Natural birth?

Meganb005 · May 2015

any other moms looking at 100% natural birthing options? My friends think I'm crazy for even considering it! I have a Bradley method book and a hypnobirthing book that I am starting to dig into. As a FTM I want to do everything right for my little bean and I feel like this is a good start!

RNmommy13 · May 2015

I am thinking about it for my second time around. Not that I had anything wrong with my first. I had an epidural, vaginal birth the first time, up an hour later showering, it was a great experience. I just want to know what I am missing out on not feeling everything.

lyankowi · May 2015

I tried and failed, no epidural but I did get a shot of nubain at 8.5cm. I am going to try again for 100% natural but with DD being 9lbs 10oz I will not be disappointed in myself if I do need a little something to get to the end. Good luck!

britnys · May 2015

I've had 1 natural no pain meds birth, and one with an epidural. I am having a home birth this time so pain meds are out of the question. I'm also planning on using hypnob abides this time and will be purchasing the disks here soon. I think you can totally do it!!

nano1 · May 2015

I'm hoping to as I did with my first. It was problem-free, but he was over three weeks early and almost 7lbs so if this one goes full term I'm a little scared!

thefithuntress · May 2015

I'm gonna try! I already have a midwife. I'm gonna get a doula and rent out a nice little room in the hospital with a tub to labor in. They also let you give birth squatting/positioned vertically so it's easier. I'm looking forward to doing my best and if it doesn't work out I won't beat myself up.

lulamagoo · May 2015

I had a pain med free birth with our son. I did not go into expecting a med free birth, I went into it with the philosophy of "I've never done this before so we will just see what happens."
I do recommend a doula if you are going med free, they are a huge help for you and your partner.
I hope you get the birth you want, but it is important to remember is that the important thing is that a healthy baby is born. I know many women who were set on a med free birth that ended up with c-sections or getting the epidural and they were really upset with the experience.

JumpingJellyBeans06 · May 2015

I tried with my first but ended up getting a epidural then later a c-section because I took too long to push. Then with my second I did a VBAC all natural. My VBAC was amazing! It was intense but worth it. I pushed her out in 3 pushes because I felt everything. My recovery time was also faster. I didn't have a doula but I did as much research as I could. I'm sure having a doula would have helped though.

With having twins this time its a toss up if I will have a c-section or not. If everything goes as plan, I will go natural again. I'm not one for pain but the thought of having an epidural scares me. I'd rather the pain than not feel anything at all.

urby87 · May 2015

lulamagoo said:
I had a pain med free birth with our son. I did not go into expecting a med free birth, I went into it with the philosophy of "I've never done this before so we will just see what happens."
I do recommend a doula if you are going med free, they are a huge help for you and your partner.
I hope you get the birth you want, but it is important to remember is that the important thing is that a healthy baby is born. I know many women who were set on a med free birth that ended up with c-sections or getting the epidural and they were really upset with the experience.

This is how I feel about it, too. I've never done this before, so while I'd like to go natural, I also understand that there are things that could happen that could change my mind when the time comes.

katiechickie · May 2015

It's my first so I definitely want the option of an epidural. I think it depends on how long I'm in labour for and if I want to sleep. I think the first one is usually pretty long. But anything can happen

kbonel · May 2015

Has anyone heard about the confident birthing course? It's supposed to cover all the ways natural birthing could go and what tools you can use in each situation. I was going to give that a try. FTM and I'm set on natural but if things get bad I'll do whatever the doc recommends... I jokingly told him I would probably fight him about it first

Pontot31 · May 2015

I went a day and a half of hard labor last time with no drugs. It was intense but doable. My daughter ended up wedged in a bad position and I ended up with a CS. She had to be vacuumed out she was so stuck in my pelvis due to being posterior.

I am working for a natural VBAC this time.
I had a doula last time and will this time as well.

I think it's one of those things you need to prepare for. Had I not read books and taken classes and peeped with my doula I wouldn't have known what to expect. We works for more than 12 hours to move her and get me to dilate further when I stalled out. It took a lot of determination to handle pitocin contractions with no meds.

