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Natural Birth
dpraseutsinh
member
Anyone here who had a GOOD natural birth experience?
dpraseutsinh
member
Just want to hear any stories/advice on how to have a good labor and delivery experience from you ladies. I've always had my heart set on a natural birth, but lately a lot of people have been trying to put my spirits down and telling me it's not possible, that I'd be in screaming pain, and that I'll end up getting the epidural. Clearly, those are things I do not want to hear! I just want someone to tell me that not all birth experiences are awful, painful, and disastrous! Can't wait to hear what you ladies have to say.
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Re: Anyone here who had a GOOD natural birth experience?
One thing I will advise is to only have people who are positive and supportive of natural childbirth present for your labor and delivery. You will need support!
I've had one medicated birth and one non-medicated. Both were extremely painful, but nothing near awful or disastrous. They were intense, hard, challenging, for sure -- but soooo rewarding!
I plan on trying to go naturally again with #3. It was a feeling like nothing else I've ever experienced.
I think everyone's perception of pain is different. I had a great natural birth. It was painful but it was manageable. I had to really work hard and focus through contractions but once the contraction was over the pain was gone. I felt really empowered that I was handling them so well which made the next contraction easier. The only time I flipped out was when my contractions started really intense and close together. I thought for sure that there was no way I could make it for hours like that. It turned out that I was 6cm dilated so that calmed me down because my birthing class teacher said that if you could make it to 6cm med free you could do that whole thing med free. I'm foggy on the reasoning but it was something like at 6 cm you have reached the max pain amount they will just get closer together.
I really recommend reading about emotional stages of labour. If you (and your birthing partner) can recognize what emotions you are having and why it may be easier for you to move on to the next stage with out meds. Here is an example https://saudilife.net/motherhood/9936-emotional-stages-of-labor.
Don't listen to the nay sayers! You can do this!
Mine have been amazing, empowering, beautiful and spiritual experiences. I've loved giving birth so much that I can't wait to do it again.
You can do it!
Check out these websites to see many many stories of positive and wonderful stories of natural births as well as births in general.
https://birthwithoutfearblog.com/
https://www.pregnancybirthandbabies.com/birth.htm
Mine was just like this. I literally told DH as I was holding our new baby that I wanted to do it again.
I don't know why people are so negative when it comes to birth. It really makes me mad. I just told/tell people that I am having a natural birth, because that's what my body was made to do. Once you have your beautiful birth, and people see the conviction behind your feelings, they will stop arguing. I (being a Hypnobabies mom) use my bubble of peace when people really try to bring negativity into the conversation. You could do something similar . . . Staying positive and knowing you're in control of your birth, as well as having an advocate and strong support system will be the best thing you can to ensure you get the birth you want and deserve.
Birth Without Fear is a wonderful blog. So is Mama Birth. One of my favorite posts: https://mamabirth.blogspot.com/2012/07/natural-birth-isnt-big-deal.html
I am anticipating my first natural birth any time now. I have been experiencing the same thing you have- criticism, "you wont do it", you're crazy, and so on from just about everyone. My favorite are the men who chime in...really?! When was the last time you gave birth dude? I've had to work hard not to engage a big argument or conversation about it unless it's someone supportive. Block out the negative and keep seeking out good positive stories/people.
That being said, I also recommend Ina May's Guide to Childbirth. I LOVED it and it was SO helpful at building my confidence and helping me understand how my body was built for birth! I also read "Baby Catcher" by Peggy Vincent. She is a MW telling short stories of births she attended. It's a quick easy read but tons of info. I fell in love with it, but there are a couple scary stories so maybe skip those until after (I wish I would have). I ALSO read "Natural Hospital Birth" by Cynthia Gabriel. I am delivering in the hospital but still want the whole natural birth experience, so this was VERY helpful.
Good luck! Cant wait to read your natural birth story
Yes, it hurts, but the pain is so temporary. Just when you think you can't do it anymore, you're almost there and finished!! It was not awful, or disastrous. Like the other women, I thought it was amazing and empowering!
Here is my homebirth story if you want to read.
https://awhirlwindstart.blogspot.com/2012/05/weeks-38-39-40-41.html
I'm a FTM planning for a natural birth, and I'm already so tired of hearing similar things as you. My least favorite is "why are you even bothering to spend the time and money [on the books/classes/etc]... you're just going to get the epidural." Ugh.
It's not going to be a walk in the park, but I'm willing and ready to work as hard as necessary to make it happen. I know it's possible and reading this board is very encouraging!
G/L to you :-)
I've had two fantastic natural births. Both were hard work and painful but both were completely manageable and I just kept putting one foot in front of the other, so to speak.
Both births were very different, but the similarity for me was that when I thought "I can't do more than this" I was very near the end.
I never thought, "give me the drugs" so it wasn't a matter of me being tough. It just didn't enter my mind. But then I seldom take painkillers for anything so I guess it's just not in my mind most of the time.
You can absolutely do this. It is hard work, but is unbelievably rewarding.
Good luck with your upcoming birth.
Elizabeth 5yrs old Jane 3yrs old
I had two awesome med free births, my first at a supportive hospital, my second at home. I had AMAZING experiences both times - though my homebirth was a lot more difficult/painful due to the baby's posterior presentation!
