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New to your board and question.

ImThisBabysMomImThisBabysMom member
in Natural Birth

Hello ladies. I am a regular on the April 2012 board and surf a few other pages. All the talk about labor today has made me think of my plan. I am only 18 weeks and 2 days along now. No high risk or complications at this point.

I want to have a vaginal birth and I don't think I want the epi. Call me an uneducated newb, but that is a "natural" birth right? So I'm in the right place?

Can anyone describe to me a little in their experience what it was like? I don't need major details, but just the kind of things a FTM may not be aware of with a natural birth to help me decide on the epi or not?

Thanks for any advice or info. I appreciate it. I get really scared when I think of labor, but a c-section terrifies me even more (but I know in my head, we can plan all we want and things can go wrong and I very well could wind up having a c-section).

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Re: New to your board and question.

  • MamasaurusMamasaurus member

    As you know from seeing me on the April board, I haven't birthed mine yet, so I can't tell you about the experience. I can tell you that there are many childbirth classes out there that can help you learn to give birth without drugs, even if you've been told your whole life that you need them "ore else." I personally am going to take Bradley, but there are others.

    Lots of people here will also recommend to you films like "The Business of Being Born" and "Pregnant in America." There are also tons of books about natural birth and many good online references, some of which are listed in the group info if I am not mistaken.

    I'm so glad to see another April mom on this board! I hope you find what you're looking for here. : )

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  • ImThisBabysMomImThisBabysMom member

    I was afraid to just start googling because there is sooo much stuff out there and I don't know what to trust. But I figured ladies here could tell me about experience or suggest reading material like you have. Thanks for that. I want to make an informed decision about what is best for me and baby and honestly certain things scare me.

    I'm scared of a needle in my spine, I'm scared of a cath, I'm terrified of a c-section. But to my knowlege, our bodies are built for labor so that seems to make the most sense to me. Let my body do what it is designed to do unless anything happens where that is just not an option.

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  • tokenhosertokenhoser member

    Check out the FAQ - link in my siggy.

    I went to my first appointment when I got pg cracking jokes about how soon I could get the epi and ended up birthing (on purpose) entirely med-free. My perspective and desire just changed as I did more thinking and research and talking to moms. 

    My birth story is here if you want to read it. 

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  • tokenhosertokenhoser member
    imagesecondaryPULSE:
    imagetokenhoser:

    My birth story is here if you want to read it. 

    Your linky doesn't work. (Not trying to be weird, I love birth stories. =] )

    I'll try again: https://community.thebump.com/cs/ks/forums/thread/53125684.aspx?MsdVisit=1

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  • KateLouiseKateLouise member

    Some different things that surprised me about my daughter's birth as a FTM.

    - How I just went into my own head and coped with each contraction. I didn't spend much time thinking about the pain because I was too busy doing a job of birthing my baby. Beforehand I assumed that the pain would be like stubbing your toe where the pain is all consuming.

    Now I liken it to climbing a mountain. Yes it hurts, yes it's exhausting but you keep pushing through because it's pain that comes from getting something done. At least that's how it was for me.

    - I panicked when I felt the urge to push. In hindsight this is because so many films show women being told not to push and that they have to wait. So I assumed that pushing would be "wrong". I had no idea I had this notion in my head before birth, and when my midwife checked me and said you're fuly dilated go ahead and push, it took me a moment to really believe her.

    - I was really fearful of tearing from one end to the other going into birth. So when I was pushing and it felt like I would tear, I held back from that and had to be really encouraged to push.

    I did need two stitches but no major tearing, even though it felt like I would. 

    So I suggest thinking through whatever you might feel apprehensive about and really talking it through with your midwife/OB, 

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    Elizabeth 5yrs old Jane 3yrs old
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