e-mail, so I will eventually respond.] 

I thank everyone who replied and sent me information, especially the
technical Norplant info and the library searches on medical articles.
___________________________________________________________________________

The following is a summary of the birth control methods recommended and
used by respondents to my posting.  (Note that not everyone who recommended
a method was using it, so these numbers are high.)  

Birth Control     Number of     
   Method           Users       Comments
_____________     _________     ________
Breastfeeding         1         Must be exclusively breastfeeding first six
				  months.
Cervical cap          1         (non-user, just suggested it)
Condoms               6         Lambskin has best feel but costs $$$ more.
Diaphragms            9         Not intrusive; can put in/take out hours before
				  and after.  Some users got bladder infections
				  and pain ("especially petite women").  1 got
				  pregnant using this method.
Foam/spermicide       1         "As effective as foam with a diaphragm"; some
                                  users were sensitive to the chemicals.
IUD                   5         Newest medical information indicates less
				  problems for breastfeeding mothers.  Some
				  had blood loss, cramping, damaged fallopian
				  tubes, peritonitis.  1 person got pregnant.
				  May also have hormones in IUD.
Minipill              3         Same hormones as Norplant; must take pill on
				  time -- can't be late by hours; 1 person had
				  90% of breast milk dry up with this method.
Norplant              7         Controversy remains (i.e., doctors disagree)
				  as to whether hormones do/don't leak into 
				  breast milk or whether they affect milk
				  production; unpredictable periods (irregular)
				  but users had no problems and no pregnancies.
Ovulation detection   1         "Billings or mucus method", NOT basal body
				  temperature method.  
Sponge/spermicide     6         Not reused like diaphragm (disposable) so more
				  convenient (no cleanup of sponge).
Tubal ligation        2         Waited a year to go permanent route in case
				  anything happened to baby.
Vasectomy             2         
___________________________________________________________________________

My ob/gyn does NOT recommend Norplant (or the minipill, for the same reasons),
nor will my HMO cover the cost......  so I've told my husband he's stuck with
condoms until I finish breastfeeding (at which point I will go back on the 
pill or get my tubes tied)....unless, of course, he changes his mind about 
that vasectomy..... :-)  (Actually, the idea of waiting a year sounds like a 
good one to me......... I hope nothing bad happens to our son-to-be, but one 
cannot predict these things.... :-()