What are PAIFers thinking about "natural birth"?

xtina78 · May 2014

I always thought I'd want an epidural (if I can give birth vaginally) but now I'm thinking it over (after being brainwashed?) by reading "the womanly art of breastfeeding" which states many many times that babies get sedated by the epidural making breastfeeding harder at the beginning. However, this book never references any studies or statistics regarding this. Has anyone ever heard any hard data on the effect of pain meds during labor on the babies/bonding/breastfeeding? What are your thoughts on this matter? Let's discuss!

sunflowermama42212 · May 2014

The nurse at my birth class said the pain med they give through the IV can sedate the baby and make breastfeeding difficult. She said the Epi has little effect on the baby since it's a being placed directly in your spine. I'm just going off what she said and honestly many moms who have c sections still breastfeed with no problems or over come any problems they have so I decided to go in with an open mind and decide about the Epi in the hospital.

ld08271 · May 2014

I have this fantasy of having an unmedicated birth, whether it's going to happen is another story! With my DD, I took hypnobirthing classes and really tried to go unmedicated. However, I had to be induced for medical reasons and after 20 hours I needed the epidural. I would love not to be induced this go around. I think it would take superwoman to avoid an epidural while on pitocin.

The epidural had no effect for me with bonding. However, I had a lot of issues with breastfeeding. I can't blame it on the epidural though. While my DD had a very gentle suck if was mainly due to her smaller size. I just had really low milk supply. Apparently female infertility (in-particular PCOS/ hormonal imbalances) can be a risk factor for supply issues.

If I'm able to go unmedicated this go around I can compare and let you know if I see any changes with breastfeeding! I'm also planning on doing a lot of things differently to support my milk supply from the get go.

amwenz · May 2014

I'm also thinking about going natural. I am a mover and can't imagine being stuck in a bed when I feel pain. But I'm not against an epi so I am trying to learn more about ways to get through a natural labor. I just watched an interesting documentary on netflix called the business of being born. Give it a watch. I'm looking forward to our birthing class on sat. So I understand what my options are at my hospital and the. I will discuss with my doc.

OutdoorGirl10 · May 2014

For me I plan on getting the Epi - I know that I won't be able to handle the pain. If baby comes too quick and there's no time for it, then I'm sure I'll get through it. But as long as there's time I'm getting one. I admire anyone who gives birth naturally, so if you think it's right for you-go for it!

CandaceC1020 · May 2014

I'm thinking about trying to go natural. I have always said I'd like to try natural and now I can finally explore the option! I recently graduated from my RE and have my first OB appointment on Monday and it's an information gathering session. I think that I'm set on going with the OB Practice Midwives (there are two). I hope to discuss natural child birth and make a decision on what will be best for the baby and I.

xc1148 · May 2014

I'm actually in-between, I kinda want natural, but I'm not really hung up on it. My main concern is I don't want to be induced, or be cut up, or be stuck in bed during labor. I'd like to labor as naturally as possible and then whatever happens after that happens.

BabyKsMommy · May 2014

I was open to going natural with my ds but after being in labor for 24 hrs I was at my pain max and exhausted. I am super afraid of needles too but I just needed the epidural so I got over the needles.

As far as bfing, my milk came in 2 days after ds was born and even though he was in the nicu for 4 days we still were able to do it. It is spur challenging at first but it gets easier and he bf for 14 months.

brooklynesque · May 2014

I'm going to try to go unmedicated and have been taking Bradley Method classes with DH to prepare. I figure I should assume my body is capable of doing what it needs to do under most circumstances and would rather not have a needle in my spine, thanks. I'll also have a doula to help out.

Some advantages of an unmedicated birth are a shorter labor and lower risk of C section. There are lots of good reasons to do everything you can to avoid a C section particularly if you want to have additional children. (There are also studies suggesting thy C section babies have significantly higher rates of food allergies and even asthma.)

All of this said, if you want a natural birth you have to prepare, and both you and your partner need to learn about what to expect and coping techniques. I think few people who just show up and "see what happens" will end up going through with it.

krdesi · May 2014

I am reading a book about epidurals and pain management written by an anesthesiologist and it says that the epidural medication will not sedate baby or you...that it is the IV medications that could do that.

I am too much of a baby not to have pain management, so I have never felt like not having an epidural was an option for me. I don't want to suffer more than I need to.

freakyfast · May 2014

If I may chime in here.... Give me the DRUGS!! I had my DS almost 18 years ago, yes I was young, and yes I had the drugs then, and after they cleaned him up and handed to me, he latched on right away. I had a slight problem with him once after I had fed him a few times and I was still in the hospital. The nurse came in and grabbed my nipple and said 'Like this' and that was that I had no problems, (I think I was tired at that point, and it was me not my DS). I plan to nurse this baby as long as possible too.

Peanutz21 · May 2014

just had baby 1 week ago - the pain is so bad i don't see how i could have had my vaginal delivery without it.

as for breastfeeding: once she got suctioned post delivery i was immediately able to have her latch on for 30 min on my lucky boob (the left) and it hasn't been an issue since. this in the setting of receiving additional medicine after initial epidural. attempting to breastfeed while in the hospital for me at least took a lot of dedication despite the post-delivery pain i was having. it all depends on your support people, asking RN and lactation consultants for help. i was having terrible time sitting or in any seated position due to my ginormous hemorrhoids i had them show me how to do it laying down or on my back.

