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3rd Trimester
Can I do it...without an epi?!
I really want to try but everyone says I'm the biggest wimp they know and there's no way I can do it. I mean, they're right. I'm a huge wimp and don't have much of a pain tolerance at all. However, when I had my ectopic pregnancy I went for a week and half on and off with the most severe pain ever...I'm pretty sure. I was doubled over, throwing up, bawling my eyes out. I couldn't walk and had to wheeled out of the hospital after a visit (you'd think they would have found this alarming and realized what was happening...that's another story though). I figure if I can go through that severe of pain without a happy ending, I can go through the joy of bringing my baby into this world.
I asked my MW yesterday at my appointment what she suggested for pain management since I really want to try to do it without an epidural. She said stay at home as long as possible because just being at the hospital can cause more stress and make it seem more painful that it really is, hydrotherepy (which sounds pretty good right now!), and then a couple other narcotics that might make me sleepy. I can't remember what they were called but she said it's kind of like a morphine drop only a little stronger. Anyway!
What methods do you ladies plan on using, if you don't get an epi?
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Re: Can I do it...without an epi?!
Of Course you can... we were made to do this!! But tell your doctor you want to try to do it with out, and if you have time and want it... you want to keep that option open.
Im planning on getting the epi... but that is just me. I have not desire to do it naturally.
I agree with waiting as long as possible to go to the hospital...being at home means no meds.
Make sure you have good support (hubby, doula) who will be there to encourage you when the pain is at it's worst - and who will work with you to help your labor progress.
We plan on using a jacuzzi, (water is a natural epi), massage, and changing positions (not being on my back) among other things.
Do some research about the effects of epis, etc. and GL!
I plan on going without an epi, and my midwife said the same thing. Stay home as long as possible.
And walk. Walk walk walk walk walk. I've heard good things about birthing balls and all that, but my momma did it without an epi, and without a ball, or a hydrotherapy tub, or any fancy stuff. If she can do it, I can.
I think. Right? It's so hard to maintain confidence when people say stupid stuff instead of being supportive.
This is what I'm doing. My co-irker had commented that she doesn't think I'll be able to make it without an epi, considering how much I complain about being uncomfortable at work. This pissed me off b/c usually it has to do with not feeling well, like feeling sick (though I've only missed 3 sick days in the last 2 years). I think I have pretty decent pain tolerance, and now I'm even more motivated to prove her asss wrong.
I have a midwive and im going for all natural water birth. my mom,my aunts,everyone i knew growing up had natural births and i just always knew if i had a baby i would go natural. btw, they say that the water is nature's epidural,we'll see.... If i need to have some kind of medical intervention then by all means i will but im tough and i know i can do it. Dont psych yourself out or let other people. My MIL is appalled that i wanna do natural. I waited so long for this experience and it may sound crazy i want to fully experience the pain too. I dont want to be drugged up or not able to move or whatever, and i want my baby as alert as she can be too! you can do it,of course you can
I think it's just like anything in life, if you put your mind to it you can handle it. My plan is to keep telling myself that the it's in only temporary and the pain from the contractions and birth aren't going to do any long term damage. I think in the heat of the moment it's easy to think that so much pain is going to be the end all. (that all sounded much better in my head)
I've had it with all the negativity I hear when people ask if I'm getting an epi. First, it's none of your business and I think it's rude to ask, second if I tell you I'm going to try NOT to get it don't give me a disgusted look and tell me there's no way I'll be able to go without it. My mom had 4 children natural and the epi has only been around for 80ish (?) years, so it's a relatively new procedure in terms of how long women have been giving birth.
I wish more people would be supportive, but like PP said I hope to turn their comments into energy to help me get thru it all.
Good luck to you!
I'm SO SORRY for your lack of support. People should NOT be telling you that you cannot do it.
I have a very low threshold for pain. Incredibly low! I had epidurals with my first two deliveries. This last delivery I DID IT WITHOUT an epidural! It was hard but I just focused on one contraction at a time. For me labor flew by. It felt like an hour but it wasn't because I was just in this zone.
I got in the tub and I liked that except the tub was too small! The rooms with the big whirlpools were taken when I arrived. That was the only thing I was bummed about. That is what is considered hydrotherapy.
Walking and sitting actually make contractions more tolerable and more effective and it also speeds up labor. So stay moving as much as you can! Has your MW recommended drinking raspberry leaf tea to help your uterus prepare for labor? I seriously think it made a difference for me! I drank it the last month of my pregnancy.
Give birth in a position other than on your back or semi-sitting. I gave birth in a side-lying position but ideally I wanted to push in a squat or hands-and-knees. Try multiple things until it feels right for you. Listen to your body. If you tell the MW, "I need to get up!" then they need to help you get up.