I think in a hospital setting it's much harder to just go with the flow. Sadly you have to be ready to fight for what you want.
If it's something you really want I would suggest you research and also make sure your doctor is not one to push interventions. They make it so much harder to go natural.

mishala12 · May 2015

Have you looked into a birthing center? Thats the route we are going.

kmkrushi · May 2015

Props to you ladies! With DD I had them cut off the epidural so I could try to push more when she wouldn't come. It hurt! They ended up having to do a c-section since she still didn't want to come. I know it's very possible to do it without drugs, but I'm not someone who handles pain well. You mommas are awesome, strong women!

Falchas · May 2015

I had a natural with my first, as pp said, I went into it with an open mind, I wanted to try for natural, but was not going to beat myself up if I didn't. I took an 8 week Bradley course, if you look over the material and it seems like something you are interested in, I would recommend the course. My instructor was very kind, but a tad militant on certain subject areas. But again, I had an open mind, so we were able to separate out what we could use (birth positions, breathing techniques etc.) from what stuff I though was a little bit of anti-establishment/hospital scare tactics. Anyhow, was able to labor at home until 10 cm (hospital was only a 10 minute ride, so that helped) and we had him within an hour of checking in. Doing the same this time, hoping for the best and accepting that all births are different, so we'll be prepared to change course if need be!

Squirtgun · May 2015

As others have said, went into first with open mind, wanted to do a natural birth, but was totally open to meds if I decided I needed them. (I think too many people beat themselves up and feel like a bad mom for taking meds.) I was already too far along for meds when I got to the hospital (crazy fast labor) and didn't end up with the option available anyway! I didn't have time to really think about it or ask for meds, though. I'd reccomend birthing classes either way, but don't let anyone make you think that you are less of a mom if you end up with meds. (I say this because I had a close friend who was heartbroken that she had an epidural, even though it was the best choice for her and baby. An people tried to make her feel worse about it!)

LSRoo · May 2015

Did natural for DS (I got a shot of Nubian shortly after my water broke because the nurse wanted me to sleep). It made me violently ill and I decided nothing else from then on. I still consider it med free. DS was just under 10 lbs so if this one is anything like him, I not opposed to an epidural. It was pretty brutal!

VexyMommy · May 2015

I had an epidural with mine. I was not dilating as I was supposed to and was very scared. My doctor told me (at 6pm at night) he would check on me the next morning because he didn't expect anything to happen sooner. After I got the epidural I was able to relax and took a nap. I woke up to a weird feeling. It was my daughter crowning. Made it through without tearing. Her being only 5.8lbs probably helped with that.

Minx729 · May 2015

I'm actually planning on a water birth at home with a midwife!!!#teamnatural

Meganb005 · May 2015

Thanks for all of your input ladies! I fully realize that I may not be able to make it without meds but I don't want them to be offered, if I want them I want to be the one to ask!

Emma&Shayne · May 2015

Gas and air is amazing you still feel everything but it makes it easier to cope when you breath through with the gas. I used it for the few transition contractions right before pushing, once pushing I didn't need it because you can push against the pain

oliarnmom1517 · May 2015

I'm hoping to natural birth but because I have a few small health problems and me having a bad back I might not be able to switch makes me sad but I will be doing my very best to do natural birth..

MommaEarth · May 2015

I am planning to with this one as I did with my previous 2. My first I had a couple doses of Fentanoyl, I was not prepared for THAT amount of pain! My second, I figured I did it once and was able to it completely natural. My little sister calls me "Mountain Woman", she's gotten the epidurals with both of hers lol

ashleywuli · May 2015

Emma&Shayne said:
Gas and air is amazing you still feel everything but it makes it easier to cope when you breath through with the gas. I used it for the few transition contractions right before pushing, once pushing I didn't need it because you can push against the pain

Ugh I wish I was offered this!! I made it to 8.5-9 cms with nothing and the transition had me literally seeing stars. So I got the epidural and baby was born literally three minutes after the epidural went into my back. Good luck to all the mamas who are trying to go med free!

