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Natural Birth
lindsay.lou
member
labor contractions vs. delivery (pain question)
lindsay.lou
member
I apologize if this is a repetitive question on this board.
I'll try to be brief. Despite being told beforehand that this would not be possible, I got an epidural at 10 cm (after I had even started my "practice" pushes) when I had my son. The anesthesiologist had been tied up with an emergency in the ER for HOURS and couldn't get up to me until then.
I found getting to 10 cm to be way more manageable that I thought and I know I could do it again, so I'm considering going pain med-free this time. However, my epidural HAD kicked in by the time I actually pushed out my son. I felt him coming out, but it didn't hurt, just pressure.
People in my life keep telling me if I can get to 10 cm without the epidural, then I can deliver without it. Obviously, though, I'm nervous.
Those of you who have successfully gone pain med-free, what do you think?
This discussion has been closed.
Re: labor contractions vs. delivery (pain question)
That's what I've been hearing as well (that pushing was a relief). But I'm not convinced, haha. I know every labor is different and that's what makes me anxious. Thanks for being honest!
I had a similar experience with my first. I got the epidural at 10cm (didn't know) and immediately started pushing. It was a good experience, I cuold fully move my legs (pushed squatting much of the time) and could feel the contractions as well, ring of fire, etc. intact, no problems delivering the placenta. Yay me.
I remember thinking about it as soon as it was over and wishing I hadn't gotten the epi as I was thisclose to going without. That gave me a positive mindset for number 2.
Number 2 came along and I got my wish to go med free. Labour was faster, my body seemed to know what to do. With DS1 I pushed for 2 hours. DS2 was largely coming on his own, I only pushed about 3 times to get him out. I don't remember the contractions hurting during the pushing part, I simply announced that I was going to push and I remember thinking I'm getting this kid out as fast as I can, lol. Ring of fire, etc. was the same with the epi. Placenta delivered a few minutes later exactly the same was as with DS1.
You can totally do it. And you'll be glad you did.
I found the worst pain was going from 8 to 10cm. I think it you can make it through that, you can do it. A lot of people have their epis turned down or off by that point anyhow to improve pushing.
Pushing however was NOT a relief. I pushed for 2.5 hours and it was exhausting and frustrating, but I think an epi would have made it more so. It was NOT the same passsive pain as the contractions where you just had to focus on getting through it. The pain was more like pain of exersion...like when you push yourself to do the last rep of an exercise in the set. I would compare it to doing that last pushup or leg press over, and over, and over - with muscles you rarely otherwise use; pushing was WORK.
As far as the placenta, they may try using pit or other strategies if you're not delivering it on your own. I think the "arm-in-rip-it-out" methos is (hopefully!) uncommon and likely wouldn't happen again.
Oh, all of this for sure too, as well as going hime 3 hours later. I didn't regret my decision after (though I did for a few mins right before they told me I was at 10cm!)
I had the nurses pressing on my stomach to help get out any clots and that would have been nice to have an epidural for!!! HAHA OK and my sister said the doctor 'scraped' out her uterus and she did say it was uncomfortable but worth it I guess she recovered really quickly with that. Anyways it wasn't very long and I really forgot about that now....
Little Rose is 2 1/2.
I had an epidural but it had completely worn off by 7-8 cm. Those contractions the last few hours were so so much worse than the actual delivery. I remember that was the point where I really wanted to cry and I thought there was no way I could do it. Once I started pushing, I felt so much better.
As for the delivery, it stung when he was coming out and was painful but IMO that's over pretty fast. I required a few stitches after so was given a shot of local, I felt pressure but no pain.
I thought pushing was really hard for both my labors. I pushed for multiple hours until I had a c-section with my first, so I think that fact colored my second labor a lot (I was very stressed about pushing for hours and hours the second time around, just to have it end in another c/s).
I don't remember thinking about asking for an epidural *while* I was pushing. And even though I sorta hate pushing, there is the aspect that you feel like you are doing something during a contraction, rather than just riding them out (hopefully that makes sense!).
I think you can totally do it med-free if you got that far the first time. I would ask your provider about the placenta - how long before they take action about it being delivered, if they can do a shot/drip of Pitocin before manual removal, etc.
DS2 - Oct 2010 (my VBAC baby!)
Transition was the only time I felt like I might not be able to do it. Once I was fully dilated, the contractions spaced out, and I had time to rest in between. (Transition lasted 2 hours for me and was awful). I got a very bad 3rd degree tear from DS's elbow being up, but I did not even know it until my OB told me after I had delivered the placenta. Everything hurt down there, but it honestly was not as bad as the back labor I'd been experiencing.
Anyway, I say, if you think you would like to do med-free, you definitely would be able to handle it.
Thanks so much for all the honesty (and encouragement). Lots to think about!
I've had two med-free births and the delivery part really wasn't painful at all. The contractions, transition especially, were way worse than delivery. I was fortunate enough to have very quick pushing stages though, both were out after just a couple of contractions. I felt a distinct change in the contractions when my body started pushing and they didn't hurt anymore. I could feel my body moving the baby down but it didn't hurt and I could feel a stretching at the end, but nothing bad enough to call it the "ring of fire. That part is usually pretty quick anyway.
I would discuss that potential placenta situation with your doctor now if it's something that concerns you but try not to dwell on those worst case scenarios too much. I don't know how serious the situation was, but it's possible that your doctor jumped to that tactic more quickly because you had an epidural and he didn't have to worry about the pain factor. Maybe if you had been going med-free they would have tried something less invasive first. Every delivery is different, so it's also very possible that you won't have that problem this time.
med-free birth x2, breastfeeding, baby wearing SAHM
My BFP Chart
Pushing was the worst for me, BUT I also pushed for 2 hours (after laboring for 10) and DD was stuck sunny-side up in my birth canal (which, according to the nurses/OB makes it hurt more/harder).
It was a relief to push, but it was also a huge amount of pressure and my perineum would not stretch to accommodate DD which was the worst part of it.
I agree with talking to the Dr. about the placenta worries. I was given a small dose of pitocin in order to help expel my placenta because it was being stubborn (along with the nurse massaging to help it along). If you didn't have an epidural they would have probably tried something else first.
House / Baby blog
I thought pushing was way less pain than laboring, but I think it has more to do with having something to do, something more to concentrate on, and also knowing you are almost done.
The worst part for me was wondering how much longer am I going to have to do this? I was begging for an epi with YDD, and the nurse knew I didn't really want one, but I kept saying "I can't do this for three more hours!" and she'd reply "can you do it for 10 more minutes? Let's just get through 10 more minutes". So it wasn't that laboring was that much worse, it was just not knowing how much more I'd have to labor, KWIM?
I can say that once the head was out though, it was a walk in the park!
DH and I married 8 years. Mom of three, stepmom of one.
Pushing definitely hurt more than contractions & transition, but I had a posterior baby who got a little hung up on my tailbone. It was still do-able, though (obviously, since I had her LOL!)
You can do it!
I found going from 8 to 10 cm to be the most painful. I pushed for just under three hours and that was definitely no walk in the park but it was more manageable probably because it meant the baby was almost here.
You can totally do it! Go for it!
9 angels in heaven-3 in my arms and 1 in the NICU
Mono/di twin girls: Josephine born to heaven and Evangeline born Earthside at 25w
Delivering DD was a breeze compared to the contractions prior....to me at least. I only pushed for about 20-25 minutes and it was "pain with a purpose" that I could actually feel, so that could have something to do with it.
Everyone's right. if you got that far without an epi, you can certainly handle the full whammy without drugs.
Not ideal but doesn't make me want to change my plans with going med-free again.
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