I am a little sad that I'll probably only get to do it one more time! It was challenging and painful at times but so rewarding and transformative. A lot of people are negative when they hear plans for a med free birth. I don't know if they're trying to make it so you don't get your hopes up or are reflecting their own insecurities about choosing a medicated birth but tuning it out is your best bet
I had a great experience with my first. It was challenging towards the end, but totally doable and I have been looking forward to doing it again ever since.
I had a good natural birth experience. It was intense, it was a lot of physical work, but it was an experience that I felt completely in control of. I had the power to stand up, sit down, turn around, do whatever I wanted and for me, control is comfort.
Really think about who you are and how to find peace despite discomfort. It will hurt, it will challenge you, but it's something that every woman can endure and succeed at.
FTM here also planning a natural birth. My sister had both of hers at home with a MW ( I will be at hospital). While she didn't describe it as pain free, we are both runners, and she said "you will get to a point where you just don't think you can do it" - and that is usually about 1/2 hour before the baby comes out! (much like the end of a race). Obv. that time is different for everyone, but if you read any books about natural childbirth, most women get to this point. And some people just can't take it anymore and get an epidural, which actually slows things down.
Learning about the different emotional stages of labor will help you too, as well as ANY natural childbirth class. Just learning what happens and what to expect can take a lot of the uncertainty/fear out of it.
I am so stubborn very few people have told me I won't be able to do it, lol! But I have had a lot of shocked faces, so I know what you feel like.
This is the best advice I think you can get or give on this topic. You do not want to have any of those naysayers around you while in labor because that's when you need support! If your H isn't fully into it I would look into getting a doula or a student doula who would work for free if you can't afford one. This is also why so many women recommend choosing an OB and environment that is completely supportive of doing things with no-low interventions.
You can do this!
ETA: Also, I apparently was begging for an epidural after an hour of pushing. It wasn't really possible or feasible at that point, but I did push for another hour so I guess I can understand it. The crazy thing is I have absolutely no memory of begging for one. I remember feeling like I couldn't go on, but I don't feel I had a traumatic or terrible birth. In fact, I think I had a great labor/birth--things progressed fairly well and I had great support. In the end my daughter was born the way I planned, I didn't tear, and I had a wonderfully easy recovery. Just because it is painful doesn't mean it is a bad experience...at least not for me.
Same here. When it was all said and done I told DH that I would never birth naturally again. But here I am, ready to pop, and I'm planning on going med-free again. I've done it once and know that I can do it again. Whever I waiver on my decision I remind myself of why it's so important to me to deliver without drugs and that gets my mind back to the right place.
DS2 - Oct 2010 (my VBAC baby!)
bfp#4 3/19/2014 edd 12/1/2014 please let this be the one!
beta @ 5w0d = 12,026! u/s 4/22/14 @ 8w1d it's twins!
I had a great one, too -- it was much, much less traumatic than I had been led to believe.
A tip for you: contractions themselves hurt, but once it's over, it's over. There's no pain in between them. If you can make it for that minute or so, try to focus on the times that don't hurt. Look forward to them. Transition will be the toughest part since the contractions are so close together, but it's also the shortest part of labor.
You were built to do this - you'll do a fantastic job!
Mine was an amazing and very positive birth experience, but I won't sugar coat it--those contractions were about a biitch toward the end. And while pushing was definitely preferable to labor, that hurt, too. But screaming pain? Nope, though it did feel good during the push stage to be noisy:)
The best advice I can give you is to make a deliberate effort to relax during contractions. It doesn't hurt between contractions, so you do get a little break to relax and gear up for the next one. I labored on my feet, walking around, and during contractions, I'd roll my head back, rotate my shoulders, and slightly sway my hips from side to side. Humming low, deep noises can be relaxing, too--I hummed "Mmm Mmm Mmm Mmm" by Crash Test Dummies and the lower parts of "Wither" by Dream Theater.
Anyway, here's my birth story, if you're interested in reading it. It's long, though!
Was it orgasmic? No. Do I think it was a good natural birth experience? Yes.
I woke up with my water breaking at 2 a.m. I pretty much instantly had contractions about a minute apart. I had been having mild contractions for the last day or so.
I was at the hospital by 2:30 and in transition. It sucked, it was hard, but I did it. The worse part was when they had me on my back to do the cervical check. I was so consumed with my contractions that I really didn't have time to think about it. In between contractions I was taking the precious few seconds to rest. I wasn't asked about meds, and I didn't ask for them. My doula was there and maybe she or my husband told them my birth plan (because I didn't have time to write one).
The more upright I was, the easier the contractions were. I did remember thinking it would have been easier in water. I did scream and my husband said I was animalistic in my grunts, but I did what I had to do. Once I was pushing, the contractions were intense, but not as bad as transition. I had my baby boy after 4 hours (I have to guess that was because I didn't get an epi. I am a FTM) of active labor.
If you would have asked me when the baby came out how long it took, I would have guessed 2 hours tops. I thought I was only at the hospital an hour or so. I was surprised that everyone got there in time.
I am a complete wuss with pain. My arse did it, and I look back on it already as a good experience.
Oh, and when it got really hard, I kept telling myself that with each good push I was that much closer of getting him out and it being over. It totally gave me the energy I needed for those contractions.