And finally I pushed on my own. No one told me when to push, no one told me how and no one counted in my face. I just PUSHED when I felt the urge. I got her out in less than a minute because of that ring of fire. I knew once she was out the pain would subside! No tearing (I tore with my other two).
Okay this was long. I just want to encourage you to do as much research as possible and know that YOU CAN DO IT! Many women can and do. I was so scared beforehand and kept thinking I'm going to break down. My MW actually refused to give me the epidural (I did start begging for it) and instead had me try other things. Put in your birth plan that you do not want an epidural whatsoever, even if you ask for one, and have them help you stick with it!
GOOD LUCK! You can do it!
YES YOU CAN!
A friend of mine told me that her midwife talked about the 'epidural moment' that women who plan to go without often have. It is that point that you think you can't take it any more. If you can get past that moment (it'll last longer than a moment, trust me) you are probably almost there.
The feeling of pride and accomplishment is fantastic once it is all over. Pushing is a relief and very satisfying. The euphoric feeling once your baby is born is amazing.
Don't get me wrong, the pain is excrutiating, but the relief and recovery is great.
But, don't beat yourself up if you decide to use the epi either.
I plan to use position changes, massage, breathing, music, and water to help me cope with the pressure of contractions. I plan to stay at home as long as possible before going to the hospital. And my husband and I took a class to learn and practice coping techniques and he knows that my goal is an unmedicated birth so he will not try to convince me to get an epi
At the end of the day I can't predict how things will go, but I do feel like if you go into it with the mindset that you do not plan to use meds you have a better chance of achieving that.
I am a runner, knitter, scientist, DE-IVF veteran, and stage III colon cancer survivor.
I want to add something after reading other comments. When I say I took them one contraction at a time I mean that literally. I did not think about "When is the next one coming?" Don't look at the clock and wonder how much longer.
When a contraction comes, take a deep breath. Do not hold your breath! That was what I kept thinking in my head as well. Your natural instinct is to hold your breath when in pain and it makes the pain worse. So tell your SO to tell you to remember to breathe if they see you holding your breath. After the contraction is over take another deep cleansing breath. Try to keep your body RELAXED during a contraction as well since tensing up can make them worse.
The biggest thing was getting my DH on board. I needed him to carry me through labor. Since I was not on monitors he had to watch me carefully to know when a contraction was coming based on my facial expressions. Then he'd take my hand, remind me to breathe and tell me how proud he was of me.
The high I had after I gave birth was euphoric. When DH kept boasting about how well I did and how proud he was it meant the world to me! That isn't WHY I did it but the ego boost was amazing, especially after all the hormonal issues with pregnancy. I really felt he didn't think I could do it and so proving him wrong and seeing how much in AWE he was of me was indescribable.
I am also reading a book on hypnobirthing... I started this pregnancy confident that an epi was the way to go, but as it's progressed I've starated to wonder. The book I'm reading on hypnobirthing as really helped me to realize that this is something my body was made to do and that although it might not be fun the whole time, it doesn't have to be this fearful tramatic event either. I told my husband that I had decided to try and go natural and he was sceptical at first. I am tough but he was worried I would end up panicked and stress the baby. After we talked about it, he is behind me in my decision. He knows that I might change my mind, but that I really want to try this for myself and our baby.
You can totally do it! I had people say the same negative crap to me but I pushed myself and had the natural birth I wanted. It was SO hard. And I definitely have a low pain tolerance but I did it. Some things that helped:
-having a strong supporter there (in my case my DH & midwife) to remind me of my goals and motivate me and encourage me
-water. I honestly don't know if I personally coudl have done it without the shower & tub. I had such bad back labor and teh water helped so much
-i didn't exactly have an OPTION of drugs because I was at a birth center. Is that available to you at all? Maybe you could put in your birth plan you do not under any circumstances want drugs offered to you because trust me, you'll probably ask for them. I know I did!
-a picture of your babies ultrasound- this helps to focus on why you're doing it- think not about the pain but the risks of the drugs and it can help you stay motivated to go without
Good luck
My birth story is in my blog if you're interested- it was the hardest thing I've ever done and probably will ever do but it was worth it and I can honsetly say I'm excited to do it again for number two!
Loss #6 2014 Loss #7 (chemical) 2014
~DS Born! 2009~
~DD Born! 2013~
All I wanted to add was just to keep an open mind. I know girls that were all gung-ho about a natural birth and ended up with an epi less than an hour after their contractions started. I also know women that never knew how strong they could be until they were in labor.
Keep an open mind for either option, and best of luck to you!