Is anyone considering natural childbirth?

lindsey913 · May 2012

amh04:
I feel like it's too early for me to decide. There are definitely certain things I want to occur during/post birth - but medication is one I'm not set on. Being a FTM I don't really know what to expect. FX both twins make it past the 20 week mark then I'm pretty sure my options become more limited. I really feel like I rather just go with the flow on it - than make up my mind and get upset if it doesn't go my way.

I think this is a great attitude!

landosmommy · May 2012

Pgh-CTBride:
landosmommy:

See, I wish I was able to labor at home as long as I wanted, but my water broke. and 3 weeks early at that. So I had to go in ASAP. I was put on pitocin and went without an EPI for 5 hours. Then my doctor did my exam & stretched things out (major OUCH!) and I needed the EPI after that. And I LOVED it. DS came 3 hours later.

This time though, I am hoping to have contractions before my water breaks & labor at home as long as possible, then hopefully go without pain meds. DH doesn't like my plan AT ALL. He says he hates seeing me in pain & not be able to help me in any way. :P so we'll see what happens. Im not against anything. :P
How come they had you go in immediately? My understanding is that assuming the water is clear, there isnt necessarily a rush to go to the hospital immediately. I checked in about 5 hrs after my water broke, and I would have waited longer but my contrax were 1+min and 4 min apart. If I could have slept a little first I would have

My OB pretty much scolded me that i needed to go in right away if my water broke because of the risk of infection to the baby.

Long story short, my sister & I were PG at the same time (had our babies 8 days apart) one day she thought her water broke, but she wasn't sure because it was just a trickle here & there. So she waited like 5 hours then decided she should go get checked. Sure enough, it was amniotic fluid & her OB (also my OB) was mad that she waited so long to go in. So at my next appt. with him he "scolded" me that I should not wait to come in if my water broke like my sister. LOL.

I guess it's pretty risky to the baby's health.

littlemaybaby · May 2012

Just coming back into this thread to say that I highly recommend Bradley classes for anyone who wants to go natural. Even though I ended up with an epi - all the education we got from Bradley enabled DH to be able to lobby for me and what I wanted when I was in too much pain to really think straight. We loved our Bradley experience.

And about water breaking . . . unless you are GBS positive, you don't need to go in right away and your baby doesn't have to be born within 24 hours. (My water broke at 4pm and I was told that I should either come in when my contractions got to the 5:1:1 rule or at 5am the next morning.)

pghctwife · May 2012

littlemaybaby:

And about water breaking . . . unless you are GBS positive, you don't need to go in right away and your baby doesn't have to be born within 24 hours. (My water broke at 4pm and I was told that I should either come in when my contractions got to the 5:1:1 rule or at 5am the next morning.)

Yeah ditto. My Drs told me that if my water broke to feel free and get some rest etc and only come in when my contrax were 5/1/1 assuming no meconium present.

This is why I love my Ob Group!

landosmommy · May 2012

Pgh-CTBride:
littlemaybaby:

And about water breaking . . . unless you are GBS positive, you don't need to go in right away and your baby doesn't have to be born within 24 hours. (My water broke at 4pm and I was told that I should either come in when my contractions got to the 5:1:1 rule or at 5am the next morning.)
Yeah ditto. My Drs told me that if my water broke to feel free and get some rest etc and only come in when my contrax were 5/1/1 assuming no meconium present.
This is why I love my Ob Group!

Hmmm, well. I will bring this up to him this time & see what he says.

I didn't have my results back yet from my GBS swap.

schnena77 · May 2012

After seeing the troubles my sister went through from epidural (slowed down delivery and she had to have a cesarean) she opted for natural for #2 and that delivery which perfect. So she had a sucessful vbac. I am definitely going to try for natural.

baymer2006 · May 2012

Ellis31:
I'm almost positive that I'll get the epidural.

This! The anxiety over the possible pain makes me think I should plan to have one.

arishia · May 2012

I would love to go without an epidural for this one. For my first, I got pre-eclampsia, so I had to be induced. :P

wootownlady · May 2012

I will be go with the flow. Last time I was shooting for a med-free birth (which I think is the better term over "natural" - my vaginal birth certainty was "natural") ... but I never contracted on my own - ever. So when my water had broken (on its own), after 12 hours they gave me pitocin .

For FTMs out there - my advice is - if they give you pitocin, you might as well get the epidural right then. Pitocin makes your contractions stronger and faster than if your body does it naturally, and it's muy, muy painful.

I got an epidural (2 actually) last time after pitocin, and my labor was fun - I enjoyed pushing, I was awake/alert and with it - and I held that baby immediately and enjoyed everything post birth.

To each her own!

NillaWafers · May 2012

I'm considering it. I was induced with DS, and the contractions were so painful I got the epi. Which they turned off an hour or two before I pushed. If I could live through that without an epi, I *think* I can do the whole thing. We will see though! I'm flexible.

jovencita1224 · May 2012

You couldn't pay me to go natural.

