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New/Intro - we decided we wanted a natural birth!

aairitamaairitam
in Natural Birth

Hello!! I wanted to introduce myself to this board, although I have been lurking around for advice for a few weeks here now.  I'm a FTM and I have officially decided to go for a natural, unmedicated birth at a hospital!  

My original thought process for years was shoot me up with an epi, but once I became pregnant and started to connect with my LO I really started considering the affect of medication and interventions.  With that said, I just came from my 28 week appointment and my OB is on board and natural birth friendly :) Good news, because I was slightly worried I'd have to switch this late in the game.

My DH is excited about the process as well, and while we are not going to take a specific course (we don't have the time to fit it in), in conjunction with the courses we registered for with the hospital, we are planning on using the Bradley method.  I started Natural Childbirth the Bradley Way this weekend, and have a few chapters left!  My DH will read it over the weekend while I'm away, so we can start working together.

I look forward to posting with you ladies, you all have been super helpful thus far!

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Re: New/Intro - we decided we wanted a natural birth!

  • KateLouiseKateLouise member
    Welcome and best wishes. The ladies here are great!
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  • aylafsu88aylafsu88 member
    Welcome!  H and I loved the Bradley classes.  You can do it!
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  • babycakes1981babycakes1981 member
    I am a FTM too and my DH and I are half way through the Bradley Method classes with our Douala.  My advice to you too from what I've heard from natural birth mothers in a hospital and through our Bradley Method class is to labor at home as much as possible before going to the hospital.  Once you get to the hospital the docs, even those who say they are "for natural birth" put a time limit on everything and still want to give you meds and such.  To most OB's, "naturally" means to birth vaginally regardless of what interventions they have to use.  I strongly suggest watching the Business of Being Born if you haven't already.  My Douala actually switched from an OB to a Midwife around 26 weeks.  My husband and I chose midwives who deliver in a hospital and a doula to assist us with our birth.  If all goes well we will do a birth center or home birth with baby #2, when the time is right.
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  • A37liciaA37licia member

    I think you'll find this route very worthwhile!  I recommend the bradley method as well. My best recommendation would be to read lots and lots of birth stories. You can find the everywhere online (I've read a gazillion at mothering.com). I felt like it equipped me with all the variations of labor that are totally normal and not concerning (and some of those are things the hospital acts on with negative results).

    Your next step is to consider the newborn procedures, and if you want to do those. Considering natural childbirth and it's affect on my baby lead me to also consider what impact the eye goop, not breastfeeding right away, delayed cord clamping, hep b shot, a bath and circumcision might have on those precious early days. 

    You might also like The Thinking Woman's Guide to a Better Birth. 

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  • aairitamaairitam

    imagebabycakes1981:
    I am a FTM too and my DH and I are half way through the Bradley Method classes with our Douala.  My advice to you too from what I've heard from natural birth mothers in a hospital and through our Bradley Method class is to labor at home as much as possible before going to the hospital.  Once you get to the hospital the docs, even those who say they are "for natural birth" put a time limit on everything and still want to give you meds and such.  To most OB's, "naturally" means to birth vaginally regardless of what interventions they have to use.  I strongly suggest watching the Business of Being Born if you haven't already.  My Douala actually switched from an OB to a Midwife around 26 weeks.  My husband and I chose midwives who deliver in a hospital and a doula to assist us with our birth.  If all goes well we will do a birth center or home birth with baby #2, when the time is right.

     

    Thanks! We definitely plan to labor at home as much as possible. My OB suggested and supports it, just keep her updated when we the contractions get closer together. It also helps that I'm only a 10 minute drive from the hospital.

     I haven't watched the Business of Being Born, but I'll check it out. Thank you for the suggestion!

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