@meggyme@maggiemadeit Thabks for the suggestions! I'll check out whether my library has those books. I also don't have the time (or $ now that I've shelled out so much for a doula) for any classes so I'm hoping to find the info/prep I'm looking for in a book or online
@laur84ns Thanks for bumping this. Has been on my mind a LOT lately and glad to join the conversation late than never.
FTM here, haven't committed to a med free birth, but it's definitely something that appeals to me, so thank you STM+s for sharing your stories and experiences.
Why do you want a med-free birth?
I am delivering at the hospital I work at (as a nurse in the Surgical ICU). Our SICU is staffed with anesthesia residents, so it is more than likely I will know the resident who walks in the door to start an epidural, and to be perfectly blunt, I'll know if they're a complete moron or not. And honestly, this is giving me more anxiety than the actual pushing a baby out is at this point.
And outside of the anxiety, as a nurse, I'm really drawn to the idea of being able to move around more during labor and be up and out of bed much sooner after delivery.
I love the idea of a natural birth, and have several friends who have done it, but I'm battling feelings that I'm not as tough as I think I am. Also everyone I know who has done a natural birth has had a doula, and that's not really in the budget for us.
@lucysmom2016 I'd recommend trying to find a doula in training if the only thing stopping you from getting a doula is cost. Ours happens to be a friend, but is still in training and therefore is doing it for the experience and not charging us. She's still attended about 10 births and has had 3 children of her own, at least 2 that I know were med free.
DD1: June '16 DD2: March ‘19 :::: Married since 2011 :::: USN Wife ::::
@lucysmom2016 I agree with @meggyme I've had friends recommend people who are training because, yes it can be expensive. That's the main reason I won't be hiring a doula, because here it costs more than I have to pay out of pocket for labor and delivery. Last time I didn't have one and I was just fine with the support of DH and my reason for not getting an epidural last time was the fear and anxiety. I need to have that control and I hate needles...doesn't matter how many things I read about getting one...still a strong no. You can do more than you think you can!
@lucysmom2016 I think if you feel strongly about it and really have your husband on board/ready to be your support / encouragement / advocate than you can do it without a doula. I’m not planning on getting one this time around, honestly for me it’s wasn as helpful as I was expecting.
@lucysmom2016 I won't be getting a doula either - - both for cost and my husband feeling like it would interfere with his role, but I will be at least attempting a med free birth (I faint when I get shots - - although I looovvveee acupuncture so 🤷♀️).
My acupuncturist did offer to come to the hospital if I want any support. I tell myself between that, a doctor I love, my husband and maaayyybe my mom (I keep going back and forth on this) it will be ok. I'm also giving myself permission to change my mind, and trying to remember that women have been doing this since the beginning of time, and it isn't actually my birth, it's my baby's birth. Anyway, you aren't alone!!
@lucysmom2016 I'm also in the doula in training club just because I think the additional layer of support will be helpful.
I've been hearing lots of terrible birth stories from people lately. It's been negative info overload for me, but Ina May's Guide to Childbirth has been super helpful in expectation setting and positive birth stories. The first half of the book is positive birth stories in first person. Yes! I think it's the best birth book I've read so far.
@meggyme any particular podcasts you recommend? I've actually been looking for a positive birth podcast but haven't found any good ones yet. Spotify has a Positive Birth podcast but it wasn't quite what I hoped.
@govanalyst86 I haven't been listening to them this pregnancy, but last time I listened to the whole series of Fear Free Child Birth. Some of the speakers are a little out there, but the positive childbirth interviews were pretty good.
DD1: June '16 DD2: March ‘19 :::: Married since 2011 :::: USN Wife ::::
Since this was recently bumped, thought I would say I’m about to start my Hypnobabies course. It’s 6 weeks, followed by a maintenance period (listening to daily hypnosis stuff/practicing). I’m due at the end of March so I’m not going to get started for maybe a couple more weeks, but I was curious if anyone else would be starting soon. would love to have a study buddy.
@peacebubblebaby I'm starting Mongan Method Hypnobirthing on 1/4. I've already been listening to tracks in the evening / when I'm cooking or cleaning. I know it's not the same as Hypnobabies but it is similar.
I’ll be taking Hypnobirthing classes in late Jan/early Feb as well. I’ve read the Mongan method book and am really looking forward to the classes so I can put the techniques into practice and feel more prepared for delivery. I’m taking the classes at my birth center,so I am equally excited to get to know the other March moms who will deliver there and will attend the new mom & breastfeeding groups once our babies arrive. I’d love to hear how other hypnobirthing/hypnobabies moms are progressing through their own classes and preparations!
