Hello! Sorry to intrude on the baby community - but I had a question only new moms could answer.
I was hoping to try having the baby without drug intervention but am skeptical of my ability to do so (could be the first sign it might not work right there!). Did any moms on here try out something like HypnoBirthing or other strategies and find that they needed drug intervention regardless? Or that it worked for them? Just curious about others experiences!
Re: Did anyone try for a drug free childbirth here?
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I wasn't decided either way. I was going to go without until I thought I needed it. I lasted 7 hours with contractions every couple of minutes then all the sudden the pain hit. It took 30 minutes of the pain before I got my epi then another 7 hours until I started pushing. I don't feel the drugs took anything away from my experience. I was able to nap during the day once I got it. I was so tired from pushing but completely alert when baby was born.
I say keep an open mind and try to go natural if that is what you want. Do not feel discouraged if you end up wanting the drugs when the time comes.
I had to be induced, but I wanted to go med-free other than the Pitocin. Long story short, it did not work out. The pain was just too much for me to physically handle. I got stuck at 6 cm for a long time. Once I got the epidural, I knocked right out and woke up about ready to push.
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Yep, I had one. Someone in my birthing class (Bradley method) had her baby before me and when I was talking to her, she had said once the pain gets to the point that you don't think you could do it anymore, that's the worst of it. She was right. Once I felt like that, the pain stayed the same.
It's the most intense thing you will ever experience--I don't think you can grasp it until you go through it--but you can do it. It's empowering and amazing! Stay focused and have support during those contractions & you're good!
Yep, I wanted a med free birth and was successful.
I didn't take any classes or read any books, but educated myself on ways/positions to labor in to alleviate pain. Laboring in bed is he!l, if I had stayed in bed I would never have made it med free. I got in the bathtub, and that made all the difference for me. It was wonderful.
Good luck!
I told everyone who asked: "I'm hoping to use the least amount of additional interventions as I possibly can". I was able to labor at home until I was 7cm, progressed to 10cm 6 hours later in the hospital, pushed for 4 hours, and vaginally delivered C with vacuum assistance: no meds. My suggestions: WALKING, not laboring on my back (I took prenatal yoga and benefited from it), mediation and deep breathing techniques (I didn't use a program, just what I use in yoga), and focusing on one contraction at a time. Best part about med-free for me was actually pushing...it was such a relief to push through contractions rather than simply endure them. Oh, and the "ring of fire" is horrible, but very very short lived in the grand scheme.
I tried-I prepared myself by using hypnobabies self study kit. Overall, it helped me sleep VERY well right up until the end, helped me learn to breathe well, and the affirmations helped with my mindset going into labor.
I started having weak contractions on New Year's Eve, they were regular but weak-then eventually spread out a bit but still kept coming. That went on for four days.
The night of the 4th day, my water broke and just gushed and gushed. We got to the hospital at midnight. I was already 4 cm. I went med free until after 8 AM-at that point, I had only progressed about 2 additional cm, so I was 5 and a half or 6. I had awful back labor the whole time, and DS was not in a good position on my cervix at all. Given how he was positioned, my lack of progress, and the fact I had been up over 24 hours at this point-I knew I couldn't go all the way. I was falling asleep sitting up, so I couldn't physically get through the rest of labor without some more energy. So at 8 AM, I got an epi and pitocin.
It was exactly what I needed. It allowed my body to relax enough . Within about 3 hours, I was fully dilated. I pushed for about 30 minutes, and DS was born right after noon.
Do whatever you feel is right-going natural is do able with the right circumstances. But my advice is to be flexible, because you never know what will happen in labor that may be out of your control. Personally, even though I didn't want it to begin with, I had a very positive epidural experience. And in all likelihood, I would want one again.
I had med free births with both girls. With DD1 it was unplanned. I was only at the hospital 4 hours before she was born. I went from 4cm to 9cm in less than 2 hours and didn't have time for an epi. The nurse did offer me Stadol but I declined since I had already made it that far.
With DD2 I planned on having a med free birth. I didn't use Hypnobirthing or the Bradley Method or anything. I did a lot of breathing with my eyes closed during contractions and a lot of swaying. Got to the hospital at 9:30am and she was born at 4:59pm. My MW was talking about giving me pitocin if my contractions didn't pick up but my nurse encouraged trying nipple stimulation. It worked like a charm! 15 minutes of that and my contractions got super strong and much close together. I was so glad that I avoided having to get pitocin since I'd heard it makes contractions incredibly painful.
I had great recovery experiences with both girls. I was able to be a bridesmaid in my best friends wedding 7 days after DD1. I felt pretty much back to myself after a week both times.
ETA: I labored in the tub when I hit 6cm with DD2. it felt amazing and helped so much with the contractions. I ended up having her in the water.
I planned for a med-free birth and am really happy that I got one. I did get a local shot of Lidocaine right as LO was crowning, but other than that I had 14 hours of unmedicated labor. I didn't use any methods, but I read a TON beforehand, and I know that the knowledge of what to expect really helped me. I also had great support from my DH, my mom, and one of my friends. I couldn't handle the pain when I was on my back in the bed, but standing or kneeling it was manageable. It is an incredibly intense experience, but if I have another baby, I plan to try for a natural birth again.
The ladies over at the natural birth board were really helpful, so you might post over there as well.
I had a drug-free (but not quite intervention-free) delivery.
We took hypnobirthing classes before hand, but honestly didn't practice it as much as we should've due to life getting in the way.
My mindset the entire pregnancy was that I wanted to go med-free, that I felt confident my body could and would handle it (I'm built similar to my mom, who delivered me (10 lbs) and my brother (12 lbs) naturally) but if I needed drugs, they'd be there.
Long story short, my water broke and I was only in labor for about 14 hours, and progressed so quickly that I really only used the breathing techniques from hypnobirthing. My contractions were largely back labor and probably had about 7 hrs from when I felt those to when I delivered, and I only pushed for about a half an hour. I really didn't have a chance for an epidural, as I was over 9 cm when we got to the hospital, but did have sterile water injected to help with the pain of back labor, though the baby turned & was delivered soon after the injection.
It's really not the delivery I had expected (not that I'm complaining) so I don't know what it would've been like had I been at the hospital for hours on end. The pain was pretty bad, to be sure, but I just tried not to focus on it and definitely think I could go med-free again.
I did a drug free birth as well & it was wonderful. I have nothing negative to say. The best advice I can give- GET IN THE BATHTUB!!! I hardly felt contractions.
DH & I used a hypnobirthing book like a bible in my last trimester.
I had a med free birth.
I used Bradley but next time around I'll try to use Hypnobirthing or Hypnobabies.
Also, I couldnt't have done it without my doula.
H hasn't ever seen a woman in labor or (obviously) been through labor hiself so he just wasn't help. Emotional support yes, help no.
I think if nothing else, get a doula. IMO.
Pretty much the same thing happend to me, but I did end up dilating fully when I got to RIGHT before pushing the pain was just too intense and I gave in and got some stadol. Honestly If i hadn't I thought I was going to pass out from the pain, Screw pitocin.... Ugh I bet if I didn't have to be induced I could have handled it, but that stuff seemed to be the worst for me! I'm glad to know it can help others out with stalled labor etc, but for me, I believe it's the reason I wasn't able to go totally med free. Oh well I didn't get an epi so I am damn proud of myself! =D
By lilenatalem at 2012-01-28