Year 2004:
“Wala ba kayong TV?”
“meron no, perong walang cable.”
Year 2007:
“wala pa rin kayong TV?”
“meron nga, meron na rin cable, pero.. ”
Year 2009:
“di ba may TV naman kayo?”
“hehehehe LCD pa nga.. ang sarap manood ng..”
And that’s what our family planning is all about. bow.
Would you believe if I tell you that we lived together for 3 years before I got pregnant? And that my pregnancy was a planned one? Of course we were doing it, hey we were doing it even before we had our 2nd monthsary. But we know what we were doing. I never got pregnant during those years. It was only in 2003 that we decided it’s about time. See? we know family planning even before we start a family.. and that’s what we thought.
October 2003 and I was the happiest mommy. I gave birth to my first born child. During my pregnancy, all I can think about is the excitement of being a mother. We never even discussed our child spacing. And when I gave birth, the pain, the trauma and the finances told us not to have another child in the next 3 years. Four years sounds reasonable to me. So it was set, 4 years.. 4 years.. 4 years..
I’m breastfeeding.. so it’s safe. Oh wait! who told us that? OK we assumed that since I am breastfeeding, I will not get pregnant. But hey, remember our TV has no cable? By the time that my first born is celebrating his first birthday, I was already 4 months pregnant with our second child.
Giving birth was not easy. It was the most traumatic and painful thing that ever happened to me and here I am again, like time bomb waiting to explode. I can’t remember how I was able to battle the 9 months wait without feeling nauseated with the thought of having to go through labor again.. having to go through post partum again.. and having to go through the finances again. I was always nauseated that time but that’s because of morning sickness not the thought of the above mentioned.
But I did! I waited for 9 months and gave birth to another baby boy. And that’s the end of it. I said no more babies (for now). I do not know what birth control method to use, I am clueless and afraid to try anything. When we brought our second child for his BCG at the Branggay Health Center, they told me to use Injectibles (in a not so nice way I tell you), so I did. It was very cheap, only 100 Pesos and it will last for 3 months, then I have to be back again for another shot. It was very convenient but it massacred our sex life, and it introduced me to high blood. After 18 months of using it, I stopped.
My OB Gyne suggested IUD but I was afraid, so I end up with pills. That’s in 2007. Two months and more than 4 missed pills, I stopped and we relied on ryhtm method. By September of 2007, I was pregnant again. And as if history is repeating itself, by the time that our third son is celebrating his first birthday, I was already pregnant with our 4th baby, only I was on my 3rd month then, not 4th.
It’s very amusing how we end up with four kids. We both know when it is safe to do it and not. I know my cycle, I have a regular cycle. Funny that even though we were armed with that knowledge, 3 out 4 of my pregnancies were unplanned. And it is as if we never learned from each of it.. oh well except for the last one. I am not saying I regret having 4 kids, I actually feel I am the luckiest mom in the whole world for having these adorable babies, but It just made me realize that if unplanned pregnancy can happen to people who knows something about reproduction, cycle and birth control, what more to the people who don’t know a thing about it?
What more to those people na wala talagang TV?
Lisa says
August 7, 2011 at 7:04 pmWala rin kaming TV dito hehehe pero nasa internet lang youtube. hehehe.. To tell you, hindi ko alam kung kailangan ko pa bang mag family planting este family planning. I am 38 (buking!) when I had my first baby. Ayoko ring mag-IUD and sex life suffered. Hindi ako nagpatabi. 😀 I fear for the same reason din.
pehpot says
August 22, 2011 at 5:39 pmhmmmm ayaw mo na masundan? hehehe
Lisa says
August 22, 2011 at 6:34 pmheheh.. ayaw muna 5 months pa e. Seriously sis, advice sa akin ni dok, magbirth control pero yung ibang nanay naman, wag na daw ako magpa birth control kasi I’m 38 na at bihira daw masundan si baby pag ganyang age. Merong nagshare din: sana hindi na daw siya nagpa-birth control kasi hindi na nasundan ang baby niya – isa lang child niya. Same age kami. Kaya naloka ako kung ano ba dapat, kaya yun wag muna.. heheh.. haba na ng reply ko weee hehe
pehpot says
August 23, 2011 at 1:19 pmoo nga.. eh ano naman kung masundan agad? at least may 2 ka na bago ka nag 40 hehehe
oy in fairness hindi halata ang edad mo ha
sterndal says
August 7, 2011 at 11:20 pmwe have TV
pero hindi ako nanonood ng tv lol
nice family planning
the same thing happened to my sister
she’s now pregnant with her second child
the first is turning 2 this week
parang ok lang din, two years old na yung panganay
but it was unplanned
she tried pills
then she didn’t like its effect to her body
after two weeks of taking pills she stopped
then BOOM!