Today I made a birth banner (below). it's very Birthing From Within but the images I chose are to encourage me on the big day.
We met with our doula who is a hypnobirth doula completing certification and she recommended that we also have a sign for our door that says we're doing hypnobirthing.
How are the hypnobirth ladies doing? DH and I had our first class yesterday and it went well.
I was doing DIY hypnobirthing previously listening to Hypnobirthing on Spotify ( I like Phil Parker's track), listening to the Christian Hypnobirthing app, and the Katherine Graves tracks. Our official instructor said we were good to continue with what was working and that the more you listen to the same tracks, the better it will work. Just thought I'd share that in case there were some other hypnobirth DIYers.
The teacher also started by saying that birth is a bell curve of experience and that some births will be less painful and less complex, but some will require intervention or a c section. I appreciated that context because while you can physically and mentally prepare, healthy baby and healthy mom is the goal- not the birth experience.
Back to hypnobirthing tracks, something I really liked about the Phil Parker Track 1 on Spotify is that he leads you to recall memories of calm, confidence and resilience. It was interesting because what I visualized for both calm and confidence was working. Anyone else had any interesting insights in their preparation?
I disagree about the birth experience...because I firmly believe that an induction or csection can still be a positive experience...and that comes down to provider and hospital helping to make sure you get the things that are important to you. That’s just my experience though.
I started my pre-class tracks for Hypnobabies last night (Special safe place). Officially starting the program in 2 weeks. Trying to decide how involved I want my husband to be...he agreed to read me my scripts but I’m really not sure if I would do better listening to him or to the tracks. He also agreed to come to class with me, which he was pretty anti during the last pregnancy...so I’m really not sure what his deal is lol.
@peacebubblebaby I’m a little late to the game (Due date 3/1 but I’m really interested in Hypnobabies. There aren’t any live classes near me but they have online classes. Have you done Hypnobabies before and do you have any thoughts on doing the classes online as opposed to in person?
I started my Hypnobabies at home study course this week. I did the weekly online course and I have been listening to the tracks daily. I can’t tell if I am falling asleep during them or if I am under really deep, but I do enjoy the relaxation of it. I hope I am getting everything I am supposed to be out of it.
I am not counting on my husband to participate too much, but instead I am planning on giving him a lesson on how he can coach and support me with hypnobaby cues closer to birth time. He was a really great coach last time, but at the end of the day the actual birthing is kind of a one woman show, or at least that was my experience.
@chocolatelemons there is an awesome Facebook group called Hypnobabies Support Group, and there are lots of home study moms on there. The main difference between the live class and home study is that partners get more scripts to read...with the homestudy, it’s almost all mp3s with a few mini scripts. People have great experiences either way, but it does come down to if you actually do all the reading and practice...it doesn’t work as well if you skim through it or only listen to the tracks...so for some people having a teacher to check into once a week helps keep them on track.
@maggiemadeit the last time I mostly just did the VBAC stuff and went to sleep listening to it every night and it still worked great for me. I’m sure it will work fine even if you are falling asleep.
I’m wondering the same as @chocolatelemons. Has anyone here successfully used hypnobirthing before? I am constantly feeling like I should be doing more to prep for a natural birth so I’ve considered the home study hypnobaby course. However, I’ve read a ton of birth stories online in which the women say that during the pain of later active labour and transition, all the hypnobirthing stuff goes out the window. I’m curious if anyone here has a birth story for me!? I don’t really want to shell out any more money for this birth since I’ve already paid a fortune for a doula, but I did recently notice on my doula’s site that she’s a hypnobirthing doula as well. I’ll definitely be asking her opinion during our next prenatal visit.
@peacebubblebaby Agreed. I was induced last time due to hp but still had an experience as close to what I wanted, without using pain meds. It’s good to keep an open mind because you can’t plan for everything.
Seems like hypnobabies is really popular. I have looked into it some but haven’t done any classes or reading this time around. I feel like maybe I should do more but I’ve done this before...
