did you get the birth experience you wanted?

jenerally · April 2009

what did you want to be different?

what are you proud of?

funmaker · April 2009

no. i wanted a natural birth. my water broke and i didn't progress. 34 hours later, i got a fever and a c-section. i got everything i didn't want - pitocin, nubain, epi. i even got thrombo phlybitis and a rash from the damn hospital sheets.

Miss.Modular · April 2009

it was better than i expected (sans the barfing part), and certainly faster. i am not really 'proud' of anything. my body did was it was intended to, and i had an epidural. no medals for me thanks!

**edit: i really do think my experience would have been fine no matter WHAT happened, because i didnt set myself up for anthing specific. i had no birth plan or any expectations of what i wanted to happen.

TARAnj · April 2009

totally had an awesome experience. I kind of wish i felt something though. All I felt was pressure cause the epidoral was too high and they didn't have time to lower it fast enough.

cubsfan1 · April 2009

My water broke so I guess I sometimes wish I went into labor with contractions....but even then I am not sure I really care.

I am proud that I pushed her out in 25 minutes even though she was "sunny side up". Apparently that makes them harder to push out, and my dr. said I should be very proud of pushing her out so fast! So I listened to him!

All in all, I was so happy with my experience. Couldn't have asked for anything better. 20 hours of my life well worth it.

Better1/2 · April 2009

Well I had DD vaginally and DS was a c/s. I don't mind having the c/s but I hated the urgency of it and DS's h.r. dropping low.

I'm proud that I stayed sane during both labors and didn't go mental on anyone. Well...almost lost it w/ my MIL first labor...

Mando91 · April 2009

I wanted a natural vag birth. However, breech baby made that impossible with my doc.

I'm proud of how well I did during the whole surgery and recovery. I think I did really well controlling my breathing and keeping myself calm. And I refused help from DH getting in and out of bed b/c I knew I had to do it myself to heal.

ridesbuttons · April 2009

Yup, both times.

#1 laboured for 7ish hours, got an epidural, immediately started pushing (whoops!), my mom got to see her first grandchild being born. It was a great experience.

#2 laboured for a little over 2 hours, 3 pushes and my wonderful second son was born med-free -- I was hoping for that and am proud that I did it (though in reality I had no choice!)

If I was to do anything different, I'd have skipped the epi with #1, I pushed unproductively for at least an hour and got quite frustrated, but overall it was a very good experience with both.

CEO1197 · April 2009

Yes. I wanted an epi and pitocin free birth, but I caved and got the epi after laboring for 16 hours and then said WTH, gimme the pitocin. But I have no regrets.

I'm proud that I delivered my beautiful daughter!

AngieandTony · April 2009

we're both happy and healthy so thats what i wanted, but how we got there, mmm not so much. i think my dr rushed me with breaking my water and pitocin. i don't know if things would have gone differently if he hadn't done those........but you can't change the past so not worth dwelling over.

i just tell myself that max didn't want to rish any of his hair falling off while he was coming down the canal....lol

LuckyBride02 · April 2009

It was exactly as I wanted it to be, but that's only because my body cooperated - water broke, contractions started, dilated very quickly, delivered naturally without an epidural.

Next time I'd like to be in a birthing center instead of a hospital ...

sweetpea7628 · April 2009

Not exactly. I had hoped to go med free but ended up having back labor and didn't progress on my own. I had pitocin and opted for an Epi. I don't think I would have been able to do it without it.

eminbmore · April 2009

Hmm. I didn't really have any expectations. I wanted a vaginal birth, but in the back of my mind always thought I'd end up with a c/s - so I'm not surprised it went that way.

I'm really proud of myself for being as strong as I was through the induction. I held off for a while on the epi, and then after I got it I had them turn it off (I hated the way it made me feel). I think I handled the contractions really really well and was overall a good sport about the whole thing.

djdavis · April 2009

My goal was just to see what I could handle on my own. I wasnt opposed to an epi or pain management but I wanted to try to make it without if I could.

I am proud to say that I made it 8 hours on Pitocin before giving in to an epi.

From there on, my birth experience was a breeze.

I guess if I had known that I was going to labor for 14 hours after my water broke and that I would end up with an epi, I would have gotten the epi earlier and slept all day!!!!?

disbride061103 · April 2009

Nope. Not even close. DS turned breech at 39w 2d (in the doctor's office no less!). I had a c/s 2 days later. I regret that I never had the "I think it's time" moment. I never felt a single contraction. I will definitely try for a VBAC next time. With regards to my c/s, my doctor didn't hold DS up over the curtain for me to see (he was fine, so there was no reason not to) and I didn't get to see him until he was wrapped up.

Can't really say that there is anything I was "proud" of. I had a good c/s experience and was off my pain meds in a matter of days, but I wouldn't say any of my experience was something to be proud of or an accomplishment.

TheBabyBio · April 2009

Yup. It was perfect. Epidural. Induced, 2 1/2 hours of labor and pushed for about 10 minutes.

What did I want to be different? I hadn't planned on being induced, mostly because of the hysteria surrounding it (so many people saying how awful it makes labor, etc) but the reality of it wasn't bad at all. Now that I know that being induced isn't a guaranteed hard labor, possibly followed by a c-section, I would definitely do it again that way. It was a really great experience.

What am I proud of? I'm proud that I survived pregnancy and had a healthy baby.

megs042107 · April 2009

i could have done without the vomiting (7 times) and fever. ?i wasn't thrilled with the vacuum, but it beat having a c/s. ?

i'm proud that i pushed for 2 hours. ?it was exhausting, but exciting at the same time.?

Geekchick921 · April 2009

Hell to the no.

