I loved my epi- like @AllyTheKid, I basically laughed and joked my baby out. I couldn't imagine any better birthing experience. And Ds' apgar's were immediately 9 and then 10.
I think if I absolutely had to go med free then a water birth would be my next best option.
I'm a FTM and am team epi. Don't have a super high pain tolerance and have just thought that why be in pain if I don't have to be. Maybe I'm in the minority, but when they offer the drugs I'm taking them!
Same here. I'm all for them giving me whatever they can to make my pain go away. I tried to hold out with DS because I have needlephobia but ended up asking for epi before they were even allowed to give it because of the pain.
@MRSCORKER I'm in the same boat as you... No clue what my pain tolerance is so I'm just planning on being flexible when the time comes. I think I'll probably end up getting the epidural in the end, but I'd like to wait as long as I can without the pain being unbearable. My limited hospital experience has shown me I get really frustrated when I am stuck in a bed attached to a bunch of stuff. I think the most important thing is just to know yourself and try not to be to influenced by messages of what you "should" want from others.
@Blonde1817 Yeah, I Reall want to be able to walk and labor in different positions. I'll probably get the epi eventually though. I'm more freaked out about being stitched up without pain meds than giving birth without them, lol.
Me: 32 & DH: 37
Married: November 2014
TTC #1 Since: October 2015
BFP #1: 11/18/15 - CP BFP #2: 2/8/16 - EDD 10/20/16 IT'S A BOY!!!! DS Born 10/16/16
I had an epidural with my first and the decision for that was I had back labor throughout the entire time and the nurses told me that an epidural would be the only way to relieve any of the pain I was having, I did however make it 14 hours laboring med-free but felt I needed to sleep a bit. The negative was it really slowed the progress of labor after I got it, which led to inducing labor with additional meds.
This time I've had braxton hicks contractions (didn't have any with my first) so my plan is to see how it goes this time around and make the decision while in labor. I believe I'm going to try and go without one this time since it slowed labor last time, but I'm also not opposed to having one if I feel I need it.
Epi all the way. My no Epi birth was very shocking and I felt out of it for hours afterward. I could get up and walk and that, but my brain felt fuzzy. My Epi births, esp my last one, we're amazing. I was still able to walk right away and I felt great in my head also! Babies have all been very alert and nursed right away. I've never had issues with it slowing my progress, in fact it was the exact opposite both times.
Epi all the way. My no Epi birth was very shocking and I felt out of it for hours afterward. I could get up and walk and that, but my brain felt fuzzy. My Epi births, esp my last one, we're amazing. I was still able to walk right away and I felt great in my head also! Babies have all been very alert and nursed right away. I've never had issues with it slowing my progress, in fact it was the exact opposite both times.
I like these kinds of positives!
Me:33 DH: 34 Married: May 2011 TTC #1: May 2015 DS: 10/20/2016 TTC #2: June 2019 #2 EDD: 2/20/2020
For me it's all about time for my son I took it because it had been over 24 hours and I was tired, So i asked for one it was another 12.hrs and 3 hrs of pushing so I don't regret my choice. My daughter had an evacuation time she had to be out for 9:30 am on September 27th due to IUGR and risk of placental ubruption so when it got to 6am and I was at 4cm my Dr wanted me on petocine and that has a risk of c section so I asked for the epidural on low so I didn't have to rush it in if I hit the 9:30 mark. Lucky I had her at 8:53am. I always say see how you feel if you are getting tired or its to much ask if you can make it leave it.
I've been watching videos and toying with the idea of no epi.
Until my doctor told me today that my daughter is big and has a big head. Haha I'm back to considering it again
What is your doctor basing that off of? Third trimester ultrasounds are notoriously wrong about predictions when it comes to baby size/weight. I have heard so many stories of women who were told they would deliver an 11 lb behemoth and went on to deliver a 7 lb peanut!!!
I've been watching videos and toying with the idea of no epi.