@laur84ns I don’t know about that, when I was pushing with my last baby, my husband was supporting me and they told me to “relax” and I was able to melt so effectly that he almost dropped me and I had horrible bruises from where he struggled to get hold of me again (we had to change positions after that lol - it was a bit of me not understanding what they were instructing me to do because I was so stuck in the zone that I just couldn’t comprehend what they were saying...they wanted me to do a supported squat, and I just kind of stopped supporting myself and that wasn’t the right thing to do, whoops )
The stories shared on the Hypnobabies Support Group are really super encouraging...they are not all “perfect” and that adds to how great it is...gives a lot of ideas on how to use it even if things don’t go as planned.
Yay! I’ve been doing the preclass tracks for a couple days now. My class is the 19th so that’s when it’s really going to be time to buckle down. I can’t believe that I’m already in the 3rd trimester....
Here is a link to different ways acupressure can be used to help with labor and different things that can come up. It is written by Debra Betts who is a nurse with a PhD and she teaches midwives about using acupressure in pregnancy, labor and delivery. I usually send this home with my pregnant patients around week 37 or so. I hope some of you find it helpful!
@meggyme of course!! Let me know if you have any questions, or if you are interested in finding a local acupuncturist you can DM me and I can look at my alumni network!! (that offer applies to anyone who is interested!!)
@abbykwail I'm interested to see what you think of these. I found them while looking for acupressure tools (thinking the amount of repeated pressure needed might literally be a pain) and I came across these.
They're marketed for headache/migraine relief, but one of the reviews on amazon was by a midwife that uses them in labor for pain relief. I wouldn't use them until my midwives are ready for me to go into labor/during the actual labor (since LI 4 is associated with contractions), but I figured they'd give my doula and husband a break to help in other ways while still keeping pressure on one of the pressure points in my hands.
DD1: June '16 DD2: March ‘19 :::: Married since 2011 :::: USN Wife ::::
@meggyme I have never seen those, but it is worth a try! We have little stickers like small band aids with mustard seeds on them to give lasting acupressure after treatment. They are called ear seeds (but I use them on body points!) there is also an option with tiny needles attached to the band aids called press tacks, but I am pretty sure you need a license to order them, but you shouldn't for the ear seeds.
I'm also doing research on different essential oil blends for the different phases of labor. I can post back what I find if any of you are interested!
@abbykwail yeah, I wouldn’t want to mess with needles, but I might look into ear seeds. I was talking to my doula about acupressure today (she was reading the document you shared) and she mentioned how some of the things she’s done and found comfort from seem to be based in acupressure. Things like the double hip squeeze and counterpressure on the back. She also brings EO’s in her kit. She said she puts them on cotton balls instead of on your skin so if they suddenly stop working for you she can just toss the cotton ball and not have to worry about any lingering smell.
DD1: June '16 DD2: March ‘19 :::: Married since 2011 :::: USN Wife ::::
@meggyme yeah I was thinking about wafters instead of on the skin! Would she be willing to share what she commonly uses? I know peppermint is good for nausea and clary sage/jasmine absolute for stimulating contractions, frankincense for pain, but I am looking for lots of sources!!
-STM+, did you attempt and/or have you had a med-free birth before? How did that go?
We took Bradley classes when I was pregnant with my daughter (who turned 5 today!!🎂) and planned for a natural birth...and I ended up having her in the back seat if the car on the way to the hospital! 🚗 My labor only lasted about 2 hours, and I truly didn't even realize that I was in labor until I hit transition.
-Why do you want a med-free birth, and if you've already had one, why do you want to do it again? The pain that I was expecting the first time around never came, and I am able to remember ever single detail of her birth. I want to be able to remember this one just as well since it will likely be my last.
-Any techniques for coping with pain? Any you hope to do or study prior to birth? DH just kept reminding me that "labor had just started " and that "the pain will get worse so just relax while you can". I kept focused on trying to stay present before the "real" pain set in, and before I knew it, it was over.
-Questions? Comments? Hoping to make it to the hospital this time! But planning on using Bradley and relaxation focusing again.
Re: The med-free birth thread
FTM here, haven't committed to a med free birth, but it's definitely something that appeals to me, so thank you STM+s for sharing your stories and experiences.
Why do you want a med-free
birth?
I am delivering at the hospital I work at (as a nurse in the Surgical ICU). Our SICU is staffed with anesthesia residents, so it is more than likely I will know the resident who walks in the door to start an epidural, and to be perfectly blunt, I'll know if they're a complete moron or not. And honestly, this is giving me more anxiety than the actual pushing a baby out is at this point.
And outside of the anxiety, as a nurse, I'm really drawn to the idea of being able to move around more during labor and be up and out of bed much sooner after delivery.