I didn't want to be induced. I'm ripshit that I was induced because the radiologist misdiagnosed me. I wish one of my own OBs had ordered the induction, as I think they would have approached it differently. I did NOT want a C-section.

I dunno. My kid is absolutely gorgeous, so I apparently have a fabulous ute for baby-growing.

cnu_gurl · April 2009

I had a great labor. I started having contractions a few days before I was to go in to be induced. I had an epi.. which I wanted (I am a weakling and knew I could not handle the pain). I ended up pushing for all of 15 min. It was great. I just hope that my next LO is as easy.

BrookeNicole09 · April 2009

I had a great birth experience. I was able to do it without drugs, like I wanted, and my recovery was awesome.

Ricky Bobby · April 2009

I pushed for 1.5 hours and then ended up with a C Section due to his dropping heart rate and my fever. I wish I didn't have a C but I am happy that Cole and me are healthy.

I'm proud that I was able to go with the flow that day because it ensured a safe delivery even though it was not what I had imagined.

sunnygyrl · April 2009

I was scared to death about the delivery of DD. I had nightmares that DD would be 10+lbs and I would have a huge tear and absolutely hate labor.

In the end, after a horrible pregnancy, delivery was a snap. DH and I were laughing and enjoying the entire moment when she came out. I couldn't have asked for a better delivery.

I am most proud of the fact that I made it to 7-8cm before getting the epi.

momquixote · April 2009

Yes and no.

It would have been nice to labor at home and have things happen more naturally (especially after all the time and $ spent on Bradley classes!) but really, even though I was in a hell of a lot of pain when that Pitocin got hard core, and I ended up getting an epidural for all of an hour, lol, my labor was really quick and Wes never suffered from any distress whatsoever. At the end of the day, what else do I need?

fxz109 · April 2009

No. I wound up needing pitocin and then having a C-section. DD came much earlier than i ever expected and we were unprepared mentally for our DD to show up at 37 weeks.

I would have wanted to have had active labor start on its own w/o the pitocin and to have delivered vaginally.

I'm proud that my daughter was born healthy and still is healthy. In the end, that's all that really matters.

Erin0806 · April 2009

Not so much. Because of the SB, I had a scheduled c/s. I was kinda sad I'd never have the whole going into labor experience. Well, my water broke 5 days early, so that made me kind of happy, actually. I still had a c/s, which I was terrified of, but ended up loving. I had amazing doctors and a really great experience with it.

jenerally · April 2009

With Gray, my answer is no, I didn't get the experience I wanted. So I was determined to do it different with Dash.

With Dash, I got my unmedicated birth ... but a whole host of things afterward that I wouldn't wish on anyone. So it's a trade off for me.

I'm proud that I birthed two beautiful boys.

sixres · April 2009

Everything was great! It couldn't have gone better (besides LO coming out purple and not breathing!). I wanted and had a med-free birth and to get to the hospital at least 4cm and I was 7.5cm!!! I got there at 8am and DS was born at 12:30pm. Totally exceeded my expectations!!

xokell2 · April 2009

As a nurse I was disapointed.

They started pitocin and never told me about it or anything. I knew my water broke and I was progressing too slowly. I owuld never go into a patients room and start a drug and keep on adjusting (read: increasing) the dose without explaining what I was doing

I was dispppointed my multiple attempts at an epidural didn't work, I never knew that was even an option. I felt EVERYTHING!!!

I'm disapointed they used the vacuum on him and didnt tell or ask me or my husband what they were doing even thought I would have agreed. He ended up ok but still.

I always thought having a too detailed birth plan was silly, they are going to need to do what you ultimately trust them to do, but in the end I wish I was more informed. I was happy he was healthy.

I did love that the doctor was there with me for all 14 hours in the hospital.

LittleEgypt · April 2009

I'm proud that I went into labor on my own, and labored without meds until I was fully dilated (8cm before I got into the birth center, 10cm before I got to the hospital and prepped for the c/s). I was bummed about DS turning breech and needing the c/s, and everything that entailed, but he was smashingly healthy, no complications.

trennad · April 2009

Yes. I didnt really have a plan of what i wanted just a happy healthy baby, My water broke on its own at home, contractions started 15 min later. Total of 3.5 of labor 45 min of that was pushing. It was easier then i thought.

JillStar · April 2009

I didn't really have a set idea of what I wanted -- I just wanted to have DD come out as healthy and happy as possible. Even though I had a completely normal and healthy pregnancy up until week 34, I felt like I would end up with a c/s from early on. In my 34th-35th week, I developed severe pre-eclampsia, ended up on hospital bed rest, and delivered a 4 days later. My doctors considered an induction, but because I had made no progress and my pre-e was progressing quickly, a c/s was in order. I was comfortable with it and have no regrets. I guess part of me was a little dissappointed I never got to go into labor (I love suprises and thought going into labor would have been one of life's biggests surprises!). But, I'm proud of how well I handled everything that happened between when I was admitted to the hospital for bedrest and when DD was born. It was a very sudden onset and very scary, but we all handled it well.

buckeyethor · April 2009

2 days of induction during my 31st week... ending up with a c-section and a baby in the NICU. umm yeah i would change everything except that i have a healthy baby and i am recovered. i am proud we survived all the drama!

FinallyMrsBMW · April 2009

Patience sure does pay off. I got the birth experience I wanted for the most part. I went into labor the night before my due date and had a "textbook" delivery as my doctor called it. The few things I would do differently include: taking more pictures/video and to try the tub while waiting for the epidural man. I am very proud of the fact of basically having her naturally as my epidural didn't work at all. I am also proud of how well I pushed.