How many of you women had your mind made up to have a natural birth and changed your mind when those contractions began to hit?
I would love to try to have natural birth, my husband is ordering me to have it. He thinks the epidural is too dangerous for the baby and I. Yet, the women that I talk to that had natural birth told me to not listen to anyones lies about it not being a hell of a lot of pain. Stories please?
Re: Natural Birth and then changed your mind?
Honestly, I wanted a natural birth from the start. I read up on natural birth and educated myself on the process. I knew it would be painful and I knew it would be intense so I was prepared for that. I ended up having a wonderful birth without any interventions or medications. Child birth was the most intense, painful, and emotional thing I have ever done. Yes it hurt and was painful but it is a pain that you can bear, especially if you are prepared with positions and tricks (like laboring in water) to ease the pain. At no point in my labor did I feel like it was going to die or that the pain was to much to bear. I will have another natural birth (hopefully a home birth) when we have #2.
LOL I figured it was an exaggeration. You can definitely do it. Water helps a lot with the pain so you may want to consider laboring in the tub or a water birth. As for the horror stories, people love to tell horror stories about birth. For some reason the positive stories are always pushed to the side but they are out there. Check out some of the birth stories on this board.
For me personally birth was definitely painful but I wouldn't describe it as the worst pain I have ever felt in my life. I would say that it was the hardest and most intense physical work I have ever done. Birth pain is also different than an injury/sickness type of pain. Its more like a really intense work out. It hurts but you know you are accomplishing something great and it is well worth the pain.
ETA: I did do it naturally and I am planning a natural birth for this one as well!
With my second, I asked for it again, when transition hit. It arrived within 5 minutes but the baby actually popped out on her own before they could te he needle in (transition took 2 minutes hat time!).
With my third, I went from 6cm to birth in under 5 minutes, so it really didn't cross my mind!
I honk the point is to know why you want to go natural and in the moment decide what is right for you!
I kept an open mind, was supported in any decision I made by my husband (and doula in the first birth), and made decisions base on how I was feelin and eahat was 'worth' it to me in the moment. I would not have regretted having a 'failed' natural birh if I had had longer births and had gotten the pain meds. That said, I feel vey lucky that I didn't have to have them, and didn't have to endure any unnecessary side effects.
Good luck!
If you are really set on going natural and are mentally prepared you should be fine. Also education is key, know your options for natural pain relief and don't be afraid to try all of them.
I have been to a few births besides mine and all of the moms who had un-medicated births asked for pain medication in transition. When I asked for meds the pain was pretty intense, but once I knew they weren't an option I knew I had to do what I had to do. The pain goes away the second the baby is born and I was so happy things worked the way they did because I felt fantastic. Next time we are planning a home birth so meds won't even be on the table!
Elizabeth 5yrs old Jane 3yrs old
My $0.02: I considered a natural birth during my pregnancy, but by the third trimester decided I would get an epidural. I was induced, and while the contractions were manageable for a while, at some point it was the most excruciating pain I've ever felt. I got the epidural, rapidly dilated thereafter, pushed for less than an hour, and had an alert and healthy baby at the end. My only regret is not getting the epidural sooner.
Married Bio * BFP Charts
Due to a full time job and two toddlers, I kept meaning to take classes, read birth stories, and watch natural birth videos but it just never happened. By the time I was term, I did not have much faith in myself, but figured I would try my best, and be ok with whatever the outcome was (I had my previous two with epidural).
Due to my lack of research and previous experience with natural birth, I was in complete denial that I was in real labor, literally up until I went into transition. My water broke only a split second before the baby was born, and I never had bloody show, my contractions were never timeable, etc, so I kept thinking "this is going to get way worse once I really start labor."
My point in saying all of this is to say that they call it natural birth for a reason. The whole experience could not have been more organic or natural. My body knew exactly what to do, and I listened to it unknowingly. I now read tons of natural birthing info b/c it fascinates me, and it continually shocks me how many of the suggested measures I took without even knowing what I "should" do, it's just what I felt like doing.
We were built to do this. I never felt scared or out of control. The contractions were intense, but they built gradually & declined gradually, only "peaking" for a few moments. The only time the pain was incredibly intense was minutes before our little girl was born.
While I have faith that you can do it, know that any way you bring your baby into this world is commendable and beautiful, whether it be with meds or not!
DD #2 2 years old (08/17/11)
DD #3 born 08/29/13
Elizabeth 5yrs old Jane 3yrs old
I'm very sympathetic to the OP too. I am taking Hypnobirthing class and reading the books. In theory it all makes sense (fear makes labor way more painful than it needs to be) but really not sure how it works in practice, especially with comments some of you made on this thread.
I want all the benefits of natural labor but don't feel bad about turning to an epi if I feel I need one. I'm trying to go into this being fairly informed on pain management techniques thru hypnobirth methods but not research too much and get all amped up over what could go wrong and get in a fear mindset. I don't know how realistic this is and every delivery is different. But I guess that's why I appreciated your post so much, RayandBrit.
I think focusing your efforts on researching pain management is a great idea, and can only help! For me personally, afterward I was so happy that I didn't "over" research all aspects of natural birth because with my personality I would've stressed & worried about the few uncomfortable or bad things I read. Also, I probably would've been worried about trying to remember everything I learned instead of being in tune with my body. I'm too much of a Patty Planner, ha
Best of luck to you, you'll do great!
DD #2 2 years old (08/17/11)
DD #3 born 08/29/13
Be flexible. Do not make epi more enticing by making it a forbidden fruit
In both births when I though I could not handle it, I was in transition. First birth was pitocin and no pain meds, second was without any intervention and much much easier.
B born 7/15/13, C born 3/2/15, #3 on the way May '17
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