But is that really the only question? If the decision is to get snipped, who is getting the snipping done to them? Does he get a vasectomy or do I get my tubes tied? Or can I remember to take a pill every day? There are so many questions when it comes to family planning.
The decision
After having a boy and learning that our second child was a girl, we were almost certain we were done having children. I could see us having a third child. However, my husband said he would be done after two kids. We needed to make a decision on whether or not we would try for a third child or call it done.
We are a couple who have a very low chance of conceiving on our own. Fertility medication helped us to conceive our first child. We never thought getting pregnant spontaneously would ever happen to us. But it did (and we were so glad). What this unplanned pregnancy meant was that there was a chance it could happen again (if we weren’t careful).
The best option
If two kids were going to be it for us, we needed to make a quick decision. Why? We met our health insurance deductible with the birth of our second child. This meant our cost savings was going to be huge! We did weigh other options. If I had a C-section with my second child, I probably would have opted to have a tubal ligation done simultaneously, but that was not the case. I also was not very consistent with taking birth controls pills in the past. Therefore, the maintenance-free option of a low-cost vasectomy was the best decision for us.
The procedure
My husband voluntarily signed himself up for a vasectomy. I had natural deliveries with both children, and he deemed it only fair for him to go through with a simple outpatient surgery. The doctor can prescribe anxiety medication to help take the edge off any nerves. The whole event only took a few hours in and out of the clinic and it all went smoothly. After the procedure, I dropped my husband off at home, and I returned to work. It was a few days for recovery and only took a few weeks before we got the “all clear” to go back to “business” as usual. We are content with the choice we made and thoroughly enjoy watching our babies grow.
If you and your partner have decided to move on from sleepless newborn nights, teething and potty training, what options have you considered?
