Is anyone else attempting natural birth?

mad_e_sun4

Anyone planning a home birth? Can’t sleep at night, scared shitless! 😅🫣

momof_t_k_e_baby4

I haven't fully decided yet (due Oct 8). My first was with obgyn in the hospital, second was with my midwife in hospital (went home 3h later), 3rd was midwife home birth in our bathtub. All 3 were natural other than a half dose of fentanyl with the first, which I didn't like. The homebirth was my favourite, though I probably wouldn't choose the tub again, just because the shape of it wasn't the best for relaxing super well and I honestly did t like being in the water even for a few minutes with the ick, lol. This baby was unplanned, I never thought I'd be doing this again, so I've gone back and forth between having an epidural this time, and just doing it at home again!

serenejellybean

I’m undecided! My first I had an epidural; it slowed everything down so much (I think) and ended up needing pitocin; couldn’t feel much at all and while it was fine I didn’t love the experience. Second was natural, and fast and while intense of course it was also totally manageable. Now this pregnancy is almost 11 years later (!) so my dr has suggested it could be like a first labor… I would love for it to be like the second! I guess I will see how it is going at the time, but I am planning to try for natural until that doesn’t seem like the right thing! 

momof_t_k_e_baby4

@serenejellybean it's true. My first 2 were 17 months apart, 17h versus 12h labours, 30min pushing (the obgyn didn't wait for the natural urge, she told me to push, and it being my first I just forced him out and popped all my capillaries on my neck and face!) versus 5 minutes of my body pushing baby #2 out. Third was nearly 7 years later, and back up to 16.5h, and more pushing than #2, but she was also born en caul, so maybe not as easy for her to slide out! Now #4 will just over 2 years later, so hoping it's a bit faster again. Every birth is really so different!

krthouse

Plan A for us is an unmedicated water birth at a birth centre. We live un an apartment building and have dogs and a toddler so I'd much prefer the birth centre space, plus it's super close to some top hospitals so on the off chance there's a need to transfer I'll feel safer moving from there.

serenejellybean

@momof_t_k_e_baby4 oh boy! Makes sense; hope everything is nice and easy for you this time around. 😊 I guess the upside to me losing some efficiency is that I will have more time to get to the hospital; I live farther away now and have been a little worried about what will happen if labor goes quickly. 

kat_vegan87

I’m planning a natural birth at a birthing center. I would love to do a water birth. I’m kind of anxious about the drive there though because I no joke live 1 1/2 hours away from my midwife. The local hospital won’t do a VBAC so that’s my next option. The birthing center is in between 2 hospitals, both 3 minutes away in case there’s any type of emergency. 

I am pretty nervous about doing it all natural, but I had an emergency C-section with DS and I absolutely hated all the medications and how awful they made me feel. 

But something I’ve been thinking about so much is pooping/farting while having the baby hence the water birth 🤷‍♀️

wileybliss

I'm planning an unmedicated birth, in a hospital setting. I would love to do home births down the road, but with this being my first I just want to make sure I have some idea of what my body does before doing it at home. I've been researching alternative pain management, practicing breathing techniques, and also doing some affirmations just to remind myself that my body was built for this (hopefully) 

joyy-02

@wileybliss also planning to do an unmedicated hospital birth. Not completely against meds if feel necessary in the moment, but have never had super great reactions to pain killers of any kind and try to avoid them as much as possible. Have just been talking to lots of people and researching other pain management techniques, and feel hopeful I can do this. You got this!

krysnicole1022

If I didn't have to have c sections then I would love to do a water birth. My hospital does it in the labor and delivery suite. I also love the idea of laboring in a jacuzzi tub. 

robbinsegg317

I am hopeful to have an unmedicated hospital birth, though I’m open to medication if necessary. I’ve never broken a bone or anything so I have no clue what my pain tolerance is.

amille525

With my first I wanted an unmedicated birth but had an open mind. They did give me one dose of pain meds…don’t remember what just so I could get a little sleep. I plan to go in with the same goals this time. Definitely have too much anxiety to do it at home but I think that experience would be amazing.  

kricron

I am hoping to have one! I have had 3 unmediated births at hospitals.

I am very nervous this one will be different as I am at a new hospital, in a new state, with a different doctor. I have an OB this time instead of a family practice doctor and it just seems like interventions are being implemented so much faster. Not sure if that is simply the difference in MD, the location specific practices, or just that I am now AMA.

Either way, I plan to labor at home as long as possible and will make my preferences clear, but will be open to the harsh reality that things don’t always go as planned.

merostomata

I’m undecided. I did an unmedicated, induced hospital birth with my first and it was *intense* and long (24 hours after water broke, then another 26 hours post induction). But it was also beautiful and powerful. For many women, you have to fully commit to doing an unmedicated birth in advance for it to happen.

This time around, I really think I just need some rest. I’m planning to do an epidural if the labor gets anywhere close to the length of the first. Epidurals can sometimes slow the process, but I just can’t imagine going through the same thing again as with my first. It took me to hell and back.

krysnicole1022

Epidurals can sometimes slow it down and for others it allows your body to relax and finish what it started. It's a tricky business. For me it helped me relax enough to actually get down to business. 

moogieks

I plan to go unmedicated too. As a red head, I have a history of telling my doctors that I need more than what they're giving me for pain or anesthesia and them just patronizing me like the red heads needing more anesthesia thing is a myth. Then having to tell them mid-surgery that I could feel them cutting into my mouth and need more novacaine etc. Or more pain meds for after things. 

