STM/FT Natural - need encouragement!

babyalex124

So I've been experience some moderate pain and discomfort the past week (I'm 33w6d), and it has been getting me a little uneasy about the pains of true labor.  I had overlapping contractions with my first, and I remember them being so bad that I WANTED to pass out so I didn't have to feel them any more.  I did have an epidural.  

This time I do NOT want an epi, I have hired a doula, read up on natural births in a hospital, but I am getting nervous about my will power while in excruciating pain.  I hate that I am questioning my capabilities. 

Any words of wisdom?  Advice?  I know that these nerves are extremely counterproductive.

 

MidwestSeashell

You can do it!

I read tons of natural birth stories, watched tons of natural birth videos and talked to women who had natural births. The Ina May Gude to Childbirth stories are great.

Also, at one point during labor I felt like I was surrounded by a bunch of my female ancestors-grandmas, great grandmas and so on. It was super trippy, i felt like they were all standing around me helping me through it.

 You can do it!! 

bunnie712

I had double peak contractions.  I zoned out to the point that DH thought I was sleeping through transition.  I kept picturing a scene in my head (for some reason sheep on a hillside in New Zealand) and every time the pain got really bad, my vision would be like a TV screen going completely bright red and I would have to reimagine the sheep image.

It helps to know why you are having the pain, don't let fear feed the pain since you know what it is doing.  When you have a tummy pain for some other reason, it can be more painful just from not knowing where the pain is coming from, kwim?

I asked for the epi 3 times (I had a pain-med free hospital birth).  I had warned DH ahead of time that if he told me to wait 20 minutes and they would get it, that I would probably be able to fight through those 20 minutes and realize each time that I survived it.  This method worked beautifully for us.  Understand your personality and your triggers and that will help.

My birth instructor had told us that each time we threw up from pain or shook from the pain, that we were hitting some sort of transition point - losing the plug, dialiating substatially, or water breaking.  So even though you feel the worst at those moments, there's a reason for it.

Also, the most important thing I reminded myself was that I can do anything for a day.  It's just one day - you can handle it.

CallMeAl

For some reason, I really latched on to the phrase "pain with a purpose" and I would just chant it to myself over and over and over again either out loud or in my head. It really helped me to remember not to fight it, just to ride it out, and that I wasn't injured, dying, etc. 

It is only temporary, and I PROMISE you, the pain stops like a miracle the second that baby comes out.  

jo4janet

I am a STM and did not have an epi either time and I birthed in the hospital. You can totally do it!!! My advice is to stay at home and labor there for as long as possible. Then, go to the hospital. The less time you're in the hospital, the better your chances of having an epi free birth. Good luck!!!

MidwestSeashell

Another thing that helped in labor was to focus on my daughter and keep telling her was a good job she was doing and how much i loved her. I definitely screamed "I LOVE YOU!"  during more than one contraction. 

sschwege

I know it's hard not to compare your first labor to your second, but they might be completely different.  So try not to let your brain go back to the first one.  That was then, this is now, different day, different baby!  My second labor was much quicker and pushing, if you could even call it that was a breeze.  A lot of STMs report the same thing, so you already have that going for you.

You are already doing all the right things you have educated yourself and have a good support team in place.  Women have been doing this for thousands of years.  I know you can do it mama!   

lizztheo

I had multiple episodes of false labor and was so tired and defeated near the end of my pregnancy. When I was scheduled for an induction, I told my husband I would probably get the epi because I had planned on the perfect natural birth in the birth center. Fastforward to us going to the hospital for my NST the morning of my induction, I was admitted for possible labor and when they checked me I was 8 CM. Yes, 8 CM.  I was able to have my natural birth even though it didn't go as planned (I didn't get to go to the birth center, I was strapped to machines and an IV). I am so happy that I had the natural birth because it was so worth it. I firmly believe our bodies were made for this and we can do it!

MamaMuslima01

You have to be strong for the sake of you and your babies health. We as women are strong creatures with an unlimited amount of capabilities. Watch the movie Pregnant in America and I hope this will encourage you to be the strong woman we are all capable of being. when its all set and done.. you will have the right to say I DID IT, and you will be so proud of yourself, I promise!! Keep up the good work my friend!!

babyalex124

Thank you all for your encouragement!  I am going to stay at home as long as possible in hopes of avoiding any temptation of meds.  It's good to know that each delivery is different so I can put my last delivery aside and solely focus on this one.  I also like the mantra "pain with a purpose."  This will help me for sure.  I know our bodies are completely capable of natural childbirth and that a lot of it is about mindset.  I will be working on my mindset )