@roseyrose1984 Thank you for pointing out that epidurals and drugs for birth are far less common in other parts of the world. That makes me feel like what I'm doing is sensible and way less crazy than my friends make it out to be.
I'm thinking of making a list of all the reasons I really want to have a med-free birth or reasons to help me feel strong about it and having it in a notebook that I can look at while I'm in labor. It sounds a little goofy, but I feel like it would be easy to forget these things during the throws of labor and it might help to be reminded of them.
Read "Ina May's Guide to Childbirth". After reading it, not only am I no longer afraid of natural childbirth, I'm looking forward to the experience!
Your body was built to give birth. Our culture treats pregnancy and birth like an ailment, even an illness, that must be managed and treated which is what makes the prospect of laboring and birthing without meds to be so frightening. We're obsessed with the pain, but it doesn't have to be that way. Ina May, along with the beautiful birth stories she includes, do such an amazing job of showing how birth is what we make it to be. Don't scare yourself thinking you need hand signals and to have been practicing for months in advance. There are so many women who do this around the world with little to no support. Have your husband read the book too, as there are some great ideas for you both.
One thing I have been told again and again by the women in my life is not to go in with an open mind. If you really want to do this, you need to make up your mind that you want a natural childbirth and swear off the drugs. Otherwise you'll more than likely end up taking them when the opportunity arises.
Read "Ina May's Guide to Childbirth". After reading it, not only am I no longer afraid of natural childbirth, I'm looking forward to the experience!
Your body was built to give birth. Our culture treats pregnancy and birth like an ailment, even an illness, that must be managed and treated which is what makes the prospect of laboring and birthing without meds to be so frightening. We're obsessed with the pain, but it doesn't have to be that way. Ina May, along with the beautiful birth stories she includes, do such an amazing job of showing how birth is what we make it to be. Don't scare yourself thinking you need hand signals and to have been practicing for months in advance. There are so many women who do this around the world with little to no support. Have your husband read the book too, as there are some great ideas for you both.
One thing I have been told again and again by the women in my life is not to go in with an open mind. If you really want to do this, you need to make up your mind that you want a natural childbirth and swear off the drugs. Otherwise you'll more than likely end up taking them when the opportunity arises.
It's such a great book, isn't it!? It gave me so much confidence and excitement when I read it with my first!
Re: How to prepare for med-free birth. Scared!
I'm thinking of making a list of all the reasons I really want to have a med-free birth or reasons to help me feel strong about it and having it in a notebook that I can look at while I'm in labor. It sounds a little goofy, but I feel like it would be easy to forget these things during the throws of labor and it might help to be reminded of them.
Your body was built to give birth. Our culture treats pregnancy and birth like an ailment, even an illness, that must be managed and treated which is what makes the prospect of laboring and birthing without meds to be so frightening. We're obsessed with the pain, but it doesn't have to be that way. Ina May, along with the beautiful birth stories she includes, do such an amazing job of showing how birth is what we make it to be. Don't scare yourself thinking you need hand signals and to have been practicing for months in advance. There are so many women who do this around the world with little to no support. Have your husband read the book too, as there are some great ideas for you both.
One thing I have been told again and again by the women in my life is not to go in with an open mind. If you really want to do this, you need to make up your mind that you want a natural childbirth and swear off the drugs. Otherwise you'll more than likely end up taking them when the opportunity arises.