Natural (unmedicated) birth -- opinions/experiences?

Re: Natural (unmedicated) birth -- opinions/experiences?

• kayway85 member

  October 2015 edited October 2015

  I delivered by son in January of 2013, 21 hours of natural childbirth in a hospital. It was the most difficult and most powerful experience of my life. It's truly an amazing thing to experience every aspect of childbirth. I literally pulled my child from the world he had known for nine months into this world and placed him on my chest. It's pretty powerful. Does it hurt? Oh yes. If you have a low pain tolerance, I wouldn't attempt it. You will just be disappointed. Do you need to be committed ? 100%. If you tell yourself you're just going to see "how you feel" and then make a choice, you're going to choose the pain relief everytime. I had 13 friends who said they were going to deliver in a hospital without meds and you know how many of them ended up with epidurals? Every. Single. One of them. You really have to prepare. I probably read ten books, took a hypnobirthing class, did breathing and relaxation exercises everyday for four months. Can you do it? Absolutely you can. Not long a go, EVERY woman who have birth went through unmedicated birth. They didn't have a choice... They just had to get through it. But now that you do have a choice, I think you'll find, given the amount of pain you're in and the duration of your labor, it's very difficult if you don't prepare.
  
  I think it's best to give yourself permission to make choices during labor about pain management and see how you feel. If it's manageable, keep going. If it's not and you're exhausted and feel out of control, then it's probably better to get an epidural. Be kind to yourself and try to stay positive! Good luck.

  Report2 Reply
• Loading the player...
• clairesmommabear member

  October 2015

  It is very doable. My biggest piece of advice is to make sure your support person lets the staff know that you don't want medication unless you request. I have it in my file to make sure the staff does not even offer. If someone so much as says epidural I want them out.
  
  With DD I was working through it, and even though it was the most painful experience I had ever had, the thought of pain medication or an epidural never crossed my mind - that is, until this pushy nurse refused to shut up about it. Every contraction she asked me if I wanted something, and eventually I caved and said to get me the epidural.
  
  I am SO happy that by the time everything was set up to do the procedure, I had progressed too far. (I was getting off the bed to get it done and involuntarily pushed, which surprised Miss Pushy Nurse. I was already at 10 so it was time for me to just push instead.) Not having the epidural helped so much because I was able to change positions and have gravity work with me rather than against me.
  
  Once I was told I could push it was like a switch flipped in my brain. It was like the light at the end of the tunnel. Contractions didn't hurt so much, they were just my body giving me cues on pushing. I felt completely in tune with my body and my frustrations and worries melted away. It was a very empowering experience.
  
  You just need to prepare mentally and have your pain management exercises down. Be open to changing plans. What worked for me one hour had no effect the next, so be prepared to change tactics frequently.
  
  For me, my biggest downfall was having a nurse who completely disregarded my wishes with medication, and refused to stop offering even after I asked her to. Don't be afraid to kick people out if they are being counter productive to your plan (unless it is in regards to your or your baby's safety and health). If someone says anything about meds to me this time, they will be banned from my room immediately.
  
  You got this momma! You just have to make the commitment in your head and go with it. And never forget, changing your mind in the heat of things is never something to be ashamed of. You know your body and your tolerance. If it comes time and you feel you need meds you go for it. This is your birth experience so what you say goes!

  Report3 Reply
• erinboehme member

  October 2015

  I, on the other hand, did not prepare myself for an unmedicated birth - I just went in determined. No one offered me an epidural or any other kind of pain meds. I don't remember asking them not to. You can absolutely do it.

  Report2 Reply
• tuinstrab member

  October 2015

  I had my daughter without any pain meds. My husband and I took a Lamaze class which was very helpful for me but might have been even more helpful to my husband.
  
  Honestly I think if you go into labor with a "I can do this" attitude it is very helpful. Yes, of course its stupid painful but you have to realize it doesn't last long and at the end you get an amazing reward!
  
  Thinking back on the pain I actually thought having my water broken was far more painful than the contractions or pushing.
  
  Oh and in our birth plan we specifically stated no one was to mention pain management options besides our Midwife.
  
  You can totally get through it!! You will feel like such a badass...its truly something im proud of and definitely one of the coolest things ive ever done. I was on a high from it for a week straight!

  Report2 Reply
• smlowe9311 member

  October 2015

  With dd1 I had more of a lets see how it goes attitude and I ended up getting out on pitocin as well as getting iv pain meds. I didn't do much to prepare myself other than know I wasn't too keen on an epidural as I didn't want to feel out of control/numb.
  
  With dd2 I still didn't really prepare much but had the first hand experience. My labor this time around progressed much faster (4 hours from water breaking to her arrival verses 8) but I know I felt the pressure/pain more than with dd1.
  
  My advice like others have said is to read up on it and educate yourself and go in knowing what but also be open if it turns out the pain is too much or you get too worn out or if something else causes you to decide to get pain relief.

  Report1 Reply
• Krysta6 member

  October 2015

  I think you just go in with a goal but you roll with whatever happens. I planned unmedicated and my husband and I took Bradley classes. I was seriously ready for the marathon that I knew it would be. The first 13 hours were no problem, slightly painful but easily handled. The 15 hours after my water broke were too much for my body. But my contractions escalated quickly since my water broke at 3cm and then I spiked a fever. I couldn't manage the pain and I felt like I would suffer too much and risk complications so I opted for an epidural at 5cm. It gave me a chance to rest and my epidural really wasn't that strong (it kept wearing off) so when I needed to get on all fours I could hold myself up. I ended up pushing for only 15 minutes. But I still felt painful pressure during all of my contractions I was just able to focus because it took the edge off.
  
  I think my labor was the exception though because I ended up having chorio which is an infection in the uterus and it makes your uterus not work properly during labor. Since my water broke early I was having back to back contractions when I was only 4-5cm dilated. After reading up on it the fact that I didn't have to have a csection was a miracle enough. So I suggest have a goal but keep in mind healthy mom and healthy baby are the ultimate goal.

  Report6 Reply
• ameares721 member

  October 2015

  If you had a healthy, active pregnancy and your labor is progressing quickly, it will be a lot easier to have an unmedicated birth (in my opinion)! From my water breaking to birth was 10 hours and I had no back labor so it was very manageable. The hardest part was transition (around 8cm) when the contractions felt the same, but lasted so long I felt like I couldn't catch my breath! But when I wasn't having contractions, I felt great!

  Report1 Reply
• olivercat member

  October 2015

  Thanks for sharing your experiences -- it really helps to hear from others who have had successful and fulfilling unmedicated experiences... and from those people that made different decisions during labor when things changed or there were complications! Everyone in my family is so opinionated about what I should do that it's been hard to make my own choices at times without feeling like I have to explain and justify my thinking to everyone. Thankfully only my husband will be present for labor and delivery and he is incredibly supportive. I am definitely committed to having as little intervention as possible, but I also understand that the unexpected can happen!

  Report2 Reply
• sweet+cheeks member

  October 2015

  With DD I went in with an open mind, but the goal of getting as far as I could without medication. I even established a code word with DH that truly meant I was ready for meds. I ended up having complications. DDs heart decelerated with every contraction and I was forced to labor on my side, confined to the bed the whole time. I felt powerless to move with the contractions and started to panick. That is when I asked for the epidural. By the time they got it in though I was 9 cm and got about an hours rest before it was time to push. In retrospect I went through most of transition unmedicated while they were attempting to administer the epidural. I have decided to go unmedicated this time around but I am willing to consider epidural if I have complications again.

   

   

  Report1 Reply