Med-free birth mama here...any questions?

middlemarch26 · November 2009

Hey, everyone. DD was born a week ago today. She is nursing now and DS is napping, so I thought I'd offer to talk about my natural childbirth if anyone has any questions. I had an absolutely awesome experience. This was baby #2, born in the hospital, we prepared but didn't use any "method."

aliciamariel · November 2009

What got you through it when the pain got bad?

ibis · November 2009

I want to do the same thing basically... having a doula is our only "method."

What was your best technique for dealing with contractions? Mentally, physically, whatever it was....

emmyloustu · November 2009

Thanks for making yourself available!

How long was your labor?

What coping mechanisms worked the best for you? (massage, breathing, positions etc...)

Was there any point that you considered getting meds? How did you work through that stage?

What is your best advice for the medfree mamas to be?

MrsStu · November 2009

Did you use a doula? Did you use a midwife or an OB? Was the hospital staff supportive of your decisions?

Hopefull11 · November 2009

Did you ever get to a point when you weren't sure you were going to be able make it?? And if so what did you do to get through that?

cinderellabella · November 2009

What positions did you find most helpful to labor in? How long was your labor, and how long were you in transition? What position did you push in? Did you practice a learned breathing method, or did you adapt one of your own?

TIA!

madeleines_mommy · November 2009

Did you have to be cut or did you tear? I want to go natural but am sooo freaked out about having this done w the sensations..

I had to be cut w/ DD but of course couldn't feel it w/ the epi

Izzypop · November 2009

I'd love a brief description of how you did it...what techniques you used...?

NotEve · November 2009

How did you decide when to go to the hospital? How far apart were your contractions when you left for the hospital and how dilated were you when you arrived?

middlemarch26 · November 2009

I started out laboring at home in the bathtub when the first strong contractions hit. That was good because I was able to relax and "learn" what worked while the bath while I was relaxed. I labored in the tub for about 4 hours and really was able to practice getting them under control. Later, when I would have strong contractions, I was able to close my eyes and think "just like in the bathtub." All I did was close my eyes and breathe deeply. I could feel the nerves or fear or whatever rising up in my chest, and I just breathed it back down, if that makes sense. I just tried to stay in control and relaxed.

DH was AMAZED because I never really cried out or moaned or anything. Each time I had a contraction, he said I just looked totally calm like I went to some other place. (I was just concentrating on staying relaxed.)

The most amazing thing was the hormones. I guess if you stay relaxed, your body is able to release endorphins that block the pain. I didn't realize how powerful that could be. Each "stronger" round of contractions, I would feel at first, but then I kept breathing and my body made even more endorphins. When I checked into the hospital at 8cm, the nurses were amazed when they hooked me to the monitor that I was only feeling about half the contractions (the stronger ones). Many they thought I should be feeling I didn't feel at all, because basically I was drugged on my body's own morphine.

The beginning of transition was the most intense, but I kept my eyes closed and kept thinking about how my body was making more and more painkillers. DH was scared at that point because he said I just looked totally glassed over and "out of it." Like I was totally drugged, and I was, from the hormones. I would never have believed it had I not experienced it. I'm not saying I didn't feel any pain, but I would call it more "intense" than "painful."

middlemarch26 · November 2009

emmyloustu:

Thanks for making yourself available!

How long was your labor? Real labor started at 2am. Contractions got 2-3 minutes apart, but then spaced back out to 10 minutes apart (I thought). We actually called the dr. and went to his office to have him check me, and I was 8cm. He had me go to the hospital and came and broke my water at noon. (With DS my water never broke either, so I was happy to have them break it.) DD was born 4 hours later.

What coping mechanisms worked the best for you? (massage, breathing, positions etc...)

Was there any point that you considered getting meds? How did you work through that stage? I had an epi with DS and I hated it, so that really motivated me NOT to have one with DD. I had run down a list of things for DH to tell me if I started asking for meds, reminding me of all the reasons I didn't really want them. I could tell DD was sunny-side up, so I wanted to be mobile during pushing to avoid complications if possible, so that motivated me too. During the start of transistion, I was thinking, "What am I doing? I should just get the drugs" but by then it was probably too late. I don't think I would really have gotten them anyway.

What is your best advice for the medfree mamas to be? Labor at home as long as possible!! I've done both and laboring at home was sooo much better than being monitored every 20 minutes or whatever the hospital requires. Also, make sure you have an understanding coach. Since this was my second baby, I knew what I would need during labor and was able to prepare DH myself. But for my first labor, I think having a doula would have helped me avoid the epi I had with DS.

middlemarch26 · November 2009

MrsStu:
Did you use a doula? Did you use a midwife or an OB? Was the hospital staff supportive of your decisions?

No doula, but my DH was very prepared (this was our second baby). My doctor was actually a D.O. (family practice doctor) who is very supportive of natural childbirth. That was part of the reason I picked him. The nurses were pretty open to my wishes, although it helped that I was already 8cm when I got there and that they knew my doctor was supportive.

asmo0401 · November 2009

What ou position(s) did you labor in? Did you push lying on your back or in an alternative position?

ericaraec · November 2009

Awesome! Thanks for posting and sharing and congrats on your beautiful baby girl!

middlemarch26 · November 2009

cinderellabella:

What positions did you find most helpful to labor in? How long was your labor, and how long were you in transition? What position did you push in? Did you practice a learned breathing method, or did you adapt one of your own?

TIA!

Early labor in the bathtub. At the hospital, the only thing I could stand was sitting up on the bed, perfectly still. I tried to get up and move around, and that was the only time I looked like a typical laboring woman in pain. As soon as I got back up on the bed and got back to my closing my eyes/breathing, I did fine. I sort of made up my own deep breathing technique early on (see above). I was "in transistion" meaning 7+ cm for probably about 10 hours (my water wouldn't break, it's exactly what happened with DS). But "real" transistion (meaning I was zoned out in labor-land and not aware of anything else) lasted about 1-2 hours.

I used the squat bar on the bed at the hospital and loved it. Pushing only took about 1 minute. The doctor didn't even make it and the nurses caught the baby.

middlemarch26 · November 2009

madeleines_mommy:

Did you have to be cut or did you tear? I want to go natural but am sooo freaked out about having this done w the sensations..

I had to be cut w/ DD but of course couldn't feel it w/ the epi

I had a tiny tear that didn't even need stiches, and I didn't even feel it. I had a second degree episiotomy with baby #1. I think being med-free and squatting to push helped me avoid tearing/being cut.

ibis · November 2009

Wow, that's great... very encouraging story.

Did you go natural for your first baby too?

Leap08 · November 2009

Great story! Thanks for sharing. I think you kind of figured out hypnobirthing on your own. What we talked about in class sounds a lot like what you ended up doing. I really hope to have a similar birth experience. Congrats!

kristin7701 · November 2009

What an amazing story! Thanks for the description of how you found it within yourself to deal with the contractions. I remember feeling that way as I entered active labor with DS but then it all went downhill with the pitocin. You have given me faith that maybe I can just do this on my own this time around!

Rebedall1 · November 2009

So inspiring. Thank you for posting! I am hoping to go med free as well. We hired a doula who I really like so far and DH is really supportive. We are still finding our way with the doc and I may switch if I am not convinced he/she is supportive of my plan. Time will tell. Again-thanks so much! Congrats on a beautiful baby!

beckerella · November 2009

Thanks for sharing!

sarajo317 · November 2009

You have inspired me! Thank you!!

Want a personalized experience?

Med-free birth mama here...any questions?

Re: Med-free birth mama here...any questions?

Choose Another Board

Search Boards