Until my doctor told me today that my daughter is big and has a big head. Haha I'm back to considering it again
What is your doctor basing that off of? Third trimester ultrasounds are notoriously wrong about predictions when it comes to baby size/weight. I have heard so many stories of women who were told they would deliver an 11 lb behemoth and went on to deliver a 7 lb peanut!!!
Overall weight can be pretty off, but I would think specific measurements like head and long bones would be a little more precise. I had a 36 week growth scan with my second son due to history of macrosomia with my first and his head measured two weeks ahead.. homeboy was born with an almost 15 inch head. But I definitely agree that overall size can be off in late ultrasounds.
@MRSCORKER You're in such a daze after giving birth that you probably will barely notice being stitched up (if you even need to be). I tore with my first (apparently, kind of a lot), but the only thing I remember after my son was born was having him on my chest and just staring at him. Everything else was background noise.
Had a med free birth last time so planning it again. I had an episiotomy and remember the ob spraying numbing cream before cutting and I'm guessing stitching. I never felt any of it
I've been watching videos and toying with the idea of no epi.
Until my doctor told me today that my daughter is big and has a big head. Haha I'm back to considering it again
What is your doctor basing that off of? Third trimester ultrasounds are notoriously wrong about predictions when it comes to baby size/weight. I have heard so many stories of women who were told they would deliver an 11 lb behemoth and went on to deliver a 7 lb peanut!!!
@MRSCORKER You're in such a daze after giving birth that you probably will barely notice being stitched up (if you even need to be). I tore with my first (apparently, kind of a lot), but the only thing I remember after my son was born was having him on my chest and just staring at him. Everything else was background noise.
Same here. I needed stitches after DD (med-free), but once we got to that point, pfft. If I didn't have to move my legs myself, I wouldn't even have noticed. All background hustle and bustle after baby girl was in my arms.
@mizzkbrat What'd your doctor say about the large head/baby? I had a growth ultrasound the other day too, baby's head and torso measuring in the 97th percentile, and my ob was already discussing inducing early. Is yours concerned at all?
@mizzkbrat What'd your doctor say about the large head/baby? I had a growth ultrasound the other day too, baby's head and torso measuring in the 97th percentile, and my ob was already discussing inducing early. Is yours concerned at all?
No he's not concerened. I even asked if there was a good chance she would come early because of her size and he said "no sometimes people just have big babies." Just told me to rethink that epidural I had thought of not having for 30 min
@mizzkbratsidecarsareforbishes I'm interested in this as well. We had a growth ultrasound at 31 weeks and baby's head and abdomen are measuring 2.5 weeks ahead, I was wondering whether or not the conversation would come up at my doctor's appointment this week. I really don't want this baby to be hear earlier than his due date if possible so the 2.5 weeks early was making me nervous.
I wish my ob was more like that @mizzkbrat. Probably going to make a switch to a midwife, I don't need my ob freaking out over the size, especially when I'm not really all that concerned.
@amheimerman I measured ahead most of my pregnancy, and still went 3 days late with my first. I never did have a growth scan, just fundal height measured a week or two ahead. I ended up having a 9lb,7oz baby and it was fine. I don't even think they'd know this one is measuring large if not for the growth scan, which they only ordered because my first was a big baby.
For those worrying about size/measurements, ultrasounds can be off by up to 2 weeks. My sister is an ultrasound tech. Babies are moving targets and sometimes measurements are hard to get. I wouldn't worry too much as long as baby is within that 2 week range.
@amheimerman I measured a week ahead with all of my ultrasounds. My last ultrasound where they diagnosed the big head big baby, I was within a day of my EDD. It can all change
regarding the size of baby. At my last ultrasound her head was in the 80% and body at 60%. My Dr told me the head size is genetic and that if my mother didn't have issues then I'd probably be fine as well. I was also told ultrasounds can be off by 2.5 pounds in either direction.
