UPDATE: NuvaRing & Supply

Well, I put in my guinea pig three weeks with NuvaRing, and since a lot of
women here seem at least marginally interested in it, I thought I'd share my
experiences. First, a recap: NuvaRing is a flexible ring that releases
estrogen and presterone. You insert it vaginally, leave it there for three
weeks, and remove it for a week to have your period. The amounts of hormone
released are very small compared to the classic combi-pill, so I'd hoped
that the small dose and an older baby would mean no supply problems for me.

First, it definitely DID impact my supply after about a week. My breasts
felt very soft, and I never got the feeling of fullness I expect after a few
hours when I'm away from my daughter all day. She still seemed to get plenty
in her nursing sessions, and hasn't become a fiend for round-the-clock
nursing, but it's worth noting anyhow. This was fine for us, since DD is 15
months now, but if you have a younger baby, you probably don't want to risk
it based on this alone. From what I understand, the supply-reducing effect
of estrogens is cumulative, so my lack-of-fullness in week 2 could very well
mean all-dried-up in week 10.

Second, when my husband and I, er, took it for a test drive, neither one of
us noticed it there. Honest.

However, and this was the clincher for me: I personally found it
uncomfortable. It's supposed to sit deep enugh in your body that you don't
feel it there. In practice, for me, it would slip down periodically
(sometimes a few times a day, sometimes once every couple of days) and be
just vaguely uncomfortable, in the same way as a tampon you REALLY needed to
change an hour ago. It's easy enough to fix, you just push it up a little
bit with a finger, or soemtimes it would sort of shift to a better spot on
its own. This really drove me crazy. I just don't want a form of birth
control I have to fuss with and reposition at unexpected times of day.

Bear in mind, everyone's body is shaped and sized a little differently. So
not everyone may have the problem with fit that I did. And in fact, most
people I've read about have loved the ring to pieces. It's just not for me.
I, personally, am going to Mirena.

Questions, anyone? I'll be glad to answer.

--Andrea