I REALLY don't want any interventions and want to rely and trust in my body, but this is my first time so obviously I have no idea what I'm getting into. I firmly believe that women have been doing this for thousands of years and are totally capable! If I NEED the epidural at the time, then I'll ask for it. Tired of drugs as a blanket response, but they certainly have their place. 

krysnicole1022

Red head here and yes my spinal wore off way faster than it was supposed to. My epidural also has to be turned up. 

sandy5693

@moogieks fellow redhead here and I feel this!

I'm somewhat neutral at this point on the pain meds.  Being a FTM I am trying to go in with a natural childbirth mindset, but I'm not against medication if I realize I can't handle it.  Everyone I talk to had such a varying degree of pain threshold and different birth so I'm trying to be open minded.

I've only started thinking about the actual birth as I've been so anxious about the pregnancy.  It all seems so much more real now.

krysnicole1022

They gave me morphine after my last because the pain was so bad after (and I can handle pain I just choose not to). It did absolutely nothing at all and they looked at me like I was nuts. I have severe reactions to most pain meds so morphine was the only real option so I didn't puke moments after a c section. It was ridiculous.

krysnicole1022

I didn't know this was a redhead thing. I just read a few articles and I feel seen!!!

krthouse

@krysnicole1022 Yes, my epidural helped my body release better. I'd had such a long intense prodromal labour that it was getting harder for me to let go into the contractions. That and pitocin helped me birth Mr baby big head vaginally 

moogieks

Speak to any other red heads and you'd hear similar! My mom is a redhead and we both have to always ask for more anesthesia or pain meds bc we go thru em quicker.

knottiecd29b3e62deb1df8

FTM here! My due date October 17th and I am having my baby at home. When I first got pregnant I wanted to lay out my options. I visited different hospitals, birthing centers & interviewed home birth midwives. After thinking about it for some time and praying on it, a home birth truly felt like the best decision for me. I am not scared one bit. I am extremely confident in my birthing team! I recommend binging the Happy Homebirth Podcast I’ve learned SO much. Also check out Painfree Birth on Instagram! Good luck!

lavenderg

I am and I’m a FTM. I’ve downloaded the gentle birth and have doing the Hypnobirthing prompts as much i can. I’m still a bit nervous and won’t beat myself up if i end up getting the epidural but figured it’s worth a try 

hayhay4713

STM here but it’s been 10 years. My previa just cleared so I’m excited to have another natural births I am unable to do at home due to ITP and needing platelet transfusions but I personally wouldn’t do an at home in case something goes wrong with me or the baby. I’ve had a few friends need emergency C-sections due to babies heart rate dropping and them not progressing after almost a day of labor. However I didn’t have an epidural with my son and wont with my daughter. It’s too risky with ITP and even if I could, that freaking needle scares me lol. I have tattoos, had many surgeries and get my blood drawn all the time but that freaking thing going in my back, heck no.

magic_lentil

I’m undecided - originally I thought I’d want to be as medicated as possible - not a fan of pain if it can be avoided and I don’t have any particular mental marriage to the idea of unmedicated birth as being “better” inherently.  But I know epidurals can slow things down and also I’ve had a nerve block for surgery before and know that I hate the feeling of numbness.  Is it better for the labor to be more intense but shorter, on the premise that less exhaustion may equal an easier recovery?  I’ve had a spinal fusion, a couple of bouts of kidney stones including one that totally blocked one kidney (my dr referred to it as being “blown up like a balloon”), and surgery for a severed tendon in my hand from a freak accident with a heavy door and some broken wall tile.  But this is my first baby and I just have no clue how labor pain will compare to other pain.  Has anyone ever used an acupressure mat?  I’m curious if that can be used during labor (google tells me it is not recommended during pregnancy). When I had kidney stones that was the only thing that completely took away the pain for a bit - no medication even took the edge off at all. It’s also become my go-to for period cramps.

krysnicole1022

The thing to remember is you have no idea how an epidural is going to help or hurt. For a lot of women it allows for rest and relaxation giving your body the opportunity to actually finish dilating while you catch some sleep. The spinal is very different from the epidural. The feelings aren't really the same at all. I HATE the spinal block. I'm not saying you should get one vs not but there is no guarantee you'll have a quick labor without an epidural or a fast one with. You may actually have tolerable labor pains and be able to just roll with out one. 

magic_lentil

You are right - the not knowing makes it so hard to make a concrete plan!

krysnicole1022

I will say that from other friends who wanted an unmedicated birth; you really have to go in there with that mindset. If you just want to see how it goes that's great but if you decide you want to go unmedicated you really have to have an arsenal of tools to help you stay on track. A lot of the ladies here have mentioned laboring in the tub, hypnobirth tracks, birth affirmations, having something else to focus on. That kind of stuff.

shortstack930

Totally agree with @krysnicole1022. I was trying to go without an epidural for my first but I was at 2 cm for hours and not progressing and just in so much pain. I got the epidural and was 7 cm after an hour because my body was finally able to relax enough. Everyone's body is different so I think going in with an open mind is a great thing and having some coping tools for pain can really help.