TTC #1 since August 2015 BFP #1 January 28, 2016
EDD October 3, 2016 Felicity Joy, born September 2, 2016 My Chart
TTC #2 Since August 2020 BFP #2 September 11, 2020 EDD May 23, 2021
No epi with my first DD (3.5 years) and plan to not have meds with this baby due 10/4; however, I attended the epidural class at the hospital and signed the paperwork (just in case) although I wanted a med-free (with as few interventions as necessary) L&D. I arrived at the hospital at 9-10 cm dilated with intense back labor. (SO MUCH PRESSURE). My contractions felt like I had been socked in the back with a softball bat, would ease up and have a dull ache. I labored at home using a ball, the bath (both shower and seated), stretched on my hands and knees on our bed, but the most relief was found straddling our closed toilet backwards. The pressure was intense and I could not stay still. I had packed my bag with tennis balls and a (clean) paint roller to offer counter pressure. Unfortunately, I live too remotely to make a Bradley Method class realistic, but found some very helpful YouTube videos for breathing and practiced those at home in the weeks prior to delivery. Had I labored the majority of the time at the hospital (strapped to a bed on monitors) I am certain I would have used medication. My midwife and I had a very candid conversation about delivery in a hospital and how to avoid interventions and laboring at home as long as possible. I did have medication for the episiotomy (an injection at the site). Also, the MW broke my water (to me that was not a deal breaker) at the hospital. I had the exact L&D I wanted. I plan to sign paperwork for an epidural again (you don't have to repeat class), but plan to not use it. I am all for being prepared in situations where you are not certain how things are going to go.
Re: Natural OR Epidural?
I think if I absolutely had to go med free then a water birth would be my next best option.
It's a boy!
Me: 32 & DH: 37
BFP #2: 2/8/16 - EDD 10/20/16
IT'S A BOY!!!!
DS Born 10/16/16
This time I've had braxton hicks contractions (didn't have any with my first) so my plan is to see how it goes this time around and make the decision while in labor. I believe I'm going to try and go without one this time since it slowed labor last time, but I'm also not opposed to having one if I feel I need it.
Me: 32 & DH: 37
BFP #2: 2/8/16 - EDD 10/20/16
IT'S A BOY!!!!
DS Born 10/16/16
DH: 34
Married: May 2011
TTC #1: May 2015
DS: 10/20/2016
TTC #2: June 2019
#2 EDD: 2/20/2020
Until my doctor told me today that my daughter is big and has a big head. Haha I'm back to considering it again
Baby GIRL born 9/16/201
BFP! EDD 8/1/2019 CP 4w2d
@amheimerman I measured ahead most of my pregnancy, and still went 3 days late with my first. I never did have a growth scan, just fundal height measured a week or two ahead. I ended up having a 9lb,7oz baby and it was fine. I don't even think they'd know this one is measuring large if not for the growth scan, which they only ordered because my first was a big baby.
BFP #1 January 28, 2016
Felicity Joy, born September 2, 2016
My Chart
BFP #2 September 11, 2020
EDD May 23, 2021
I arrived at the hospital at 9-10 cm dilated with intense back labor. (SO MUCH PRESSURE). My contractions felt like I had been socked in the back with a softball bat, would ease up and have a dull ache.
I labored at home using a ball, the bath (both shower and seated), stretched on my hands and knees on our bed, but the most relief was found straddling our closed toilet backwards. The pressure was intense and I could not stay still. I had packed my bag with tennis balls and a (clean) paint roller to offer counter pressure.
Unfortunately, I live too remotely to make a Bradley Method class realistic, but found some very helpful YouTube videos for breathing and practiced those at home in the weeks prior to delivery.
Had I labored the majority of the time at the hospital (strapped to a bed on monitors) I am certain I would have used medication.
My midwife and I had a very candid conversation about delivery in a hospital and how to avoid interventions and laboring at home as long as possible.
I did have medication for the episiotomy (an injection at the site). Also, the MW broke my water (to me that was not a deal breaker) at the hospital.
I had the exact L&D I wanted.
I plan to sign paperwork for an epidural again (you don't have to repeat class), but plan to not use it. I am all for being prepared in situations where you are not certain how things are going to go.