Did you want to go med-free but didn't?

ladysingstheblues · February 2010

Do you think you will try again with your next birth?

I really wanted to, but I just had no idea. I felt like I was going to vomit and then die. I remember saying immediately after it was over that I am just going to get the epi earlier with the next one. But now I (stupidly) feel like I could have held out longer and I'm definitely gonna try to go med-free next time.

WTH is wrong with me?

Suzy12345 · February 2010

Yes ma'am to all of this. My labor (from when they started the pitocen) was only 3.5 hours long. And that was 1/2 cm dialated to snuggling baby on belly. It was horrible. I couldn't even talk to snark at my husband or do those horrible things that you hear women in labor do. I hurt too much so I was just kinda moaning and cursing. Like a long drawn out "fuuuuuuuuuucccccccccckkkkkkk" moan.

Now I think I was just in transition. And that if I had just known that I would have been fine.

Soap1 · February 2010

haha. That's kind of my situation. I wanted to go med-free. I got induced, and I was actually doing fine until the cord got wrapped around DS's neck and I had to lie still on my right side hooked up to a trillion monitors and not move.

I got the epi, and about 3 seconds after I pushed him out, I thought "You know, I could have totally held out longer."

I'm definitely trying to go natural again on the next one, but I'm going into it knowing that sh*t happens and it's okay if I take the epi.

mrgn · February 2010

I am the opposite. I got an epi, and I wish I got one earlier. I was in labor (mostly at home) for 28 hours before I got to the hospital, 31 before I got an epi. After 31 hours, I got there, had my epi, they broke my water 20 minutes later, and I pushed that kid out a half an hour later. I feel like if I had gotten to the hospital a bit earlier, got the epi and my water broken earlier, I wouldn't have been in labor so long.

suprchicy · February 2010

I made it med-free for 24 hours. I was stuck at 9 cm for the last 10 of those hours. I finally had to give in and get an epi, and they pushed a boatload of pitocin to get me to 10. I was screwed from the start though, DD was transverse and I have a bicornuate uterus that couldn't push her hard enough to get her down. I'll have a repeat c-section next time as even though I'm a VBAC candidate, my uterus would probably screw me over and I'd have to get a c-section anyway.

fionacaitlin · February 2010

all I wanted was an epidural & had to go med-free because it happened so fast!!! & now next time I will def. do med-free- felt great afterwards! although i rally thought i might of been dying, & I was puking too - no fun but well worth it!

jen-and-ryon · February 2010

Yup, I planned on going me-free. I was induced for high blood pressure and being over do. For all the pain I was in I lasted a while without the Epi, but then I just couldnt take it. Just about everything I didn't want to happen, happened. At least I have a healthy happy baby. Maybe if there is a next time it'll go smoother!

teeah22 · February 2010

I wanted to go med-free but it didn't happen. If I hadn't been induced maybe I could have done it, but I was stuck in the bed when all I wanted to do was move around.

Although now that I've had an epi, I wouldn't dream of trying to do it naturally next time. The epi was fantastic. Seriously. I wanted to kiss my anesthesiologist.

Cullum13 · February 2010

I really wanted to go med free but I let them give me staydol when the pitocin made the contractions really strong. I was still planning to not get the epi. Then the ob broke my water and told us that I was already progressing so fast that I had about 1 hour to decide. I was feeling really loopy or I wouldn't even have let them break my water. I was progressing fine. The entire labor only lasted 6 1/2 hours. But in my altered state of mind I paniced and asked for the epi. I think if I hadn't had the stadol, I could have talked myself through transition. I was at a 7-8 when I got the epi. I will definitely try again next time.

butterfly1979 · February 2010

I had hoped to go med free, but I also didn't convince myself that there was no way I would use them. I ended up being induced due to high blood pressure and the Pitocin kicked my butt. I went through the majority of labor with no meds, but even though I was on the lowest dose of Pit I was contracting for 30 seconds with about a minute in between. It was really intense and I made it to 8 cm and then had to give in and get the epi. Best.Decision.Ever.

ETA: If I am not induced with the next baby, I would like to try med free again.

JillBMama · February 2010

I planned on a med free home birth and ended up at the hospital after laboring at home for 60 hours. They stuck me with pitocin and an epi as soon as I walked through the door. I had stalled out and don't know how the hell I would have done it without the meds. That being said, I'm still considering a home birth next time, so long as there is a hospital nearby Wink

ked77 · February 2010

I planned on med-free and ended up with a scheduled c-section, never even experienced a single contraction & pumped full of all sorts of drugs. I am definitely trying for med-free VBAC on the next one though.

ENev · February 2010

I wanted to go med-free because I just hated the idea of an epidural and maybe having to get Pitocin and having a greater chance of having a c-section because things might get slowed down ...

But I only made it like 5 1/2 hours - 3 1/2 hours after my water broke. Holy crap, the pain was just horrendous! I was glad I got the epi. I didn't need Pitocin, he still came pretty fast, and by the time it was time to push, I could feel almost everything and could push like a champ.

CollieJade · February 2010

Planned to go med-free, and made it almost all the way, too. While I was pushing, the doc determined I'd had a placental abruption and was losing so much blood that DD had to be delivered via emergency c/s. I'm told what happened to me is VERY rare, so as long as the doc says I'm a good VBAC candidate, I will go med free again next time. Everything up until the horrifying final moments (when there was concern for both our lives) was great! Labor/transition wasn't nearly the horrendously painful experience I expected it to be.

dottymobo · February 2010

That's me. I ended up being induced at 41w 4d after failing an NST and the bio-physical. I got an epi after 8 hours of pit and 8cm.

If I could go back, I'd probably try breaking the water first to keep me off of the IV/pit as long as possible. I wish I had gone with breaking the water before the epi and seeing if that would get me to pushing quickly, but I was done at that point. I had been in the hospital for 17 hours and hadn't been able to talk because of the pain for about 4, and had tried everything in my bag of tricks to no avail at all, and I was shaking so badly that the anesthesiologist asked if i was ok. I had about 30 minutes of relief, but despite me pushing the button, it gradually got back to a pre-epi level of pain, just with floppy legs. Pushing was SO much better, though, so I wish I could have made to there epi-free. I also blame the epi and limited pushing positions in part for my bad tearing both ways (I asked how many stitches, and the MW said, "it's pretty much one big stitch" Indifferent ).The itching sucked, being stuck in bed sucked, and not being able to walk right away sucked.

Hopefully no induction and remembering how much better pushing was will help me make it next time.

Mee83shell · February 2010

I planned to go med free...labored at home for 12 hours, go tot he hospital and was contracting every 3-5min and 3-4cm dilated. At 7am they broke my water, at 8am they started the pit (labor stalled) and by 10:15 I had my epidural. The pit kicked my ass. I was 5cm when I got the epi and delivered 2 hours later :-) I even got to keep my epi on to push because I pushed like a champ even though I couldn't feel anything :-)

I think next time I will try a little longer--as long as I don't have the pit. If I have to have pit again, I'm signing the form immediately when I walk in the door :-)

DanielsWife · February 2010

I was induced and was pain med free - except for 2 tylenol for blood pressure headache - for 28 hours. The last 2 hours sucked b/c I was having long contractions that weren't going anywhere and I ended up with a C-section.

I wanted a natural birth so badly. But, next time I'm having a scheduled C.

userdeleted · February 2010

I was interested in going med-free but was pretty sure I'd get the epi at some point, lol. I got it after about 10 hours, and 3 hrs later baby was born. I am going to try again next time and I think I could really do it. If I get the epi again though, I'd be ok with that