Going Med Free Again?

Bradley's Rose

I have a bit of a confession... sometimes I think the reason I did it naturally last time was to see if I could do it.  Now I know I can do it and I'm having second thoughts about whether or not I want to do it all over again. I didn't have a terrible labor. I just don't know if I'm up for all that.  Is anyone else here? Does this make me terrible and weak?  I'm also newly pregnant and haven't ruled out the idea of my mind changing later on.

ruthymusney

I will tell you, I didn't go natural with my first and I would never do it like that again.  Your recovery is so much different and I honestly didn't feel like I accomplished anything with my first delivery.  IMO, in the end it's your choice. 

JLG95

I'm going to say something flame-worthy.

 You've done it once.  You know it's not that bad.  Obviously, you know you can do it again.  So it you do get drugs for this one, you lose your bad*ss mommy cred and we'll all think you're a wuss.  You don't want all of us hippies calling you a sissy, right?

How's that for peer pressure?

Bradley's Rose

JLG95:

I'm going to say something flame-worthy.

 You've done it once.  You know it's not that bad.  Obviously, you know you can do it again.  So it you do get drugs for this one, you lose your bad*ss mommy cred and we'll all think you're a wuss.  You don't want all of us hippies calling you a sissy, right?

How's that for peer pressure?

Well, now that you put it that way..

cecilyandgautam

It maybe be helpful to hear from your friends who had an epidural for their first and your friends who went natural. In my circle, it seems those whose memories of labor are defined by suffering are the ones who got the meds. Those who went natural generally seem to say - yes, it was hard but it was managable. When I hear that kind of feedback, it just confirms for me that natural is how I want to go but it's up to you. One of my friends was in labor for 30+ hours and got the epidural after the 24th hour and I sympathize with that decision. If I end up being in labor for that long, I may change my mind. Perhaps you have your own cutoffs that you want to think about - even if you generally prefer to go natural, under what conditions, if any, would you reconsider? It doesn't have to be an all-or-nothing decision right now. Besides, so much of this is unpreditable anyway.

julyjennifer

I would just say to remember that each labor is typically very different, even for the same person.   Your body has had one baby now, it may do the whole thing for you without it taking so much effort from you.  It's hard to know what to expect going into it even if you've done it before.

CocoBrynne

I'm pretty sure we are one and done's, but I have the same thoughts as you.  I went natural and while the first fews hrs weren't bad, the last 2 for me were BAD.  I think it is almost worse going into a second delivery bc you know what is coming whereas with the first one you kinda go in blind.  I don't think it makes you weak at all, it takes a pretty bad @$$ momma to go natural IMO and you've already done just that

Novas Mommy

I had a medication free birth with my daughter and will TOTALLY be doing the same way with this one.

I was however begging for an epidural at one point because the pain was so intense. At that point, it was too late but im glad it happened that way.

I remember the moment she was out, i had already forgotten about the pain.

skyejo

I sort of feel the same.  I went med-free because I thougt it was best for baby, because I wanted to prove to myself that I could do it, and because I'm a crazy hippy wannabe who doesn't like drugs

I had a very hard labor and am terrified for the next time I give birth but I'm sure that I'll go natural again.  I wasn't scared of labor at all when I had LO because I didn't know what would happen.  Ignorance is bliss!

Bradley's Rose

skyejo:

 Ignorance is bliss!

My thoughts exactly. It seems like, already, it was easier to make my decision last time, before I knew what to expect, now I know it sucks and I'm really having to talk myself into it.  I'm having to reconvince myself it's better, that I'll feel awesome afterwards, that labor is manageable... etc.

ETA: Just like I wanted to see what it was like to do it naturally, to actually feel the whole experiene, I would also like to know what it is like to have an epidural.  Just for the science of it you know?