Natural Birth

xp: Anyone get an epidural with LO1, but go natural with LO2?

So I've had the crappy back labor thing (2 days of it) with DS1 and going on no sleep I opted for an epidural to rest for the more difficult parts of labor and delivery.

 With DD1 my water broke on its own and I was overwhelmed by a much faster pace of contractions and dilation so got an epidural again.  

With DS2 I had to be induced (my labor and progress in the last weeks of pregnancy stalled as my dad passed away two weeks before I gave birth to my son) and after a grueling day of induction gels, opted for an epidural.  

I am ever thankful that I've had three successful vaginal deliveries and have not had to have a c-section (I hate that physicians try to downplay the severity of a c-section...it is major f-ing surgery to the biggest part of your body.  I have the utmost respect for women that have had to endure that.)

Despite a great track record of deliveries so to speak, I have this weighted feeling like this is my last shot at a natural delivery.  So my question is, has anyone had an epidural with one child and managed to go natural with a subsequent delivery? And if so, what were your resources, what did you do different/change to help you be successful? TIA!

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Re: xp: Anyone get an epidural with LO1, but go natural with LO2?

  • I had an epidural with DS1 but chose no epidural with DS2 however with him i had pit but i made them keep the dose very low so i could stand it he was an induction made it through the labor and birth without any pain meds or epidural. 

    DD1 was a home birth and it went great, i did that because the whole induction with DS2 they kept bugging me to get the epidural so they could give more pit(he was a 6 hr labor and birth so i dont know why they were in such a hurry his hr was fine. with DD2 she was born in a birth center and the labor and birth was medication free i didnt even have an iv. she was also an induction but all they did was break my water.

    If you want a natural birth i would suggest you surround yourself with a support team that is geared toward natural birth. ie: a midwife and possibly a doula. not being in a bed is paramount(for me anyway) I would suggest a birth tub or at least being allowed to sit on a birth ball in the shower. also you could look into natural birth classes like Bradley method or just read the books.

    Hope you have a lovely and safe birth no matter what you decide :) 

     

  • I did. I went into each labor thinking I would do whatever seemed best at the time. After stalled labors with my first two, I started pitocin and eventually got an epi with both. With my third, I was induced with cervadil and things progressed so well, and quickly, that I didn't need any pain management. If things progress well for you, I think going med free is a lot easier. I can say that my recovery for the med free birth was much better, both that day and in the following weeks, but my first two births were so difficult that I would not have tried med free with those.
    m/c March 2009 @ 5 weeks ~ m/c June 2009 @ 10 weeks ~ m/c February 2012 @ 4.5 weeks Lilypie Fifth Birthday tickers Lilypie Third Birthday tickers Lilypie First Birthday tickers
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  • Epidural with #1.  Med-free hospital birth with #2.  Homebirth with #3 and hopefully this baby.

    I hired a doula with #2 and that made all the difference.  I just needed more support and didn't receive it the first time.

        
  • That is my plan. My labor just did not go well last time and I had to get an epi. I plan on being more prepared this time around with more support to go natural.
  • With my first I caved to the epidural in the midst of transition because I wasn't educated enough on the process of what I'd be feeling, emotional changes, etc to know I was near the end. 

     

    For my second I was determined to have the birth I wanted the first time. I educated myself more by reading and taking a general birth education class that was geared towards med-free births. It was fantastic and I learned a lot in both how a labor progresses physically and emotionally/mentally as well as good coping mechanisms. I also hired a doula but in the end I really didn't need her services but one brief moment (I had a very short labor) but I'm still glad I had her there. Better to have her and not need her than not have her and desperately need her.  

  • So sorry about your dad :o( If I were you, I'd soak up every last bit of information about natural births as possible. You can do anything you set your mind to!!

    My biggest help was that my husband and my midwives were all on board with natural birth and so were the nurses when it came time for delivery. I took the words "epidural" and "pain meds" off the table completely. No one asked me, and when I finally started weighing the pros and cons in the middle of labor, they helped me hold off, and 30 mins later little man was born :o)

    You can do it girl!! What lucky babies to have such a loving mama :o

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