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3rd Trimester
I need advice from ladies who went natural.
I make the decision a few weeks ago that I was going to go natural...or at least try. I told my mom and my sister (who will be there with me) and they are both telling me I am crazy and will change my mind at the first hint of pain. The stubborn part of me really wants to prove them wrong. So for those of you who went natural I need complete honesty.
What did you do before to prepare yourself?
What did you do during to keep the pain at bay?
And what was the hardest part to get through?
Edit: Also posted on Natural Birth
This discussion has been closed.
Re: I need advice from ladies who went natural.
To prepare, DH and I did lots of walking to keep me in shape. We also went in to the process with open minds regarding pain meds, knowing they might become a necessity.
Rather than keeping the pain at bay, I think what helped most was just going with it and "embracing" the pain, letting it happen and knowing it was normal. I would vocalize through the contractions, laying on my side, or squatting on the ball, and DH would hold my shoulders and rock me back and forth. The tub helped too
Hardest part was the last couple centimeters, about 30 minutes of agony. My mom was there with us and made me recite the alphabet with her. I know it sounds silly, but I had a really hard time concentrating on it and kept getting it wrong
It's different for everyone, good luck!
I am SO bored! Glad I can help with answering something I am familiar with.
1) Bradley classes/ DH labor coach. I credit DH completely with "our" natural birth. Can you recruit someone a little more supportive to be there with you? Afford a last minute doula? Cuz I was definitely losing strength there for a while but DH & my MWs kept telling me I could do it. If your Mom & Sis aren't on board I can't imagine you'll be able to stand by your choice in the discomfort & stress of the moment.
2) Nothing that I thought I would. I brought ridiculous things like aromatherapy and hot water bottle. Basically I kept out of the bed a lot. Walked, squatted on yoga ball, clung to DH. I had all back labor though.
3) Definitely the pushing. I remember very few details of my labor, but distinctly remember during the pushing I screamed "can't you just pull it the hell out?" But I've heard the epi doesn't usually help with that anyway.
GL! May the stubborn part of you win out over your naysaying fam! You can do it!
What did you do before to prepare yourself? Nothing. It was unexpected. I went in to the hospital at 4cm and 2 hours later I was at 9cm. I didn't have time for any pain meds.
What did you do during to keep the pain at bay? DH did a lot of counter pressure on my back during contractions. It felt amazing. I also did a lot of standing and swaying.
And what was the hardest part to get through? Honestly, the hardest part was once I started pushing. The actual pushing felt good kind of. It was the time in between the contractions after I started pushing that hurt like hell. Also, delivering the placenta really sucked for me.
this is so true i really think if i had gone into labor on my own i would have been able to do it. but I was a week and a half over due and they were worried about babys size blah blah blah but i really wish i would have been able to try oh well.?
What did you do before to prepare yourself?
Read extensively about childbirth, pain relieving techniques, breathing etc..
Did perineal massage and kegels religiously.
What did you do during to keep the pain at bay?
I labored in the tub for a while and that was amazing (we also played soft music and dimmed the lights). Also just changing positions a lot and finding what is comfortable. Like a pp said, laying on the bed was the WORST. I labored kneeling next to the bed and resting on it and on a birthing stool and both were helpful.
And what was the hardest part to get through?
Honestly, for me until transition the pain was completely manageable. The contractions hurt but I would breath through them and when they were over I would feel great again. Moaning through contractions while keeping a loose jaw I think really helped me relax my pelvic floor muscles. Transition/pushing was awful (but I had been awake at that point for 50 some hours and was completely exhausted).In between transition contractions I still was in a lot of pain. Pushing is hard, hard work and was definitely the most difficult part. Delivering the placenta was completely painless for me.
Good luck and don't be nervous. You can do it!!
With first baby I did Bradley method classes. Good, but still felt like I'd been duped when the big day arrived. Once my water was broken I went from 1 cm to 10 in 2.5 hours. That might explain part of my hysteria. But I was at a birthing center so no matter how much I asked for meds I wasnt getting any.
Second baby was so much easier. I listened to to birthing meditation soundtrack for months ahead of time. It made all the difference + I knew what to expect. Like someone else said, I embraced what my body was going through and let it happen without going into panic mode.
This time around I'll be in a hospital for the first time with my midwife and my OBGYN. Little nervous but I'm doing the hypnobirthing cds and a birthing meditation sountrack I found on itunes.
You can do it! Screw the nay sayers ...... PS- get used to EVERYONE telling you you're crazy. There's nothing crazy about wanting full use of your lower extremities after giving birth.
We prepared by taking a course which was helpful because it did explain the stages of labor and gave us all kinds of great tips WHICH did not mean squat when I was in transition.
I did nothing to manage the pain through labor- the early contractions were very managable. I would avoid the hospital as long as possible(without being too daring) as they are not very patient with people hanging around so they start pushing drugs.
The hardest part to get through was transition- and the problem was I had no idea I was in transition. As calm and cool as I wanted to be- the reality is that during transition- I just held on and screamed. It was very hard. My husband tried to be supportive but I just wanted to be left alone!
I believe to go naturally you need two things 1- Mental Strength to manage through the pain, and 2- Your body and the baby need to cooperate and if either of them do not, the mental strength to change courses.
Pet peeve here:
The term is unmedicated, not natural.
So by "natural" you mean going out into the woods with a few other older women to have your baby? I don't see how months of prenatal care, pnv, ultrasounds, doppler, urine analysis, blood analysis, GD testing are exactly "natural." I also don't understand how my L&D will be "unnatural."
Make a pregnancy ticker
Well for me I am terrified of needles and just the thought of an epidural scares the bejeesus out of me. Thats pretty good motivation, the needle is not an option...
I found that contractions were less painful when you were standing & walking, not laying in a bed. I kept telling myself that this will not last forever, and when it came time to push I was very motivated to get that baby out quick. This time I would like to try the water tub.
I just want to add, that I had pitocin and was still able to manage the contractions naturally.
Hope that helps...
That was a waste of typing space to say nothing remotely constructive. OP wasn't asking to start a debate. Grow up.
What did you do before to prepare yourself?
---Nothing, I was taking 2 classes in college and didn't have time to go to a birthing class. I just Bumped and researched on the internet.I wish I would have learned/done more research on breathing/calming techniques though, they had to put an oxygen mask on me because I was basically hyperventilating during pushing.
What did you do during to keep the pain at bay?
---Again, nothing. I had my mom on one side of me and DH on the other side and I was squeezing their hands.
And what was the hardest part to get through?
---The contractions were the longest part of the process, they made me so sick. I was cursing through every one of them. Then I was kinda in a haze of pain and don't remember anything until it was time to push. Pushing was painful as well but not as daunting as the contractions.
Basically, I had a plan and I stuck with it. When the nurse asked me if I wanted pain meds there was no question about it, my answer was NO and there was no turning back. Not once did I go "Oh sh*t, should have asked for the epi!". Just be positive and stick with it if you want to go natural. Good luck!