she’s preggy again
hehe
it’s okay
forget about family planning, it’s God’s plan 🙂
pehpot says
August 22, 2011 at 5:40 pmmahirap talaga pag pills at tinigil.. buntis agad 🙂
sterndal says
August 14, 2012 at 2:27 pmhello again
i just have to correct myself
my nephew is not “unplanned”
he is God’s plan 🙂
and of course family planning is very important
as for me, I would like to use a method that is compatible with my faith 🙂 someday yan, pag may asawa na ako hehehe. ngayon ay wala pa naman.
actually noong first time ko binasa itong post mo, nagtataka ako sa title
now ko lang talaga na-gets
LOL
GBU
Olga says
August 8, 2011 at 1:37 amHahaha! I remember a friend of mine conceiving after a long vacation in the province. Wala raw kasi TV dun kaya maaga pa lang sa kwarto na ang mga tao.
As for my husband and I, we got pregnant again five months after I gave birth to the twins. Pero may excuse ako, I was emotionally distraught. Nagpapalusot pa. Hehehe…
You’re right, if people like us who are aware of family planning and have access to birth control still have unplanned pregnancies, what more the people who have no idea about it.
pehpot says
August 22, 2011 at 5:40 pmhahaha wala daw libangan eh
WAHMaholic says
August 8, 2011 at 2:24 ambwahahaha! kalerkey!
pehpot says
August 23, 2011 at 1:19 pmbwahahaah kaya ikaw bumili ka na LED TV ahahaha
C5 @ Life Is A Choice says
August 8, 2011 at 4:28 amTV was the last in our list when we got married. So far ok naman ang spacing and we only meant 3 kids talaga kasi more than that lalampas na kami sa Cinco. 😛
pehpot says
August 23, 2011 at 1:20 pmhahaha iba ang attraction namin ng asawa ko LOL
Wena says
August 8, 2011 at 5:02 amhahaha naaliw ako dito sa post mo. nung una di ko maintindihan ang “wala ba kayong TV”. nag-try din ako ng injectable sa Health Center pero isang beses lang, di na bumalik. nasira ang menstrual cycle ko e kaya natakot ako.
pehpot says
August 23, 2011 at 1:23 pmahh uu kase ung injectibles talaga conditioned ung body mo na kunyari pregnant ka so hindi nya nag rerelease ng egg cell..so sira ang menstrual cycle.
Badet says
August 8, 2011 at 5:21 amOur first baby is also unplanned but she’s definitely a wanted and loved baby. After 3 years of being married, sinurprise na lang kami ni God na it’s time na raw to have a baby. =)
pehpot says
August 23, 2011 at 1:26 pmyay! and it’s a very happy surprise di ba 🙂
nicquee says
August 8, 2011 at 6:16 amMay tama ka! Kung ang mga informed eh nagmi-miss, pano pa kaya ang hindi.
Both my pregnancies were planned, although yung kay Yex, hindi pa kami kasal. I am breastfeeding Maxyn and no period until now. I guess, plans rin talaga ni Lord.
So are you stopping at 4?
pehpot says
August 23, 2011 at 1:27 pmaba oo naman! tama na ang apat no hahahaha
eh ikaw? hehe
nicquee says
August 24, 2011 at 5:28 amgusto sana namin ng lalaki. got tips? *wink*
Yami says
August 8, 2011 at 6:55 amGaling ng intro mo mare. 🙂
Eh mare may TV rin kami, nagko-cover pa ako ng health beat noon, yet we still have an unplanned pregnancy, pero ok lang naman kasi may pares na kami. 🙂
pehpot says
August 23, 2011 at 1:28 pmkurek! blessings naman ang mga bata
Ane says
August 8, 2011 at 7:02 amI remember someone also told me that breastfeeding was not going to get me pregnant, but we never relied on it.. 😛
I did not suffer any labor pains from child birth, but I was cut open and my week stay in the hospital hurt our finances so bad, it traumatized both my husband and I that it made us were very careful afterwards.
