Considering Sterilization?

Just FYI, we got the Paraguard after baby #2, and it's been great!! We may still have more children, since I'm only 24, but wanted to space them out more, and I didn't want hormonal side effects (tried pills, shot, etc, YUCK!). If anyone wants to ask questions of someone who has had (and still has!) one, I'm willing to answer, though I may be biased cuz I've loved it!

What's Paraguard? Why haven't I heard of this is another question to which you do not have to respond.

Anhata
www.familynaturally.com
Your Family's General Store, Naturally

I can't answer your other question though.

At least, this is what my mother says: Within a year of having her tubes tied (at 40-42 years of age?) she went into menopause. She tells me that another friend of hers had warned her that that might happen, that "doctors say it doesn't but women say it does," and indeed it did. I get the feeling from talking to her that she wishes that she'd done something else. I have no idea how common this is or whether it would've happened anyway, but it's a possibility that may be worth investigating if you're considering the surgery.

We knew that four children was enough for us (well, I wouldn't mind a few more if I could afford it). But told my DH that if he didn't want any more children that he needs to get the snipping. By golly, if I have to have 9 1/2 pound kids coming out of me, he can stand that! LOL! He hasn't done it yet though (waiting for an opportunity to get to the big city I guess. He knows the gal in the office here. LOL!).

Hubby was snipped after DS was born 15 years ago. It went great, he missed one day of work, and I will attest that intimate time is much better and spontaneous knowing we don't have to worry about more babies. Maybe TMI but if anyone reading this is bugging DH to go.....Randy says there is nothing to it and it does NOT affect performance at all...in fact, he agrees that not having to worry about pregnancy makes it that much better!

This is a very big decision to make but if you have problems with birth control pills, the shots, etc, I recommend it. My doctor made me wait 1 year before he would do the procedure after I told him I was considering it, and I have no regrets. After years of trying various methods of birth control and spending a fortune on pills that made me sick, a shot that made me sicker, this seemed like the best way to go.
Drawbacks for me--my cramps are definately worse during my menstrual cycle and its much heavier. I was told by my doctor that this could happen, and it did.
My husband would not even consider it, unfortunately.
Overall, its nice not to worry about getting pregnant again. My last 2 pregnancies were high risk and there was a lot of worry. This was definately a factor in my decision.