Last time I was in tremendous mind-blowing pain by the time we got to the hospital (the contractions started out of nowhere and there was only 30 seconds between) but I was at 1 cm. They were going to send me home except the contractions were so strong and apparently I was acting as if I was in the transition phase, so they kept me and game me the epidural at 1 cm. I went from 1 to 6 in an hour, and 6 to 10 in another hour. I think the epidural helped me relax enough to let my body progress. For me, I think if I didn't have an epidural, I would have ended up with a c-section just because the pain was tensing me up like crazy.

When they broke my water there was meconium, and there is nothing in the world that will convince me that it wasn't caused by the extreme tension my body was in from the pain. But that was me and my body and my labor-if anyone can get through wih no meds, my hat is off to you and that is the best choice for your birth.

jovencita1224 · May 2012

Oh, and I didn't have to wait 2 hours to start pushing although they claimed I wouldn't be able to push with the epidural. Ha! The nurse checked me and saw that I was at 10 cm and went to get the doc. In the meantime, the anesthesiologist came in and asked if I needed more epidural. I said sure- he did not assume I was at 10 when only 2 hours prior I was at 1 and I wasnt going to turn down more pain relief. So...I got a fresh dose of meds and 10 minutes later was pushing. Didn't feel a thing. 1 push and she was crowning, 2 more and she was out. So much for needing to feel stuff to push!

I would suggest even for those planning on the meds to take a childbirth class. I had no idea how to manage the pain, and there is a long time between when you walk in he door and when you get the meds-they have to give you an IV of fluids first.

I had a wonderful experience wih the epidural and I really did mean it when I told the anesthesiologist that I loved him. Do what is right for you and don't feel bad about your choice-but be open to your plan changing because baby calls the shots-not you!

ellaNu630 · May 2012

Pgh-CTBride:
littlemaybaby:

And about water breaking . . . unless you are GBS positive, you don't need to go in right away and your baby doesn't have to be born within 24 hours. (My water broke at 4pm and I was told that I should either come in when my contractions got to the 5:1:1 rule or at 5am the next morning.)
Yeah ditto. My Drs told me that if my water broke to feel free and get some rest etc and only come in when my contrax were 5/1/1 assuming no meconium present.
This is why I love my Ob Group!

My OB was similiar, but after 14 hours of inconsistent contractions they asked, me to come in. Next time, so long as I'm GBS negative, I'll probably try and hold off for longer.

I was planning of going med free with J man but after 19 hours on pitocin and having only dilated 4cm, I lost my focus and begged for the epidural. J man was born 2 hours later after only 40 minutes or so of pushing.

I really want to attempt med free with this bean too but if I loose my focus again, well I know the drugs will be my best friend

DermPAErin · May 2012

Absolutely not! I hope to get an epidural just like with my first daughter. I was able to enjoy the birthing process while experiencing little pain. I had a normal vaginal delivery, walking around a few hours later and went home 24 hours later.

You get anesthetized when having a cavity filled why not anesthetize the most horrible pain you will most likely experience in your life?

To each her own but I hopefully go the epidural route if I am able!

pghctwife · May 2012

DermPAErin:
Absolutely not! I hope to get an epidural just like with my first daughter. I was able to enjoy the birthing process while experiencing little pain. I had a normal vaginal delivery, walking around a few hours later and went home 24 hours later.
You get anesthetized when having a cavity filled why not anesthetize the most horrible pain you will most likely experience in your life?
To each her own but I hopefully go the epidural route if I am able!

I labored for a while pre-epi and I have to say that the pain of a root canal - like the pain leading up to it, waking me through the night etc - was a million times worse than labor. And I had back labor after my water broke (which can intensify things)!!

I even told the Drs that (they were men though so i don't know if they really got it). But seriously. WAY worse than labor!

anitaflora · May 2012

I didn't see that anyone else had this happen to them previously but for me one of the most important reasons I want to go med free I because last time I was progressing and dilated at 7 when I got an epidural. It COMPLETLEY stalled and slowed down my labor biiiig time. I ended up having to have a c section and I think for me personally I absolutely don't want to risk the same thing happening.

Unknown · May 2012

This content has been removed.

KappaUCF20 · May 2012

I considered going to a local birth center because they have rave reviews, but I chickened out. As much as I'd like to do a totally natural, drug-free birth, I still want the option of pain meds just in case

.

LovelyLou23 · May 2012

DermPAErin:
Absolutely not! I hope to get an epidural just like with my first daughter. I was able to enjoy the birthing process while experiencing little pain. I had a normal vaginal delivery, walking around a few hours later and went home 24 hours later.
You get anesthetized when having a cavity filled why not anesthetize the most horrible pain you will most likely experience in your life?
To each her own but I hopefully go the epidural route if I am able!

because the benefits of going med-free far outweigh the pain, in my personal opinion. the mind is a powerful thing, and if the contractions are thought of as such pain, that affects the mind which affects the physical. it's a cycle.

tiny rant over. the answer the OP, i plan on going med free again this time around.

Want a personalized experience?

Is anyone considering natural childbirth?

Re: Is anyone considering natural childbirth?

Choose Another Board

Search Boards