Actually, birth control made my symptoms worse, and I was moodier on them. After my daughter was born I got the copper IUD (Paraguard), did OK with it several years, had it removed to try for #2 and it just never happened. Not sure if it was the Paraguard or just not meant to be. My maternal grandmother was an only child growing up sharecropping in the Depression era, and I know having just one kid was super rare back then (though she was able to have 5 children of her own). Maybe genetic, maybe not. My paternal grandmother had to have some procedure done so she could maybe have kids, and my aunt on that side tried and tried but couldn't have kids either.

Been without birth control 8 or 9 years now. Haven't really had a desire to go back on it or subject myself to those hormones again.

I do understand about the extended birth control. My mom had to do it for my youngest sister because she would miss a lot of school because she was throwing up during PMS and at the start of her period. Missing that much school was hard on her, and she went on the pill. I think it's different now that she has kids because I know her husband got a vasectomy, but also she is big into herbal teas, supplements, vitamins, stuff like that, so maybe that helps her, or maybe it was just time, having kids, who knows?