Hopeful1029 · May 2014

First, I think everyone has a right to their ideal birth. That being said, I am pro natural/unmedicated birth. If you have am interest, I HIGHLY suggest taking the Bradley Method classes and reading "Husband coached childbirth". I made my decision because my mom did all 3 of us naturally, no drugs and I'm pretty strong/determined. After taking the Bradley classes, I know, without a doubt I made the right decision. Knowledge is power - I think women who go into labor with the "let's wing it and see how this goes" approach will end up scared, uneducated and go for the drugs. I also believe that if I shouldn't take an aspirin, etc while pregnant, why is it ok for me to have Demerol, morphine, etc. a common side effect of an epidural is slowing down labor....which increases the need for pitocin. Pitocin speeds up your contractions, makes your contractions more intense (increasing your level of pain) and makes your contractions constant (where your body takes natural "breaks" with unmedicated contractions. All of the above will change not only your heart rate, but your baby's heart rate, thus increasing your risk for an unnecessary c-section. While on an epidural/pain meds you will more than likely have continuous fetal monitoring....again, which typically leads to higher risk of unnecessary c-section. Think about it.....your baby is moving in to the birth canal, twisting and getting I position, all while your contractions are pushing on the baby. This will make the baby's heart rate (naturally) accelerate and decelerate., however continuous fetal monitoring almost always results in staff thinking there is a "problem" with the baby due to the continual changes. Ugh.....I could go on.... I apologize for this being so drawn out.... Basically, there are a lot of factors that don't get discussed, that have been medically and scientifically proven and documented. Do your research, but whatever you choose, your choices should be respected.

whoberry · May 2014

I am planning for a med free birth. After all the medical treatment we went through to get here I would really like to have part of this experience be "natural". Also many of the reasons @Hopeful1029‌ said have factored into my decision. I think medical interventions just lead to more medical interventions, we've experienced this with IF firsthand. I also don't like they idea of having a catheter, not being able to change positions, and not being able to feel when to push.

ball.and.chain · May 2014

@xtina78, I am the opposite of you -- I always thought (pre-TTC) that I would want a natural childbirth, and now I am leaning more toward an epidural. I find a lot of women who go through IF want to "take back" their pregnancy/birth by going natural; for me, that process helped me trust medicine and what it can do for me.

Pre-TTC, I had pretty limited medical experience -- just routine well checks and stuff. I'd never had surgery or an x-ray, broken a bone, or been to the ER. I was never regularly on prescription medications (just occasional antibiotics). I rarely got sick. My main experiences with hospitals were negative: when my grandfather had heart attacks, when my mother had late-stage breast cancer. So when I started TTC, I went to a midwife practice for med-free IUIs. As you can see from my siggy, and the fact that I'm here now, they didn't work.

Since I started TTC, I have had 3 gynecological surgeries in hospitals and 1 (ER) at my fertility clinic. I have been on an array of fertility meds. I have given myself shots in the belly and thigh. My wife has given me shots in the butt. I've shoved meds up my vagina for months on end. I was also, tangentially, diagnosed with depression, started taking Prozac, and realized what a difference it made in my life. The truth is that I have had good experiences with these interventions. They are why I am pregnant now. My doctors and nurses have been nurturing, truthworthy, and compassionate. They have taken excellent care of me. I trust them -- in many ways, and for reasons that are probably obvious, I trust them and their medicines and their interventions more than I trust my own body. Can my body birth a baby on its own? Probably. But I am personally grateful for the opportunity to meet my baby with LESS pain. I am grateful for medical technology -- for chemotherapy drugs, measles vaccines, antibiotics, transplant surgeries, epidurals, and IVF.

I'm a researcher by training and profession, so I have spent a lot of time reading up on these issues -- everything from books to websites to abstracts, and in some cases full articles, from peer-reviewed medical journals. I actually felt, post-research, that there were more reasons to have an epidural than reasons not to, that some claims against them seemed to be overstated or based on old technology, and that not all epis are the same. I also have massive amounts of respect for women who do choose natural childbirth -- it requires a lot of bravery and strength. But it's obviously a very personal decision, and for me, it just didn't make the most sense.

I highly recommend reading The Birth Partner by Penny Simkin, and if you want a medical take on birth, Easy Labor by William Camann (this may be the book @krdesi is referring to). Both are pretty impartial and comprehensive, but because the former is written by a doula and the latter by an obstetrical anesthesiologist, I felt like I was getting both sides of the coin.

Good luck with your decision!

Deardra77 · May 2014

ball.and.chain beautifully put

>-

beachy6 · May 2014

I have to be open to how I deliver, but one thing that will be happening for sure is my vagina being numb! Period. I had an epi with DS when I got to 6cm. I was never happier in my life to have a numb lower half. I have endo, so I know pain. But, if there is a med to relieve it, I'm all for it! I've been in pain most of my life and I am all for stopping it if possible. The epi didn't slow my labor, make my DS tired, etc.

I agree with what @ball.and.chain said 100%! Well said!

MNgirl326 · May 2014

I had planned to have a natural birth. But when my water broke at 11:55 while I was brushing my teeth to go to bed and contractions started 15 minutes later, I had a feeling we were in for a wild night.

I was sure right, by 2:30 am I hadn't slept at all, was in terrible pain, got sick and vomited numerous times, and was asleep standing up, and in tears begging for an epi. I feel asleep in the nurses arms as they were doing the epi.

The epi helped me sleep, it helped me get strength -which is good since I pushed for 2 hours.

Do I regret getting an epi? meh. I would like to try this time naturally, but am not opposed to an epi either.

As far as nursing goes- LO nursed like a champ right from the beginning. IT wasn't until his reflux kicked in at 8 weeks and I went back to work at 12 weeks that my supply really tanked.

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