Bootsie81 · May 2015

I had a totally unintentional pain med free birth with my son. I had asked for an epi but my labor went way too fast and his heart rate kept dropping so no IV meds. They were taking me in for an emergency C section because of his heart rate and I ended up pushing him out in the operating room. The bummer part was I ended up on mag for 2 days after his birth because of my blood pressure so I was completely out of it. So med free birth but I was doped up for days after.

dramaphile · May 2015

I'm trying for a natural birth at a birth center, but I also know that babies and bodies don't always do what you want. A friend just had her LO last weekend and labored at the same birth center, but ended up transferred to the hospital and had a c section. She still said she had a great experience during the time she was at the birth center and is accepting of the ultimate outcome.

It can be more challenging at a hospital, but making a birth plan ahead of time and advocating for yourself helps.

agerstner · May 2015

I did mostly natural. My water broke and I was induced, so that wasn't natural at all. I went from 1cm-10 in 3hrs and baby in 45mins. I had one shot of morphine around 5cm and used gas through out. Worked well for me and much nicer being able to walk around freely vrs stuck in bed with a monitor the entire time.

vrossolille · May 2015

My first birth was 3 hours long. I believe all people & pregnancies are different.

urby87 · May 2015

My mom is super-excited about this pregnancy, so we've been talking a lot about pregnancy-related stuff. I don't remember if it was with her first (my sister) or second (me), but she said she had Braxton-Hicks so frequently the last couple of months that she didn't realize she had already gone into labor when she went in for her induction. She did get an epidural, but was later told that it was too late for it to have taken effect by the time all was said and done. Both pregnancies went two weeks late, and and both were delivered within three hours of her arriving at the hospital.

Elysag · May 2015

I had a natural hospital birth with my first and hope for the same this time. I recommend having a doula. My doula was amazing and I don't think I could have done it without it. Hospital personnel can be very pushy with meds. The resident assigned to me came in multiple times trying to push me into getting pitocin. I was only in labor for 12 hours, which for a first baby is pretty short, so there was no need for pitocin. I didn't have complications but I had an open mind and had I needed interventions, I would have accepted them. I think it's very important to keep an open mind but still be firm about your choices unless there is a medical need to do otherwise.

Favoritemandms · May 2015

I haven't decided if I want pain meds or not and I honestly don't think I'm going to decide until day of. My mom had two very easy labors and deliveries (and fairly quick). I'm not saying it's necessarily genetic, but I'm not sure I want anything to interfere with the natural process if I don't have to. I think there's an excellent chance I'll change my mind 500 times before the day though. My husband thinks I'm insane for even considering going pain free.

agerstner · May 2015

Favoritemandms said:
I haven't decided if I want pain meds or not and I honestly don't think I'm going to decide until day of. My mom had two very easy labors and deliveries (and fairly quick). I'm not saying it's necessarily genetic, but I'm not sure I want anything to interfere with the natural process if I don't have to. I think there's an excellent chance I'll change my mind 500 times before the day though. My husband thinks I'm insane for even considering going pain free.

I personally think this is the best attitude to take in with you

As long as you get your baby, you can't fail in the method of delivery! I went in with a preference for minimal intervention, but ended up induced because I wasn't contracting. Otherwise it was fairly natural beyond the couple tanks of gas I clung to dear life on

I think it helped a lot that hubby was on board with doing whatever I wanted and felt I could tolerate!

Lawson6510 · May 2015

I did Lamaze and had a med-free hospital birth with my daughter. Planning to do the same this time, but as a NICU RN I know that every pregnancy is different and due to complications after my daughter's birth another intervention free birth may not be in the cards for me and I'm okay with that.

Favoritemandms · May 2015

Does anyone know if we can get Nitrous in hospitals in the U.S.? If so, that's the way I want to go. I was terrified of getting my wisdom teeth out and the nurse let me have a little before I got put out and I felt like I could conquer the world.

Sydvicious08 · May 2015

Had all natural with both of mine, you can do it! Also, look up pitocin..I would opt out of it, too. Much more pain and can interfere with bonding

agerstner · May 2015

I would just like to say that "opting out of pitocin" as a few pp's have mentioned, is not always an option. My water broke and I wasn't going into labor naturally. I still did my labor naturally and it was fine.

Pontot31 · May 2015

agerstner said:
I would just like to say that "opting out of pitocin" as a few pp's have mentioned, is not always an option. My water broke and I wasn't going into labor naturally. I still did my labor naturally and it was fine.

Yes. But a lot of doctors try to push it if you're not meeting their time table and moving fast enough.

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