(no subject)

[rivka]

My parents were diligent and responsible, plus I had two older sisters and an extensive reading habit. So, long before my first period arrived, I had a very good biological and practical understanding of what was involved.

But I can still remember, that first day, my feeling of outrage as the reality sunk in: "Really? Every month from now on, this?! Are you kidding me? What a lousy way to organize a species!"

Then, for eighteen years or so, it did happen every month, and it was just... normal. Inconvenient, but normal. It stopped when I was pregnant with Alex, but because I stopped nursing her so early it was back by four months postpartum. That wasn't long enough to lose my sense of "normal."

But Colin nurses like a fiend, and when my period arrived yesterday it was one month shy of two solid years since the previous one. And that one was one of only two or three that I had after I miscarried; then add in my second pregnancy as well.

So, at age 36, I find that I've lost my sense of "normal" again. I'm sitting here thinking "Are you kidding me with this? Why do we do this?! No, I know about the uterine lining, but really, people, what the hell?"

Comments

[mizchalmers.livejournal.com]

Obligatory plug for my IUD. I've had a Mirena since kid #2. Low-progesterone, so the hormone is just released into the tissue, not the bloodstream. I still get the hormonal changes, but counting the pregnancy, I haven't bled since early 2005.

[elynne.livejournal.com]

... omfg. I've had a tubal ligation, so I don't give a flip about the pregnancy, but the HORRIBLE STABBING PAIN OF DOOM for two frickin' days a month, plus assorted bleeding... I will have to talk to my doctor. Mirena. I'm writin' that down.

[erbie.livejournal.com]

Another plug for the Mirena. I've had about three "real" periods since September of 2005, due to pregnancy, extended nursing and Mirena. Nowadays, I get the mood changes, and some cramping and back pain, but no bleeding for going on 18 months. I've had it for 26 months. It did take a while to settle down, and I spotted for several months, but it was worth it! The only real periods I've had were between stopping pumping at 20 months post-partum, and getting the Mirena at 21 months PP, plus a couple of months to adjust and then taper down to nothing over 8-9 months.

[fairoriana.livejournal.com]

Yet another plug for the Mirena. I haven't had a period since before I got pregnant with Thane, and other that light unpredictable spotting, I have 0 side effects. MYYV.