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Natural Birth
You be a hero if you want to
"You be a hero if you want to, but I say epi all the way". Why do ppl have to be so effin unsupportive?
All I've heard the past 2 wks (my best friend and I were pregnant together, her LO came a month early, my due date is 2 days away) is how stupid I am and that there is no way I can do it without an epi?!
To top it all of I have another doc apt this coming Tues (the want to discuss inducing me). I was told the longest they'll let me go before inducing me is 10 days past my due date. Is a natural birth still possible if induced? I have been planning a natural birth since I found out I was pregnant and now that I'm so close the ppl who should be the most supportive are the least and it's making me only want to prove them wrong and I feel this isn't the reason I should be striving for a natural delivery.
Feeling very discouraged...
This discussion has been closed.
Re: You be a hero if you want to
I would tell your friend to keep her opinions to herself. Thank you very much.
And I would refuse to let the doc induce me without a damn good medical reason. You don't HAVE to be induced. All you have to do is tell them no.
People have unmedicated births after being induced, but from what I've heard (and I've been on here a looooong time) it's much more difficult. Intervention begets intervention, there is an extremely high c-section rate after an induction. Also, pitocin contractions are much longer and stronger than "normal" contractions, which can make even the most opinionated natural birth gals beg for an epidural.
I'm reading an awesome book, "Pushed" by Jennifer Block. They talk a lot about inductions and the outcomes/side effects.
Good luck!
My favorite line was "it's not like you get a medal for going natural." Oh, that's right because that's the reason I wanted to do it!
As for your dr., just stand your ground. You can agree to schedule your induction for 10 days after and if by 8/9 days it looks like it's not going to happen you could call and try to delay it a few more because xxx reason. Good luck. I don't understnad why more doctors can't be more supportive.
Oh yeah, thats one of the common ones... I think it's hilarious that people think I would choose to go through it just to get recognition! Seriously??
I have said something like "It has absolutely NOTHING to do with being courageous or being a hero. I chose this because I believe it's the best for my baby and myself" Or turn it back on them and ask "Do you really believe I would choose this just to get a medal/recognition? I don't think you really mean that, do you?."
I plan on 1) not sharing my birth choices unless someone asks and even then, I will try to be discreet with people I know will just be negative and just do not understand the concept. 2) When I get a negative Nancy response, I will just smile and thank them for their support and change the subject.
You got this, girl!
And what about those of us who really can't use many of the interventions offered? I know that I reacted very badly to the epi with my son (shaking so hard they had to strap me down during the c-section, unable to speak, slow delay in regaining movement). I don't want that again, plus my chances of sucessful VBAC depend on me being able to move about as much as possible.
People just don't see the whole picture when they make comments like that.
I don't post much here, but I agree that you should stand your ground. Depending on how confrontational you are, you could just say, "Yeah, but I want to try and go natural first and see how things go."
Also, I would get a second opinion on the induction. I had to be induced due to slow growth. The stats that they quoted me were that in 70-80% of the cases like mine where women waited until FT, their babies were compromised or still born. Those were not odds I was willing to bet on.
FWIW, they tried to induce with pitocin, but ended up breaking my water after I maxed out on the pitocin twice(8:30am). DD was born without further medical assistance at 2:47PM. (I had no epi, no tearing, no forceps, vacuum or pain meds). Guess that hypnobabies class really helped.
I'd like to think my reaction to that would be, "why thank you! I'm having my cape and mask custom made on Etsy"...perhaps something similar for the people so enthralled with medals. Or perhaps, "Oh, but my Bradley teacher DOES hand out medals. They're great incentives! Who doesn't want an extra medal to add to the trophy room?"
No advice on the friend, but I do have advice on the induction.
ACOG recommendations on inductions say not without reason before 42 weeks. Being past your due date less than 2 weeks is not a medical reason. https://www.acog.org/publications/patient_education/bp154.cfm bring that to your next appointment and ask why the doc goes against ACOG guidelines.
And you can refuse the induction. I refused to be induced with my first until 42 weeks. Induction was actually scheduled for 41w6d since 42 weeks fell on a Satuday and god forbid the doc have to work on a Saturday. They said "Let's schedule your induction!" at my 40 week appt. I said "Sure, I will schedule it for 42 weeks." They rolled their eyes and scheduled it then. DD1 was born two days before her induction date at 41w4d with no drugs. They can't make you do anything.
I was ready to fight the good fight too with statistics and ACOG guidelines and was prepared for my doc to drop me as a patient if it came down to that. I'd rather end up having to go into the ER with no doctor than to be induced when my baby wasn't ready. The doc is only there for like 5 minutes of the birth so I'm not sure it would have been all the much different if I didn't have a doc you know?
Good Luck!
Oh and when I was "overdue" I took a lot of comfort in statistics showing most babies did come before 42 weeks. Here, this might help and might help in your fight to avoid induction. https://www.transitiontoparenthood.com/ttp/birthed/duedatespaper.htm
https://answers.google.com/answers/threadview/id/233200.html
Thank you for sending these websites!