Birth Control

Regenerative Culture Birthing & Caring for Children
#1

I understand it’s not right for everyone. To those that don’t think it’s a good idea, that’s not what I intended this thread to discuss. This thread is for those that want to practice a form of birth control for whatever reason. When things like artificial hormones (eek!) and latex are no longer so available, what will you do?
Some ideas that come to mind are abstinence (though that really takes the fun out of certain things), timing/charting/basal body temperature (but what happens when the thermometers no longer work if that’s you’re indicator?), animal tissue condoms (um, I don’t care how clean it is, it’s a funky thought) and IUD’s. I’m leaning to an IUD type solution when TSHTF. It’s been used for centuries (early references go back to those of the world’s oldest profession using pennies WAY before Columbus got lost) and while it has had some ghastly results those were mostly due to poor modern alterations. I figure at least some kind of metallurgy will hang around for quite some time and copper (the active portion of the whole IUD concept) will probably still be readily available for many, many years.

Any other suggestions?

#2

Thanks for starting this thread, Oz. It deeply interests me. Once latex/manufacturing goes away (and already i refuse to even recognize hormones–what a horrible joke to play on your body! ::)), the big dilemma will reveal itself. Abstinence? Yeah right. I guess that depends on how much leisure time you have? And we don’t really want to think about the places to go from there! IUD-esque options? the idea of cold, sharp metal poking and irritating my womb for eternity definitely holds no appeal for me.

I feel we’ll have to integrate many practices and until then SHARE what we know.That means talking about some shadowy stuff. Modern civilization assumes protection from risk, change and death, right? I think in a world without endless “food” available 24 hours a day under fluorescent lights, and without all manner of heroic life support measures not only available but expected and unquestioned, we’ll begin a new relationship with the margins between life and death. Birth control (does family planning describe it better? idk) encompasses a whole spectrum our culture doesn’t even acknowledge, from emmenagogic/abortifacient herbs to outright infanticide (er, I guess we have a new board for that sort of thing. . .). I’ve read a bit, but suspect our culture’s taboos filter the available info on indigenous folks’ practices.

I’d love to see all young women learn to track their rhythms right from the start. Thermometers give scientific precision, maybe reduce risk, but also put blind, unfeeling technology between you and your senses/awareness of your body. Notice fluids (I hate when they say mucus! come on!). Check out your cervix (or your partner’s!). See what else changes. Patterns emerge. Garden of Fertility by Katie Singer compiles a lot of info and provides a set of “rules” to start with until this stuff becomes common knowledge again.

Life, death, risk. Family. Survival. Decisions. Sex. Thrilling, heartbreaking stuff. :o :slight_smile:

#3

Family planning does have a nicer ring to it, but it all boils down to being able to at least attempt to control when or if we give birth so that’s why I chose the title I did.

That being said, I think the whole paying attention to your body thing is going to eventually become the normal thing to do. Unfortunately I don’t think it’s going to work terribly well until people’s bodies start to detoxify. I myself was once suckered into the whole fake hormone thing. I’m seriously paying for it now in many ways (massive depression for a while, weight gain, other endocrine functions gone wacky, you get the general idea). I’m off of them now, and feeling tons better for it, but even nearly 4 years after the last shot was jammed under my skin I’m still trying to balance things out. As time goes by I’m feeling better and better and getting more able to bring things under control but it’s been a heller process. Before the fake stuff I could have told you the time of day and the date by my cycle alone from a dark room. Now you’d be lucky if I could do more than guess the year.

I wonder, does anyone else have any similar experiences on here?

#4

decoction

well, a lot of this rehashes another excellent thread. Still, this conversation merits more discussion. . .I like hearing real stories about what has worked or not for people–I’ve tried to start it up locally with other women I know (i can tell you, pullout plus charting can definitely fail. cotton root bark tincture plus rutin plus dong quai and black cohosh and acupressure can definitely work), although sisterzeus already has a forum for exactly that.

i guess i really want to open up a conversation about the “dark” and scary side of our fertility. yeah, we’ve got too many people. apart from dieoff, genocide, etc. as discussed on other threads, what to do, going forward? in our own lives and families?

how does it feel to put a lid on procreation? sounds like the desire to multiply thrives on. . . of course, it represents our whole life force! vitality, creativity, sexuality, spirituality, all the same impulse if you ask me.

#5

I wanted to add a note to the timing/charting thing. You CAN chart using cervical mucous only, although it results in fewer “safe” days than the mucous - temperature - cervical position method advocated in the book “Taking Charge of Your Fertility”.

#6

these are some unmentioned resources i use and/or distro.

sisterzeus.com
hot pantz: diy gynecology zine
herbal abortion zine (from UK)
herbal abortion: fruit of the tree of knowledge zine

i like the charting/abortion as back up method approach personally.

#7

Giuli made a post on this on Fabulous Forager just earlier this week.

#8

I’m sure you guys have already talked about this in another post, but I have found Queen Anne’s Lace or Daucus Carota to be a safe and effective form of birth control, especially with cycle charting.
There’s no point in me ranting here, when it’s already been done thoroughly:
http://robinrosebennett.com/wild_carrot%20article.htm