These 8 stories make us want to shout "Thanks, Birth Control" from the rooftops

We laughed, we cried, we didn't get pregnant

As we gear up to celebrate the biggest holiday of the season (Thanks, Birth Control Day, duh) on November 13th (next week!), we’re looking back at the amazing birth control stories we’ve had the privilege to hear and share over the past few months. From clear emotional boundaries to carefree sex to career highs to much-needed relief from endometriosis, everyone gets something a little bit different from their birth control. But one thing is clear—for many of us, birth control is the GOAT.

1. Why I use a diaphragm for birth control in 2019

by Emma McGowan

My number one reason for using a diaphragm is that it’s a non-hormonal birth control method that I have total control over. I decide when to put it in, when to take it out, and it doesn’t have any effect on my body when I’m not using it. (Read more…)

2. On condoms: How a physical barrier can also be an emotional boundary

by Virgie Tovar

There are lots of reasons why people use the method they do—and sometimes those reasons have little to do with statistics or effectiveness. I love condoms because they made me feel safe—both emotionally and physically—when I needed them. (Read more…)

3. I have a chronic illness and birth control changed my life

by Robin Zabiegalski

I wasn’t suffering at the hands of my reproductive system anymore. And there was the added benefit of not having to worry at all about my birth control method. I knew I wasn’t ready for kids, and the IUD made it so I never had to think about how I was going to prevent pregnancy. The Mirena IUD made my life livable. (Read more…)

4. Breaking free from an abstinence-only past

by Emily Cooper

It is so much more to me than a way to prevent pregnancy. It symbolizes my freedom from guilt, my resilience, and my ability to now have the amazing, carefree sex that I should’ve been having from the start. I am a happier person and a better partner because of it. (Read more…)

5. I chose sterilization, and I’ve never looked back

by Kae Burdo

I feel comfortable in my body now. Or at least, more comfortable than I did. Removing my fallopian tubes has actually made me feel more complete, more whole, than ever before. (Read more…)

6. Why my Mirena is my ride or die

by Julissa Treviño

I’m in a committed relationship, but I don’t want or plan on having children. So an unplanned pregnancy could derail my future. With the Mirena, I’m better able to care for myself, including my career and personal goals. (read more…)

7. How the birth control pill gave me my life back

by Sarah McGowan-Freije

Eleven years later I still take my little blue pill every morning, and I do it with a smile. I love Lo Loestrin for giving me back control of my uterus and my life, for not robbing me blind in the process, and for improving my quality of life in a way that cannot be quantified. (Read more…)

8. I’ve had my IUD for three years, and I love it more every year

by Attia Taylor

Aside from a few random days of cramping here and there, I barely notice my IUD. It’s hands-free birth control! It was one of the best decisions I’ve ever made for my body, and I’m glad that my provider shared it with me as an option. (Read more…)

XOXO,
Bedsider

P.S. Join us on November 13th to say #thxbirthcontrol and share what you love about your method.