3rd Trimester
naorwick
member
Natural Birth
naorwick
member
Hi Mommies!
I'm 28 weeks so I'm really now starting to make sure I have everything in order for baby's arrival so there is no stress once we get closer.
Are there any other Mom's out there that have done natural birth w/ no drugs? I would really love to go all natural but this is my first baby so I have no idea what I'm getting myself into. Anyone have any thoughts or suggestions?
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Re: Natural Birth
Nora Grace Due 12/26/2016
Two Angel Babies
07/03/2012
08/08/2015
"If you're still my small babe
or you're all the way grown,
my promise to you
is you're never alone.
You are my angel, my darling,
my star...and my love will find you,
wherever you are."
I had an unmedicated birth. The best thing you can do is read read read and take some Bradley Classes (you can google). Really learning to manage your pain when you get there is important. Truthfully, it all went out the window during my labor and I rode it out with a lot of cursing.
Its a really broad thing to ask about "thoughts or suggestions". What exactly do you want to know? Any more specific questions that you have that we can answer? I mean, my thought is that everyone's labor is individual and there is no shame in getting the drugs if you want them.
I think no one knows what they are getting themselves into. Every birth is different. So even an experienced mom can be thrown for a loop. I have a dear friend who wanted an unmedicated birth and ended up with a C-section. She planned for everything and could not predict medical emergency. It happens.
The best advice? Don't cling to a plan. Go with the flow.
LFAF Summer 2016 Awards:
Check out the natural board. Tons of women there with experience.
We're one and done!
We're preparing for a completely natural birth (med-free, intervention-free, vaginal birth). I've been preparing the entire pregnancy by doing some reading (The Thinking Woman's Guide to a Better Birth and Ina May's Guide to Childbirth are two books I recommend) and reading birth stories of natural birth mommies on Birth Without Fear (website). Then around 28 weeks I started GentleBirth Hypnosis and Blissborn Birth Hypnosis home study programs and they have helped A LOT!!! I sleep great and feel very confident about my birth.
So the three things I would recommend is to find a "birthing method" that you like. Hypnosis isn't for everyone but I really enjoy it. But there's also Bradley and other methods out there you can research and try. Also do your research on natural pain management (tubs, balls, walking, etc.) so you can start creating ideas on how to get through labor. Then talk to your care provider about how they feel about natural birth and if they deal with it a lot. Some are a bit more positive about it, others not so much. Midwifes tend to be more NB friendly, but not always and there are a lot of very NB friendly OBs and doctors out there, too! I go to a family doctor who is very pro-NB.
But most importantly, and this is what I love about my home study classes, mentally prepare yourself for anything and everything that can happen. You can't predict birth and even being well-prepared you may find yourself having to have interventions or wanting pain management and that's OK! Both of my hypnosis classes have classes/hypnosis sessions for preparing for anything in birth including inductions and c-sections.
B born 7/15/13, C born 3/2/15, #3 on the way May '17
I’m a modern man, a man for the millennium. Digital and smoke free. A diversified multi-cultural, post-modern deconstruction that is anatomically and ecologically incorrect. I’ve been up linked and downloaded, I’ve been inputted and outsourced, I know the upside of downsizing, I know the downside of upgrading. I’m a high-tech low-life. A cutting edge, state-of-the-art bi-coastal multi-tasker and I can give you a gigabyte in a nanosecond! I’m new wave, but I’m old school and my inner child is outward bound. I’m a hot-wired, heat seeking, warm-hearted cool customer, voice activated and bio-degradable. I interface with my database, my database is in cyberspace, so I’m interactive, I’m hyperactive and from time to time I’m radioactive.
Maybe I'm missing something but I really didn't think cesarean was something you could just choose because you're in pain...
OP, I'm a FTM but plan to do med free as well. What has made me feel more confident is ignoring or not discussing it with people who say there is no possible way you can do it. I had been hearing that from random people and it was just not helping, it was from people who had never had a med free birth.
Definitely read up on different methods like pp said. From what I've heard, even if all those methods go out the window, it helps to be prepared. That makes sense to me. And I'm just going into it with the attitude that things happen and to go with the flow, I'll get a baby at the end and that's what matters!
My first came so fast there was no time for drugs. My advice is DO NOT focus on the pain. If you do you will get scared which will tighten everything thing up and just hurt more. Instead I focused on making low moaning sounds through the contractions. Remember women have been doing this for millions of years and try to relax. Also a little tip. Blow air out during contractions but hold your breath to push. I know everyone is different but this worked for me. Good luck!
I had a med free birth at a birth center. I think the most helpful thing for me was delivering at a birth center with a midwife rather than in a hospital. The birth center has no meds on site (the hospital was just across the parking lot though) so it was helpful to know that they weren't readily available and no one ever mentioned meds. I didn't have a printed put birth plan, but if you are having a hospital birth it might be a good idea to write one out or just make sure to tell the staff that you don't want to be offered pain medication.
The natural birth board is a great resource and a great place start. Once you read a bit more you may come up with some more specific questions that you haven't even thought of yet. GL
I had an epi with my first, did not with my second due to precipitous labor (no time) and chose not to get an epi with my third. (Never had any interest in the narcotic options.)
All that said, I don't think I could have gone med-free with my first. My contractions are hell but doable for the 2-4 hours my last two labors lasted. My first was 13 hours. I would not have been able to make it. Just being honest.
To elaborate, I did a hypnobirthing course, read the book and took the 'philosophy' seriously. That is, I tuned out negative stories and reactions to my plan for a natural birth and I spent a lot of time practicing relaxation techniques.
As for the water, I spent as much time in the shower during he first part of active labor as I could. Literally erased 70 of the pain as i went from 1 to 7 cm!
I definitely agree with pp's who said to keep an open mind. I was willing to entertain meds and interventions as necessary, which totally relieved the pressure of feeling like I had to have a certain type of birth. I was very lucky to have had pretty quick and uncomplicated births.
Yeah! Awesome!
Yeah! Awesome!
B born 7/15/13, C born 3/2/15, #3 on the way May '17
I’m a modern man, a man for the millennium. Digital and smoke free. A diversified multi-cultural, post-modern deconstruction that is anatomically and ecologically incorrect. I’ve been up linked and downloaded, I’ve been inputted and outsourced, I know the upside of downsizing, I know the downside of upgrading. I’m a high-tech low-life. A cutting edge, state-of-the-art bi-coastal multi-tasker and I can give you a gigabyte in a nanosecond! I’m new wave, but I’m old school and my inner child is outward bound. I’m a hot-wired, heat seeking, warm-hearted cool customer, voice activated and bio-degradable. I interface with my database, my database is in cyberspace, so I’m interactive, I’m hyperactive and from time to time I’m radioactive.