Birth control. It’s a godsend for those who want to get down and dirty with their significant others. For others, it’s a way to stay regular and healthy. But let’s not forget that we still are throwing hormones into our bodies every single day, and birth control can have positive and negative effects on your body despite how conventional it has become in the lives of girls.

Enter Ellie stage right:

When it comes to birth control I feel like I’ve hit the jackpot. A few months ago I found myself in the health center with stomach pain. I would wake up every morning with a nauseous feeling, to the point where I couldn’t even swallow my morning birth control pill. I told the nurse how I was feeling and she told me it could be from the type of pill I was taking and recommended the Nuva Ring.

The Nuva Ring is a tiny little plastic ring that goes — you know, up there — and does all the same duties as a regular birth control pill. Added bonus was that I no longer had to remember to take the pill on the daily. But for me this wasn’t enough. I went back for a refill and actually had requested information on birth control that limits the number of periods you have. The nurse told me, no problem, just continuously use the Nuva and change it to a new one when I would regularly get my monthly visit and BAM no more period. Well for about three months, because eventually I guess it has to happen, or whatever.

Still, this news was groundbreaking for me, not having to worry about this situation every three weeks and actually only having to deal with it once every three months is amazing and not to mention quite freeing. I mean yeah, those tampon commercials make it seem like having a period is no big deal, but seriously once the flow starts it’s a big deal, you’re uncontrollably bleeding for 3 to 7 days and IT SUCKS. There is nothing great about getting your period except when you’re worried that you’re pregnant.

I have to admit that at first I was hesitant, because obviously getting your period is natural, and not getting it can result in feeling unhealthy or scared, but plenty of women use this method and why would I not believe the nurse when she tells me that it’s completely fine. This method uses the same process that regular birth controls do except for longer periods (lol) of time.

Enter Elissa stage left:

Personally, I didn’t originally take the pill to reduce my risk of getting pregnant. Believe it or not I was not thinking about sex until my senior year of high school. I even remember my super Catholic dad confronting me, wondering why I was taking birth control, because it obviously meant I was having sex. Sorry Papa Torres, I was too busy being involved in school activities to be popping my cherry. Anyways…

I began taking Ortho Tri-Cyclen my sophomore year of high school because I was irregular, wait scratch that, I was very very irregular. Flow would come visit me at different days throughout the year, it would last for a little while and then a long time, then She wouldn’t come at all. It just wasn’t consistent. And I’m a girl that likes consistency.

I have popped a few different types of birth control pills throughout these past few years and I’m not alone. Over 60 million women in the United States and Europe take oral contraceptives, according to FeminineWoman.com.

I like taking a pill every day when I wake up at 8 a.m. The mind of Elissa always says, “By swallowing this pill, you’re not going to pregnant AND Flow will come in t-minus 23 days.”

Yes, taking the pill doesn’t fully reduce your risk of pregnancy but it does significantly reduce it. I love taking my precious little blue pill and I will continue to do so.

Although there are birth control methods that allow you to go without your period for a few months, I don’t think I’d partake in that. I don’t have incredibly painful pelvic pains and it’s not hard for me to function at all.

These types of birth control methods are approved by the Federal Department of Agriculture, but the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists have taken no position on menstrual suppression. In theory it sounds nice to not have your period at all but it’s more natural to have it, than not.

I want to keep my body as healthy as possibly, but also keep a consistent schedule going. Flow is here to stay and I can sacrifice four days to hangout with her.