Hi girls!
I wish this board had been around during my first pregnancy. It would have been very valuable.
I have had two natural births in less than two years. I can honestly say that my births were the most amazing, empowering days of my life and they changed me forever.
My first baby was a week overdue and very quick, all natural, no tearing.
My second baby, however, had to be induced two days early due to high blood pressure. I was always so worried about induction because I had heard so many horror stories about pitocin contractions and how women inevitably got an epidural with them.
I wanted to share that this was not my case at all! The pitocin contractions were no worse than my natural ones I had with my first birth. I never once felt tempted to get te epi and I made it through using positive visualization, humming, and practiced breathing techniques. Another beautiful birth without tearing or complications.
Anyway, I don't know if anyone was worried about this, so I just wanted to share my positive induction experience.
Good luck ladies! You can do it, and it is sooooo worth it!!!!
Re: Induction =/= epidural! :)
Thanks for posting this - I'm being induced tomorrow and freaking out about it!
Congrats!
How big were your babies and did you do any perineal massage or anything to help prevent the tearing? So happy to hear such a positive experience..I'm due to give birth any day now:)
How big were your babies and did you do any prep to prevent tearing (peri massage, etc.)? Thanks for your positive experience:)
I had two all natural VBACs... and this time around wound up in a situation where they wanted to move things along with pitocin- like you- I'd heard a lot of stories about pitocin and the different kind of contraction which causes the baby hardship and mom needing pain relief- and I was reluctant because of that- but actually did feel that due to the circumstances- (water broke and no real organization to the ctx- Dr. nervous about a deadline with risk of infection) thought I should give it a try. Apparently all I needed was a very small amount- and I was already at- I think 6 cm- when we started the pit.
It worked well and like you- I didn't think the ctx were any worse than anything else I've experienced in other labors- if anything it just jumped me forward about 3 to six hours in the laboring process and left me with more energy than I would have had had I gone the slow and natural way (which I gladly would have done had I not had a deadline to deliver looming). I did wind up delivering without using any pain drugs- feel a bit disappointed that I did wind up (I don't want to say "needing")... *including* pitocin in my birth management- but in this scenario it seemed like a good way to go for me.
If you do wind up in this situation- I don't want to endorse or encourage the use of pitocin- but I think it's OK to try to keep a really positive attitude and not feel doomed or crushed by the change in plans- if you let it freak you out- it could be a self fulfilling prophecy.
I'm also interested to see if/how you prepared to avoid tearing.
Thanks so much for posting. That's very encouraging!
My first baby was 6lbs 12 oz and my second was 7lbs 14oz. To reduce the chances of tearing, I massaged evening primrose oil on my perineum the week before delivering.
Also - and I think that this was really important - as hard as it to think clearly when you're in the middle of pushing, I made sure to kind of pause when they crowned and go very very slowly. It helped that I had attendants who helped with that a lot. You tear when you push too fast, so slowing down at the end is vital! GL!!
Baby #3 is on the way! EDD 3/8/15
DD1--8/29/10
DD2--11/6/12
Thanks for posting..I've been freaking about the whole inducing..I'm being checked-in on thursday to the hospital to get induced.