I love the idea of a natural birth, and have several friends who have done it, but I'm battling feelings that I'm not as tough as I think I am.
My acupuncturist did offer to come to the hospital if I want any support. I tell myself between that, a doctor I love, my husband and maaayyybe my mom (I keep going back and forth on this) it will be ok. I'm also giving myself permission to change my mind, and trying to remember that women have been doing this since the beginning of time, and it isn't actually my birth, it's my baby's birth. Anyway, you aren't alone!!
I've been hearing lots of terrible birth stories from people lately. It's been negative info overload for me, but Ina May's Guide to Childbirth has been super helpful in expectation setting and positive birth stories. The first half of the book is positive birth stories in first person. Yes! I think it's the best birth book I've read so far.
I’m taking the classes at my birth center,so I am equally excited to get to know the other March moms who will deliver there and will attend the new mom & breastfeeding groups once our babies arrive.
I’d love to hear how other hypnobirthing/hypnobabies moms are progressing through their own classes and preparations!
We met with our doula who is a hypnobirth doula completing certification and she recommended that we also have a sign for our door that says we're doing hypnobirthing.
I was doing DIY hypnobirthing previously listening to Hypnobirthing on Spotify ( I like Phil Parker's track), listening to the Christian Hypnobirthing app, and the Katherine Graves tracks. Our official instructor said we were good to continue with what was working and that the more you listen to the same tracks, the better it will work. Just thought I'd share that in case there were some other hypnobirth DIYers.
The teacher also started by saying that birth is a bell curve of experience and that some births will be less painful and less complex, but some will require intervention or a c section. I appreciated that context because while you can physically and mentally prepare, healthy baby and healthy mom is the goal- not the birth experience.
Back to hypnobirthing tracks, something I really liked about the Phil Parker Track 1 on Spotify is that he leads you to recall memories of calm, confidence and resilience. It was interesting because what I visualized for both calm and confidence was working. Anyone else had any interesting insights in their preparation?
I started my pre-class tracks for Hypnobabies last night (Special safe place). Officially starting the program in 2 weeks. Trying to decide how involved I want my husband to be...he agreed to read me my scripts but I’m really not sure if I would do better listening to him or to the tracks. He also agreed to come to class with me, which he was pretty anti during the last pregnancy...so I’m really not sure what his deal is lol.
I am not counting on my husband to participate too much, but instead I am planning on giving him a lesson on how he can coach and support me with hypnobaby cues closer to birth time. He was a really great coach last time, but at the end of the day the actual birthing is kind of a one woman show, or at least that was my experience.
@maggiemadeit the last time I mostly just did the VBAC stuff and went to sleep listening to it every night and it still worked great for me. I’m sure it will work fine even if you are falling asleep.
Seems like hypnobabies is really popular. I have looked into it some but haven’t done any classes or reading this time around. I feel like maybe I should do more but I’ve done this before...
The stories shared on the Hypnobabies Support Group are really super encouraging...they are not all “perfect” and that adds to how great it is...gives a lot of ideas on how to use it even if things don’t go as planned.
https://acupuncture.rhizome.net.nz/download-booklet/
Follow that link and click on the first one called Acupressure booklet in English and it will give you the pdf.
Edited to correct the link.
https://aculief-dev.myshopify.com/
They're marketed for headache/migraine relief, but one of the reviews on amazon was by a midwife that uses them in labor for pain relief. I wouldn't use them until my midwives are ready for me to go into labor/during the actual labor (since LI 4 is associated with contractions), but I figured they'd give my doula and husband a break to help in other ways while still keeping pressure on one of the pressure points in my hands.
I'm also doing research on different essential oil blends for the different phases of labor. I can post back what I find if any of you are interested!
Our hypnobirthing instructor is a labor and delivery nurse and gave us this idea. Thought it might be helpful for this group too.
-Why do you want a med-free
birth, and if you've already had one, why do you want to do it again? The pain that I was expecting the first time around never came, and I am able to remember ever single detail of her birth. I want to be able to remember this one just as well since it will likely be my last.
-Any techniques for coping with pain? Any you hope to do or study prior to birth? DH just kept reminding me that "labor had just started " and that "the pain will get worse so just relax while you can". I kept focused on trying to stay present before the "real" pain set in, and before I knew it, it was over.
-Questions? Comments? Hoping to make it to the hospital this time! But planning on using Bradley and relaxation focusing again.