Many women find it easy to keep up with their birth control responsibilities when they are at home in their regular routine. When you have to travel, especially when you go on vacation, this schedule becomes messy. This means that you will have to do some planning if you want to stick with your routine. One tip that you might want is to pack some emergency contraception in case you forget to take your pills or something goes wrong. If not, here are some tips that can help you stay on target.
Maintain backup methods
If the airline misplaces your luggage or you lose your birth control, it’s wise to have a backup just in case. The best backup to have ready is a box of condoms. Not only are they the only effective products when it comes to protecting people against the spread of STDs, but they are highly effective when it comes to preventing pregnancy. Sometimes couples, instead of a practiced, tried and true method of protection, stray toward dubious methods that have too low a success rate for comfort. Don’t fall into that trap.
warehouse planning
If you take your birth control in the form of Depo-Provera, you’ll generally be fine in terms of protection. As a general rule, you should get vaccinated every 12 weeks. Having said that, there is some margin for error. If your vacation falls in the week you were scheduled to get the vaccine, you can always go and get it the week before. You could even wait until the following week. There have been studies that suggest you can stretch it further, but testing the limits is not recommended.
Storage
At home, you probably won’t have a problem storing birth control in a safe place, away from harmful heat and sun that can deteriorate the material. On vacation, this can become another matter. It is one you must know. It doesn’t take long for a condom to lose its effectiveness when left out in the heat and sunlight. Once the material has been compromised, its effectiveness as a contraceptive method is greatly diminished. Take the necessary precautions to keep contraceptives in storage that will protect them.
Alternatives to the pill
There are several popular alternatives to the pill that can make having to remember your birth control less of a problem. Injections, hormone therapies, and other products can be administered semi-annually, taking routine and guesswork out of the equation. Consider switching to one of these methods if you find it too bothersome to remember to take your pill.
