Natural Birth
Young and Natural
I just turned 20 in March, I had my homebirth at 19, and I was clueless about birth and what would happen....luckily I had a smart mother (CNM) and a strong minded father, who insisted there wasn't really another "way" 
Who or what helped you decide?? Or was it even a decision??
P.S. Im also curious about us "younger" moms...are there more like me?? Sometimes I feel veeeerrry alone at this age in how I go about these things...
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Re: Young and Natural
Yay another young mom! I just turned 22 in Feb. and I felt like such a child on this site! I'm currently pregnant with my first, but I'm still planning on having him in a hospital, just because I'm not entirely sure of what to expect. Although, if all goes well with this LO, I'll most likely look into doing a homebirth with my next.
What helped me decide was when I was going over all the things on the birth plan they have on here and putting research into the different medicines that doctors use to help progress labor. It really made me think that it wasn't the way to go for me. So, now I'm trying for a totally med-free birth. I'm really lucky too, because DH and my mom have both been incredibly supportive of me.
My good friend is a Bradley instructor who had her first Bradley baby at 21.
I'm personally a good decade beyond that though
I turned 20 in Nov. and this is my first, but the reason why i have choosen to go natural instead of getting meds is my mom and both older sisters have given birth naturally to all their kids. And that just makes me want to try b/c if they can do it so can i.
I'm turning 24 in July, I'm almost 34 weeks with my second child. I married a month almost to the day after turning 19, and gave birth just under 6 weeks after our first wedding anniversary; in a maternity center with no drugs.
Why? Because most of the moms I knew had given birth at home. I only knew a few who had given birth at a hospital, and most of them it was because of complications and the mid-wife said it was time to go to the hospital. I grew up around a home birth midwife and it saw it as the natural way to go. I never even considered a hospital. I would have preferred a home birth but my husband had never heard of them and was too nervous so I compromised and went to a great maternity center. This one will be born at the same maternity center because of insurance issues, however we plan a home birth with our next child.
So married Aug 4, 2006 and barely 19.
Gave birth naturally to first born Sept 14, 2007, Gabriel now 3 1/2, at 20.
Due to give birth naturally May 15, 2011 with second child, gender unknown, at 23.
I'm 21 but I don't really think it has an effect on going natural. Lots of girls my age have epi's and c-sections.
I'm getting pretty terrified actually, because I don't deal with pain well at all. I had a kidney stone this pregnancy and definitely didn't deal with that naturally, it was horrible.. so I hope I can deal with labor a bit better than that.
I'm 20, will be 21 when this baby arrives. I've chosen to go natural for many of the same reasons that other women choose natural birth. I've read up for hours on it (even before getting pregnant) and I've decided it is the healthiest option for me and the baby. Another major decision factor for me is that C-sections are much less likely with natural birth, and that is very important to me.
I've decided to birth in a birth center because I want to have more options for a natural birth--birthing tub, stool, etc. I just don't want to fight the hospital red tape when it comes to natural birth and having the sort of birth I want. Plus, I feel that if the nurses were all pushing the epidural, I wouldn't be strong enough to refuse it. Having it not even there as an option will be best for me and the way I work.
Breastfeeding and pregnant!
Good for you! I wanted to have a natural birth with my son, but I had no idea how to prepare myself or anything, so I didn't get the birth I'd originally envisioned. I was 24 when he was born. This time around I feel much better prepared. One of the main factors to my determination was how absolutely miserable the entire process of having the epidural was, including being in transition for 8 hours (plus 2 1/2 hours pushing, ending in forceps delivery) and a postpartum hemorrhage due to uterine atonia as a result of contracting so hard for so long. My mom was not really an inspiration at all, she had an epidural with me and then 2 c/s later; she was not really an advocate for going natural. I think another inspiration came from a friend of mine in graduate school, who had 2 100% natural births with a midwife; I realized that I could do that if I wanted (but didn't really prepare myself at all with my son).
Anyway, congratulations on your birth!
I'm 23 and 33 weeks pregnant with baby boy #3. I had my first in a hospital when I was 20 and wanted to go natural because of the research I had done, but I wasn't prepared for it. I took a Lamaze/Childbirth prep class through my hospital and when it came down to it, it wasn't enough. I went away from my typical hospital experience (IV, pitocin, epidural) feeling like one more chunk of livestock they were herding through. I had my 2nd 18 months later in a birthing suite with a midwife. I took a hypnobirthing class which I felt was perfect for me. I knew was looking for something, and when I read the hypnobirthing book, I felt like I found it! I had a beautiful natural birth. Afterward, I just wanted to go home and have all of my familiar comforts. So this time (16 months later) I am planning my first homebirth. Throughout this pregnancy as I have been planning and preparing for this birth, I have felt SO good about our decision to birth at home. It feels so right for us.
I am in an area with a lot of mom's my age but we are moving shortly after this baby is born. I am starting to get a little nervous about it. To me, I'm just a mom. I don't think about my age. But I can foresee having a hard time making friends with people in the same stage of life that I am, if they feel like I am too young to relate to. Maybe I will just tell everyone I'm 30.
I am 22 and DH and I are expecting our first LO at the end of June or beginning of July.
Most people think I am crazy for my ideas when it comes to pregnancy. No one my age understands how my husband and I have chosen not to find out the gender, or how we haven't picked out any names(we have a few on the go...but we aren't sharing!), and how I could possibly think about having a child without an epidural (gasp!!!)
I first realized I wanted to natural birth when I was introduced to water birthing when I was in high school. You watch all these shows on television about how women have epidurals like they are candy, or hear statistics c-section rates and to me it is just frightening.
I definintely expect some discouraging words, but I have told my family and friends that they aren't to talk about it with me unless they are going to be encouraging and supportive of my decision for a natural birth!