- Pregnancy
- Baby & Toddler
- Parents
- Getting Pregnant
- Baby Names
- Product Reviews
-
Registry
- Community
-
More
Want a personalized experience?
Download the free app
Natural Birth
+Preppy+
member
Natural birth 2nd time Around?
+Preppy+
member
My first birth, a little over 7 months ago, I planned and had the epidural. I am considering natural birth this time. The reason I opted for an epi was because I was afraid of the pain, and I believed I wouldn't be able to handle it. In reality, I did really well. I labored naturally for 11 of the 16 hours on my own. I decided I didn't want fear to motivate my birth plan this time around.
Granted, I didn't go through transition or anything med free, but I was pretty proud of myself. I was wondering if there was any other mama that has done this- medicated and then unmediated birth. What did you do to prepare? Any advice or insight is appreciated!
Marigold Celestial Nostrils to save the day with glitter and unicorn farts!
This discussion has been closed.
Re: Natural birth 2nd time Around?
With my second I wanted to stack the deck to ensure the success of my desire for medfree. We had moved since my first birth so I had many more options available. I chose a birth center within a hospital, hired a doula, took an awesome birth ed class and educated myself more. For me, it was the birth ed class that made the biggest difference. I had lightbulb moments about my first birth and revelations during my second that I learned in my class which you could probably get from prolific reading as well but I wanted my husband to learn too and he'd never read what I wanted so it was the best for us.
This is pretty much my experience as well, especially the bolded. Although I haven't had an unmedicated labor/delivery yet, I'm planning one. The thing is, last time I did choose and epidural and unfortunately for LO and I, I had a negative experience with it. Pretty much textbook cascade of interventions culminating in a C/S for failure to progress 24 hours into labor. DS didn't tolerate the interventions well and to put the cherry on top the epidural didn't even work to relieve my pain, I just ended up with the interventions which often follow. Sucky situation all around.
So... for that reason (and many others) I'm choosing a different path this time. As PP said, I'm stacking the deck in my favor. I already have the fact that I'm going into this as a VBAC candidate, but I'm staying with the most natural-birth friendly hospital in the area, but I'm going with a midwife this time. MH and I are currently taking Hypnobabies classes to give me the tools to move past my last birth experience and properly manage this one. I'm doing everything I can to help my body and baby prepare for birth (high quality prenatals, good diet, chiropractic care, daily stretches, etc.).
I really think that some women can just go into the labor process kind of relaxed about the process and eh, I'll get the epi if I feel like it, but won't if I don't, and then end up with an unmedicated birth. However, I feel for the majority of women you really do have to prepare for an unmedicated birth (meaning things like proper care provider, birthing classes, research, etc.) because for a lot of women, if you're not committed to it completely it's easy to change your mind at the time of birth. Again, not true for everyone, but I think most.
*My Blog*
10/50 Read
my read shelf:
My experiences were very similar to pp's. With my first I said I was "gonna try" not to get an epi, but I did nothing to prepare myself to be able to do that. I went to the hospitals childbirth class, which consisted of power point slides explaining hospital policies and a lot about epis. I didn't even really know there was so much more to learn. Needless to say, I asked for the epi at 4cm. It was a downward spiral from there... needed pit, then more epi, then more pit, blood pressure dropped, baby's heart rate was up and down, pushed for 2hrs and doc gave me the choice of vacuum or c/s. I chose vacuum, and he was finally born and whisked away from me because I was in no condition to hold him. Placenta was stuck... the whole 9 yards. It sucked.
With my second, I took up prenatal yoga which made a HUGE difference in the way I viewed my body. I did tons of natural birth research, read lots and lots of books and birth stories, and hired an amazing doula. Labor was incredible, much faster, and Emily came out with three pushes.
It was such a life changing experience, I am now dedicating my life to helping other women have the same joy by becoming a doula myself! So yeah, it was a good choice. One of the best I ever, EVER made.
My first two were epidural births. The third I decided to do it without the epidural and I DID IT! I cannot tell you how awesome it was. Yes it hurt. Transition is the hardest (but shortest) part of labor and if you have a good support team that will help you get through it you CAN do it.
I prepared by reading, reading, reading. I got pumped up and I had people there to help me breathe. I found my rhythm and when transition hit and I felt like I just couldn't do it anymore they were my cheerleaders. Before I knew it I was pushing and had my baby in my arms!
My fourth was also epidural-free and my first out-of-hospital birth. AMAZING! I went home about 4 hours after his birth. We were in our own home, our own bed. I never slept better or had an easier post-birth time (except for the afterbirth contracting; the more you have the more intense and painful it is but don't worry about that - get through the birth first! LOL!).