My husband does not believe in using condoms, or making me take pills or injectibles or anything.. We relied on rhythm and withdrawal.. 😛 It’s effective for us, but what can work for us may not work for other people, because everyone is different.. 😛 We’re lucky to be able to know each others body well enough to know when to strike or not.. hehehe
My gosh, your experiences remind me of my aunt and uncle who claim to have done every possible method of birth control and yet their kids are only a year apart.. 😛 They have 8 kids, they’re lucky they can afford it.. 😀 andami nilang tv sa lagay na yan ha.. 😛
pehpot says
August 23, 2011 at 1:30 pmswerte nyo pede ang rhythm hehehe sa amin hindi talaga hahahahaha
Ane says
August 23, 2011 at 3:04 pmLOLs oo nga eh, buti nalang hindi din kasi ako hiyang sa contraceptives.. 😀
pehpot says
August 23, 2011 at 1:31 pmkame ni hubby we’re biologically compatible.. our body knows when it is the right time to strike hahaha
Gene says
August 8, 2011 at 8:17 amThat I have to agree. My sister in law is a registered nurse but when their first born celebrated her first birthday SIL is already 6 months pregnant. Caesarian pa siya nung first baby ah!
Hubby and I were not yet married when we planned on actually conceiving and it took us a while before getting pregnant. After the whole 9 months of pregnancy and breastfeeding for 2.5 years I’m still not yet ready for baby #2.
pehpot says
August 23, 2011 at 1:33 pmsome people in the med field does not even know a thing about birth control no.. kaloka
bata pa naman si Una.. pero next year daw dapat may baby na sya hehehe
Josie says
August 8, 2011 at 9:01 amnakarelate ako dun sa first and second baby.. my eldest was just 1 yr and 2 months old when I got pregnant with the second one. We only used rhythm and withdrawal at dun kami natyempuhan sa withdrawal na yan. 🙁 at may TV na din kami nun B&W nga lang.. 😀
This was also the reason why I used contraceptive pills, though I have a regular cycle, kaso pag nangalabit ung isa hirap tanggihan 😛
pehpot says
August 23, 2011 at 1:34 pmeh kase black and white daw ung TV LOL
ayan Tita parehas tau di marunong tumanggi hahahaha
Pink MagaLine says
August 8, 2011 at 1:31 pmNice new home Mommy Peh! Btw, I like your story. Haha. Buti nalang din may cable kami. Of course, it is always wise to plan your family. Cheers! 🙂
pehpot says
August 23, 2011 at 1:34 pmThanks Jingke
Weng Iguis says
August 8, 2011 at 1:51 pmNakakatuwa naman, I also can’t believe na you have 4 kids already..somehow I envy you, if I’d be given the freedom to support more than 1 child at this time I would really love to get pregnant soon then another on the next 2 years kaya lang my husband is also not okay for it yet..ine-enjoy pa nya ang aming panganay much at madugo-dugong preparation din pag C/S 🙂
Kudos to you and your happy family 🙂
pehpot says
August 23, 2011 at 1:36 pmsiguro isang reason na normal ako manganak kaya dumami kame hehehe kase mura lang pag normal haha
Mommy Jes says
August 8, 2011 at 8:01 pmi enjoyed reading your post hahaha! :))
Bkit kame MAY TV naman pero naka 3 kapatid ko sa asawa nya ngyun plus 1 sa ibang babae? Kme ng aswa ko d mahilig sa TV kaya cguro 2 unplanned kids we have :)) ANd YES wag maniwala sa “pag BREASFEEDING is SAFE” nadale kame sa pngalawa ko dyan ahahhaha :))
pehpot says
August 23, 2011 at 1:37 pmhala ka baka mag 3 pa yan.. mahilig ka na sa TV hehe
gagay says
August 12, 2011 at 8:48 amwala akong TV mommy.. 😐 pu-a-sa sa tv ang estudyante.. 😐
pehpot says
August 23, 2011 at 1:38 pmun lang hehe
Lorraine Cinco says
August 17, 2011 at 6:22 amto hear that from you I think there is nothing to do with in our growing population..Even if we are responsible enough to stop things we cannot do something about it.. we people commits mistakes, we always screwed up..what we need to do is to accept everything and move forward.. Thank you for sharing this, I might used this when I get married and have a baby 🙂
pehpot says
August 23, 2011 at 1:23 pmwell we can educate more people about sex education and birth control..
Mom from Manila says
August 17, 2011 at 10:10 amas always reading your entries made me smile and think!
kami naman different story, we have been trying to conceive since our kid turned four( which was 5 years ago!), and up to now, wala pa rin…ako naman, i blame it on those contraceptives, i believe it ruined my already irregular cycle…eto ngayon, at 35, iisa pa rin ang junakis! eh ang batang maKulit, naghihingi ng kapatid! hay!
it’s true that breastfeeding will not make you pregnant, but it needs to be exclusive breastfeeding as in kahit water wala kang ibibigay kay Baby..and it will only be effective for the first six months!
**Agree!, masarap manood ng ano sa LCD, haha!
pehpot says
August 18, 2011 at 12:08 ampure breastfeeding din ako. no water pero hindi gumana sa amin hahahaha
try and try mommy, makakabuo din 🙂
Mom from Manila says
August 23, 2011 at 12:36 pmyup! try and try until we conceive ang drama namin…
buti na lang kasi babydancing is something enjoyable, hehe, if not naku, nakalbo na siguro kami pareho…
hmm, exclusive breastfeeding tapos nasapol ka pa rin? pambihira ang kamandag ni Cata! hahaha!!
pehpot says
August 23, 2011 at 12:46 pmpambihira talaga hahaha biruin mo naka 4 hahahaha
Mommy Dharlz says
August 18, 2011 at 10:51 amnice intro.. love how this post was written mommy Peh..
pehpot says
August 23, 2011 at 1:20 pmThank you Mommy Dharlz 🙂
genefaith says
August 31, 2011 at 12:41 pmi can relate with this marce bec. we’re 14…all our neighbors just think na di nagplano family namin…nagfamily planning nga na damihan ang anak…he..he…kidding aside…they don’t know how much our parents tried to control and even used contraceptive pills but nabuo pa rin ang baby…no regrets naman kami na marami kami…lumaki kaming happy na sa simpleng bagay…
in our case naman, we don’t use contraceptive pills, rhythm lang gamit namin and so far it works well for us. Nice presentation marce, nakakaaliw:)
momee gee says
September 5, 2011 at 9:46 amhahaha.. love this one..
We do have TV but i learned one of the best method of family planning during my Highschool years, the calendar method.
well, cguro i can say accurate sia for those who have regular cycles. I mean, when i say regular not really the 28 days lng.. dba may 30, 29 etc.. just make sure na ung cycle nio d nagbabago para masabi talaga natin na regular sia.
Why i can say this one is the best:
‘di to nakakasira sa katawan natin coz we dont intake something just to control getting pregnant.
It’s natural and safe.
Pills? I dont vote for it. depende kung bigay ng OB natin. Kasi may mga pills na sumisira ng ovary natin which is pde taung d na magkaanak.
injectibles? I dont vote for it too.. I just dont understand its purpose lang.. lol ee kasi sabi nila di ka magmemens when you apply it. and it’s for 3 months. parang ang dumi naman natin sa loob nun.
yeah, breastfeeding is not safe. according sa midwife na nag try magpaanak sakin.. at dun sa parang meeting sa maternity before you go home.
Aun, there are many ways how to control getting pregnant. mas maganda pa rin talaga ung natural. though di sia accurate for everyone at least d nakakasama sa katawan. if ever you get pregnant using the calendar method and you have regular cycles then get pregnant.. well, its God’s gift! 🙂
momee gee says
September 5, 2011 at 9:46 amMay kapit bahay nga rin kami ee kawawa ung mga bata hindi sila.. kasi super payat.. ung last baby nia ka age ng baby ko which is bago lang din nag one. nag stop sia mg breast feeding dun sa bata ee ung asawa nia pedicab driver lng. ee san kya sila kukuha ng gatas? ewan ko ba, di ako nanghuhusga ahh. naawa lng tlga ako kasi di man lang nila inisip ung mga bata at sa darating pa nilang anak. haest, ano na mangyayari sa pilipinas kung lahat ganun?
LOURDES ESPANOL says
September 6, 2011 at 11:06 pmThat’s the reason why some people who are less fortunate have 8 or more kids, because they lack information about family planning.